Catalinbread 5F6 Tube Tweed Bassman Preamp/Overdrive

Catalinbread 5F6 Tube Tweed Bassman Preamp/Overdrive

Catalinbread's take on the all time classic Fender Tweed Bassman and the glorious overdrive that those amps achieved when they were completely cranked.

"The Formula 5F6 adds vintage tweed Bassman response to our range of Foundation Overdrives, giving you the awesome characteristics of this classic amp into any clean amp. The Tweed Bassman may be the most influential *guitar* amp of all time. Although it was marketed as a bass amp, its treble, middle, bass and presence controls and 4 x 10 configuration were perfect for guitar, as guitarists soon figured out.

How influential was the Bassman? Look up the schematic and compare its preamp to that of a Marshall or Vox and you'll see! When a tweed Bassman is set at low to medium volumes, you get a sparkling, harmonically rich tone. Turned up a bit more and it delivers that famous on-edge-of-breakup character that is responsive to your picking attack, a sound so craved by guitarists. Play a ringing open chord and you'll be rewarded with lush harmonic swirl. And then crank the volume up to 12 and you'll get a thick, creamy, meaty crunch - the original genesis for all heavy guitar sounds to come. And if you hit it really hard, you're rewarded with a slight compression, a slight sag in the response, that feels so good to play. The tweed Bassman is so touch-sensitive and responds beautifully across the frequency spectrum. If you play a Strat, this is a match made in heaven. Gibson style guitars sound great too and will overdrive the preamp sooner and you'll start to recognize those tones you heard on famous records. And with the Formula 5F6 you'll get that entire range of response! It does that quick compression on the initial attack that 'exhales' quickly into a wide clean with lots of glassy chime on top and a tight full low end. But wait, there's more!

After we got the Formula 5F6 circuit dialed in to reproduce the beautiful vintage tweed Bassman response, we asked: "Hey what if we supercharged and gained this thing up but pretended we had never heard of a Marshall?" Some tweaking to the gain structure and tone circuit and boom! we got a great new voicing - much higher gain, a bright attack, and as full as you want it. It was so cool we decided to build it into the pedal, accessible through an internal switch.

The Formula 5F6 lends itself to almost any musical style, from the classic Strat - Bassman blues tones of Buddy Guy and Otis Rush to artists like Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robbie Robertson, Robben Ford, all the way to heavier styles by stacking boost, overdrive, or fuzz pedals into it. Don't worry, the Formula 5F6 won't just make you play old music! It will take you where your imagination takes you!"

Shipping Policy

Flipside Music ships items within 2 days of purchase. UPS, FedEx or USPS will be the parcel carrier used to ship your purchase, if you have a preference for another shipping service provider, please contact Ike or Dylan and we will work with you and the company you choose.

International orders may be subject to destination countries sales, VAT or import tax. Please contact your country's duty center, prior to purchase for more information regarding these fees. Flipside Music will not reduce listed price to avoid said duties, taxes, or export/import fees.

Return Policy

New Items:

We honor a 14 day return window on all new items.

If you feel the need to return an item, it must be in the sellable condition, no paint chips, scratches or broken parts. Sellable Condition means that the product(s) is in exactly the same condition as it was when you received it. The item must have all the original packaging, included accessories owner’s manuals and blank warranty card, no sign of wear or abuse.

Used and Vintage Gear:

We honor a 3 day return window on all used and vintage items.

All our used gear is tested for functionality prior to being available for purchase and therefore only carries a 3 day approval period. If you would like to make a return just let us know within the 3 day window.

Damaged or Defective Items:

We visually inspect all items before shipment. If you believe you have received a damaged or defective product, please contact us immediately so we can work through the issue. Guitars, basses, and other equipment returned to us with pick marks, "buckle-rash", or any other damage or evidence of use may be subject to a 20% restocking fee, repair charge or disqualification of return. All items must be returned to us in the same condition they were when shipped to qualify. We reserve the right to refuse any return if we determine the item has been misused, modified or damaged by the purchaser. If the item turns out not to be defective upon inspection, we will have to deduct the cost of shipping from your return credit.

Shipping Charges incurred through the return of an item:

You will be responsible for the shipping charge for the return of your item, and if your item qualifies for Free shipping on its way to you, this shipping charge will also be deducted from your refund. If your item is determined to be defective, we will pay the shipping charge, equivalent to ground service.