Lets talk bass amps

Re: Lets talk bass amps

Ampeg R@wkz. My brother uses an Ampeg head with 2 4x10" cabs. Not exactly sure what kind the head is, but It rocks period. Personally, I have never heard anything but sweet singing bass tone coming out of that thing.

PS. Its a tube head.

In my opinion tube bass amps are infinitely better for playing styles much like Les Claypool.
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

I've never tried an Ampeg except for the B-2R head i think, but check out EBS Sweden amps!
I don't know if it's available in the US, but it's the best bass amps i've ever heard in my life!
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

Ampeg - ah what a sound but you are actually talking ss amp and the new amps are not a patch on the old models. Of course if you are talking tube - then they weigh a f**king ton and you will need to be built like a gorilla to shift them.

Unlike guitar amps bass amps are better being ss or even being hybrid (their per-amp section being tube) and their power amp being solid state. The reason is that bass sucks more power and need plenty of clean headroom to be able to deliver punchcy sound. Bass amps typically have to be 3 or 4 times louder than guitar amps. Full tube amps do sound different because they have that warm and slightly distorted sound when pushed very hard but it is all a matter of preference and what type of sound you are after. I prefer to have plenty of clean headroom and whilst I have a hybrid tube amp for my main bass rig, my other bass amps are all ss.

So are you thinking about joining the mighty pounders?
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

I've used an Ampeg SVT, and the sound is fantastic. As mentioned before, the thing weighs a TON! I think nowadays solid-state amps are pretty much the norm. Check out Yorkville's line of bass amps. They sound really good, and they are cheaper than many other amplifiers.
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

I played an Ampeg SVT4 at a rehearsal studio a while back. The guy wouldn't let me tweak it much (it was his brother's) but it sounded pretty good through the 8x10. Freaking LOUD though! I'd love to own one of my own though, especially in a 1x15 with a 4x10 on top. That'll get the booties bouncing!


I've also played a Carvin Redeye combo (1x15 with a 2x10). That thing has some serious options built in and it sounds great.

It's not necessary, and you can push plenty of air with 10's, but I love having a 15 (I can occasionally sneak an 18 out of the bandroom at school :newangel: ) just to get that extra low-end out of it for some funk or sludge. Having played a Fender combo with a single 15 and the Redeye, I prefer the Redeye because the internal crossovers help the mid's and highs to come out a bit more clearly than a single 15 ever will, while still giving all the booty-shaking bass a person could ever need.
 
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Re: Lets talk bass amps

right now im on the verge of buying an ampeg b-2r head and an ampeg 4x10 cabinet. i have the cash for it(run me about a grand) and i just have to wait for my dad to clear off the credit card :)
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

Thurisarz said:
I've never tried an Ampeg except for the B-2R head i think, but check out EBS Sweden amps!
I don't know if it's available in the US, but it's the best bass amps i've ever heard in my life!
Click to expand...

I listened to somebody play through that at a local highend/boutique music store... the tone is amazing :eek2:
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

The bassist in my band use ta use a SVT.Now that he needs back
Surgery ( I'm not kidding he does !!) He got a Ampeg SS combo. I'm
not sure witch model? But I think it sounds tighter than the SVT ??
He also just got a Hartkie kickback 15 that sounds just as good
and even easier to get around.
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

Cowboy Dan!? said:
right now im on the verge of buying an ampeg b-2r head and an ampeg 4x10 cabinet. i have the cash for it(run me about a grand) and i just have to wait for my dad to clear off the credit card :)
Click to expand...

I tried the B-2R head, didn't liked it, never been a fan of Solidstate heads, i would go for the EBS Fafner head instead, I saw a metal band called Entombed last december, (interview with the bassplayer Jörgen on EBS website!) A really thick good cruching tone with Overdrive/Distortion ( :laugh2: ) and a nice bright tone when it's clean! If you have the chance to try it, DO IT! :)
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

I've heard quite a few good things about the B-2's. Never actually played one myself though. I've got an Ampeg B-100 that sounds pretty good.. may be worth checking out as well. 100w 1x15 combo.
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

Thanks for the replies...I'm helping my bass player look for a new rig...he doesn't know anything about amps at all.


Keep the suggestions flowing!
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

Keep in mind all the SVT's you guys are raving about are a completely different monster than the B-series. I have a B3 combo amp (discontinued). It sounds pretty decent for a solid state amp, but any of the tube Ampegs would be a vast improvement on it.

The Gallien-Kruegers are probably the best sounding SS amps I've used. Stay far away from Crate, I blew one of their bass heads up a while back.

One thing - how much is your bassist looking to spend on an amp, and what are the guitar amps in the band? That really determines everything.
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

Look for a previous generation Carvin Red Eye bass amp. Lots of power and tonal control with a great sounding tube preamp. The newer ones still sound good, but they don't have tubes.
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

Correction:

The Redeye I played through was the Cyclops model. It contains a 15" with two 8" speakers on top and the tweeter, not the two 10" speakers as I thought. The 1x15" w/ 2x10" comes as two separate cabs.

The Cyclops still sounds great. If I were looking for a good, versatile and reliable SS amp, that would be the one for me.
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

for guitar amps we're using a JCM 2000 DSL and a JCM 900. Probably looking to spend 600-800 on a used bass rig...I think just a 4x10 cab will probably do the trick...no need for a huge 8x10 or anything.
 
Re: Lets talk bass amps

mr breaker said:
for guitar amps we're using a JCM 2000 DSL and a JCM 900. Probably looking to spend 600-800 on a used bass rig...I think just a 4x10 cab will probably do the trick...no need for a huge 8x10 or anything.
Click to expand...
That sounds a good way to go having a 4x10 cab, but I do think if you can get a 2x10 cab and also a 1x15 cab (the latter to handle the lower end) then that is going to be the sensible way to go. Why you ask?

It's what I use and found to be a lot more versatile and I have been gigging for the last 20 years. Whilst the 2x10 and even the 4x10 will give you that nice clean punchy sound - you will or the bass player will miss the lower end.

My main rig is a Laney B2 2x10 combo (this pushes out in total 750W - clean power). What I used to find on some gigs was I missed that lower end, particularly if I was doing any rock/blues stuff. I purchased a Laney 1x15 cabinet and hey presto my low end was back. With this combination you will have your mids and highs plus the low end. I do think that this would be the way for you and your bassist to go.

Of course I don't always take out my main bass rig and sometimes just take out my combo alone but I also have a number of other bass amps when I don't need all that power.
 
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