Fender Bandmaster

A 1966 blackface Band-Master. This score is low because the Band-Master doesn???t have reverb and tone controls for bass and treble. No effects loop, line out, headphone plug, or 8 ohm speaker out. But, this amp was state of the art when it was designed in the 1950???s. If you want an old blackface Fender, you???re not really worried about the features. I love this amp for its musicality.

Sound quality is the best I???ve ever heard. Its tone is even better than the Super Reverb or Twin Reverb because of the monster closed cabinet. I was hoping for a Super but this amp came up and I couldn???t pass it by. I own two Dr. Z???s (Carmon Ghia and Z-28) and they sound incredible. I never imagined tone could get better than the Dr. Z???s but this big, beautiful monster is better. Incredible clean tones. The amp loves peddles ??? add a tube screamer and you can get super crunchy. Great bass response. At the some time its chimney and bright. If all amps are carbon and the great amps are crystal, the blackface Band-Master is a diamond.

I can???t comment on reliability because I???ve only had the amp a week. But, it???s over forty years old and still running strong.

Not really applicable because of the age of the amp.

mine is a 66 blackface. Every thing works flawlessly on it including the trem. Everything is original (maybe even the tubes). It still has the old cord on it.

I have 3 70 era fender silverfaces, some modded some original. I build electric guitars and have 2 teles and an esquire type broadcaster. This amp make the broadcaster sound absolutely magical. ( for reference forget swampash, use solid pine way better tone than swampash. This amp has a tweedish sound to it breaks up some at about 4 or 5. doesn't get nasty after that tho. Takes pedals well. I have two hardwire pedals that give a Paisley sorta sound. I have a 67 bassman, this amp actually sounds better to me than the bassman. Mine is a head of course, I play it thru the cab of a 73 twin reverb.

great amp.

This is a 1964 Bandmaster head and 2X12 cab. Piggy-back mounts, tilt-back legs, JBL D120f speakers. Beautiful tobacco aged grille cloth on head and cab- give it that well played vintage Fender black-face look. A ton of power- too loud for most small clubs I play in. Sounds great at our outdoor gigs. Power is provided by a pair of 6L6 power tubes. I occassionally wish it had reverb, but I think that the simple design is part of what makes the amp sound so good. It takes pedals very very well- maybe better than any other amp I've owned. This adds to the versatility quite a bit.

I plug several guitars into this Bandmaster. An old Epiphone Casino, a newer Gibson ES-137, a Rickenbacker 360\12, a Gibson Melody Maker, and a Fender Strat. All sound like a great version of themselves through this amp. It is very warm, and chimey- thicker sounding than many other Fenders I've played through. The amp is loud and clear up until 4 or so on the volume knob, above that it starts to compress and overdrive in a very musical sort of way. Plugged through the JBL's and using the ES137 (ceramic humbuckers) I can't be in the same room as it past 5 or 6 on the volume knob because it is so loud. Past that it doesn't get that much louder-just more overdriven and aggressive sounding. I have tried using the head with a 16 ohm Vox cab with celestions, and find that I can get to 5 or 6 on the volume knob with less volume. JBL's are loud speakers!! With the celestions I could dial in some very good classic rock tones moving closer to marshall territory without losing that smoother Fender sound. I really love the sound of this amplifier!! It is maybe the most under rated Fender amp around- why I don't know! I also have a 63 Bassman head, a 66 Showman head, and a Deluxe Reverb combo, and the Bandmaster sounds as good or better than any of them. It is kind of a half way point between the Bassman and the Deluxe in terms of tone. Maybe not quite as fat as the Bassman, or as bright as the Deluxe, but a wonderful blend of the two. It sounds a lot like the Showman, but is much more gig friendly because of the more usuable volume level. Believe me, a Showman is only going to give you clean sound at a gig, but the Bandmaster can give you a little grind if you need it at more reasonable volumes. It is an excellent example of classic black face tone, and while the prices are affordable- get one!! That's all I can say. It won't be long before the prices on these babies sky rocket! The word is getting out, and people aren't using as large of amplifiers any more. Everywhere I go stage volumes are coming down, and people are using smaller amps. Blackface twins cost much more than Bandmasters at present, but I don't know where people plan to use those amps. And I'm sorry- running an amp at 2 or 3 on the volume knob isn't really making use of the amp! The Bandmaster with a strat is a wonderful combination- my favorite actually. You can push the Bandmaster to 5 or 6 with the single coils, and get a nice snappy, slightly compressed tone, great for blues, funk, reggae, or fusion. Beautiful!

The funny thing is- I bought this amp 5 or 6 years ago. Out of habit I took it straight to my tech to have it looked at. He said it was still running on the original caps and tubes! Blew my mind. I had him replace the caps with some new of high quality, and new tubes. (Although I kept the old ones for posterity) Since then, I haven't had one problem with the amp. It's been to at least 150 shows during that time, and never once have I had a problem! 45 years old now- and still running strong. I'm impressed with it to say the least. Glad I found this amp when I did!

In this case customer support has not been necessary or possible. However- when Fender made this amp 45 years ago...they made a bullet-proff tank of an amp- one that is still running strong. And that is the best customer service you can give.

