Best Bass HEAD for $800 or less

[spjoker]

Well...now he wants to know about a good HEAD for about the same amount. So guys what do ya' know?

[jzucker]

markbass LMII

[Tarrant]

I second the Markbass LMII great head, I have used it to cover all kinds of sounds from big and wooly, to slap happy pop. Talkbass is probably the best informational site he could go to do some of this research. If he's interested in a good deal on a lightly used one pass him my info, i'm getting out of the bass game and will be posting my rig for sale soon.

[Beachdawg]

Genz-Benz Neo-Pak 3.5

I purchased the head new a few months ago for 599. It is the upgrade (350 watts @ 4 ohm/500 watts @ 2 ohm) and came with the gig bag. I think they stopped including the bag. Excellent amp. I was so impressed with the head that I bought the NEOX 2x12 cab.

[Beachdawg]

Why stop now. I purchased a Lakland 55-01 new for 699 including shipping.

[TimmyP]

If you play through small PAs and thus rely on the bass rig to fill the room, the best head is a used Crown K1 power amp and the preamp of your choice (preferably something with a low mid sweep that goes down to at least 160, to pull out the nasty resonance that most cabinets have around there). Acmebass.com are the cabinets to have.

If you play through PAs that can handle all the bass the gig needs, a GK2x10 tilt-back is the ticket.

[Zim]

Check out the Peavey stuff too. I gig and have gigged the Pro 500 head and Pro- 410 & Pro-115 cab for years. Great stuff, just the cabs weight a ton.

[TehRoflCopter]

markbass LMII

Why stop now. I purchased a Lakland 55-01 new for 699 including shipping.

+1. This is my rig, plus an Eden 212. I picked up the 55-01 for 500 used, the Eden for 400 used, and the LMII for 600 new. A phenomenal sounding complete setup for $1500. So yes, get the LMII.

[walterw]

a qsc rmx 1850 and a sansamp.

[westrock]

Eden 550 head on E-bay for about $700.00 used.

[nosajwp]

Acoustic Image Focus...mine is available right now if anyone is interested.

[SkydogFan81]

how about a ceriatone marshall 1986

[jzucker]

markbass LMII, hands down.

[Ravindave_3600]

GK 700 RBII is simply great. It's what I'd buy if I played enough bass to justify it!

[jzucker]

GK 700 RBII is simply great. It's what I'd buy if I played enough bass to justify it!

Very muddy sounding. The LMII blows it away.

[Ravindave_3600]

Hmmmmmm, not the ones I've played. What I hear is clean, without being icy.

[dougb415]

How about the Traynor YBA200? 200 watts, all tube.

[Antero]

Ashdown ABM 500 EVO is a pretty damn fine amp. Bassist rented one for a gig. Not transparent, but very toneful.

[Bassomatic]

Ashdown ABM 500 EVO is a pretty damn fine amp. Bassist rented one for a gig. Not transparent, but very toneful.

Transparency is overrated.:crazy

[rockindillo]

If you ever see an old Marshall Dynamic Bass System DBS 7400 for sale, snap it up!

Great sounding amps, super-reliable and massively powerfull (400w RMS, but 2.4KW peak from that giant power supply!!!)

[Bassomatic]

If you ever see an old Marshall Dynamic Bass System DBS 7400 for sale, snap it up!

Great sounding amps, super-reliable and massively powerfull (400w RMS, but 2.4KW peak from that giant power supply!!!)

Sounds interesting - when were they made? Tube, SS, or hybrid?

[Fezziwig]

Ashdown ABM 500 EVO is a pretty damn fine amp. Bassist rented one for a gig. Not transparent, but very toneful.

I'll second that. I've got one and it can get some nice thump. If you're looking do all slap, it's probably not the best choice because it's more tubey and warm.

[Zappatalist]

I'll second that. I've got one and it can get some nice thump. If you're looking do all slap, it's probably not the best choice because it's more tubey and warm.

I'll, um, third the sentiment- Ashdown ABM500 EVO.

They're great, they have just the right amount of tweakability, a bunch of useful (or ignorable) features, and sound really good.

I've owned the head version, and I just picked up the C115 combo (same ABM500 head in a 15" combo) for around $400- they're a real good deal used.

[mcuguitar]

That might be considered cruelty to animals.

[Bassomatic]

Not to derail, but what would folks suggest for an inexpensive Ashdown combo solely for low volume home practice?