Favorite bass head

Moved to Amps & Cabs.

For the past few months I've been using an Eden WT-500 that's about 10 yrs old. It's a really great amp!

--chiba

 

I liked the Mesa Bass 400+ when I was playing a lot of bass. The amp had a very warm, round, deep sound, and I could get a lot of different tones out of it.

I felt it was very flexible, very well built, and an all-around terrific amp.

The SVTs are nice, too. However, I'd go with the Mesa for versatility.

 

I've got a mint Ampeg B-15-N. Not much power, but the coolest looking amp head ever with mellow, round, full, sweet, tone like budda'!!!

 

I'm no bass expert, but I liked the Yamaha BBT, you know, the digital modeling bass amp. Did lots of tones nicely, though I didn't like the distortion on that thing.

 

Thunderfunk TFB-420. Dave Funk (not his real name! ) bought the rights to manufacture the old AMP BH-420 design, which can actually trace it's heritage back to the old Acoustic 360!

The AMPs were great amps, but never did that well in the marketplace. Gibson then made them for awhile, under the model GB-440. Dave obtained the rights from Gibson, and did some pre-amp tweaks and component improvements.

It's about the size of laptop, puts 400w into 4 ohms, four-band parametric eq like SWR's, and sounds killer.

http://www.thunderfunk.com/TF_Bass.html

/rick

 

I'm going to get an Aguilar DB-750 soon.

 

A SVT is the rock amp, and there's no substitute.

If I were buying an amp head today, it'd probably be a Glockenklang.

If I were putting together a preamp/amp combo, I'd probably choose a Demeter amp and Kern pre. That Kern pre is killer.

 

i've got a mid sixties 60watt alamo tube head that is a great sounding amp..it has two true channels, a really warm tube sound and i can't explain it but it actually sound like it has a little reverb in it but doesn't. one of my favorite guitars is a '72 silvertone 335 clone that never sounded good through anything until i plugged it into the alamo and it just came alive.

good amp!

 

I agree, the Ampeg SVT is a rock head. But they make a great all tube product not on the SVT line. Matter of fact, most of the SVT line (maybe all I am not sure) are hybrid, or all SS. Nothin like playing through tubes to warm things up. The only downside of these things, the weight is 40 pounds. Heavy in more ways than one. SWR also makes some great stuff I have liked over the years.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/481716/

 

No Doubt the Mesa Boogie Bass 400 + is the King. Warm al tube Tone and can be set to get gritty if you need it. All the options and features you need to do anything and set that bad boy on a Mesa Power House 4x10 and 2x15 and you have an arena size Bass Rig.

 

They could have stopped making bass amps after the SVT /W the 8X10. I agree no subbys for that one -.

 

man, what to choose, what to choose?

- Acoustic Image Focus 1
small, about the size of a cigar box. about 4 lbs., and yet 600 watts @ 4 ohms?!?!

- Aguilar DB359
a modern all tube classic. like an ampeg on hifi steriods.

- Alessandro Basset Hound
only 60 watts, but a 60 watts, you'll fawn over time and again.

- Euphonic Audio iAMP-800
my main gigging swiss army knife. no doubt, any room, venue, stadium will be tamed by its superbly designed semi-parametric EQ layout.

- Epifani UL502
by far, my fav amp at the moment. besides sounding beeyootifoo w/ my Epi cabs, looks mad nice, too.

- Walter Woods Ultra
walt's a peach, and his amps push bass amp tech to new heights. small, lightweight, and what every jazzer should have in their tool box.

- Ampeg B-15 "Fliptop"
makes anyone into an instant jamerson wannabe.

- Trace Elliot V-8
TE has the capability to build the world's first bionic all tube bass amp. Better than it was before. Better, stronger, faster.

- EBS Fafner
swiss engineering that'd rival any ski-slope bunny anywhere. power to spare for that instant MarcusM sound at your beck and call.

but truth be told, while i love my all tube rated gear and power amps (i.e. Aguilar DB728, Demeter VTHF-300M), sometimes on louder gigs, they can seem a bit blurry, muddy, and inarticulate. so, i've actually been digging my SS loaded gear, which tends to be punchier, more stout, and faster feeling under the fingertips.

 

Dont forget, those old Sunn Model T's make fantastic bass amps.

 

I bought used, so I haven't had any interaction with their CS group, but I think they're owned by somebody else now so this may have changed.

I'm not a slapper, so it works perfectly for me As a matter of fact, I'm so NOT a bass player that I usually use a - *GASP* - pick! Last night I was recording some bass tracks and the pick just wasn't doing it, so I used my poor, now-blistered fingers. Such a wimp!

I *love* the sound of an SVT through an 8x10, but there's no way in hell you'll ever get me to MOVE one. Ever. When I was seeking out my bass rig to use in one of my new bands, my requirements were (in order of preference): 1) light weight and 2) fits in my budget. I put together a lightweight, compact, portable, LOUD, and toneful rig for under a grand - the WT-500 into an old (used) Eden CX-1510 cab (1-15", 1-10", crossover, and ported). It's loud enough (barely) to match up to 2 guitarists using 100W half stacks and a monster drummer!

--chiba

 

Trace Elliot Quattro.

 

I had an AH150 head and traded it for a Supro champ type amp plus cash. I was glad to get rid of it. The next owner was also glad to move it. I replaced it with an SWR which sounds great. The ah150 was well made but underpowered and had the Trace Elliot sound which always sounds boxy and over compressed to me. Never tried it with the above mentioned Celestion speakers though.

 

Agreed!!! Pound for pound, the BEST bass amp out there.


I am FLOORED by mine! It's my "go-to" now, unless I have to play outside or at a big venue.


Mook

 

that's a shame, cause Dave's been pretty upfront with me. and most of the Eden's i've had the pleasure of owning sound great for whatever you throw at it. the EQ section is superbly voiced.