I've been playing guitar for 13 years now. I'm 28- and I gig proffessionally at least twice a week. I often take out my JMI AC30, along with one Blackface Fender....and at least 3\5's of the time I choose the Bandmaster. Every time I do, I wonder why I don't just sell the rest of my amps- including the AC30, and buy a recording studio worth of equipment with the extra money. Maybe in the end that's what I will do. When I started obsessing over amps 10 years ago, I never would've guessed that in the end the Bandmaster would be as good as gets for me- especially considering how affordable they are. But- it has been a very pleasant surprise. And it's one of the only amps I can count on firing up for me every time!!!

I have an amazing pre-CBS Bandmaster from 1964. I was fortunate enough to purchase it around ten years ago from the original owner. He played it a handful of times and then placed it in his attic. I was truly interested in teh 1964 Jazzmaster that was for sale with the amp. I have another '64 Jazzmaster that is worn and beaten, but plays so smooth. So when the opportunity came to purchase as backup, I could not resist. I do not collect, I play. ....back to the amp. I replace the capacitors and put the old vintage RCA tubes away for safe keeping. They rumble a bit too much. The set up comes with the original 4x10 Jensen cabinet. The screw knobs and angle brackets are also there. Tilting that amp back is something out of the Buddy Holly story. I have also been partial to my 100W Marshall Superlead and 4X12 25w greenback Celestion cab, but this amp has grown on my in recent months (it only took 10 years). It is a we warm cutting tone. I play a lot of dissonant noisy chords and the amp has the ability to provide nice clarity. I use a couple of older Rat Distortion pedals to achieve my loud and louder settings. It really requires little distortion on the stomp boxes to give a nice piercing crunch from the amp.

Manufactured probably in 1968, since it has an aluminum surround on the grill cloth. It is the blackface circuit. No reverb, but a killer tremolo.

Its sound without any effects is classic Fender clean, up to volume setting of 5, after which it becomes raunchy. It doesn't particularly like a lot of effects, but given the right combination, it gets a very mean sound. I use a Power Soak with it. I take advantage of its allegedly 'wimpy' output transformer, which acts as a natural compressor and when everything's working right, it provides a subdued attack followed by a blooming growl that can be very effective. It has a very bright clean sound when you take the modern pedals out of the chain. I had to replace the 470 ohm resistors on the power tubes, and I recapped it. Its clean sound is very bright and chimey, but it begins to break up at around 5. It's obnoxiously loud, but never painfully loud like a Twin. I still use a Power Soak to take advantage of the power tube growl at a comfortable volume. I use a homemade cabinet with 2 cheap 12's, which are rated at 150 watts each. It probably needs better speakers with a lower wattage rating.

Since I replace the old fried carbon comp resistors on the power tubes, I feel it's as reliable as anything and I'd gig without a backup. With no PA, it's loud enough to compete with a loud drummer. You will need something like a Twin to get a clean sound that won't quit, but for dirty blues it's great.

Made in 1968; I think the warranty period has passed.

Been playing since 1979. I've played in noise bands, and used to use a Fender Super 6 for sheer volume; now I'm more into tone and I have a Fender Vibro-Champ, blackface, and now this, which I bought for playing onstage with. It won't break any volume records, and it won't do death metal particularly well, but it will do Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, and anything remotely bluesey. I use a Dallas Rangemaster treble booster, which provides treble boost and overdrive, and that wakes it up if you have a dark-sounding guitar.

Mine is a 1968 Bandmaster (AB763). If I date it correctly, it was made in June. I play multiple styles of music, from blues to punk, and this amp is pretty much versatile. It always has the nice tube tone and I think this has been quite possibly one of the best vintage tube amps I have ever owned. It's got 2 channels, one normal, one vibrato (the vibrato is really tremolo, not vibrato). This amp has about 40-50 watts, so it isn't the loudest amp on the planet, but when cranked up to the max, it is loud. It suits my needs, basically

This amp has great tube tone. The clean channel can get a little (literally very small) distorted at high volumes, but that's only because of the speakers I have it running through (2x12 Jensen C12Q re-issue). I have a late 60s strat and it sounds sweet through it. Then I have a SG copy, and a Les Paul Jr. copy which both sound very nice into it. Whenver anny of my pals plug in, it always sounds sweet. It has the great tube tone of more expensive amps

Since this is an older tube amp, I could somewhat depend on it. If it was brought to a gig with care, etc, i'd use it.

Fender would never be able to help you with an old amp like this. Bring it to a local guitar shop and maybe they can help you.

I got this amp for a nice price and it's great. I would definitly replace it with another if it got stolen. The only thing I wish it had was greater power, but other than that, its perfectt

68 sliverface, all blackface specs.

I now own this 68 & have owned a 65 & 66.
I also owned another early 68 a few years ago that I have regreted parting with 10 minutes after I sold it.
There's something about the 68 silverface tone that I dig more than
the Blackface Bandmasters I've owned.
If you put a pedal in front of this amp you can do anything. It generates tone that is second to none, with or without a pedal.
My SG, LP Jr & LP Standard all sound amazing thru this head. i play it thru a 4 ohm Avatar 2x12 cab w/one Eminence Governor & Wizard.
Also have a 1x12 with a 4 ohm Jensen Mod 70.
Between this head & my 68 Bassman I can't go wrong.

These heads may make some strange odors form time to time, or
strange noises.
Have an amp tech check them out every couple years no matter
how often you play it. It will cost you next to nothing & is
worth it in the long run.

Fender has little support. New or Old products.

