Fender Bassman 100T Tube Bass Amplifier Head (100 Watts)

No longer available at zZounds
Unique features like an 100/25-watt output power switch, an impedance switch, and a crushing Overdrive channel make this bass head a sonic Swiss Army knife.

The Fender Bassman 100T's reputation precedes itself. This is the legendary 100-watt all-tube head that has appeared onstage and in the studio for decades now -- always delivering an incredible and versatile tone with a slick vintage look.

All-Tube, Forever

Open up the Fender Bassman 100T, and you'll see 2 x 12AX7 tubes driving the preamp. This is where the essence of the 100T's tone comes from, creating a voice that is full of character and nuance. Driving your signal and adding further depth and color to your sound are 1 x 12AT7 and 4 x 6L6s in the power section. The rectifier on this baby is solid-state and doesn't obscure or color the warmth of the tone.

Two Channels and Plenty of I/O

On the front panel you've got 2 x 1/4-inch jacks for the independent Vintage and Overdrive channels. There are an additional pair of 1/4-inch jacks on the rear panel for your FX loop, as well as the must-have Ground Lift switch to kill any potential ground loops. The XLR Line Out is how you'll run your Bassman direct when you bring it into the studio to harness its tonal power with precision in Silent Record mode. When it's time to get loud, you'll run the Bassman to your cabinets with 2 x 1/4-inch parallel outputs.

Power Cut, Variable Impedance, and More

A few other features make this amp a joy to work with. First, the Power Cut switch allows you to come down from 100 watts to 25 watts instantly, cutting your volume by 75% while preserving exactly the same tonal character -- read more very useful! There is an impedance switch (8, 4 or 2 ohms) that will allow you to use the Bassman 100T in conjunction with a number of speaker cabinets. The Master Volume has a Push/Pull mute, too.

Straight-Up Vintage Aesthetic

The black textured vinyl is offset here with the uber-classic silver grille cloth that is both retro and, by now, timeless. The Meranti plywood cabinets are absolutely rock solid and ready to outlive you. Two spring-loaded side handles and one dog-bone top handle helps you port your baby.

Features:

- 2 x 12AX7 Preamp Tubes
- 1 x 12AT7 and 4 x 6L6 Power Tubes
- Solid State Rectifier
- Vintage and Overdrive Channels
- 2 x 1/4-inch Inputs
- FX Loop
- XLR Line Out with Ground Lift
- Level Control
- Pre/Post EQ Switch
- 2 x 1/4-inch Parallel Speaker Outputs
- Black Textured Vinyl Covering with Silver Grille Cloth
- Red LED Jewel
- Output Power Selector Switch (100W/25W) - Fender Automatic Biasing
- Impedance Switch (8, 4 or 2 ohms)
- Push/pull mute On Master Volume
- Footswitch Included
read less

- Controls: Vintage - VOL, BASS (pull DEEP), MID, TREBLE (pull BRIGHT); Overdrive - GAIN, BLEND, VOL, BASS (pull DEEP), MID FREQ, MID LVL, TREBLE (pull BRIGHT); MASTER (pull MUTE)

Weight And Dimensions
- Amplifier Length: 10.63" (27 cm)
- Amplifier Width: 24.5" (62.2 cm)
- Amplifier Height: 10" (25.4 cm)
- Amplifier Weight: 48.5 lbs. (22 kg)

Power Rating
- Output Power: 100 Watts
- Power Handling: 100 Watts @ 8, 4 or 2 Ohms

Controls And Connections
- Channels: Two - (Vintage, Overdrive)
- Inputs: Two - (1/4", Input 2 is at -6dB)
- Effects Loop: 1/4" - (Preamp Out, Power Amp In)
- Line Out: One - (XLR with Ground Lift, Level Control, and Pre/Post EQ Switch)
- Speaker Jack: Two 1/4" Parallel (Internal and External)

Hardware
- Amplifier Covering: Black Textured Vinyl Covering with Silver Grille Cloth
- Cabinet Material: 7-Ply 5/8" Meranti Plywood
- Control Panel: Painted Metal
- Handle: Two Spring-Loaded Side Handles, One Dog-Bone Style Top Handle
- Knobs: Vintage-Style Skirted Black Plastic
- Amplifier Jewel: Red LED Jewel

Tubes
- Pre Amp Tubes: 2 x 12AX7
- Power Tubes: 1 x 12AT7 and 4 x 6L6
- Rectifier: Solid State

