The Fender Bassman is one of the most iconic amplifiers in the world. Both guitarists and bassists have found uses for this amp in their rigs and now they are bringing this classic tone back with modern power. Rated at 800w this combines an all valve preamp section that uses a set of 12AX7 tubes with a class D solid state power amp that packs a massive amount of power and keeps the weight low.

The Benefits Of Hybrid

While having an all valve bass rig is great, the pain it causes not only on your wallet but on your back as well is really not worth it a lot of the time. For most players a hybrid or all solid state rig makes a lot more sense as you get very similar tones but without having to deal with insanely weighty rigs that require a 3 man crew.

The tube preamp still means that you are getting a lot of that classic Fender Bassman tone. No overly chirpy or clinical sounding tones here as the pair of 12AX7 tubes really add to the warmth. Meanwhile the solid state power amp provides an amazing amount of power in a tiny format, not colouring the tone just letting you push that all valve preamp section hard.

The Weight

While there are some solid state amplifiers that are lighter than this not many valve or hybrid amps can claim to be this portable. Weighing in at just 17lbs this amp is incredibly lightweight considering it still has an all tube preamp inside! Combine this up with a nice and light Neodymium speaker loaded cab and you have a portable rig that still has the sound of a classic Bassman.

Two Channel Design

This amp really has two completely different voices. The Vintage mode features a really cool passive 3 band EQ that means it is never boosting frequencies, just cutting for the same response you would have gotten from a classic amp. Switch over to the overdriven mode and you activate a really powerful active 3 band EQ circuit that gives you a lot more modern sounds that you might not associate with Fender amps.

Here’s what Fender say about the Bassman 800 Bass Amp Head

Combining the best of authentic Fender bass sound with modern power, the Bassman 800 Head is an easily portable powerhouse with flexible, thunderous tone. Designed for the ultimate bass playing experience, it offers two versatile channels, classic good looks, and ultra musical Fender tube tones-all in a lightweight chassis (only 17 lbs.) that mates perfectly with Bassman Pro Neo speaker cabinets to create a tonal monster.

The foundation of the Bassman 800’s tone is the two-channel tube preamp. Powered by a pair of premium 12AX7 tubes, this flexible preamp offers Vintage and Overdrive voicing, making it perfect for any style of music. The Vintage channel provides classic Fender bass tone thanks to its highly interactive passive tone circuit that cuts frequencies instead of boosting them, giving each note a distincti