For Rock & Roll this amp can do it all. They have tight Low-end & very thick clear tone for a 30 to 35 watt amp. I've tried most of Fenders new amps & they can't come close to the vintage Bandmasters & Bassmans.
Don't be affraid of the Silverface Bandmasters. The 68's & 69's are usually Blacface specs. If it's a Silverface & has the drip rail around the grill cloth chances are it has Blackface guts.
Before you buy some bullshit Boutique amp try a Bandmaster or Bassman from the 60's. Remember, Marshall built his first amp based on the Fender Bassman. JTM's & Plexi's don't sound too bad either.
The Fender Bandmaster is a steal on Ebay at the present time.
New amps do not sound anything like these old tone machines.

My bandmaster is a 1964 model with smooth blonde tolex and tone like nothing else. The head has everything you need and nothing you dont if you love vintage amps. The bandmaster features two channlels, one normal channel and one vibrato channel. The vibrato chanel, is the normal channel with speed and intensity(depth) knobs. Each channel has its own bright switch. The amp is powered by two 6L6GB power tubes, three 12AX7 and one 12AT7 in the preamp section. Chances are, if you have this amp, it has everything you need. The speakers is the matching blonde cab are oxfords.

The bandmaster is a very clean tube amp for 40 watts. More headroom than other 40 watt amps from the era. When volume is past 6 the amp really sings. In my opinion, it sounds so much better with single coils. It is a tube amp from the 60s so there is some background hiss, but very little. I was actually surprised by how quiet it is. The normal channel is a little fuller than the vibrato channel and here is why. Larger blackface amps such as the bandmaster have the vibrato put right into the circuit of the vibrato channel. This means that the signal is a little worn by going through this. But it still sound bloody amazing!!! Play around with the tubes, mostly is the preamp section and you will fall in love with it.

Never had any problems with it. Change the tubes and service it once a year and you will love it even more.

No warranty after 42 years, sorry. I only dealt with fender when I complained about the metalhead amp, and even then they answered me! And just for that they get a 10

I love fender, period. Guitars, amps, effects, i love it all man. So the 10 overall is nothing weird. The bandmaster is pure fender tone at a price that is incredible. Get one before it goes up in value, and they will. You wont be sorry.

1968.A4763 CIRCUIT. BLUES,ORIGANAL MUSIC,AM RECORDING ARTIST WITH HEADLINER.NORMAL AND VIBRATO. USED AT SMALLER VENUES.45 WATTS. PLENTY OF JUICE.ALL TUBE HAND WIRED. FOR THE PRICE, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THAT COMPARES.

VINTAGE STRATS.FRALIN,KINMAN,VANZANT PICKUPS.ALL HAND WOUND.ITS PERFECT.NO NOISE,EXCEPT WHEN NEAR NEON LIGHTS.AND THAT IS DUE PARTLY TO PICKUPS.60 CYCLE HUMMMMM.ECT.HARMONICALLY RICH TONE, WITH BOTTOM AND TOP CLARITY.TURNED ALL THE WAY UP,GIVES YOU GREAT ROCK AND ROLL ALLA STONES TONES.

38 YEARS NOT A PROBLEM YET.

BILL HUMPHREYS DOES ALL THE WORK ON MY AMPS,ORIGANAL GUITARIST FOR SUPERSTAR.HE'S THE AMP GURU OF ALL AMP GURU'S OF ALL TIME.

BEEN PLAYIN 40 YEARS. I OWN BAD CATS,TOP HATS, BOGNERS, DUMBLES,DR Z'VARIOUS FENDERS YOU NAME IT. IF I LOST THIS ONE I'D PROBABLY GET ANOTHER HEAD JUST LIKE IT,IF I COULD FIND ONE.THIS HEAD JUST REPRESENTS WHAT MY GENERATION OF MUSIC IS ALL ABOUT.ITS PERFECT. AND JUST SO ANY OF YOU ALL GUITARISTS OUT THERE KNOW,THAT TONE,TALENT,YOUR INTRUMENTS,ARE AN EXTENSION OF YOUR SOUL.SO ITS GOOD TO LEARN AND LISTEN. TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS. BIG B SMILES

Actually I own two blackface bandmasters - a '63/64 Electric Instrumnets and a "Musical Instruments" '65/66 version. I bought my first one used in 1968, and played it more or less constantly for years in all sorts of garages, bars and gymnasiums. It was always up to the task, with adequate volume, sustain and definition. Many years later I purchased a 2nd one (with a smaller 2-12" speaker cabinet)for $250 because I liked my 1st one so well. I don't really miss the reverb. Most venues have enough air about them and playing at home it does not really matter.

This amp works well with any instrument. I used many guitars over the years, and found it complemented each of them, whether equipped with Humbuckers, P90's, Strat or Tele single coils. It never detracts from the musical character - just adds a little more cream as the volume knob rotates up. I usually bridge the channels,which allows you to dial-in just the right blends of treble and bass. It's never flabby or shrill. As heretical as it may seem - I think the solid state rectifier sounds better than the mush-(I don't means sustain)-tone you can get with a tube rectifier.

This amp defines simplicity and reliability . . The primitive solid state rectifier is possibly one of the reasons. Together with the very best materials and craftsmanship, makes this a highly reliable amp. Change the caps and tubes once every 20 years and you'll be all set.

These amps are easily serviced and will have parts available till the cows come home.

This is just the amp to have. Perfect to play at home
(sounds good at low volumes) or out ( sounds good at high volumes) - the size and the 40 watts is just the most ... I like the separate head - it affords flexibility in using other cabinets and looks just as cool as it did in the '60's.

