If you were to buy a bass head today...

[3'scompany]

I'm curious what it would be? I've played guitar most of my life, but recently bough a bass and have really been getting into it. I admittedly know next to nothing about bass amps (you're telling me power tubes aren't necessary for good tone?!?!?!) and am curious what people think I should seek out to try. Aguilar Tone Hammer? Darkglass Microtubes? Mesa Boogie Subway? It will mostly be used for home recording (DI into a Two notes torpdeo), but I would like something that I can use with a cab live down the road. Budget is ~$1,000, but obviously would like to spend less, all things considered equal

I know some may want to say, "you just need to go try out a bunch of different heads and see what you like," which, yes, in a perfect world. But this whole covid/quarantine thing has required me to be a bit more deliberate in that regard, and I'd rather narrow the list down a bit if there is some clear consensus.

 

[jeremy]

if i had to buy a bass head today, id get the ampeg svt3pro. its enough power 275w@8/450w@4 for my needs, great variety of tones and feel with the tube gain control, a foot switchable graphic eq, good loop, good di, loop... all the things i need in a bass amp but your needs are different. do you already have the di and torpedo?

 

[ErikH]

Ampeg all the way. I picked up a PF-500 head cheap and it sounds great. Our bass player has a PF-800 with the matching 4x10 and 1x15 cabs. It sounds awesome! If I could've afforded one I would've looked at a SVT. IMO, those are the staple of great sounding bass.

 

[3'scompany]

if i had to buy a bass head today, id get the ampeg svt3pro. its enough power 275w@8/450w@4 for my needs, great variety of tones and feel with the tube gain control, a foot switchable graphic eq, good loop, good di, loop... all the things i need in a bass amp but your needs are different. do you already have the di and torpedo?

I already have the torpeo and an interface to run my guitar head into my computer, so I was thinking of doing the same with an amp head. I forgot to mention I also have an older SansAmp Bass Driver DI (v.1), but not sure that is going to give me the flexibility I'm looking for sound-wise.

I'm new to all this bass stuff, so forgive the ignorance, but am I correct in that a DI preamp is essentially an amp head, minus the power section? I.e., for the time being, I could just run a DI preamp into my torpedo and achieve the same result if I didn't want to spend the money on a standalone head?

 

[jeremy]

yes, just run your sans amp into the torpedo and record away!

 

[3'scompany]

yes, just run your sans amp into the torpedo and record away!

I'll try that and see if I can get the tones out of it that I want. Thanks for helping me save some money (if only in the short-run)! I'll likely want to buy a bass amp in the future, though, so I'll take a look at the SVT offerings when I reach that point in the road.

 

[jeremy]

a real svt is an all tube beast of a 300w head. sounds awesome for many things but its heavy as hell. most of the svtXpro offerings are analog ss or hybrid (like the 3pro) i have a svt5pro and its great but more bass amp than i really need. great sounds though. there are a ton of good amps out there depending on what your needs are. hell, i know people that run a di into a power amp into a 4x10

 

[ErikH]

Shoot, Steve Harris uses his Tech21 signature Fly Rig in to the board with his side gig band when Maiden is off from recording and touring.

 

[PFDarkside]

But seriously, the higher watt Fender Rumble sounds good and is no problem to take where ever I need to bring it. Mine is the 2x10 combo, but the head and separate cab would be even better.

 

[Securb]

Bang for your buck I like the Ampeg Portaflex series

 

[d1dsj]

I keep thinking I want to try a Darkglass Alpha Omega but love the sound of my Eden WT550 which you can pick up real cheap these days.

 

[Mincer]

Nothing sounds like an SVT, but I don't want to carry it. I've been impressed with the tiny Phil Jones heads which have a clear modern sound to them. These days, I might just get a clean preamp like the VT Bass and put it through a powerful power amp like the Power Stage 700.

 

[jeremy]

the svt3pro has a tube gain control which is what i think makes it so great. at low settings it sounds and feels much like an svt, at high settings its much faster and more modern sounding and feeling. most amps have good eq control, adjusting how the amp feels and responds is really nice

 

[Demanic]

I'd look for an old Peavey in a pawn shop.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[3'scompany]

Thanks for all the replies, folks! Much appreciated!

 

[esandes]

Ampeg SVT and matching 8x10 cab.

 

[Aceman]

I have an Ampeg SCR-DI for AMpeg sounds and a Hartke class D TX300.
I love the Hartke for all around d sound and playing.

That Tech 21 VT DI is pretty loved by bass players...

 

[donaldr]

Depends a lot of where you will play. I don't think an SVT with 810 cab would be appropriate in every situations, let alone the hassle to move it. I have a big Peavey rig but most of the time I just get my Eleven Rack in a 2u rack case or my Ampeg SCR-DI in my gig bag and go direct to FOH. I'm using my Eleven Rack for recording so I go directly to computer, no interface/Torpedo. Sometimes I also use my Ampeg SCR-DI too, so yes you can get a preamp and go direct to recording. You don't even need your Torpedo as you can use an IR loader directly in your recording software.

If you want to get a head, the bass market has now mini/micro class D heads, mainly for the weight/size factor. GK is well regarded with their MB series. For a cab, a 210 or a 212 can now go a long way. You can even be surprised by how well a Fearful/Fearless/Barefaced 112 cab can handle. I would suggest asking your question also in talkbass.com.

 

[BRHGM]

It depends on your needs. Mark Bass, Peavey and Trace Elliot make very powerful and light bass heads for reasonable prices. You’re right a SVT rig is the ultimate bass rug but it’s heavy and too loud for some situations. The Phil Jones Suitcase is underwhelming but the Markbass NY 112 is pretty powerful for a small gig or with an acoustic combo.

 

[Securb]

Nothing sounds like an SVT, but I don't want to carry it.

My bass player has an 8x10 and a 4x10 Ampeg cab. The 8x10 SVT cab sounds great but I have told him I will never load it out of our studio for a gig. We are on the second floor no elevator. He is even welcome to my 4x12 Ampeg bass cab. But I am never carrying that cab down the stairs.