Bass Amps

Crydevil

Senior Member
Hey everyone :),

Our band is looking for a new bass amp, but we need some advice on a possible choice we made, so I was hoping some people would know a thing or two about bass amps.

We thought we'd get:
- An Ampeg SVT-450H head: http://www.ampeg.com/products/classic/svt450h/index.html
- And a Ampeg SVT-410HLF box: http://www.ampeg.com/products/classic/svt410hlf/index.html

These products are right in our budget, we just need to know if they'll do a good job. It's also possible to get a secondhand amp & box, but since we know little about these we might get screwed for all we know. We play Rock/Hard Rock/Blues.

So we hope you guys can help us :), and it may look stupid asking this here, but we don't know if there are any bassplayer forums... :p

Thanks a million in advance !

Grts
Crydevil
 
Well, I haven't been too up to date with bass rigs, but my current bassist just bought one of the new GK Fusion 550s and it's friggen amazing. It's a tube/solid state hybrid, so the sound is unbelievable. And the EQ knobs are motorized, so you can set up two separate presets if you wanted. It's a bit expensive, about $1200, but it's well worth it if you're willing to empty them pockets.

http://www.gallien.com/spotlight.html
 
That amp will get the job done. If your guitarist is running a full stack though or if you have 2 guitarists, i'd say step up to the 8x10 cab and a bigger amp.
 
SWR 750AX & 2 x Goliath 4x10 cabs or
Ampeg SVT 2 pro and 8x10e cab

do either of these and you will be happy...
or pick up an old ampeg classic..
prices in Europe vary but 2nd hand there are still some bargins...
 
Well, I haven't been too up to date with bass rigs, but my current bassist just bought one of the new GK Fusion 550s and it's friggen amazing. It's a tube/solid state hybrid, so the sound is unbelievable. And the EQ knobs are motorized, so you can set up two separate presets if you wanted. It's a bit expensive, about $1200, but it's well worth it if you're willing to empty them pockets.

http://www.gallien.com/spotlight.html


Bass amps are different from guitar amps in that just because it's solid state does not at all make for a bad sound. In fact the split between high end solid state and hybrid amps is about 50/50 because they both have characteristics that are desirable. So don't be put off just because it doesn't have any tubes in it.

Depending on the loudness of your band, then an 8x10 might be in order. However you might also want to think about a 6x10. I think the ampeg ones are 4 ohm and given how notoriously heavy ampeg cabs are it's definetly something to consider. This is the same case with SWR so really you should only buy them if you feel up to carrying them to all your gigs.

If you want an amp that is more portable then think about neodymium cabs. GK and warwick have neodymium speaker cabinet ranges and there are companies like MarkBass who specialise in lightweight neo cabs and heads. But they are also more expensive. Think of it in these terms: the markbass is about £250 more expensive then the ampeg 6x10 but it also 18kg lighter. So whether that weight difference is worth the extra cost is up to you really.
 
Ampeg has been a big part of the rock scene for decades. 410 cabs are great for cats who have a faster style picking/plucking/thumping. 10" speakers respond quicker than 15" or 18". But if you really wanna shake someones bones, a cab with a 15" or 18" will. So cab. choice depends on your bass players style. The 810, great cab, but the size of a refrigerator. Something like a 410 and a 15E, would be my choice, over an 810 cab. Easier to move. Leave half of it at home, if you don't need a full stack, and, the best of both worlds.
 
Thank you all for the valuable information :D.

We decided to go for a SVT-610 HLF cab, because it has the neat, slim look (because it's higher), and is kind of in between the 410 & 810.
And we searched, and found a second hand SVT "Black Line", but it's about 1800 €, and thats a bit too much for our budget, so we found a SVT-350H, which is unfortunately not a tube-amp (I think), but we've been told that it sounds great :).

Thanks guys !

Grts !
Crydevil
 
Bass amps are different from guitar amps in that just because it's solid state does not at all make for a bad sound. In fact the split between high end solid state and hybrid amps is about 50/50 because they both have characteristics that are desirable. So don't be put off just because it doesn't have any tubes in it.

Depending on the loudness of your band, then an 8x10 might be in order. However you might also want to think about a 6x10. I think the ampeg ones are 4 ohm and given how notoriously heavy ampeg cabs are it's definetly something to consider. This is the same case with SWR so really you should only buy them if you feel up to carrying them to all your gigs.

If you want an amp that is more portable then think about neodymium cabs. GK and warwick have neodymium speaker cabinet ranges and there are companies like MarkBass who specialise in lightweight neo cabs and heads. But they are also more expensive. Think of it in these terms: the markbass is about £250 more expensive then the ampeg 6x10 but it also 18kg lighter. So whether that weight difference is worth the extra cost is up to you really.

I played with a fellow who used one of those SWRs and it produced sternum-crushing bass. My testicles descended six inches just hearing it for a half-hour. A pain to lug around, though.
 
I played with a fellow who used one of those SWRs and it produced sternum-crushing bass. My testicles descended six inches just hearing it for a half-hour. A pain to lug around, though.

Oh of course don't get me wrong, if you have the muscle they are absolutely amazing bass amps. My bass amp/computer stand is an SWR, one of the original ones from 1986.
 
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