I have a '66 Blackface Head, It's a no frills straight ahead amp all tube (solid state rectifier though). There are 2 channels with vol, treble, bass on each, the second channel has a vibrato with speed & intensity controls. What more do you need. It's 40 Watts of classic Fender tube driven tone heaven.

I would like to see what it sounds like with a tube rectifier (might get switchable one fitted).

I use it for Harp and use a variety of bullet mics into it and sometimes a Shure Sonodyne 540 Series II. It has a great tone for harp and is loud enough to cut through with all but the loudest bands, then I just mic it up into the P.A.

I use this amp with either a 4X10 or 2X10 cab depending on where i am playing. I sometimes use a Boss DD3 delay pedal, but usually just play this puppy dry because it has that natural resonance you get from those old fender amps. When you play those big fat octaves on this baby they leap across the room and right into the face of the audience. The overdrive on this amp starts around 5 which is just right for the harp.

It's only just younger than me and runs like a dream. I never take a back up amp to a gig because this one is so reliable.

C'mon it's 39 years old !
This is just a guess of course but I reckon warranty might have run out !!!!

I would get another if this one were stolen or something.
OK so it's not a '59 Bassman but I guarantee it's as good (maybe slightly less bass response) and cheaper than a '59 Bassman. beacause it's a head and cab set up you can choose your speaker options for each gig and it's easier on your back !

'66 Bandmaster. The chassis has 1965 all over it but the tube chart is early '66. 2 channels. You know, like all the very reliable Fender piggy-backs.

I play Tele's and Strat through it. I just got it an a garage sale. Needs new electrolytic caps. Sounds a little mushy now but will clean up with new caps. Not as loud as I thought. That will also get better after new caps.

I've almost exclusively played Fender amps for 40 years. Very dependable. Won't need a backup for this one. I have rarely had a Fender to break down on me. It still has the original caps throughout but the tubes have been replaced. I then replaced the Sovtek's with RCA 6L6's.

I really don't need support on my Fender amps. I can usually fix them myself or with help from some tech friends. The older ones are fairly simple.

I've been playing for 40 years. Got my first guitar the Christmas after the Beatles hit the US. Got my first Tele and amp in 1975 but played through friends's amps before that. I have had one '65 Super Reverb stolen. I had 2 more at home to replace it. I'll probably always play Fender amps and guitars. I have owned over 200 amps and most have been Fenders. I used to think reverb was required but now it is not so important. I am a plug in and go guy. I don't use many effects. I've played so much and so loud I've lost most of my hearing. I also like some of the smaller Gibson and Epiphone amps.

1966 Bandmaster Head. Cap's replaced by previous owner (but nice work). Features are covered by previous reviews. I am running it through a mojotone 2x12 ext. cab w/ one Eminence Legend125 and one GB12. I tried the cabinet open and closed back and I prefer it closed.

I'm playing an SG Classic (P90 p'ups) through it. I use a Holy Grail for reverb, Voodoo Sparkle Drive, Aphex Punch Factory Compressor, and Voodoo Microvibe. So far my favorite sound is plugged into input 1 of Normal channel, with a jumper from Normal 2 out to Vibrato 1 input. This allows me to adjust the level of vibrato in the mix.
The amp is slightly noisy (you can hear a low hum) but nothing unusual. I haven't had the opportunity to push it to break-up.
This amp sounds beautiful. (I had been playing through a 70's Champ (w/ 8" Jensen) with the Weber tweed mod done) With the bandmaster I can really hear the character of my guitar. Changes in the volume and tone settings on the guitar make a big difference in the tone now.
I wouldn't say this amp has a wide variety of sounds, but the basic clean sound it does is sooo nice.

Can't say, just got it. But it made it since '66 with just routine maintenance.

N/A

I've been playing for 15 years as an amateur, off and on with bands. I've owned a pre-'85 Fender Concert, the 70's Champ, and a Vox Cambridge 15. I would definitely replace it. I love that I can jumper the two channels and adjust the mix of vibrato (and the tone controls independently on each of those channels). I was looking for a Fender clean sound and a 1 or 2 12" speaker config. and the Bandmaster was a good value in the current market.

This is a simple amp with few features. It has a treble and bass control, tremelo and a bright switch. There is no reverb. If you are looking for a lot of effects and features, this is not for you. However, if you are looking for that classic fender tone, this is the perfect amp.

I use this amp with my strat and tele. It is the best sounding amp I've ever heard, including my 1965 deluxe reverb. The only thing missing is reverb, but a digital reverb is good enough. It has classic fender tone and is perfect for blues. The amp breaks up nicely at high volume but is definately not crunchy. If you're a shredder, stay away from this amp. This is an extremely quiet amp, even at full volume with single coils. It is only 40 watts which means you can crank it without worrying about the neighbors calling the police.

This amp is indestructible. It is a 1966, 100% original amp. It has a few dings but what do you expect for an amp that's almost 40 years old. What can I say?

I've been playing for almost 35 years. This is one of the best amps ever made. I love it and would buy another.

I got a 1965 Blackface Bandmaster. It is a "loud" (like mose tube amps) 40 watts. It has 2 channels with Vibrato (Tremolo). THe best way to describe this amp is "CLEAN" If I could have any added feature it would be Reverb. I use a digital reverb/delay unit and it warms it up nicely. It really has more than enough power for me. If you find one buy it.

