Opinions on Supersonic 22 head?

[JSett]

I actually found a '66 bassman I could have gotten with my budget but it was pushing the upper limit and I feel like I would be too scared to take it gigging.

I take out my BF Bassman (67) to gig all the time - solid and reliable. What would you be scared about? Theft? I see plenty of more expensive and valuable amps onstage than a Bassman all the time...and I play proper dive/toilet venues for the most part.

[HarktheUmpire]

I actually found a '66 bassman I could have gotten with my budget but it was pushing the upper limit and I feel like I would be too scared to take it gigging.

I take out my BF Bassman (67) to gig all the time - solid and reliable. What would you be scared about? Theft? I see plenty of more expensive and valuable amps onstage than a Bassman all the time...and I play proper dive/toilet venues for the most part.

Same. You’d be surprised how many dodgy venues have seriously expensive amps in their backline. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I do make sure I know where I left it and take it out of the van to wherever we’re sleeping when we’re staying somewhere overnight. But I don’t find it all that stressful. I do the same with my old Jag.

[sal paradise]

I’ve never really worried about gear getting stolen. I feel like it’s like an inevitability: don’t do anything stupid, and anything else is bad luck.

Of course, I’ve done a tonne of stupid things & got lucky.

(The majority of people have no idea of the value of backline & pedals. Guitars are easier to steal though. But from experience most of that gets mixed up between bands on load in/out. Theft has been extremely rare among mine & my bands & friends’ bands. And that’s a lot of shows, service stations & vans left overnight across the UK/Europe.)

Back on topic: what one you gonna get???

[HarktheUmpire]

I’ve never really worried about gear getting stolen. I feel like it’s like an inevitability: don’t do anything stupid, and anything else is bad luck.

Yeah, if you just keep a bit of an eye on things, not much will happen. On the other hand, it's probably relevant that you mention you're in the UK/Europe: not that it doesn't happen here, but the people I know that have had things stolen all had it happen to them while touring in the US. So where you are probably does matter, and I don't think I'd feel as relaxed about it if I were touring over there. I don't mean to derail the thread though, so. yeah... what are you getting, shoegaze_head?

[shoegaze_head]

I take out my BF Bassman (67) to gig all the time - solid and reliable. What would you be scared about? Theft? I see plenty of more expensive and valuable amps onstage than a Bassman all the time...and I play proper dive/toilet venues for the most part.

Well I was kinda worried about reliability, but I guess a blackface bassman seems more like a museum piece (even though this one is not particularly clean), probably just me being silly. Owning an amp 3 times as old as me though feels weird, like they're reserved for pro musicians and old men with lots of disposable income, not a college student gigging part time. It's also the most expensive one for the least amount of features, so as cool as it would be to have one, it's more cool than useful (even if it sounds heavenly )

The supersonic is going to be around for a while, and the MiG is only going to get rarer and rarer so I might just jump on the MiG and wait a bit before getting a supersonic. Does that feel like settling? Idk. I like both but it I've got a HRD I can use for fender cleans for now.

[andy_tchp]

A BF Bassman would be the pick for reliability and serviceability.

None of the three are that similar outside of all being guitar amps, bit of a confusing thread TBH.

[sal paradise]

A BF Bassman would be the pick for reliability and serviceability.

None of the three are that similar outside of all being guitar amps, bit of a confusing thread TBH.

I like seeing thought processes like this. Or at least I feel seen. I’m often sold on “this sound”. But just as I’m ready to go, “that sound” looks really tempted. “Also, this sound” adds more gas to the fire. It’s nice to see others have similar struggles

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

You mentioned a 70s Bandmaster earlier…
Did you have a chance to try it?
I have a Dripedge non reverb version and (surprise) love it very much. It‘s kind of a lower wattage Showman sound/uses the same circuit as a Blackface Deluxe Reverb (AB763 ) - Vibrato to kneel down - and I personally dig the Bright switch with a Tone Bender MKII type Fuzz… (interestingly it makes it sound buzzy like an Italo-Western Fuzz… and with an ABY switch you‘d have some tonal options… but the amp alone doesn‘t „Doom“ like the Bassman 50 or Mig would.

…speaking of which… isn‘t EHX bringing out a 50 Watt version? Can‘t say how close it‘s gonna be to the old ones - but they should be available somewhen soon.

I feel you with the weight… but if you are - as your username suggests - a shoegazer - do you really need onboard Reverb?
Reverb in front of the Burn Channel on my Supersonic 60 sounds huge and spacey.

