BOSS Fender Bassman '59 Modeling Pedal FBM-1
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 List Price: unavailable Sale Price: $99.95 Availability: unspecified 
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Product Description
Fender amps of the '50s and '60s are beloved and coveted by guitarists around the world. Thanks to BOSS' technology and tone know-how, the new FBM-1 brings the natural, fat, rich, bright tone of the Fender Bassman to a BOSS pedal. In conjunction with Fender, the new BOSS FBM-1 recreates the legendary tone of the 1959 Fender Bassman. Features include the same controls on the original Bassman: Presence, Treble, Mid, and Bass EQ controls. The FBM-1 also functions perfectly as a pre-gain pedal" placed before an already overdriven amp to add the tone character of the Bassman.
Details
- Presence, Treble, Mid and Bass EQ controls
- Road-tough BOSS metal construction
- Perfect pre-gain pedal for adding or retaining Fender tone color
Rating
I purchase this pedal after buying the boss fender reverb deluxe pedal, after being blown away by that pedal I was curious about the Bassman. I did my research on countless guitar site reviews and on Youtube. I was impressed so I went and bought it, and let me tell everyone that this pedal rocks! It sounds similar to the Bassman amp but what do you expect for $120, to poop gold for you? Its gain and presence knobs are the best features on it, it gives that extra crunch and has the option to plug into a more bright sound (just like the amp). I’ve plugged this amp to a solid state vox and it screams the amp just fine, but when I plugged it into my fender hotrod deville tube amp, oh man I’m still drooling over that tone. So don’t listen to the first review from Felix the Cat, I don’t know what he was playing cus’ clearly it was a different pedal!
Rating
Just to add another opinion – I’ve been playing blues and rock 53 years. I first bought the FDR-1 pedal to add reverb/trem to a Fuchs 6v6 tube amp, and then bought the FBM-1 to add some tone to a Fender Blues Jr. which has onboard reverb. The FBM-1 made the sound fuller, rounder, with a sweeter tone, as the Fender has brighter EL84 tubes. It will overdrive the power tubes at lower volumes, giving clear, concise notes and full tones at comfortable ear levels. If one can both afford and carry around a Fender Twin or a Bassman (50-65 lbs)$1300, no pedal is needed. This way one can buy a Fender Pro Jr. (20 lbs) $375 or Blues Jr. (30 lbs) $475 and the FBM-1 pedal ($150), and closely emulate that sound for $525-625).
This pedal needs a tube amp IMHO, at least 15W, and at least 10″ speaker.
I couldn’t do without it having heard it and used it. Fender wouldn’t have lent its name and technology to the pedal if it wasn’t good. It’s not really for super high gain metal players, nor is the Bassman amp. Jazz, blues, soft rock, R&B, Motown, etc. is best.