Great BASS Amp. S.S. or TUBE

[jspartz]

Hello

I am looking for a good Sounding bass Amp that is Portable. Mostly it has to be good sounding For recording. Any Thoughts?

Jason

[Oldone]

15, 12s or 10s speaker size. How small?

[biggator6]

Eden.

[max cooper]

I've recorded a couple of SWR's that sounded good. (this looks slick: http://www.swrsound.com/products/pro...ybabyblue.html)


Ampeg Flip-Top is a nice flavor too

[JB3]

Depending on the sound you are looking for I have to agree with Max...

SWR or Ampeg.

SWR for a really flexible but usable solid-state sound.

Ampeg for, well, that Ampeg sound...

Both have amps that are portable yet solid studio performers and both have a wide range of cabinets/speakers to fit almost any bill.

Mi dos pesos...

...J

[Telecastr]

the best bass sounds i've recording were using a David Eden or Ampeg B15. both are tube.

[jspartz]

Thanks for the comments so far. I do mostly rock and alt. country music. How does the Ampeg sound differ from the SWR or Eden sound? I guess I tend to like body and definition in my bass sound. Not just low end.

I hope that this helps. Thanks again.


Jason

[JB3]

Ampeg: Generally a little more body, perhaps deeper, slightly less definition. Settings dependent.

SWR: Highly defined, responsive, less muddy, very flexible though, depending on settings and model. Some models have a very useful balanced DI output...saves second DI expense. (Not sure if Ampegs do this now...)

Eden: High-end, a little of both, but depends greatly on speakers chosen.

Take a trip to some music store that has all and try them out (Minneapolis, Chicago). As always, let your ears be your guide.

...J

[dntknowsht]

Originally posted by jspartz
I guess I tend to like body and definition in my bass sound.

I would suggest a Gallien-Krueger 800RB. It has a tight low end and smooth low mids, it's a good amp for a clean defined tone. Very portable and reliable.

I like to run it through an Ampeg 8x10, it's a great sounding cabinet, although pretty big...

[wynsmth]

Glockenklang Soul head! Makes all the others sound like crap. Big, fat, clear, clean studio quality DI. Small, about the size of an 800RB, 400watts. Not cheap but worth every penny IMHO.

[Lee Knight]

I searched for an amp the better part of the past year. What I wanted was what you talked about. What I got...

Ashdown MAG 2-10 with tweeter. 310 Watts. Small. Solid. Cheap. $450. Awesome sound.

I can't say enough good things about this amp. The DI out is great for recording as well. Buy one from Musician's Friend. Return if you don't like it... but you will.

[TAVD]

I have an Ampeg B15 for the studio and a SWR redhead for gigs. I'd never use them vise versa. No headroom with the Ampeg. Noisy DI with the SWR.
+1 for the Baby Blue. I really liked the original SWR Baby Blue. Sounds a bit more warm than the big SWR amps. Not as dirty sounding as the B15 but you could probably play out with the BB and an extension cab.

[Lectra]

Budget ?
How portable ?
Tube or solid state ?

For tube, love the Fender bassman, Hi-Watt, London city, Sound city & Marshall JCM 800 bass heads...
All in a different way though...
They are all very portable when you use them with a smaller cabinet

Solid state, those really old Peavey heads, old Kustoms are pretty awesome.
You can find these really really cheap nowadays.
The EBS & Ashdown stuff is pretty useable.
Why not even the Hartke 3500's, also pretty cheap, portable & still sounds good.

I would use an Ampeg 2x12 as a small, affordable & very transportable cabinet...