I use a variety of guitars with this amp. I mainly use a Telecaster with single coils, a 70' Guild Starfire with humbuckers, and a Rickenbacker 330 with single coils. This amp shimmers with single coils. It is clean and bright. I almost think that it is too clean. I have a hard time getting the amp to break up into overdrive. When I first got the amp it was noisy at high volume, but a retube and bias job made this amp virtually silent at any volume, other than single coil hum from the guitars. I use a digital reverb delay with it, unfortunatly I haven't found a suitable Overdrive/distortion pedal for it. The amp just is too bright, cutting and clean for heavy styles of guitar playing. I simply cannot get this amp to break up at any volume. That said, the clean tone is pristine, I judge the clean sound of all amps against the Bandmaster, and I am the proud owner of a vintage Twin-Reverb.

After I replaced the tubes and Electrolytic capacitors, the amp is reliable as any amp in my arsenal. In fact this is much more reliable than my 1996 Marshall (sounds better too). The amp was broken down not long after I got it, but that was due to the 35 year old capacitors and Vacuum tubes. Other than that this amp is a tank!

Never dealt with Fender on this.
Any Competent amp tech can repair these amps.
Very easy to repair if you gotta do it yourself.

I have played for 14 years. I own 2 Vintage Bassmans and a Vintage Twin-Reverb, and a 90's Marshall. This amp gets a workout even with that competition. This amp is great, not alot of people play these so you can still get a good deal. If you need a Clean amp, BUY ONE.

1966 Blackface, 45 watts with tremelo. I bought it in 1977 since I needed a stronger amp than my 65 Vox Cambridge tube amp to play mostly rock. Some bonehead had installed a cheesy master volumn that always sucked,rarely worked right, & I eventually removed. Always wished it had my Voxes reverb.

This amp is uncomplicated but thats its appeal. After all is said & done its the amp I gig with. Classic Fender tube tone. Just enough bite! Eat your heart out Jim Marshall. I love my Voxes & my Mesa but this amp works best with the various guitars I play. Even with the big-ass 2-12" cab its worth moving. Most guys my age seem to be downsizing to little combo amps but piss on that, lets rock!

Only smoked it once in 1998. Found out the master volumn pinhead had also installed a 20 amp fuse instead of the required 3 amp. Never bothered to check it in 21 years-duh! OK, I'll also admit I bring my little 40 watt Peavey transtube for insurance-but come on-38 years old!! Where will your Yahmaha or Korean Vox be then?

Leo's dead.

This amp just proves to me that Fender did their homework. It incorporates everything gigging musicians need even it it takes time to realize it. Other manufacturers can learn from this. Americans build quality even if the media gushes over the foriegn junk!

It was given to me by a friend, decent condition, speakers in the 2x12" cabnit have been replaced by something that i've never heard of--blown, of course but will replace with Celestion G12T-75-8 when i have the cash.

I have a 1966 Blackface , i haven't had a chance to really play it yet as it's curently not working, no channel switching, some pots may need replacing, have been cleaned, more than enough power for me

I play mostly metal/smooth rock (worship in my local church)

haven't had the chance to really use it yet.

as i said before--has yet to work on me, LOUD humming noise, prolly because of either the tubes being shot or the bias being bad, it needs serviceing but not service stations around.

no shops nearby. wont even try fender... why would they care?

i've been playing E. Guitar for over 4 years now... i have an epiphone special II ( iknow, bottom of the barrel) i just wish i could get the dang thing to work.
I WISH IT HAD AN OVERDRIVE CHANNEL but i figure i'll just get a pedal for it.

1967 Blackface. No reverb, but everything else is all you need. No gain,distortion or any other junk to dirty up the signal and mask the sound of your guitars pickups. I play classic rock, blues, and a little progressive/alt country. Plenty of power.

The smoothest, richest, bass I have ever heard, maybe due in part to the closed back cabinet. Not the least bit muddy, either. The treble is pure BF Fender, the best. At idle, you simply cannot hear it run; very quiet when playing, even with single coils. I do not push this amp very hard, so I cant comment on its overdriven sound. Tone contols have enough range of adjustment to dial in single coils and humbuckers . Absolutely the best sounding clean amp I have ever heard. Too bad it took me 39 years of playing to stumble across it. I have had Silvertones, Gibsons, Deluxe Reverbs, Marshalls, Hot Rod DeVilles, Concert Reverb RI, and for my style it is superior to all of them

For my purpose, which is almost exclusivly home playing now, it is great. I would be very reluctant to play any stock 37 year old amp at a gig without a backup.

N/A If I were to have trouble, I would take it to the store where I bought it( Music Villa in Bozeman, Mont. They are the best people to work with I have dealt with) I am not a fan of "corporate Fender". They are just too big and powerful in the industry.

