19 January 2019

Fender BXR100


Something heavy this time. By heavy means I had to hug it tightly to my chest up to second floor. One trick is not to stop when you walk up the stairs. Now that heavy lifting do not come for free, it will be in the bill. Yes, that's the way it's going to be, from this ageing body perspective.
 This is a Fender Bass amp model BXR100. I don't have to tell you the numeric stands for 100 watts of screaming power. According to the PCB, it’s an early 90s production. I believe this was the start of a counter offensive to Peavey's ever popular TNT or TKO series. The BXR series ranges from 25 watts to 300 watts (combo or head).
This BXR is in working condition. Just needed pots servicing and perhaps additional restoring work. When it come old amps, there's no guarantee of parts availability for example those knob as the pots shaft are D-type. I have some of the actual knobs new in stock but when used at the control pots, the white pointer points elsewhere but zero and ten. I think mine is for other fender amps models? Since there's none new available online, I took a chance by ordering a generic one. Might as well replace all five for the sake of good looks
The EQ slider knob is missing a piece. So yes, ordered a set of fitting generic too. Since the amp was needed urgently for a show. I let it leave my workshop while I wait for the knobs to arrive. I stick that photo later when I go to the venue.
The inside looks cleaner than outside. Not many dry joint. There's heat sign on the power amp board. Somebody must've loved to play it for hours.The input jack looks ugly but usable. It made the front face look like it had several broken tooth so I ordered some new ones online. However the line out jack had to be rebuild. The metal corners and handle had rust all over. Took it all out dip in cuka for de-rusting then ace tone the left over paint before applying new coat of cat pagar hitam.

Sound wise, it’s alright and the amp has decent feature for working outdoors. It doesn't have built in compressor or chorus. Anyway I'm not a qualified bassist to give it a magazine style review but feature and durability wise, this BXR100 is certainly many folds better than the Trace Elliot "puff the magic smoke biennially" Commando 15. I’ll bash that amp and the engineer behind it if I ever see it again.




Thank you
yustech


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