Fender Tweed Bassman 5E6 (1955)

This is a 1955 Bassman 5E6.  Sometimes called a "Two hole Bassman", these are rare beasts.  It has a massive (replacement) power transformer to drive the dual rectifiers (although many players remove one of these for added sag) and the original Output Transformer.  PT aside, this is all original.  Perhaps most unusual of all, the leather handle is stock, as far as I can see, one can only speculate how this is the case after 67 years. And there’s more.  All four Jensen P10Rs are stock, without rub, drop, or re-cone!  And, as proved by the scrawled name on the tiny piece of masking tape still clinging to the inside of the chassis, this amp was built by Rachel.

A word on the Mains Transformer.  The original US voltage Triad 7993 must have blown some time ago, as they were prone to do and this amp sports a heavy, well-specced, like-for-like replacement.  It fits perfectly and it’s clearly been in place for some time.  It produces 410V plate voltage with both rectifiers in place and 405V with only one, so electronically it’s well within the original (410V) spec as per the Fender schematic.  No-one should have any concerns about the electrical or mechanical quality of this transformer.  The chances of finding period correct Triad 7993 now are very, very low but you could, of course, opt to swap in a modern UK voltage replacement.

I have given this amp a full service, fixed the scratchy pots, corrected the orientation of one of the valve seats, changed some worn valves, re-biased it and generally tidied it up.  Now good to go for another 67 years!