I have been playing for 39 years. I have several guitars: a new Gibson J200, 2003 Clapton Strat with a custom Hefner neck, 1973 Tele, 1973 Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop, 1984 es-347, 1976 Starcaster, 1965 Hagstrom, 1997 Rickenbacker360, and a 1972 Gretsch Roc-Jet. I use a Dunlop Crybaby, a Boss BD-1 Blues Driver, and a SexDrive clean boost. However, 95 % of the time I play with no effects. I am in the market for an affordable vintage Fender reverb unit, also. This is a great example of how some vintage gear is truly superior to the new stuff. I was kind of skeptical until I heard this amp, and it has made a believer out of me , at least where Fender amps are concerned. This amp is far and away better sounding than the new Concert Reverb ( $1800 list ) that I got rid of, there was simply no comparison. With a good reverb unit, this amp will have it all. I cant see myself ever selling it, and if it were to be stolen or break down, I would surely look for another vintage Fender.

early '65 ("Fender Electric Instruments") black face "Bandmaster-Amp", you can see the deal from above. About as tricky as these things get is including a "bright" switch; you need to look elsewhere for bells and whistles and channel changing and all that stuff, but I have no use for those.

whoa, nellie! This is one heck of an amp. Maybe it's the smaller output transformer, maybe its lower tube plate voltages or something, but this amp has one heck of a sweet, rich, harmonically complex sound. A bit of compression and "lag" but nothing hyped like the new fancy boutique amps. Even better, the thing is utterly smooth when it goes into overdrive: there is no low-end "grit" or crapping-out sound, it's slick and liquid all the way up, still clear enough to hear enveything, too. I've played all sort of guitars through it (Les Paul, Tele Thinline, Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Strat, Rick 330, Dano Convertible, etc.)and it's consistently great, though you need to adjust the tone knobs just a bit, of course.

To compared to two other Fender heads I have from the same period (Dual Showman and Bassman), and played through the exact same cabinets (one closed-back, ported Peavy cab with two 12" 200W EV's, one semi-open back Sears Silvertone Twin 12 cab with 60's Oxfords), here are some notes:

1. Much less bight than either the Showman or Bassman (reminds me of mid-60's Marshall "plexi" tone: it's clear, but just doesn't have that piercing Fender high-end, even with the bright switches on);
2. Sounds good at low volumes, unlike Showman and Bassman;
3. "breaks up" at around..well..it's never really clean, is the thing, but never really distorted either. The Showman is ALWAYS clean, it just gets louder and richer; the Bassman is clean up to about 2 or 3, then it's "overdriven" with increasingly gritty low end, then it's "death to all who stand before me" at about 6 or higher. The Bandmaster never "loses it" or flaps out, it just gets creamier and more intense. You can always get "clean" sound by picking softer.
4. Bass is way less tight-and-bright than either the Bassman or Showman (I attribute this to the output tranny), but very smooth and pleasant, not weak. Blends in well with other things.
5.not nearly as loud as the Bassman (a hellaciously loud amp, who knows why), but not all that much quieter than the Showman. PLenty loud enough to gig with - especiually if you use both channels (either bridged or seperate inputs from a signal splitter). In contrast to the Showman and Bassman, both channels on this amp sound great, though a bit different (normal is darker and louder, vibrato is a touch brighter and cleaner). I recommend the channel splitter - you can adjust both channels for different tones and levels and then use the appropriate one (or both, which is awesome).

One off note, the amp is quite loud at reast (the "fireplace" or "grandpa's radio's still on" sound). Will have it looked at..but since the amp sounds great it's rarely "at rest," so not a huge drawback.

As with may other amps and Fenders (but a bit more so here), the amount of bass you push through it essentially determines how "clean: or "overdriven" it sounds. So turn up the bass knob, it's "dirtier," use the neck pickup, same deal. This aspect is more useful on this amp than other Fenders since the amp is less bright, I can actually use the bridge pickup on, say, a Jaguar, or Tele without causing ear damage.

Overall..have I said this thing is great? it is. I now have lots of amp-shaped paperweights.

a 40 year old amp is a 40 year old amp. keep it seviced, it'll be fine. People who expect perfect service-free performance everyday on tour or whatever from these amps complain when they inevitably develop problems or blow a cap or something, but if you bought a '65 Porsche and raced it around and never changed the oil, I'd call you a big fat idiot too. For the kind of wiring and components that went into these, you'd be paying some boutique guy $2,000 today. treat 'em right and they'll do the same.

not an issue.

This is a sweet, smooth, harmonic and serious grownup amp, great for rock, jazz, blues, whatever you play if you want a rich, responsive and musical sound. The fact that you can get them for under $400 today is kind of incredible, considering the high-priced junk out there, and considering that the TUBES ALONE in the amp could be worth more than a quarter of that. "Fantastic value" pretty much nails it. Now I'm gonna get me another one before everybody figures this out.

I've had a '66 Bandmaster piggy back (2 x12")since it was new. I have replaced the tubes twice over the years and it has seen a lot of roadwork. It's a sweet Fender sound and it's had just about every kind of distressing sound through it that you can imagine.It has never let me down. I wish all things were made this well. Jim

I use both a Strat and Godin LGX through it and it sounds great. There is only vibrato in it and limited tone controls but with external effects, I don't care.

The amp is 37 years old and has NEVER quit. I replaced the tubes twice and that was cause I thought "it must be time". I noticed no deterioration in sound, but there must have been. It has been a real source of comfort at every gig, knowing when all else is going wrong, I never had to worry about my amp.

I've been playing 38 years and use a combination of 4 rackmount effects, from Lexicon, Marshall and Roland. Now I'm buying something that's a little lighter for small gigs. The Bandmaster isn't that powerful but for medium gigs, no problem at all. I love it and my brother for buying it for me in '66.

