Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum
Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: Lizard King on November 07, 2011, 11:50:46 am
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Picked up a pristine AB165 bassman....the tube chart said AA165 so I took it upon myself to mod it back to (mostly) AA165 specs. The last bassman I modded I added a tube rectifier. I am also aware that one can imitate sag by putting a wire wound resister in the voltage path. A tech friend told me not to bother with either mod. I like sag - or at least I think I do.....
What is the expert opinion:
1) go all out & add the tube rectifier
2) put in a resistor
3) leave it alone?
As usual, thanks for your opinions.
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I like sag most of the time. I'm thinking of putting a sag resistor in the build I'm currently working on. I think I may make it switchable, so I can still have the full effect of solid state rectification too. I just need to figure out how it's going to affect my bias.
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To my mind a blackface bassman is a nice 'clean' surfy/rockabilly/caintry kind of amp that sounds good with a stand alone reverb and a 2 x 10 or 2 x 12 cab and a tele like James Burton's. It has a slight edge when pushed but aims to be a clean amp, because that is what the whole thing is meant to be. (Not that sag is bad - I like sag, but its a horses for courses thing)
Whereas if you want sag, go for something more tweedy like a 5E3 that does good blues or rock. JM2CW
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Sag - depends on what you play. If you play blues mostly, then go for it. But for rock, metal, pop/top 40, alternative, country, fusion and even jazz styles, for me anyway, I say no way. If I'm laying back playing blues only then if I want sag, I want heavy sag and it feels way cool and is fun to play that way. But all of the time, nope. I have a special amp for that. But when or if I get even a little bit while playing those other styles w/ any of my other amps, I hate it. This is mostly only w/ a couple low watt amps and I have to have them cranked all of the way up to get there even then. I like the amp punchy, responsive, and ready for everything I give it and as fast or as hard as I can give it. JMO-
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Leave alone. Surely, kind rogue, it is as God intended. Build an amp that "sags o' plenty" and keep it right next to your Bassman so it will always have righteous company on those long and lonely nights of winter.
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Well spoken my poetic friend.