Fender Bass Amps

Very few musical instrument companies can attest to the same quality, innovation, widespread player base, or historical legacy as Fender. Since 1946, the company has continually introduced instruments and amplification systems that have become music performance standards. Nowhere is this legacy more apparent than in Fender's line of bass products. After only five years after founding the music instrument division of the Fender company (1946), the Precision bass line was introduced to the musical instrument market. Even with other companies contributing their own distinct line of electric bass instruments, Fender's Precision bass, or P-Bass as it is more commonly known, is the highest selling bass of all time. In order to most accurately amplify the sound captured by Fender's distinct humbucker pickups, the company started the development of the musically renowned Fender bass amplifiers.

Fender Bass Amp History

In 1952, Fender introduced its first and still most historically revered bass amplifier - the Bassman. First produced with a single 10" amplifier and later replaced with 4 10" speakers, the Bassman was capable of capturing the P-Bass' distinct high tonal qualities while also being able to maintain the low-end of any particular musical genre. Even in a contemporary music market, the Fender Bassman nonetheless still remains a highly sought after piece of equipment. The innovation and quality that made the Bassman achieve such a highly revered position continued on throughout the history of Fender bass amplifiers. One such amplifier was the Studio Bass amplifier. Developed in the late 1970s, the Studio Bass line of bass amplifiers by Fender was critically acclaimed to be the most powerful and well-rounded sound in the Fender bass amplifier line. The amplifier featured all tube systems, a single 15" speaker to capture the very low notes without any distortion, and many other elements that became both emblematic of the bass amplifier series as well as critical in inclusion for all future bass amplifier models.

Fender's dependence on tube amplifiers, like many other companies, dropped off with the implementation of newer technology - leading to solidstate amplifiers. The Showman series of bass amplifiers was fairly limited in the 1960s but saw a considerable market increase in the 1970s. Solidstate is the principle means of production for modern Fender amplifiers. Fender currently offers two main product lines for bass amplifiers - the Rumble and the Pro Series. The Rumble line is primarily focused on wattage output and accurate low-end reproduction. The line consists mainly of amplifier heads instead of any particular combination amplifier. The Pro Series, such as the MB 1200 focuses more versatility in tonal range. Fender also continues to sell reissues of the Bassman in both tube and solidstate editions.

Fender Bass Amp Legacy

Though the legacy of Fender bass amps speaks for itself in terms of quality and innovation, the musicians that utilize the equipment also back the quality and confidence that musical talent invests in the Fender bass amplifier line. Geddy Lee from Rush is a notable bass player who solely utilizes Fender bass equipment. Both the bands of Pink Floyd and Stevie Ray Vaughn's backing group employed Bassman amplifiers during their performances. Countless other notable musicians can be added to this list such as Sonic Youth, Simple Plan, and so forth. The various Fender bass amps certainly assert themselves as prominent and effective musical products for the bass player.