Bass Amp History

[John Cubbage]

Fender amps had an excellent reputation up until the mid to late 1960s. At that time, Fender sold the amp division to CBS. When that happened, the Red Bank Music store began to get a lot of returns from the CBS factory productions with amp problems and blown speakers. The new company stopped using Jensen (blue/green) speakers and began installing their own (painted black) without a label. At the time, many players longed for the older Fender amps. Soon after that I went to college and stopped keeping up with the bass amp news.

Many popular groups used the two piece Fender Bassman and Dual Showman amps. A lot of groups performed at the Asbury Park Convention Center on the Boardwalk. The Beach Boys appeared there a number of times with their Fender amps. On at least one occasion the Beach Boys rented Fender amps from Red Bank Music for their performance.

- Dr. C.

[John Cubbage]

Fender bass amp circa 1959 was one piece plywood covered in a tan material with a darker brown small hound's tooth print on it. The speaker grill was a dark brown color (woven) material.

Later in the early 1960s the covering material went to a light tan solid color (no print) with a kind of hide grain or pebble impressed on it. The Fender bass amp went to two pieces: the large speaker box and the smaller amp box that went on top of the speaker box. The speaker grill remained a woven dark brown color.

In the mid 1960s the covering material went to a a solid black color with a pebble finish. The speaker grill material went to a silver grey woven material.

-Dr. C.