[HarktheUmpire]

Well I was kinda worried about reliability, but I guess a blackface bassman seems more like a museum piece (even though this one is not particularly clean), probably just me being silly. Owning an amp 3 times as old as me though feels weird, like they're reserved for pro musicians and old men with lots of disposable income, not a college student gigging part time. It's also the most expensive one for the least amount of features, so as cool as it would be to have one, it's more cool than useful (even if it sounds heavenly )

I don't really see how age factors in. My amp is from 1965, making it 22 years older than me, and I couldn't care less. I keep it in good shape and it serves me well for the 30-odd gigs I play a year. I know someone who keeps a '62 Tremolux up in his attic that he plays once or twice a year (so the caps don't go dry is his reasoning). Some people own 20+ vintage amps, at least some of those barely get played. I'm not saying that's morally wrong or anything, but I also don't see anything wrong with a part-time gigging college student using an old Bassman. Personally, I'd prefer that to the amp collecting dust on someone's attic, regardless of the owner's age or disposable income. They're made to be used, and they were made to last a very long time. Plus, Fender made a lot of them, so I don't think they'll become museum pieces anytime soon.

As for the features; it obviously depends on what you need, but for me less features is actually a big plus. When I can't bring my amp and depend on what a venue offers, it seems the more knobs an amp has, the more I struggle to get a decent sound out of it. I'm happiest when the options are: "Volume - Treble - Bass". "Middle" already makes me nervous. "Reverb" is nice if it's an old Fender, but my pedal does a great job too. Tremolo my pedal does a better job at than most on-board stuff, and anything else I get from my pedals as well.

But Andy is right, they're 3 very different amps, and I think you should go with the one that sounds best to you.

[shoegaze_head]

Going to try to reply to a lot of posts because I've got a feeling this thread is wrapping up. I have to make a NAD post sometime soon

I like seeing thought processes like this. Or at least I feel seen. I’m often sold on “this sound”. But just as I’m ready to go, “that sound” looks really tempted. “Also, this sound” adds more gas to the fire. It’s nice to see others have similar struggles

Exactly this. I feel like its pretty easy to choose between amps (or guitars, or pedals, or whatever) that are similar because I know approximately what I'm looking for, and then it just comes down to deciding between the minor details and pricing. When I'm making a choice about items that are different, comparing them to each other makes less sense so I try to think about them on their own.

Andy might think its comparing apples to oranges, but I don't think there's anything wrong with doing that. I'm not expecting an apple to taste like an orange, I'm trying to figure out what flavor juice I want.

You mentioned a 70s Bandmaster earlier…
Did you have a chance to try it?
I have a Dripedge non reverb version and (surprise) love it very much. It‘s kind of a lower wattage Showman sound/uses the same circuit as a Blackface Deluxe Reverb (AB763 ) - Vibrato to kneel down - and I personally dig the Bright switch with a Tone Bender MKII type Fuzz… (interestingly it makes it sound buzzy like an Italo-Western Fuzz… and with an ABY switch you‘d have some tonal options… but the amp alone doesn‘t „Doom“ like the Bassman 50 or Mig would.

…speaking of which… isn‘t EHX bringing out a 50 Watt version? Can‘t say how close it‘s gonna be to the old ones - but they should be available somewhen soon.

I didn't get a chance to try the bandmaster but thanks for telling me about yours. It was never a serious contender for me, more of a "if every amp I was looking at sold that will still be there". I think that EHX already has a MiG-50 out, I've seen some online. Some people say its better built, some people say its worse than the original. Who knows.

I feel you with the weight… but if you are - as your username suggests - a shoegazer - do you really need onboard Reverb?
Reverb in front of the Burn Channel on my Supersonic 60 sounds huge and spacey.

Definitely isn't a need, but I like having it as an option. I play a lot of shoegaze on my own but not in any bands, and as far as I know there isn't a local scene for it, which makes me kinda sad. I really want to hear that reverb into supersonic 60 now.

I don't really see how age factors in. My amp is from 1965, making it 22 years older than me, and I couldn't care less. I keep it in good shape and it serves me well for the 30-odd gigs I play a year. I know someone who keeps a '62 Tremolux up in his attic that he plays once or twice a year (so the caps don't go dry is his reasoning). Some people own 20+ vintage amps, at least some of those barely get played. I'm not saying that's morally wrong or anything, but I also don't see anything wrong with a part-time gigging college student using an old Bassman. Personally, I'd prefer that to the amp collecting dust on someone's attic, regardless of the owner's age or disposable income. They're made to be used, and they were made to last a very long time. Plus, Fender made a lot of them, so I don't think they'll become museum pieces anytime soon.

Yeah I know I'm just being silly, but I've never seen (or noticed) any of my friends or local bands using vintage amps. Before I went to that vintage store I think the oldest amp I've ever seen in person was that 70s bandmaster, and considered my 90's Hot Rod Deluxe old. Only time I saw gear from the 60s was in youtube videos of people showing off their collections.

Thanks to everyone who posted, I made my decision and will let you guys know soon

[JSett]

I'm happiest when the options are: "Volume - Treble - Bass"

In my opinion this is all an amp needs, unless it's above 30w then I'll likely need a master volume for the low stage volumes every soundperson seems to want these days.