Boss FBM-1 Fender '59 Bassman

This pedal is a team-up between Fender and Boss to create a pedal that closely resembles the tone of a vintage Fender 1959 Bassman. This pedal is a cool little device for trying to recreate those vintage tone that have now become infamous in rock and roll history.

This pedal was unique in a few ways. Normally Boss would silk screen the pedal name and model on the front of the pedal. On this pedal you had a glued on sticker that said Fender Bassman Boss FBM-1. You also had a textured finish on the casing of the pedal where as all Boss pedal are painted. What is also different with this pedal unlike any Fender Bassman is the gain control. The original Fender Bassman never had a gain control. So this is a modern take in a compact Boss pedal of the original Fender Bassman in a amp simulation circuit.

UTILIZATION

Specifications

Controls: Level, Gain, Treble, Middle Bass, Presence
Connectors: Input, Bright In, Output, AC Adaptor
Current Draw: 36 mA (DC 9V)
Weight: 440 g (1 lb.)
Nominal Input Level: -20dBu
Input Impedance: 1MOhm
Nominal Output Level: -20dBu
Output Impedance: 2.2kOhm
Recommended Load Impedance: 10kOhm or greater
Recommended AC Adaptor: PSA Series


SOUND QUALITY

This pedal uses COSM technology which is a modeling based circuitry. That is all I know about ti. The pedal does have a Fender bassman quality but to the Fender bassman get most of its charm and character from the power tube interacting with the preamp tube section. The tone of the Bassman is a clean tone that has a good punch and drive and so it is understanding that Marshall would get their first design concept from this circuitry and amp.

The pedal has some good tonal qualities and a good overall smooth distortion and drive. it cannot be capable of the real tube amp tough but it is a cool pedal nonetheless.

OVERALL OPINION

At new these pedals come in right around $119, which isn't bad for this pedal. It is an inexpensive way t get that famous tone as a close as you can without spending the money on a real amp. I have seen real Fender bassman's go for well under $800 so I would save up and buy one of those instead of this pedal. If you need something now then this is a good way to try it out.

BOSS supposed to emulate the sound of a Fender Bassman.
a good point, the settings are quite full.

UTILIZATION

I have a real Bassman, but too heavy to be repeated so I wanted a pedal that would allow me to get the same sound on a small tube amp.
settings are effective there is a good sound on. the pedal is very solid as always with Boss.

SOUND QUALITY

go to the sound, it is far from a real Bassman.
I can compare I can tell you that it's not that at all.
the sound is still good and you can can get nice things.

OVERALL OPINION

Pedal to try if you get the chance but do not get any illusions you will not have the sound of a Bassman.
did not have the expected result I would not recommend this pedal

Reproduces the function of the amp it simulates.
Presence, bass, tremble, medium, gain.
Two entry: normal and bright
In addition level
A good place for bosses who did not take the shortcut of a single kind of tone knob

UTILIZATION

Difficult to find the right settings to get sound from the bassman amp which is sent.
I said I tested it on a Fender Vibrolux and an orange rocker 30. In the Vibrolux is already plugged into the bright channel, the channel of the bright boss was too "bright" and therefore out of mind bassman. Against by the rocker, the bright channel then the boss got my favor. In addition, I have the impression of the presence and use tones to correct the sound and not to create it even if settings are effective.

SOUND QUALITY

The report from the real bassman sweated that I could try is frankly not bad at all. We recover the inflection and spirit of the amp. However, all seems a bit less bite than the amp simulation (but my memory plays me music perhaps towers?)
Beyond the copying, not the pedal reacts badly and overcharged the registry blues / rock suits him perfectly.

OVERALL OPINION

I share with another audiofanzien against my TS9. I would not make any comparison between her as different in their basic purpose.
Skeptical of the sound reproduction of a legendary amp, I confess to believe even if a handful of euros we do not have the same final result, we're not far.
However I'm sure the final result is closely related to the amp where it sends the boss. On my config, impeccable ... but on the neighbor???

