Lets talk bass amps

[CoreyT]

Since PRS does not make a bass amp (yet) those of you who are buying Grainger basses now and the new SE line of basses, what do you plan on buying?
I have heard a lot of Markbass amps, and also Hartke.
I also hear that using solid state for bass is OK, unlike how some guitar players insist on only using tube amps.

I am going to need something small, and I will not be gigging with it, it will be for home use only.

PS, we need a bass section now...

 

[xjbebop]

We just picked up a TC Electronics BG250. They come in 115, 112 and 210 configs... EXTREMELY impressed with this as both a home/practice amp and for small gigs....
Highly recommended!

 

[László]

I've used the Mesa Bass 400+ head, solid state Hartke 115 combo, solid state Mesa, tube Aguilar, and of course various tube Ampegs, including a vintage Ampeg flip-top in the studio. No reason to dislike any of them, and they all sounded different from one another.

After a while, what worked best for me was "none of the above" and I began working with an Avalon U5 or a Demeter Tube Direct. The Avalon even has a headphone jack for practicing, etc.

Of the above amps (not including the direct boxes), nothing sounded quite as good as that Mesa 400+. What a great amp! Weighed a ton, had a gazillion tubes, and sounded magnificent. McCartney still uses one. Unfortunately I don't think they're still in production, but if you can pick one up used, you won't be unhappy.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Portaflex B-15 or B-18.

Next?

 

[CoreyT]

I have had my eyes on this one, and the reviews are good on both Sweetwater and Amazon.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/A100/

 

[sergiodeblanc]

One of those would be fine. You probably don't want something with too big of a driver and perhaps want one of those amp decouplers for apartment playing.... Neighbors don't like bass.

 

[CoreyT]

You think the 15" might be too big?
It would have good bottom end.
What is the decoupler you mention?
Hartke has smaller ones too with 10s and 12s.
Here is the one I linked above.

My small Yamaha THR 10X for metal that can run on batteries has a bass option on the modeling dial, I wonder how that little speaker in there would sound?
I really like that little Yamaha, sometimes more than my bigger amps.

I will not be in the apt. forever though, looking to move later, and get a place to build a nice studio.
Plus I am running out of wall space at my place to hang guitars

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Here's a link to that decoupler http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GRAMMA

Unless you're planning on joining a band or something, I feel that a 15" could be a little too much amp for just playing around the house.

 

[CoreyT]

Oh, I see, it will help from the speaker shaking the floor (ceiling for neighbors) below me, very cool.
Here are a 10 and 12.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/search.php?s=hartke+combo

Maybe the 10" would be good to start with?
My sound system for my TV (Logitech Z650) has a 8" or a 10" in its sub, and it will rattle my walls when watching movies.

 

[sleary]

When I played bass full time ,I used David Eden amps. Great stuff from them. My daughter uses a Go for her bass stuff. Not bad sound and was affordable.

Mark bass.....ok now we're talking. Great sound and not bad prices.

 

[xjbebop]

Fwiw... I played bass for many years...went through lots of different Mps & cabs.
The reason I mentioned the bg250 was because it's worth a look.
And by itself it sounds full and fabulous at very low volume levels..

 

[Tosca]

I went through a similar process recently (looking for a great sounding reasonably compact/portable bass amp for home practice/recording and maybe smaller gigs). I'm predominantly a guitar player and singer, like to dabble in bass for recording and nice to have a bass rig around for bass playing friends who come over to jam or record w me. My Fender bass amp was not getting the job done. A line out that sounded great (for recording and silent practice) was also one of my major "must haves". I tried every one of the bass amps mentioned here (except the "bohemeth" rigs which I didn't need). Each won out in some category (the TC was lightest, Hartke had best price...etc), but Mark bass sounded best, most versatile (and not much heavier/expensive than the lightest/cheapest). I had never heard of Mark Bass, but that's the one I picked (the 2X10 combo). I've played on and off with three different bass players since then, who all insisted initially on bringing their more expensive (and heavy) amps to jam or record....but I made them try the Mark Bass combo. No one ever bright their rig back a second time after that. I couldn't be happier with it...YMMV of course, Good luck, let us know what you choose and how it works out.

