59 Bassman Ltd. vs. Super Reverb RI

[bluesboy77]

Okay I'm kind of a newbie here, and I have a question. I need to make an amp choice between an brand new stock 59 Bassman Ltd. or a Super Reverb RI w/Eminence Rajin Cajun speakers, SED output tubes and EH preamp tubes.

Which one would you Fender experts go with. I know there are tons of other choices out there in other brands an even other Fender amps, but this is what my choice is at the moment and I would love some assistance.

I play in church every Sunday and play one or two other gigs per month. My main guitar is a Tom Anderson Hollow Drop Top Classic. I have a Boss TU2, cream Fulltone Fulldrive2, Line6 MM4, Line6 DL4, Boss DD-20, BBE Sonic Stomp and a Ernie Ball VP jr on my pedal board. I hope that's enough info to help give me a education opinion on these two amps.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[revgsmall]

I find the RI Super nothing like the original, so it is a matter of preference in sonics. I think the bassman reissues are a touch closer to the old bassmans.

[silencer eleven]

What kinda tone are you going for? The RI bassman's sound pretty good to my ears, its gonna be hard to get any break up though at church volumes. If you want lush clean, go with the bassman. but that's coming from a guy who hasn't tried the SR haha

[bluesboy77]

Well, I do keep the amp at about 4 and don't usually go much higher. I get my overdrive from my FD2. I am also going to add another overdrive pedal to my board sometime soon.

[Old Tele man]

...a very general generalization:

SRRI is better for crunch and high (preamp) gain playing.

'59BM is better for blues and low(preamp) gain playing.

[VaughnC]

Neither amp is better, per se. What's more important is how you personally mesh with them. The SRRI is tighter with a scooped mid whereas the BMRI is looser with flatter mids. Which is best? Only your own ears will tell you that.

[Mullet Kingdom]

Try 'em both (if that's an option) and it should be obvious which one you like better. JMO. Bottom line: trust your ears before you trust someone else's opinion, especially when it's your money.

[bluesboy77]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I do agree that I should let my ears be the judge, but I thought you might have an opinion or two on steering clear of one or the other. I have the Bassman in my possession and will be trying the Super Reverb soon. I just didn't really want to have to make the choice of one over the other all by myself .

Thanks guys. :AOK

[Mullet Kingdom]

If you have the option, put them together in the same room so you can A/B them. They're both great sounding amps, it's just a matter of which one you like more.

[bluesjuke]

Jumping channels & output tube choice can give some good options in the Bassman too.
These things take pedals extremly well too.
When the speakers break in it will get even better.
Thick & lush sounding.

[CocoTone]

I've had both. The Bassman is way loud, the SRRI, just plain loud. Still have the Super tho. Both are smokin' amps, but do different things, but all well. Up to the ears bro..

CT.

[sideman]

This is non-responsive, but those are both big, loud amps. For a church gig I'd be looking for something smaller and lighter, like a Deluxe Reverb.

[84Bravo]

I have a reissue LTD that I like a lot, had a 67 BFSR that I liked but it was bright and most it was so damn heavy to move in and out of the house. The LTD weighs 50 lbs and is easy to haul. The reissue Super weighs about 63 lbs, and that 13 lb difference is huge when it comes time to load stuff up. Both reissues sound good, the Bassman can be the foundation for many different tones, both clean and overdriven. Doubt that you would ever get either beyond level four in church.

[sideman]

DR is 37 lbs and alot smaller. Going to your question, I've owned and gigged both amps alot. They are very different. Bassman warmer, middier, maybe more complex at modest volume, earlier and thicker overdrive and compression, no reverb. SR punchier, harder edged on top, reverb. Probably you don't need reverb in a church. My fave between the two amps was the Bassman, but that's just me.

[bluesboy77]

Thanks again for all the replies, I appreciate the input. I ended up going with the SRRI. Many thanks to guittguy1 for selling me a great amp.

I loved the Bassman, but I loved the tone I got out of the SR even more. Thanks again.