Y'gotta Love A Black Tolex Bassman ...by Guitar Bob Ohsiek

Y'gotta Love A Black Tolex Bassman
...by Guitar Bob Ohsiek

Silverface or Blackface. There were several iterations and layout variations over the years, but I've always thought they were just perfect, solid-sounding 50-watt amps. I always lamented that I let go my '66 [so long ago....my 2nd amp!]

1965 Black Tolex Bassman Amp

I've since learned a bunch of simple fixes for getting even better guitar noises out of these things...basic Internet mods, amp book tips, and VG Magazine article tricks...you can find 'em.

Last weekend a band member let me take his '65 home to fix a noisy socket. He said "While you're in there, do whatever you want...have fun." I lifted the ends of 4 or 5 little caps and resistors that were draining highs to ground...probably designed to keep this a 'bass' amp?? Well, it's got the juice now...

Very fun indeed! I like these amps even more. I ended up gigging all three shows with the head perched on my 1-12 EVM cab. What a neat, simple, loud RocknRoll amp.