 

[László]

Honestly whether for just playing around the house and recording, or playing shows where there is a sound guy rig I can plug into, all I ever use is a direct box.

Sounds great, works great.

 

[CoreyT]

That TC with tone prints sounds nice, but 250 watts and my roof is coming down.
I will do some research on the smaller Hartke, and also look into the Markbass.
I saw the latter advertised a year or so back, and I was impressed with them.

This one looks cool and small, but 300 watts?
Mini CMD 121P
http://www.markbass.it/product_detail.php?id=41

The 2x10 looks cool too, but again, 300 watts.
CMD 102P
http://www.markbass.it/product_detail.php?id=39

Here is a 2x8, but 150 watts.
Seems too high for what I need for playing at a low bedroom type of volume.
Minimark 802
http://www.markbass.it/product_detail.php?id=241

This is Dorge's bass player trying one out, plays with Rob Chapman of the Anderton's videos.
Andertons @ NAMM 2013 - Mark Bass Amps - Mini Mark

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Used to use the Hartke 7000 bi amp head for gigs...now using an M Pulse by Mesa head into a Mesa 15 and Schroeder 2x10 cabs...great clean tones, plenty of headroom...and at home, a smaller powered GenzBenz head into an Uber cab , also by Genz Benz...good clean tone, can get LOUD. There are plenty of small home combos available for 200-300 to mess around with. If you can find the older Genz Benz stuff (made in Arizona) it's really good stuff.

 

[David Eaton]

I've had a lot of good luck with the Hartke kickbacks. I've used. 15 and a 12 and thought both were great for portable, small footprint bass amps.

 

[watelessness]

been using the Ampeg Rocket 50 for years

 

[CoreyT]

I've had a lot of good luck with the Hartke kickbacks. I've used. 15 and a 12 and thought both were great for portable, small footprint bass amps.

Not sure what my dealer has in stock, but I will see what he has.
I am leaning towards the Hartke A70 though.

Here is a limited edition of the A70 named after David Ellefson of Megadeth.
I knew he played Hartke, and nice to see him demo it too in this video.

 

[CoreyT]

I ended up buying the Auralex GRAMMA decoupler Sergio mentioned, and the Hartke A70 amp.
I looked at the TC BG250 at my dealer the other day, but I prefer the controls on the front of the amp verses up on top, plus I think 250 watts would be too much for were I live now.

The mat and the Hartke will arrive Saturday, have to do some rearranging in my man cave

Here is a cool little battery powered amp, I have the Microcube for my guitar, but I prefer my Yamaha THR 10X over the Roland.
But the bass one here sounds pretty good.
Good playing by the guys in the demos too.

SO for those of you who are getting the new SE Kestrel or Kingfisher bass, what amps are you looking at so far?

 

[CoreyT]

Two FedEx trucks showed up an hour ago.
Got the mat down under the Hartke A70 amp, and you can see the Roland Bass Cube underneath my little Roland Microcube guitar amp.

The Hartke on the rear you can unplug the 12" speaker and run a separate 8 ohm cab if you want.
The aux inputs on the front are kind of the old fashioned ones with a white/red input, but I already have an adapter cable that lets me plug an iPod or my phone into it so I can play back MP3s or my drum app on my phone through the Hartke.

Have not played the Hartke yet, but I messed around with the Roland running it on 6 AA batteries, and I am very impressed with it.
Used my 408 trying out both the neck and bridge pickups, and it sounds nice.
The amp has a feature called Octave which adds one octave lower than what you are playing, so it sounds pretty good.
The chorus, flanger, and the T-Wah are very cool too.

I turned on the built in drum machine and set it to rock, and played some bass lines on the 408 with the T-Wah engaged, and it sounded awesome!
Can not wait to get the Kingfisher later and try it through both amps.

If you have seen some of my other pics you will notice the Carvin 4x12 is not in view.
To be honest with you I do not know why I ever bought the thing, it is overkill, must have been my inner rock star speaking to me to own one
Will probably sell it or see if my youngest son wants it along with a few other heads I have that I really do not use anymore.

But yeah, that little Roland Bass Cube is very cool, just like the videos described it that I posted a few days ago.
Hurry up Kingfisher and get here!