Turn your “good” sounding AB165 Bassman head into the best sounding Bassman head you’ve ever heard!! This mod converts your lackluster AB165 Bassman head into a KICK ASS guitar amp. This mod combines the best of both circuits, converting the output section of your AB165 to the revered AA864 Bassman specs. It keeps the higher gain preamp of the AB165, turning your AB165 Bassman into one of the best sounding 50W GUITAR amps you will ever hear!!
This kit includes all of the electrical components, diagrams & written directions you need to convert your AB165 Bassman head into one of the best sounding Bassman guitar circuits you’ve ever heard!
(Tools, solder & wire NOT included).
*Complete, detailed, easy to follow instructions with “before & after” diagrams are included.
*Only the highest quality Nichicon electrolytic capacitors are included in this kit.
*Only the highest quality carbon resistors are used in the signal path. Flameproof metal oxide resistors are used for the high voltage applications in the bias supply.
*Instructions for reading color codes on resistors included.
WE NOW OFFER NOS SIGNAL CAP UPGRADES IN 'PREMIUM' BLACKFACE MOD KITS!
We now proudly offer NOS rolled foil/mylar signal cap upgrades for our premium blackface mod kits! These selected NOS capacitors replace the standard ceramic caps used in our standard kits (as found in the original blackface amps). The entire preamp signal passes through this one cap on the way to the phase inverter, and the quality of this one cap has a significant impact on the tone and performance of the entire amp. These NOS mylar caps bump everything up a few notches, giving you more depth and dimension (more of a '3D' sound), a bit more clean sustain, and more 'oomph' overall; with smoother, sweeter top end. Don't get me wrong, the ceramic version is excellent and true to the original blackface models! But the NOS version is definitely a significant upgrade, giving you 'more of everything' we like about vintage Fenders!
We also offer M150 and 6PS Orange Drop signal cap upgrades in our plus kits.
PLEASE NOTE: ALL of these kits come with Mallory M150 .1/630v signal caps needed for the mod. The UPGRADE OPTIONS are solely for the single .001 signal cap that feeds the phase inverter.
PLEASE NOTE!! If you have a BLACKFACE AB165 Bassman WITH BLUE MOLDED SIGNAL CAPS, we have a different, special kit for that amp, specifically designed for BLACKFACE AB165 Bassman amps with the Blue ‘Molded’ signal caps! (Also for 'Drip Edge' silverface amps and early silverface versions loaded with the Blue Molded signal caps).
It converts the phase inverter to classic AA864 specs (the same circuit as found in the classic blackface AB763 amps, such as the Twin Reverb, Super Reverb, Deluxe Reverb etc). It also converts the Bass channel to a tweed style preamp!!!
The major bonus here is that you get to keep all of the highly regarded Blue ‘Molded’ signal caps in the amp! In doing both the AA864 conversion and tweed preamp mod, you swap two signal caps from the phase inverter with two caps from the Bass channel and re-purpose these fantastic caps!! NONE are removed from the amp!
NOTE: The above will also work in the early silverface AB165 amps with Blue ‘Molded’ caps! That kit is ONLY FOR AMPS WITH BLUE MOLDED SIGNAL CAPS!!!
BONUS: Certain resistors, vital to optimum performance of your amplifier have been measured & matched by tolerance percentage!! You are getting a matched set for your output section! This ensures maximum efficiency, optimum performance and the best possible tone from your Fender! Not only are you converting the circuit, you are optimizing the output stage!
The tolerance normally associated with resistors makes it almost impossible to find matched sets unless you have hundreds & hundreds to choose from, & the time to sort through them all.
We have taken readings on literally thousands of resistors and spent countless hours putting these matched sets together. Why? Because matched sets sound MUCH better than unmatched! Most kits on the market today do not take the time to provide this important service.
As a bonus, the necessary resistors & detailed instructions on how to properly set the bias of your newly modded amp (using only a multimeter & calculator) are included.