[pgk]

Ampeg B-15N (30watt) or B15S (50watt)
greatest studio bass amps of all time
heard on about 200 million records
for the tone you can't get with anything else
the original and still undefeated heavyweight champion
the reissue is very nice also, but very different (100watt)
they make a bass sound like a bloody bass, even a music man (sorry, could'nt resist)
you can call it a day with either one
be amazed

for really loud studio tracking with a band an Ampeg V4B or SVT
in other words
AMPEG

[comfortstarr]

I bought the discontinued iAMP 350 and I think it's great.

www.euphonicaudio.com

It's fairly clean, but can get a little mucky if you play with the eq. It has wonderful DI on it. It's paired with an Aguilar gs112, I've been micing the cab and runnign with the di together.

[roamershaker]

my favorite and afordable is the peavey combo 300 with black widow 15 speaker,,, for the price it is great lots of power and great sound;.;;.;.dont get me rong ampeg b15s are great for recording ,, but not much power for giging,,,so for afordable versitile bass amp my choice is peavey 300 combo,,,

[lordwesley]

There ya go:

Gallien-Krueger: Power to Groove: Products: Artist Series: Cabinets

I reckon anything on this page should do the trick. Portable and really good sounding. They're all combo's, the amp units are the same as are sold seperately but built into a combo box, I believe.

[rumimusic]

Originally Posted by Telecastr

the best bass sounds i've recording were using a David Eden or Ampeg B15. both are tube.

+1 for B15

[gregl]

If you can't afford a B15 look at a B25 head and a suitable bottom. These sound very close to a B15S head.
A Traynor Bassmaster also makes a great bass head in the studio when used with a good bottom.
I'll probably get flamed for this but some of the best bass tones I've heard have come from Peavey combo type bass amps (1 15", solid state). Not hip, but hey, if it sounds good on the recording no one's gotta know!

[edwonbass]

I got a lot of mileage out of my Peavey Combo 300 before I sold it. When I gig I use SWR 750 through an 8x10 cab and the Combo 300 was just getting used as a practice amp. I ended up with a little Ashdown practice amp and had to get rid of the Peavey because it was too heavy.
I like to take the DI from the SWR 750 and also mic one of the speakers on the cab and blend them.

[DCtoDaylight]

I grappled with the portability issue for a long time, and ended up with a G-K head and a Bergantino HS-210 cabinet with two 10-inch speakers and a tweeter (bergantino.com is the Web site but it's pretty minimal).

I *love* this combination - very articulate, but still warm and fat and amazingly full for a cab that will fit in the back seat of a car.

You should also give a listen to Epifano's small amps and cabs - really sweet. Jim Bergantino apparently did some of their speaker designs.

You'll pay for either of these brands, but they're very slutty and nice!

[GordZilla]

I really love (and my back especially really loves) my little SWR 350 and a 2x10+horn Goliath Junior cab... sounds fantastic and travels well.

Gotta say though, that some of the best recorded sounds I heard came out of a David Eden. It's warm but detailed sound was simply breath taking.

Another little combo that really suprised me for tracking was the Ampeg B-100R Rocket Bass. For a solid state amp it had a great, warm vibe to it with a nice grind when you pushed it. We used one for re-amping some ho-hum bass tracks and wow.. made all the difference.

[lancebug]

Recently picked up a SS Laney DP150 head for $50 (since this is the low-end forum). Very much liking it for the money. Running it through an SWR Son of Bertha (15" plus tweeter). The pair ran me all of $250. Both pieces are pretty compact and light. The DP150 is loud enough for practice and recording, but would need to be mic'd r DI'd for a big venue (i.e. anything bigger than a party or a bar). I had been using a repackaged amp section out of a peavey combo 300. The peavey is louder overall, but the Laney is more flexible, has more features and is better voiced overall with a better defined bottom end. Always ran the bass through a sansamp di and bypassed the preamp in the peavey. Don't need to do that with the Laney as the preamp actually has a pretty good character on its own. The 11 band eq has a balance fader which lets you mix the curve in and out to taste, which is pretty ingenious. I think the DP150 is from the late 80's.

