Wonderful versatile 1970 Fender Bandmaster reverb stack with huge stock Fender Bandmaster Rev 12" 2x12 Cab with stock Utah speakers. I'm playing them with a 2013 Gibson SG Standard Custom Shop and a 2016 Squier Affinity Telecaster.
You're right on here. I've owned one (1968) for 30yrs now, got it for free. The power transformers are smaller too. Both had blown up and were replaced with transformers from a 1964 Bassman. Compared it to a stock one some years ago, and it was a major improvement both clean and dirty. Tighter bass. Now the difference in rectifiers is more noticeable. 5U4GB is better in mine vs GZ34, giving singing leads.
Had one of those heads about 30 years ago. Bought it from a friend, who needed quick ca$h. Was good on its own, but also great with pedals. Ended up saving another buddy's gig with it one night when his Twin Reverb had an issue; luckily my house was only 1 mile away !! He (Mike) bought the amp that night, after the band got paid. He still has it.
These are, or were, so overlooked and very awesome. Its got 2 6L6s but with a tube rectifier which is really nice. I got one about 3 years ago for $300 (just the head) and it is great!
OMG, what awesome tone. My dad had a BF Bandmaster when he played back in the 60s. This one sounds incredible. Amp modeling doesn't touch this. Also nice to see no Fryette in the middle of the chain, just pure rock bliss. Thanks again Johan!
I have the Bandmaster head TFL 5005D that locks with hand turned bolts onto a Fender Cab with 2 15" JBL's. It was found in a Catholic church that used it only on Sundays for couple hours for a few years to power their organ.
I have this same amp (almost). The TFL5005D. Really sweet sounding amp. The tube rectifier gives it a nice squish. Very versatile. Can go from chimey clean sounds to nice classic rock overdrive.
I used to own one of those cabs. And just like Johan I used a hand screwdriver to take out ALLLLLLL those back panel screws. First time in my life I ever thought "I need a drill" lol.
Great demo as always Johan. I have used Bandmasters over the years and they are a good choice because you can do a lot with them. They are still a bargain as well. Cheers!
John, as always---such a pleasure to hear you play and review some GREAT amps.....this one is especially good and it would have been great to hear a start thru it too! Awesome brother!
Bought one of these that had been converted to have 2x8 speakers inside for a grab and go solution. Also sounds great through my EVM 12L and 15L cabs!! 🤘
I've had one since 2000. Mine has been modded a bit, but only to fix some issues, the board kept getting more and more warped, so I had it rewired on a new board. Also, different OT so I can choose between 4,8, and 16 ohms.
Marcus King is using a TFL5005D Bandmaster Reverb with his Orange MK Ultra for live shows. Absolutely killer tone for blues/southern rock. I can only imagine the prices will be going up now that Marcus is using one.
I have the same amp 71 model. One of the last vintage bargains, along with a JMI era AC50. The Bandmaster TFL5005D (TFL5005D is the domestic US model and TFL5005X is the export model) was Dave Grohls main rig in early Foo Fighters, put a Rat pedal and Boss DM-2 delay in front of it and you’ve got instant early Foo Fighters.
Just came on board.. great video.. I am lucky to possess a 1969 Bandmaster TFL 500D ..all original.. tubes etc. had it recapped , tubes biased, one preamp tube replaced.. and a 3 prong power cord added. My amp rolled out of Fullerton California in July, 1969. It was played for 5 years by its original owner.. then sat in storage until I bought it 2 years ago.
Absolutely loved this demo, grea tones al the way, with the SG it reminded me to a 1972 american band called Morly Grey, but the odd thing is that their guitarist used a Les Paul Custom with an Acoustic solid state amp, and you sounded exactly the same!
I have the BF cousin to this amp and I forgot how massive they sound with ample reverb. It's like vintage Fenders and reverb are just made for one another.
Hi, Johan! Very nice and fat sound. I think, minor chords are the best for me to understand the sound well. Maybe because of my personal mind games! Great Fender! See you! Siegfried
Looks like a 5Y3 rectifier as is used in a Deluxe Reverb, and not a 5U4GB as specified. Better get the correct larger current capacity rectifier in there for an AA270 Bandmaster Reverb. 5Y3 has a current capacity of 125ma. The 5U4GB this circuit needs can deliver 300ma. Demanding too much current from an undersized rectifier tube can make it short out and take out the power transformer. The GE 6L6GC data sheet says 237ma are needed for the circuit used here to produce full power output. This amp can be louder...Just sayin'
Original cathode bypass capacitors and bias cap. Those should be changed. I imagine the filter caps are the originals also. You are right, I compared the schematic to my 1969 Super Reverb (AA1069 revision), and they appear to be the identical circuit, with the same voltages. The only difference is the output transformers used.
I can really recommend to mod the heads baffle by putting two 8 inch speakers in. Ideally I will recommend Jensen P8R or C8R or a mix. And dont use the original baffle.
The bandmaster is a sleeper in the Fender library. Typically they appear to be similar to other Fender amps of whichever era. I liked a 67 in particular which Mbritt profiled for my Kemper. Also I kinda like a cranked showman amps for early Page or Clapton woman tone neck pickup vibe. Bandmaster clean is Fendery but has a more tweed warmth. I like the distortion too but the super or say a 59 Twin are juicier.
Pretty clean Fender. 👍 If you can find a couple of original C12N's or Q's or the Webervst equivalents or a pair of old Oxford's? I'm sure you would enjoy a superior tonal spectrum. A lot of people like the JBL's, but that BMR is only running around 40 watts. I don't mind the very early alnico Utah gold speaker's they built, but I could never stand those later orange ceramics. Have fun experimenting. Congratulations 👍👍
@@JohanSegeborn I think that the vintage Jensen's have a more traditional sound and are much more "open" sounding, especially with single coils for blues and country. I used to use a 71 deluxe reverb with a webervst C12N clone, as my main gig and removing the orange Utah in that particular amp was most notable. Like removing a wet blanket off the amp. It was rewired to blackface specs and I may have disconnected the bright cap too. It was many years ago, soo. It really came alive "tonally" with the webervst and I also tried an original 64 Jensen C12N in it as well, but preferred the webervst. Just my opinion, good luck Johan.👍👍
I just got a '67 Bandmaster with matching cab over the weekend. Non-reverb model. Looking at the price tag on the unit in the video I think I got a good deal! Think google did the USD conversion right.
Johan, do you like the Utah speakers? Have you ever tried two amps at once, one with Greenbacks and one with Utahs? The second amp can slave off the first or out of a Y box. I've tried it and with some EQ dialing* on the second amp, gets a rich full sound, unmatched imho. *15" Utahs with EQ: Bass 10, Mid 0, Treb 0, Presence 7+ (to suit the metal center covers).
Christ... that is all... Jesus was a carpenter and he probably made those cabs... Ive wasted my whole life playing marshals amps, and lesser fender models...
Listening to this amp, I can relate. And following anyone else other than the Jesus whom the Bible describes in truths, parables, stories, histories, types, shadows, and prophesies from cover to cover is a complete waste of life.
