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NAD: Brown 310 Bandmaster Ex GE Smith

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
GE has sold some of his collection to Cream City Music in Milwaukee. I managed to grab the 310 Bandmaster and the Blond Bassman Head/Cab I've been looking for. Both sound good. This is the first 2 tube tremolo amp I've owned (i've had 5 of the 3 tube tremolo versions) and it IS different-more phasey, more variation in speed, less in depth. Not sure what I'll do about speakers (play quietly vs switch em out for recones). Anyway, without further ado:
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Oh, and yeah, it was recapped by Cesar Diaz in 93!
 

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
Very cool- never saw one before. The presence knob is handy.The browns are really something. The phasey thing is cool.
I have a blonde bassman and like the flexibility it offers. Sadly I just sold it, but it will see a lot more use with its new owner, who plays guitar for a living. Mine will be one of four he owns and gigs with- too big to lug around.
I suggest Webers for these old Fenders. They have done their homework (well- I never heard an original Brown as new so there's that)- but they really complement the tone of the amp- particularly after a couple weeks of break in. Warehouse Guitar Speakers are also very good.
 

DrRobert

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Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
Hey, Michael, long time! It'd be a killer jazz amp but maybe not as good for that as the Vibrasonic (115 JBL). The tremolo is more phasey than the later 6 tube version, but at the moment it has a bit of a thump to it. Played it quite a bit last night back to back with the 62 (212) bandmaster-they really do sound different, which is probably down to the speakers and open back cab, mostly, although apparently the tone stack is a little different, too?
 

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
Turns out that the Groove Tubes are the original 90s versions that are really American vintage tubes. I might fiddle with them a bit (and replacing V4 may help with the trem "thump") but it sounds really good as it is. Also might roll V5, since a Telefunken is really clean but maybe a bit bright.
 

Wally

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Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
Nice to have one which was gone through by Cesar Diaz.
 

Michael Minnis

Active member
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Feb 12, 2004
Messages
1,597
Hey, Michael, long time! It'd be a killer jazz amp but maybe not as good for that as the Vibrasonic (115 JBL). The tremolo is more phasey than the later 6 tube version, but at the moment it has a bit of a thump to it. Played it quite a bit last night back to back with the 62 (212) bandmaster-they really do sound different, which is probably down to the speakers and open back cab, mostly, although apparently the tone stack is a little different, too?

Hey, Dr. Bob. Thanks for the shout-out. That does look like it would be a killer jazz amp. I don't have enough experience with the brownface Fenders. I realize they're often considered a bridge between tweeds and blackfaces. I used to be all about the blackface amps. Still dig them, but I've embraced the need for tweed in the past year. Look forward to hearing more about your Bandmaster. Wonder how it compares to a tweed Bandmaster?
 

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
I've never owned a real tweed Bandmaster, but I have one built by So-Flo and modded by Sonny Jr. Don't know if that takes it closer or farther from stock? Anyway, the unbalanced OT does reduce clean overhead a bit in both amps but the tweed is probably closer to a 25-30w amp vs a solid 40 for the Bandmaster. Much more breakup at loud room volumes with the tweed. The brown has almost as much mids, but a much harder attack on notes and less sustain/sag. At the volumes I feel safe playing an amp with the original P12Rs there isn't any appreciable breakup with the brown. If I sub in some reconed speakers, I'll crank it and see how that changes things.

What was a real trip was setting the 310 BM and the 212 blond BM side by side, setting the trems at different speeds and just kind of blessing out to the swirling, 3d sound.

Back to jazz, though. I think a Vibrasonic would be the perfect amp-more mids than the BF for those mellow tones, but more guts and attack than anything short of a Bassman or Tweed Twin (and way less money than either of those). Plus you get that amazing Tremolo.
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
The date codes on those caps are 1991/92. You may want to re-cap it as those are made only to last 10 years before they start to degrade. Those are 25 years old now..
Nice damn amp though!! Congrats!
 

Stow

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 14, 2002
Messages
1,857
Great AMP... GE is one of my fav players wow cool man!
 

Michael Minnis

Active member
Joined
Feb 12, 2004
Messages
1,597
I've never owned a real tweed Bandmaster, but I have one built by So-Flo and modded by Sonny Jr. Don't know if that takes it closer or farther from stock? Anyway, the unbalanced OT does reduce clean overhead a bit in both amps but the tweed is probably closer to a 25-30w amp vs a solid 40 for the Bandmaster. Much more breakup at loud room volumes with the tweed. The brown has almost as much mids, but a much harder attack on notes and less sustain/sag. At the volumes I feel safe playing an amp with the original P12Rs there isn't any appreciable breakup with the brown. If I sub in some reconed speakers, I'll crank it and see how that changes things.

What was a real trip was setting the 310 BM and the 212 blond BM side by side, setting the trems at different speeds and just kind of blessing out to the swirling, 3d sound.

Back to jazz, though. I think a Vibrasonic would be the perfect amp-more mids than the BF for those mellow tones, but more guts and attack than anything short of a Bassman or Tweed Twin (and way less money than either of those). Plus you get that amazing Tremolo.

Thanks for the detailed response. Your evaluation makes sense. Especially all the reasons for the tweed Bandmaster to have less headroom and more sag. So cool to have one of GE's amps. I met him years ago in Rome. Cool guy. Enjoy!
 

rw4951

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2014
Messages
35
What a lovely amp! That gut shot is money. Have to agree with TM1 on the filter caps, although the Diaz provenance is cool in its own right...

Would love to hear that cranked with (2) Celestion GB's and a Gold!
 

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
Yeah, I think I'll get it recapped, and just keep the Diaz caps. Since he didn't actually change anything in the signal path it's just fun rather than really adding value to have his name in there. I talked to the amp tech (Ben) at Cream City again, and he suggested a full recap of the tremolo system might reduce the thumping. Since those caps aren't in the signal path, it might be worth trying. Playing thru a trio of 12" speakers would be fun, as would playing thru a "Mickey Mouse" cab with 2 10s and a 15!
 

rw4951

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2014
Messages
35
Yeah, I think I'll get it recapped, and just keep the Diaz caps. Since he didn't actually change anything in the signal path it's just fun rather than really adding value to have his name in there. I talked to the amp tech (Ben) at Cream City again, and he suggested a full recap of the tremolo system might reduce the thumping. Since those caps aren't in the signal path, it might be worth trying. Playing thru a trio of 12" speakers would be fun, as would playing thru a "Mickey Mouse" cab with 2 10s and a 15!

A trio of 10's, bro! The Celestion 10" GB sounds great when paired with a 10" Gold...
 
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