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FDP Forum / Fender Amps: Vintage (before 1985) / Considering Selling/Trading my 66 Blackface Bassman - Help me Decide. Thanks!

mikfender

US

Jun 15th, 2017 11:12 PM Edit Profile
I have a 1966 Blackface Fender Bassman that I don't really use very often. I listed it for a trade and got offered a Vox AC30 50th Anniversary Heritage Handwired Edition, which is an amp I would probably use a bit more.

That being said, I am not sure if it's a good trade, since the Bassman is an actual vintage amp. If I hold onto the Bassman, might it increase a lot more in value, and I'll regret down the line trading it for an amp produced in 2007?

It seems used prices of the Blackface Bassman Heads tend to sell for under 1K these days, whereas the Vox Handwired amp tends to sell for at least $1300, so it seems in todays value, its a good trade...

Though in the long run, perhaps the Bassman will appreciate a lot in value? Should I go ahead with the trade, or hold onto the amp until one day it's worth a lot more? Having trouble deciding so figured I'd ask the forum.

The Bassman I own has a bunch of mostly reversible mods, which I was told are highly recommended for the best sound (mods done by the previous owner)...below is the description from previous owner:

"This head has had some minor, mostly-reversible modifications to make it into the best-sounding Bassman type possible, combining the rawness of the 1964 circuit with the increased gain of the 1965-later blackface models. The odd 1965 double-negative feedback wiring has been removed and that and the driver (phase inverter) rewired to 1964 specs, while the preamp has been left in 1965 mode with only a few tweaks. This is a common and very desirable minor change, providing two distinct and useful channels; the "normal" channel has the chimey Fender tone with slightly lower gain, while the "bass" channel has higher-gain and is more Marshall-like. Again, these are all non-hack modifications - no holes, no chopping things up, no destruction - the only totally removed part (other than odd resistors or caps) is the small two-wire clip for the negative-feedback circuit, something easily replaced (although it's doubtful there would be a desire to). Other things that received attention: filter caps were replaced and higher-rated ones used for more punch and stronger low end; a 100uf/100v bias cap was installed replacing the old 50uf/50V cap - smoother bias adjustment and safer; several leaky bypass caps were replaced - but good ones were left alone to not mess with good tone; same thing with other caps and resistors, where only off-spec parts were replaced. A midrange knob was installed in the extension speaker jack as well for fine control over the mids in addition to the standard bass and treble controls."

twangdoodles

michigan usa

Jun 16th, 2017 05:04 AM Edit Profile
I'm no expert but isn't it the case that the head/cab versions have never been worth a lot (compered to the tweed anyway)? In any case, if after 50 years it hasn't become uber desirable then it's probably not worth betting that it will in the future. IMO.

I have no special affinity for old amps. I just like amps that sound good and if they happen to be old well, that's cool too. I have a couple of amps that I don't play much but they aren't worth much either. If I had a valuable amp that was collecting dust then I'd sell it and buy something that I liked better.

It's always a drag when something you sold appreciates but how far up could that amp go? For me, with that amp, I wouldn't start feeling bad about selling until the increase in value crested a thousand bucks and that might take a while.

amphead4

Cincinnati, USA

Jun 16th, 2017 06:26 AM Edit Profile
All I can say is I wish I had all the BF amps I traded away.

Hammond101
Contributing Member
**********

So. Cal. USA

Jun 16th, 2017 03:52 PM Edit Profile
^^this^^

But not just to play them just to own them. I get more satisfaction from playing my home builds, variations of the original Tweed and BF amps Fender never built.

As far as the above deal goes, at current market it certainly seems fair. Your Bassman is modded so it doesn't have full market value today. If you can live without having it in your collection and will play the AC30 regularly do it. Only you and the other party needs to be happy.

FDP Forum / Fender Amps: Vintage (before 1985) / Considering Selling/Trading my 66 Blackface Bassman - Help me Decide. Thanks!

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