Virgil McMahon:

“I was surprised at the clarity of the Bassman. It kind of rung like a bell more than the ’64 Twin did. I have a reissue of a ’59 Bassman and, to be honest, my one’s not an amazing- sounding amp. It’s really flat- sounding. But I was really surprised how Rory’s ’54 rang through so clean and clear.

And it was very crisp – it had a lot of punch to it, which is another key thing with good Fender amps: they’re very punchy. Not only that, it’s Rory’s amp and it definitely has his sound in, and his mojo: you can hear it. If I had the money, I’d invest in one like this straight away. It’s really beautiful – and it’s a huge privilege to play it.”

Guitarist:

First up, it’s a massive privilege to hear the amp that Rory Gallagher relied on throughout the legendary Irish Tour being played at something near stage volume again. You can instantly hear why he loved it.

The crisp definition it gives to chords is astonishing – you can hear every string sing out individually and we’re still trying to work out how something can sound so clear and crystalline, yet crunchy and warm at the same time. There were many incarnations of the Fender Bassman, of which the ’59 5F6-A version is arguably the most famous. But after today’s session, our hearts belong to this battered but beautiful ’54.

SPEC

OUTPUT: 40 watts

PREAMP VALVES: 3x 12AY7/12AX7

POWER VALVES: 2x 6L6

SPEAKERS: 4x10” (Fender Special Design, and some oddities!)

FAMOUS USERS: Rory Gallagher!