Running a Stage Mk1 through a tweed Fender Bassman?

[alexdecker]

Hi all

I am considering buying a Fender Bassman Ltd for my Fender Rhodes. I am a little in doubt if it is the right buy though, as I live in a apartment in the city, and don't know if it will be overkill for me. I am mainly thinking about it because I think it will handle the lower registers better than a Twin Reverb, and I am almost positive that a Twin Reverb would be overkill for my living room (I would never be able to turn it past "2").

Do any of you guys run your Stage models through a Bassman, and if yes, how do you feel about it? Do any of you by any chance have some recordings of a Rhodes through a Bassman?

I would also love to try and put my Moog Voyager through the amp (at reasonable levels), and I also have a Dave Smith Tempest, that I would probably try and put through the amp as well. All the more reason I am looking at a amp that might be better suited at playing some lower registers. But keep in mind that it is all for home use, so I probably would be able to fire it all up.

Anyways, all help and advice is appreciated!

– Alex

[drpepper]

I use a twin reverb and think it is fine at low volumes, sure the louder it gets the more amazing it is. It does eat up a good amount of space but think it is worth it. If you want some sound samples  I can send you them.

[alexdecker]

I use a twin reverb and think it is fine at low volumes, sure the louder it gets the more amazing it is. It does eat up a good amount of space but think it is worth it. If you want some sound samples  I can send you them.

I would really appreciate some sound samples, if you had any? Especially some of the bottom end of a Twin Reverb

– Alex

[Pants]

I had one of the 90's Bassman reissues. It broke up really easily. That would be the only issue vs. the Twin. I suppose at apartment volumes you'd probably be ok, but here's another vote for a Twin.

[yorgatron]

how about a Deluxe Reverb?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/4954949608.html

put your Rhodes through the tremolo/reverb side, and your Moog through the other.

[alexdecker]

Yes! I am also considering either the Deluxe Reverb, or the Princeton Reverb, as I would like an amp with both tremolo and reverb. Does anyone know the difference between these two amps?

– Alex

[yorgatron]

the Princeton has slightly less power, a smaller enclosure, and only 2 inputs on a single channel.

the Deluxe would be a better choice, if only because it has slightly more headroom and a separate channel to run synths through.

[alexdecker]

So... if you will allow me to abandon the idea of a guitar amplifier for a minute. If I wanted to go full bandwidth on the Rhodes, how would a powered speaker such as an Adam A77x fair, in comparison to a keyboard amp from Roland or the likes?

Anybody tried that?

– Alex

[ImNotDedYet]

Sure, you'll get a more full spectrum, but you'll need an instrument in on your audio interface, or a DI box.  I do it often with my monitors when I'm recording my Rhodes for a song.  Sounds fine if you like the DI sound.

I personally prefer the Rhodes through a tube amp - I use a Blackstar HT-5R which is pretty non-standard, but it's got a nice tone with the Rhodes, it's small and low wattage so I don't have to crank the volume to get the tube to color the sound, has nice distortion control as well as a decent reverb.  Plus, I'm lazy and don't want to have to go to where my monitors are, turn them on, mess with my computer to get the level right on the interface, mess with the interface software to EQ, etc.  Everything is right at my feet with the Rhodes, my pedals and the amp right under the Rhodes.

[K-man]

In my opinion Rhodes is a simply electric guitar  I connect  it to my diy guitar tube amps - trainwreck, princeton, moonlight, and italian elka leslie. Tube amps sound are the best!

[JC]

I use a Leslie 60 with my stage piano. Sounds fabulous. I've also been testing a 1974 Vibrolux Reverb. So far, the Leslie 60 wins hands down for sound.
There is a real nice looking Leslie 60 for sale on ebay. I think $399.00 is a little high but they are getting rare.

*NOTE - the Leslie 60 has 3 or 4 different possible control units. The control that is made for the use with the Rhodes is number 112670. The 112670 control has a preamp built in. The below auction has the correct (112670) control with it. This control model is kind of rare. If I lived within 8 hours of the seller, I would try to buy it.

  http://www.ebay.com/itm/LESLIE-MODEL-60-AMPLIFIER-SATELLITE-SPEAKER-H55502-S-w-COVERS-/291430137424?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43da96fe50

[Student Rhodes]

I use a Leslie 60 with my stage piano.

I've been intrigued by these Leslie 60 for a while, but I've heard mixed reviews.
Is this a stereo effect? How is the sound split, and affected? Perhaps akin to the panning trem of a Peterson?  Do they emulate some Doppler effect, like other "real" Leslies?   Youtube clips don't really convey what it would be like to be in the room with them.  Perhaps you can describe the experience of using them?

[JC]

Awhile back I took the 60 apart to answer the very questions you are asking. Here are a few pictures of what I found inside the cabinet with the amplifier. The other cabinet is simply a speaker. There is a belt driven mechanism that looks similar to a "Space Echo." It does not produce sound into a driver like a Leslie 122.
The sound seems to be swept between the amplified cabinet and the other cabinet. The sweep speed is adjusted with the control box. It does not have a phase effect like a Leslie. It sounds more like the vibrato found in the Mark I suitcase piano. However, the tone seems more fat and round.
The 60 gets amazingly loud. We just used it for a 6 piece jazz combo show. The event was a charity auction dinner with 200-300 people. Never turned the 60 up past about 1/3.

The 60 is kind of noisy at idle. I have heard this is a common complaint. When actually playing I can't hear the noise. It does not get louder as the volume is increased. I think the 60 is one of the nicest sounds I have ever heard with the Rhodes stage. Full, rich, and organic. It just works well with the Rhodes. No distortion though. It is solid state. Stays clean all the way up.