Jim Kelley Fender Bassman Modded Into Prototype Line Amp 1966, Black Suede

This is a fantastic addition to our store, with styling that suggests it holds exceptional tonal capabilities. Those familiar with the high-end boutique amp world will likely recognize Jim Kelley, renowned for his FACS amps and regarded as a brilliant engineer on par with the likes of Alexander Dumble. This amp began as a 1966 Bassman, which Jim used as a platform to experiment with his innovative "Line Amp" design—currently produced in small quantities. Jim has done an outstanding job of combining quality Blackface-era parts with some clever engineering to take the AB165 Bassman far beyond its original limitations. When utilized with the original Schumacher transformers it creates a perfect fusion of old and new.

The layout is simple but highly effective—using a concentric knob on the Normal channel to separate gain (inner) from the global master volume (outer). The master volume works with the Bass channel as well, offering great versatility across both channels. Essentially, Jim added gain stages after the tone stack, pushing this Bassman into a more saturated territory than the stock design would allow. The result is an amp that easily rivals the quality of Dumble amps, but without the extra zero added to the price. The rear of the chassis is signed by Jim Kelley, with a date of 2018.

According to Jim, the amp was originally built with the suede covering, and someone later added the Vox-style grillcloth. Additionally, two of the knobs have been changed, which thankfully does not affect the circuit. Jim also mentioned that this is one of only two units built this way during the prototyping phase, making it a truly special and unique piece!