Accessories
- FootSwitch: 1-Button Footswitch Included

Miscellaneous
- Other Features: OUTPUT POWER selector switch offering: 100W mode (full power), 25W mode (with automatic volume adjustment, identical tone at a lower volume!), SILENT RECORD mode (allows use of the tube power amplifier without speakers connected, XLR 'POST' signal is taken from power amp output). FENDER AUTOMATIC BIAS for output tube monitoring/adjusting

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 800-488-1818

Fender Bassman 100T Tube Bass Amplifier

Powerful, innovative and versatile for stage and studio alike, the Bassman 100T is a professional-level 100-watt tube head with enormous Fender bass sound and sparkling vintage Fender looks. Its dual-channel design uses modern technology to maximize classic technology, with classic Fender '60s "blackface" styling and a wealth of innovative features on the front and rear panels.

Features include a tube preamp (two 12AX7s) and power amp (one 12AT7 and four 6L6s); Vintage channel that delivers the full, warm sound of a classic Fender passive tone stack; Overdrive channel that delivers the aggressive and responsive sound of a modern active tone stack (choose between channels with included footswitch); rear-panel Fender Automatic Bias system that constantly monitors and re-biases tubes for perfect performance and alerts you when service is required; XLR output that delivers overdriven power amp tone (great for recording); rear-panel Output Power switch that lets you play or record at full 100-watt power, quieter 25-watt power, or silently via internal power soak (which captures the signal post-power amp); impedance switch (8, 4 or 2 ohms) and master volume with push/pull mute.

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars. (4 ratings)
Submitted October 31, 2014 by M E in Alexandria, VA

"Versatile, Great-Sounding Amp!"

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
Visually, the amp is very sleek and classy-looking. Structurally, it feels very solidly-built, with no rattling parts of any kind. I plugged mine into a 4ohm 4x10 Fender Rumble Cabinet (the previous iteration, not the newer 8ohm V3 version), and started working the dials. First of all, it is worth noting that you should start the Vintage Channel EQ at Fender's classic flat setting, where the Bass and Treble controls are both at 1, and the Mid at 10. That's a good starting point from which you can boost and cut to taste. My only modification to that setting was to activate the "Deep" circuit by pulling up the Bass pot to boost the low end and mellow the midrange a little. I also set the Channel Volume control at "10", and used the Master Volume to keep me at bedroom playing level. Playing a Fender Precision Bass Special with P/J pickups, I got a warm, vintage tone with just the right amount of Midrange to cut through the mix. Think late 60's/early 70's stuff. Rolling the tone dial back on my bass gave me a really nice Motown vibe. Switching to the Overdrive channel, again I set my Gain and Channel Volume at 10, while still controlling my output with the Master control. I left the Blend control at 1, and started with the EQ flat at 6 across the board. From there, I pulled up the Bass pot to activate the Deep circuit, set the Mid sweep at 5, with the level set at 7, and boosted the Treble control to 8. This gave me a punchy, modern, semi-scooped tone which, at band practice, allowed read more me to fully support the low end and allow the guitars to occupy most of the mid space. For a little more overdrive grit, I simply boosted the Blend control by one notch. Really, really nice stuff.Overall, I am very pleased with the amp. It's rugged, looks professional and sounds great! Plus, it held its own VERY well against two loud guitarists and an equally loud drummer. At one point, with my volume set at just under 5, I was actually too loud. If you're trying to decide between this or something louder, give some serious thought to the venues in which you expect to play. For most of us, my gut says this amp will provide more than enough power - especially with PA support.My ONLY real complaint about this amp is the "Dogbone" carry handle that Fender uses. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT try to carry this amp by that handle alone. It is cheap and will likely break under the amp's weight if you use it for too long. If you do some research on these Dogbone handles, you will find may other people have found this out the hard way. When carrying the amp, always use the spring-loaded side handles. Cheap carry handle aside, this is a very nice amp that's worth considering.

Features
One of the coolest and most useful features on this amp is the ability to switch from full power at 100 watts to 25 watts for lower volume playing. Adding more bang to your buck is the 25 watt "Silent" setting, which allows you to record directly into a console with the warm tone of both the preamp AND power tubes!

Quality
Built like a tank!

Value
A little pricey, in my opinion, but good deals can be found if one is persistent.

Manufacturer Support
N/A, as of yet.

Musical Background:
Been playing 35 years, both casually and semi-professionally.

Musical Style:
Mostly rock, blues & punk.
read less
31 of 31 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

No longer available at zZounds

In most cases, a product is unavailable because it has been discontinued by the manufacturer