The Origin Effects BassRIG '64 Black Panel is a complete vintage bass amp in a pedal: an all-analog preamp that recreates the signal path of Fender's Showman and Bassman amplifiers, complete with a class-A preamp, a push-pull output stage and an all-analog cabinet simulation, with XLR and ¼" outputs to fit into any signal chain1. Origin Effects designed and built it in England, and it is offered as a preorder1.
Where the Super Vintage recreates an 8x10 cab, the '64 Black Panel is the earlier high-wattage Fender Showman and Bassman with a 2x15 cab specifically designed for bass2. Origin Effects pitches it as "The Sound of Blues, Soul & Rock 'N' Roll"1.
What it does
The '64 Black Panel uses all-analog circuitry to recreate a complete valve amp-style signal path, along with an all-analog cabinet simulation1. Origin Effects says it uses the same circuitry found in the company's other Analog Amp Recreation pedals, replicating the entire signal path of the Showman1. The result is a pedal that behaves like a vintage amp front end: it can deliver clean vintage bass tone, and pushed harder it moves into what Guitar World's buying guide calls "authentic '60s-style valve overdrive" through its voicing switches5.
Guitar World's 2026 guide to the best bass preamp pedals names the BassRig '64 as its pick for Fender-style tone5. The guide's criticisms are worth noting too: it lists the pedal as expensive and as lacking ins/outs compared with some rivals5.
The controls
The control set is built around two voicing switches and a parallel clean blend541.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| BLEND knob | Mixes some of your clean signal in parallel with the emulated amp circuit; Origin Effects says it can add subtle low-end clarity or create "massive bi-amp-style overdrive tones"1 |
| Bright/Fat toggle | Three-way switch; the middle and Bright positions operate like a Showman, the Fat position emulates the Bassman circuit4 |
| FAT switch | Takes things into Bassman territory, replacing the Showman's tight low end with a deeper, squishier bass response1 |
| BLK/TWD switch | Selects between Black Panel and Tweed tone stacks4 |
The two switches work at different levels. The Bright/Fat toggle changes the amp character: MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley describes it as operating like a Showman in the middle and Bright positions and emulating the Bassman circuit in the Fat position4. The BLK/TWD switch goes further back in Fender history, choosing between the Black Panel and Tweed tone stacks, with the Tweed setting offering what Horsley calls "a grittier and more aggressive" mids-heavy voicing4.
Origin Effects describes the TWD mode in its own words:
"For an even dirtier breakup, switching from BLK to TWD harks back to the Tweed era, with thick midrange and raucous overdrive"1
Guitar World sums up the switches together: "Fat/Bright and Blk/Twd (Black/Tweed) switches provide loads of options that can give the user anything from authentic '60s-style valve overdrive to deep low end"5.
Power and connections
The pedal runs on 9V DC through a 2.1 mm center-negative input and draws 150 mA1.
There is no battery option. Origin Effects states the BassRIG is powered by a mains adaptor only, and the adaptor is not included, so budget for a 9V supply capable of at least 150 mA1.
Connections are a ¼" jack input with XLR and ¼" outputs, which Origin Effects says lets the pedal fit into any signal chain15. The XLR output carries the DI with its speaker emulation, while the ¼" output feeds an amp. Input impedance is 1 MΩ and output impedance is 500 Ω1. Bypass is high-impedance and buffered, with silent switching1.
The DI output and cab simulation
The DI output's speaker emulation is based on the 2x15" Fender Showman cabinets of the early '60s, with a reactive design5. In Origin Effects' own tech-tips article on placing a BassRig in your rig, the company contrasts the cab simulations across the line: "an 8x10 in the Super Vintage and a 2x15 in the '64 Black Panel"6. That makes the '64 the choice if you want the sound of a wide, shallow vintage bass cab rather than the 8x10 fridge.
Build and where it sits in the range
The pedal is housed in a hand-polished, brushed stainless steel enclosure with aluminum controls, Neutrik jack sockets and a heavy-duty footswitch1. It is designed and built in England1.
In Origin Effects' 2026 bass amp recreation lineup, the '64 Black Panel covers the high-wattage Fender Showman and Bassman with its 2x15 bass cab, while the BassRig Fifteen recreates the Ampeg B-15 Portaflex and the BASSRIG Super Vintage pairs an 8x10 cab simulation with its own amp voicing2. At launch in 2022 it was priced at £399 / $4894; the maker's current page lists it at £374.17 ex VAT1.
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Questions
What does the Fat switch on the BassRIG '64 do?
The FAT switch moves the pedal into Bassman territory, replacing the Showman's tight low end with a deeper, squishier bass response. MusicRadar describes it as a three-way Bright/Fat toggle: the middle and Bright positions operate like a Showman, while the Fat position emulates the Bassman circuit.
What is the difference between BLK and TWD mode?
The BLK/TWD switch selects between Black Panel and Tweed tone stacks. BLK gives the Black Panel voicing, while TWD harks back to the Tweed era with thick midrange and raucous overdrive. MusicRadar calls the Tweed setting a grittier, more aggressive, mids-heavy voicing.
Does the BassRIG '64 Black Panel run on batteries?
No. Origin Effects powers the BassRIG from a mains adaptor only, and the adaptor is not included. There is no 9V battery option, so you need a 9V DC 2.1 mm centre-negative power supply that can deliver its 150 mA draw.
What cab does the DI output simulate?
The DI output's speaker emulation is based on the 2x15 Fender Showman cabinets of the early '60s, with a reactive design. Origin Effects describes it as a 2x15 vintage bass cab, in contrast to the 8x10 simulation in the BASSRIG Super Vintage.
Is the BassRIG '64 Black Panel buffered bypass?
Yes. Origin Effects specifies a high-impedance, buffered bypass with silent switching, so the pedal's input impedance of 1 MΩ is preserved when the effect is off.
Sources (6)
- BASSRIG '64 Black Panel, Origin Effects, 2026
- 2026 - Our Bass Guitar Amp Recreation Line Up - Origin Effects, Origin Effects, 2026-08-18
- BASSRIG ’64 Black Panel by Origin Effects, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Origin Effects puts vintage bass amp tones at your feet with the BassRIG Super Vintage and '64 Black Panel overdrive and preamp pedals, MusicRadar, 2022-02-22
- Best bass preamp pedals: consistently great tone, anywhere, Guitar World, 2023-05-23
- TECH TIPS: BASSRIG In Your Bass Rig, Origin Effects, 2022-03-11
Justin Meldal-Johnsen