[TheRealRoach]

Vintage Ampeg B-15N. I also have an Ampeg SVT with an Ampeg SVT410 Classic cab. Very rarely do I revert to the SVT because the B-15N isn't working for a tune. Plus the SVT only starts to sound GREAT when the room is starting to blow apart, great for rock gigs though, nothing better.

I've heard lots of SWR and it always sounds to clean and hi-fi. I've heard lots of eden and always though it to be a fairly happy medium between the rock-ness of Ampeg and the sparkle of SWR.

Neither of these are particularly cheap... but I was pleasantly surprised by the sound of the Ampeg BA-115T very portable, affordable and sounds very good.

[SecretAgent]

Go to a well stocked music store and try em all with your bass!!!!

Ampeg / Eden / SWR / EBS / Aguilar the list goes on and on

All their own beasts really thats why you must try.

I own an EBS Fafner Head (Hybrid valve + solid state) and 2x10 cab - Can do heavy dub / Super clean slap / grimey overdrive. Very versatile.

The Eden stuff is very creamy and deep. Great sound

Ampeg for the classic vintage tones.

Go play, find the one for you and enjoy it! thumbsup

[tenchijin2]

Picked up a used Ampeg B2RE head for $280. Spent a bit over $400 for an avatar 4x10 Neo cab.

Really solid rig. Good, punchy sound with plenty of growl if I want it.

I like the B2RE because it doesn't have a bunch of stuff I don't want. It doesn't have an overdrive channel. It doesn't have fancy compression. It does have a good EQ section (defeatable) and it works very well as a DI.

[kammy]

Originally Posted by roamershaker

my favorite and afordable is the peavey combo 300 with black widow 15 speaker,,, for the price it is great lots of power and great sound;.;;.;.dont get me rong ampeg b15s are great for recording ,, but not much power for giging,,,so for afordable versitile bass amp my choice is peavey 300 combo,,,

Totally agree! I replaced the Black Widow speaker with an Eminence CB15 and WOW .. fantastic match here.. best sounding bass amp I've ever played thru. Have also run synths/keyboards thru it and it really sounds killer in this application as well. Crushes anything else even remotely close to its price range. The EQ section is absolutely sick! the only drawback is that it's a heavy beast.. which testifies for how well it is built. If you spot one for $200 or less, grab it and put in a CB15 for a huge smile on your face!

[dervishmusic]

Phil Jones Bass

[Subprime]

Get one of the gk mb fusions. Tube pre; solid-state power amp. 5 pounds 500 watts. I have the full size version, it can get pretty good cleans, and allows for that warm Tube distortion.

I'll sEcond the b2re Rex, they rock.

Also if you can afford it go all tube. Power amp distortion is king

[sonic dogg]

IMHO its all about the tone stack. Tube or solid-state...if the implementation of the electronics is done well, anything will work and at that point it becomes a matter of personal taste. I've owned and played MOST of em. Lots of tube amps, lots of solid-state. Lots of reasons to buy one over the other or vice-versa.

Leo Fender invented the 34" scale electric bass and they have done a decent job defining the sound of electric bass in modern music. He also designed the tone stack that optimized this sound. A lot of copies of this basic circuit exist in all sorts of forms and implementations. Its all about what you like and what you need.

I will say that over the last several years, bass amp technology has finally come around. Some of the incredible amps that are available today are truly astounding. Someone mentioned the Phil Jones amps. They are really something. The Markbass stuff is incredible. Old standards like the Ampeg B15, Sunns, etc. all sound great. I owned a Bassman Ten for years that sounded incredible in the studio. Not enough watts for a rock gig but for a casual, plenty of tone. I owned a Standell single 15 solid-state amp that most of you have never heard of but I guarantee there were major hits from the 60's and 70's recorded on one.
These are all old beasts compared to the new stuff. But the sound concept hasnt changed. Only the implementation of it. BTW. I currently am playing through one of the new TC Electronics BH500 heads. A very good sounding bass amp. The compressor in it is great and allows for that tube type of compressed sound in a live venue. It replaced an SVT ProIII.