I HAVE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO HAVE A STEP-FATHER THAT BOUGHT THIS TOTALLY BLONDE(EVERYTHING IS BLONDE,FACE,CABINET&HEAD)BRAND-NEW IN 1961 OR ABOUT THERE.HE PLAYED MUSIC OUT OF A MUSIC FEDERATION IN N.E. OHIO,AND NEVER MISSED A WEEK-END GIG FOR OVER 20 YEARS.HE PLAYED A FENDER BASS AND SOMETIMES HAD THE WHOLE BAND PLUGGED INTO IT.
IT WILL PLAY ANY TYPE OF MUSIC STYLE AND SOUND GOOD.THERE IS JUST BASIC CONTROLS,BUT IT DOES THE JOB WELL.IT HAS ALL THE POWER YOU WILL EVER NEED FOR A CLUB BAND.TUBE SOUND IS HARD TO BEAT.NO REVERB BUT A NICE "VIBRATO" FOOT PEDAL.YOU CAN PUT 4 INSTRUMENTS IN IT AND STILL GET A DECENT SOUND.

I HAVE A "78" ELECTRA,MPC AND PLAY MOSTLY BLUES.ALSO AN OVATION ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC AND BOTH ARE CRISP AND SMOOTH ON THIS AMP.THE AMP HAS THE SAME HISS THAT ALL OF THESE HAVE AT LOW VOLUME.NOT A PROBLEM THOUGH.I PUT THE VOLUME ON 10 IN 1975,MY JUNIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL,AND AN OLD CHEAP GIUTAR VOLUME ON TEN,JUST TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD DO. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!! EVERYTHING THAT WAS HANGING ON THE WALLS IN EVERY ROOM WAS OFF THE WALLS IN A SINGLE STROKE.MAN DID I GET A CHEWING OUT BY MY MOTHER.MY STEP-FATHER THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT.HE SAID HE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THAT,BUT WAS AFRAID,AND THANKED ME FOR DOING IT. NOW HE KNEW TOO.ANYTHING ABOVE 4 ON THE VOLUME AT HOME CAN BE BAD.

THE ONLY THING REPLACED ON IT ARE TUBES,AND ALL TUBES DIE SOMETIME.IT IS STILL ALL ORIGIONAL OTHER THAN SOME TUBES.IT HAS NEVER BEEN CLEANED."EVER"I WAS TOLD ALL THAT DIRT ADDS PERSONALITY TO IT.I PLAY IT 3 TO 5 TIMES A WEEK STILL AND IT NEVER MISSES A BEAT.I LET IT STAY ON STAND-BY FOR 15 MINUTES BEFORE PLAYING.THIS THING WILL CREEP UP IN VOLUME SOME AS THE TUBES GET TO FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE.ONE OF THE MOST RELIABLE AMPS EVER MADE.

DON`T TRY FENDER FOR SUPPORT ON THIS AMP.IT AIN`T GOING TO HAPPEN!NEVER BEEN REPAIRED,BECAUSE IT NEVER BEEN BROKE.YOU CAN STILL FIND ORIGIONAL TUBES AT SOME THRIFT STORES ,BIG FLEA MARKETS ,AND OLD RCA TV REPAIR SHOPS.START CALLING EVERY RCA TV REPAIR SHOP FIRST,AND IF THE HEAD GUY THERE IS 50 PLUS YEARS OLD,HE WILL KNOW WHAT AND PROBALLY WHERE TO GET SOME ORIGIONAL TUBES.

I`VE PLAYED FOR 32 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A MORE DEPENDABLE,ALL-A-ROUND AMP.IF IT WERE STOLEN THAT PERSON WOULD GET A SET OF 12`S AROUND THE NECK IF I CAUGHT HIM.I`M LOOKING ALL THE TIME FOR ANOTHER AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANY YET.THE ONLY THING I WISH IT HAD WAS FOR SOMEBODY TO CARRY IT FOR ME.THIS THING IS HEAVY.IF YOU FIND ONE,BUY IT!!!YOU WON`T GO WRONG.

October 1963 1st generation blackface Bandmaster (AA763 circuit) with transitional cosmetics (ie: smooth blonde tolex, black knobs, gold grille, raised logos). I play mostly early '60s pop, blues, hillbilly and jazz, and this amp works well for all of these styles. These amps are currently very inexpensive in comparison with most other vintage Fenders, mainly due to its lack of reverb and somewhat small output transformer. I don't play it particularly loud, so the small tranny doesn't bother me; one can always drop in a Bassman tranny for more oomph. For reverb I use a reissue Fender '63 Reverb with NOS tubes and a 6K6GT in place of the stock 6V6GT (just like the originals). The tremelo on the Bandmaster is very cool, although I don't use it much. The original 12" speakers were not in the cab when I bought it, so I replaced them with mid '60s Oxford 12T6's, which are found in many blackface Fenders (including Bandmasters, I believe). These are heavy duty ceramic speakers, and sound just dandy. Like all BF Fenders, the speaker cab is made of solid pine, which gives excellent resonance, like a piano.

