A true player-grade special, this is a genuine 5F6-A Bassman housed in its original cabinet (with a changed upper back panel), which has been professionally recovered. Thankfully, under the hood is a mostly original circuit, including the original Triad output transformer, so the core of the tone remains intact. See specs section for other transformer and speaker changes.Internally, the power cord and electrolytic caps have been replaced, along with the following updates:
- Four coupling caps changed for vintage-style equivalents
- Added turret strip for the preamp resistors (reason unknown)
- Updated bias circuit with a diode and trim pot
- Replaced jacks and one pot
- Updated screen grid resistors
- Added control grid resistors (1.5k, Blackface spec)
- Added tube/diode rectifier switch
Otherwise, all of the original carbon comp preamp resistors remain, along with most of the Astron coupling caps—please see circuit photos for further details. All things considered, this is a fantastic value for a Bassman that’s original where it matters, offered at a significantly reduced price compared to fully original examples. It sounds great and would be a good option for taking on the road without the worry of putting wear on a vintage piece.