This is an amp emulation Bassman'59 Fender
It has six buttons that are on the same four locations (2x2)
1 - Outside: Medium - Interior: presence
2 - Bass
3 - acute
4 - Outside: Level - Interior: gain
Two separate input Bright or Normal (one active input switches the other, you can not connect two cables together)
- Output (logic)





UTILIZATION

configuration is simple, one button "presence" may seem puzzling, it changes the sound according to its location ... to test or even because it's subtle ...
the user manual shows possible settings, but you can do what you want.

Caution for sound, it is not enough to turn the "level", we must also put the gain knob at 9 o'clock, because if you leave at least, no sound comes out, even if you turn the bottom level

a small flat on the presentation that can be misleading:
Presence button - Middle, "Presence" is written above and it is the inner knob
Level button - Gain, "level" is written above, but this is outside the button ... This inversion is disturbing at first, because it is believed to turn the "level" and you turn the gain if we do not watch out for registration reversed ...

And the thing that I drunk is having to unplug and replug the jack if I want to switch from Normal to Bright's ... there I found that Boss could have made us one entrance with a small selection button, know so well as do our enthusiast tweaking pedal as MSMworkshop ... or they could have doubled a third button with a external button selection (to avoid damaging their design Boss) ... or put out a "remote" to select the channel ... or a channel selection that changes when you press the pedal, as the Boss Dual Overdrive SD-2 ... When they want, they know very well done!
They think what these engineers?? They believe that the disconnect and reconnect their musicos pedals on stage as it quietly? ("Attention Fred I unplug ..." Plok "... Attention Fred I reconnect ..." Plok "..")

Anything! For these details I would not feeble note 10/10, because then I think they could do better!

SOUND QUALITY

I have a simulation on my Bassman Fender Mustang, in general (for those who know) I prefer the yellow preset, but there are basic overdrive it and I do not like. If we exclude the gain of the amplifier without affecting the other buttons, you get the same sound quaziment by plugging the pedal on the Bright channel, and by setting it in the next clear indication of the manual is to say:
- Middle and low: between 1 and 2 hours
- Presence and treble between 10 and 11
- Gain level 9 and 12

So why buy a pedal if I already have a simulation on the amp? Because I found the best on the pedal. I can already adjust the mids on the pedal, then I have no midrange knob on the amp, then I much prefer the overdrive pedal with that amp.
I play a Rickenbacker, which already has good bass and treble control side, this pedal allows me to deepen my lower back of the midrange (I like the clean sound but hot)
As I have a stereo output on my guitar, I can separate the neck pickup (bass) and connect via the pedal on a bass amp, which gives me a warm bass sound, so I can juggle a guitar sound electrical (acute) in a deep bass sound, see the two play together.
I tested on a small travel guitar Shorty and frankly there is no picture, this pedal greatly improves the sound reproduction, thanks to its settings I can lower the treble (too present on the shorty) and give it more low and medium she has not because of his mic stand. The result is magnificent compared to the basic sound of this shorty.
Bright sound is clearer (hence the name ...) there are more highs, so more clarity and brilliance ...

I love the sound of this pedal as soon as I plug I can play with for hours and dream that I have a real Bassman ... In fact it's almost better than a real, because the real button does not "gain" but a volume "Bright" and volume "Normal" .... :-P
Although the result will always depend on his guitar, pickups of the guitar and the amp used ... Me personal, I am fulfilled, I looooooves ...


OVERALL OPINION

I bought this pedal used in very good condition for its price argus (of time) and I am very happy.
I would not buy new because they did not find info or video convincing frankly, I wanted to test myself and see if it suited me, and be able to sell if the price of 'argus without losing too much money on it .... Well, I'm not ready to sell it, no, I jealously guard, and look more issue I find very beautiful, even in case it is very classy.

I have not yet tested on a low, but I will publish my opinion when it's done.