Acoustic 260 question

Moofknock · #1 11-22-2011, 09:57 PM

Well I already have an Acoustic B20 practice amp

Acoustic B20 1X12 Bass Combo Amplifier and more Bass Amplifiers at GuitarCenter.com.

but I was interested in a mini stack and I saw that Acoustic has the 260:

Acoustic 260 100W 1x10 Bass Mini Stack and more Bass Amplifiers at GuitarCenter.com.

:: Acoustic - the pro's tone since 1967 ::

I just want to know if with the specifications would it be better than the B20. I know the 260 is a 100 watt versus the B20 which it is a 20 watt. Now the difference is the speaker:

B20
12 inch speaker and 4 Band EQ

260
10 Inch Speaker and 3 Band EQ

Does the cabinet construction make a difference? Is the Mini-stack a better amp?

Any help will be appreciated!

iabssplyr · #2 11-22-2011, 10:44 PM

Hey Moof, hope I can help you. The B20 was my first practice amp a few years ago and it's still going strong. Only 20 watts, but the 12" driver helps fatten up your tone. A lightweight cab and it's off to jam with friends at reasonable volumes. I believe right now MF/GC are blowing it out fro around $100, which is a steal. If that's your price limit you could do a lot worse.

Now the 260 I've only played at the store, but that 10" speaker goes pretty deep due to the cab design. The 100 watts doesn't hurt either, but it is fairly minimal in what it gives you for features. One positive is that the head is separate so you can mix 'em with other amps/cabinets should you choose to do so. I believe the quality is on par with the B20 and Guitar Center is downright liberal about replacing Acoustic-brand equipment since it's their house brand. The three-year warranty is a plus. I want to say the 260 has a lower price right now, in the $280 range maybe. If you can flip for that and like the separate head/cab than it's a good choice for a small to medium-sized room.

There's a lot of competition in those price ranges, but if you've already auditioned them and like what you heard I'd say you can't go wrong with either. Old-school, thumping tone is what you'll get, especially if that's what you're looking for.

See what others might recommend, but ultimately go with what your ears (and wallet) are telling you. Good luck and enjoy the heck out of either one!

Moofknock · #3 11-22-2011, 10:55 PM

Thanks

I already own the B20 but I just saw the 260 and I think its great but I want to know if it's worth replacing the B20 for the 260.

Both had great reviews.

iabssplyr · #4 11-23-2011, 08:19 AM

Yes, stack's amp will give you a little more headroom, but volume won't be a night abd day difference. You'd gave to go to a few hundred watts to notice that. Again, the 260 will give you the opportunity to mix pieces, but if that's not important it won't matter. I thought that 10" driver offered some nice bottom end, but don't plan on playing an outdoor show with it! You might miss the separated mid eq knobs if you like to use your tone controls though. It's your call...if you've got the money go for it.

Me? I'd check out the new Fender Bronco 40 amp. Easy to haul, enough power for a low-level jam, oodles of features, recording ability, and it actually sounds good to my ears. Check it out before buying anything.

Bassmanmike1 · #5 11-23-2011, 08:36 AM

I bought a 260 mini stack in July and I just love it. It's much fuller sounding and goes lower than any other amp in it's price range thanks to the ported cab. I tried many other 10" and 12" combos, Fender,Acoustic,Ampeg and this just blew them all away. It has great vintage tone, it's lightweight, easy to move, and it has a very small footprint. I bought it primarily to use with the acoustic trio I play with, but I have used it for practice with my other band too and it keeps up nicely with the drum kit.

HereIGoAgain · #6 11-23-2011, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iabssplyr

Yes, stack's amp will give you a little more headroom, but volume won't be a night abd day difference. You'd gave to go to a few hundred watts to notice that.

All else being equal, you need 10x power to get twice the volume.

Example: if you need twice the volume as your 50-watt amp, you need a 500-watt amp. Need twice the output as your 100-watter? Join the kilowatt club. Again, this is "with all other things being equal."

I have the B200H on top of a B115 cab, and so far, so good. However, for my application, I determined that I needed a minimum of 200 watts.

For the OP's situation, I'd say if the money's in place, add the 260 stack and keep the B20 as well. Trader's/seller's remorse can be almost as bad as buyer's remorse.

iabssplyr · #7 11-23-2011, 10:52 AM

+1 Matt. The B20 I started out with has become the traveling amp in my family. My son is away at school and doesn't have space for his Ampeg and uses the Acoustic. When he's done with it'll probably come back home until the next time it's needed. Yeah, if I had a nickel for every time I'd wished I'd kept an instrument or amp I could afford some nice Christmas presents this year!