Fender Bassman 20
Model/Circuit Number:
Years of Production: 1982 – 1983
Era: Rivera
Configuration: Combo
Controls: Black forward facing w/ white labels
Knobs: Black skirted w/ chrome center, numbered 1 – 10
Faceplate:
- Front: In, Vol, Treb, Mid, Bass – Power Sw, Pilot Lamp
- Rear:
Cabinet:
- Dimensions: 24 3/4″ x 17″ x 11 7/8″
- Hardware: Small Chassis Straps 3 5/8″
- Handle: Black strap handle with Chrome ends
- Feet: Chrome Glides
- Corners: Chrome Corners with Lip
Tolex/Tweed:
Grill Cloth:
Logo: Grill mounted, raised, chrome & black, script
Weight:
Speaker:
- Size: 1 x 15 Fender (Eminence Made)
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Model: (For more info, check out the Jensen Replacement Speakers)
Effects:
Watts: 18 watts
Tubes:
- Pre amp: 2 x 7025
- Power: 2 6V6
- Bias: Fixed
- Rectifier: Solid State
Comments:
Less than 500 of the amps made from 1982-1983
I’ve been researching the Rivera-era range of amps since 2004 and it looks like they made around three thousand Bassman 20s. The confusion arises when people misread the tables at the back of the excellent Teagle and Sprung book – it’s easy to mistake the ‘original price in dollars’ column for ‘how many made’. My website (info only, non-commercial)
http://www.stratopastor.org.uk/strato/amps/twoseriesfenders/twoseriesfenders.html
Thanks Andrew.. Great site!
18 watts??
More like 70 watts.
70 watts? no way not with just 2 6v6s in the power section.
Faceplate has the following info:
120v 60Hz ~
0.7 A 70 watts
amps are discussed in power section output dissipation. 70 watts is the draw at the wall power.
any dual 6v6 amps will dissipate 12 to 20 watts depending on the circuit.
Hence the “20” in the name.
I was in error. Thanks for the info! Sure sounds bigger than a 20-watt amp.
Hey- My Bassman 20 was featured in Premier Guitar’s “Trash or Treasure” column(Feb/2014) & Zach’s (who works for “Guitar Bluebook”) research found that under 600 of these were made.@ no time did these sell for $600. The simple circuitry in these makes a great amp for recording bass & guitar. I paid $125 for mine in 1985. -Thanks-JB
James, no disrespect to Zach but I believe he’s accidentally passing on an internet myth. However if he’s actually done research I’d be pleased to exchange info with him! best wishes…
actually I’ve just looked back at Zach’s article and he says “I’ve seen reports of around 500 or so being produced.” No mention of research, so I’ll stick with my findings at least for now. Around 2500 made.
Andrew — Was just looking again @ our conversation & while you disagree w/#’s this rarity(or not) has never had a correlation to worth — as Zach clearly states. It’s worth more than the $125 I paid for it 30 years ago it’s relative low worth has never been something anyone disputed.It is a great guitar/recording/studio amp that I use w/an SRC Crossover — JB
Anyone know what the value of these amps are now?
Tom — I paid $125 for mine in 1985 & it’s gone up some due to it’s worth as a studio amp – low watts & simple circuitry & it’s use as a guitar or bass amp. The highest $’s I’ve seen were $550 — I haven’t seen 1 for sale in a long time tho — Thanks –JB
James, I thoroughly agree with Zach and yourself concerning the amp’s actual worth. I would be pleased to own one no matter how many were made.
I traded a 2014 epiphone mini 335 style for mine, extremely happy with the trade.
The trouble with the Bassman 20 is the transformers. The output transformer is from a Princeton amp and not up for the task of reproducing bass, in fact the amp purposeful rolls off bottom end to stop early distortion.