My guitars are a 1962 Gretsch Tennessean, 1984 Rickenbacker 330, 1966 Rickenbacker 330/12, and a 1965 Silvertone/Danelectro 1448. The Ricks really come alive with the Bandmaster - I prefer their sound through the Fender than through the Vox's I have had before. The Vox's were just too darn trebly for the already bright Rickys. The Bandmaster has that sweet Fender tone, and sounds fantastic even at very low volume, with excellent dynamics and tonal range. Each note is crisp, clear and well-defined. Extremely responsive to pick attack. I bought this amp because I wanted an affordable vintage point-to-point Fender piggyback that would give me a just a bit of bite without having to be cranked too loud. I was also considering searching for a Tremolux, but came across this Bandmaster first, liked it and bought it. I mainly play smaller venues, so at 40 watts, the Bandmaster is perfect for my needs. I usually play it at around 5 or 6 on the volume (which just gives a tad of breakup and is medium loud), and the treble at 5 and the bass at 8. Of course, the Bright switch is activated. The Normal channel seems to have a bit more gain and darkness than the vibrato channel. My amp was serviced in 1999 (3 years before I bought it) and brought back to spec (according to the service receipt I found tucked inside the head), so it runs extremely well, although there is a bit of low-end hum. It's not really noticeable, so I haven't done anything about it.

I''ve only had it for a few months, but it seems to be very ruggedly constructed and well-maintained. With proper servicing and care, it seems that it should last another 40 years with no problem.

I think that once Leo sold the company to CBS, the warranty may have been voided!

I've been playing since 1977. My only other experience with Fender amps is a '70s Twin Reverb I used in the '80s (pretty good sound, but a bit muddy) and a tweed Pro Junior that I adore. Prior to buying the Bandmaster, I had a '65 Vox AC50 with Celestion blues in a Vox cab, and found it waaay too powerful for my needs. At moderate volume it sounded sterile, although it sounded very nice at higher volume. (Unfortunately, I was rarely able to crank it.) I also find Vox amps to be voiced a bit too bright for my taste. The Bandmaster is a much more versatile amp than the AC50, with shimmering treble and rich, deep bass, at any volume setting. And you can get great tone without blowing out windows.

January 65 blackface head, recently serviced and puts out 47 watts to a 4 ohm load. I play rock and blues and this amp is great for those genres. Two channels, vibrato. This amp is suprisingly LOUD. Right now I'm using it for rehearsal and jamming. My gig amp is a cyber twin.

I play a 68 Paul with Duncan humbuckers and a mutated Kramer strat with a dimarzio PAF pro humbucker(with parallel coil switch) and two virtual vintage heavy blues single coil shaped humbuckers. I play mostly rock and blues. I'm using a Randall 4-10 bottom with 8 ohm Celestions, great crunch and very loud. I patch both input channels together and get a full, crunchy sound. From there, I use a delay, wah and overdrive for sounds. Does everything I need and sounds righteous!

Just got the amp, first thing I did before playing it was have it checked out for pregnant caps and other problems. Had a minor power supply fix needed. I put a couple of Sovtek 5881's in it and it really barks. Should be reliable as a typical Fender from that era.

No contact with Fender. I am fortunate to have an excellent and knowledgeable Fender amp guru locally.

I've been playing since 1972. If the amp were stolen I'd try to find another but I doubt I could find one for as cheap. I love the TONE.

I HAVE A 64 MODEL BLACK FACE BAND MASTER ITS GREAT FOR ALL TYPES OF MUSIC FROM RAY GAY TO HEAVY METAL THE TWO CHANNEL AMP IS GREAT WHEN PIGGY BACKED OR JUMPED ONE CHANNEL TO THE NEXT BLUES ON THE BRIGHT CHANNEL IS THE BEST YOU JUST CANT GET THAT DEEP RICH TONE WITH A SOLID STATE AMP I HAVE BEEN DOING GIGS FOR 25 YEARS AND THE BLACK FACE HAS NEVER LET ME DOWN I USE 7025 TUBES INSTEAD OF 12AX7 IN THE PREAMP ITS A LITTLE CLEANER AT HIGH VOLUME AND EXCELLENT WITH A PEDAL

I USE TWO DIFFERENT GUITARS ONE A 1959 PRE CBS FENDER STRAT IT IS SWEET AND A LATE 60S OVATION ELECTRIC CELEBERTY THIS GUITAR IS GREAT FOR BLUES

TWENTY FIVE YEARS WORTH NEVER BEEN TO THE SHOP THE 6L6 TUBES HAVE BEEN CHANED SEVERAL TIMES THIS AMP GETS A LOT OF USE

NEVER DELT WITH CUSTOMER SUPPORT

IVE BEEN PLAYING SENCE I WAS IN THE THIRD GRADE I HAD TAKEN LESSONS FFROM A MUSIC TEACHER THAT YEAR I WAS 9 YEARS OLD NOW IM 47 BEEN PLAYING A LONG LONG TIME

bright switch, trem, tone tone tone! 65 blackface fender bandmaster recently brought back to life by Starving Musician Tech's
no reverb

not much variety but oh my god fender clean is so sweet. played with a holey grail reverb pedal this amp comes to life. i think it's the same as a super reverb with a smaller output transformer and no reverb. nice trem section tho. it's a real lush spunky clean tone which i'm sure get's SRV at distortion levels tho it's 4 am and am in an apartment so my neighbors won't like that. Authentic fender tone for a song!

it died when i had it before but they replaced the output tubes and brite switch and i don't know what but man no hum and it's a 65 no circuit bds here...well one. it's bulletproof

great people on the 800 number. let's see 38 yrs old ...no warranty. but starving will fix it for me since i'm renting it..

best authentic fender amp under 500 you'll EVER find! get a reverb tho or it's pretty sterile. damn it's sweet. strats and tele's come to life with this amp. Godsmack fan's won't be happy...well -just get another pedal. all pt to pt for peanuts. it's a steal. hope no one figures out what a steal these are.