Retubing a blackface Bandmaster

[LHanson]

I like lots of gain, but the clean sound of this amp is just so SWEET. I'm torn between tubing it to distort and tubing it to be clean and getting a good pedal to distort.

Suggestions, ideas, warnings? I would like to come away with a good breakup/hi-gain tube suggestion, and a good clean sound suggestion. After all, I could just switch tube sets.

 

[John Phillips]

Changing tubes won't make enough of a difference to the gain to give you a lot of overdrive, so I wouldn't even try.

I would just fit it with the best set of tubes you can find to give exactly the sound it was designed to do - NOS RCAs or GEs - and use a pedal for higher gain.

If you do want a slightly cleaner sound, JAN Philips/Sylvania 6L6s will give a touch more headroom.

 

[Swarty]

As John said, tubes won't do much to gain the amp up....However, if you want more flexibilitiy (clean to mean) you may want to have it Swartyized - check out the link - Click Here

 

[Mark C]

Get a good pedal. Hell, some even halfway decent pedals will make a blackface Fender sing!

 

[Kiwi]

Leave it be - if you really care, then just plug in NOS pre-amp tubes, at least. Then hit it with your choice of pedal.

I got a BF Bandmaster recently, completely original down to the RCA and Telefunken pre-amp tubes. Great sound, as it was intended. Remarkably pedal-friendly!

Seriously, part of its charm is that it HASN'T been modded or used as a science experiment. I think that will help its value in decades to come. Let them age gracefully, without facelifts.

Kiwi

 

[Dr Blasto]

I have two bandmasters, one SF and a BF. The SF has a bassman OT (the original died) and the BF is stock. Both amps sound great and, to me, represent an excellent tone-for-the-buck head. Seems most of these are completely overlooked compared to their other BF brethren.

 

[CrazyChester]

I also have two Bandmasters, one is a 65 and the other is a 66. I built a combo case for one of them and use a 80 watt Celestian in it. This makes a fine Jazz Amp. The other I've kept stock. Like mentioned eariler the Bandmaster is very pedel friendly. A Tube Screamer and a Holy Grail reverb and it sounds great without blowing everybody's ears out. If I need to get louder I use a BF Bassman or preferably my Allen Old Flame. Quieter My Allen Accomplice fills the bill.