Advice on picking boomy, warm combo?

[magikmarker]

So I'm another guitar player moving into P-bass territory. Need to buy a new or used combo that will fit in a Honda Accord and work for home practice and small club gig.

Seeking advice from the more experienced readers on what to look for (under $750) to get:

BOOMY (probably from a 15" driver)
WARM/ TUBEY/ TUBEY-SOUNDING

Basically I'm used to Fender and Peavey tube amps and seek a bass amp that delivers classic vibes with a fat low boom.

I'm thinking of Ampeg BA115 (easy to find used) or Ampeg B100R (hard to find used!!) or maybe Fender TV Bassman 15 (so pricey). But what am I missing?

I really wanted to like ultra-light GK MB115 or MB210 but too sterile for me (where others may hear clarity and precision; I know it's an issue of taste and style). I tried a used Trace Elliot 715x (tons of power and clarity; 15" celestion) but it seemed to want to be brighter than I'm seeking.

What am I missing? The big rig will come later perhaps.

[magikmarker]

I should add that I liked the Ampeg BA115 (setting #1) but was peeved that it won't take an external cab.

[M0ses]

Why on earth would you want to intentionally sound boomy?!?!?!?

[countrybass007]

Orange Tiny Terror and an Orange SP212 will give you a warm, vintage sound and fit in your vehicle nicely. Not really a combo, but it gives you the ability to add or mix cabs and is combo sized.

[magikmarker]

Oh, maybe BOOMY is the wrong word technically. I guess I mean something like THICK, where a single note (when played with substantial attack and gain) can have the density of a guitar chord, combined with the woody RESONANCE of a good piece of musical furniture.

[livinglow]

GK MB210 nuff said...

[magikmarker]

...Sadly, I'm one of those who found the GK microbass amps I tried not wholly satisfying. To my ears, the range sounded cold and surgical.

I played it and thought, 'boy this would be really great for a double-bass player with a fine instrument and great hands' but less so for a classic rocker acclimated to the warmth (slight distortion when pushed) and attack-sensitivity of a GOOD tube amp (which remains my preferred sound).

I guess I could get some kind of preamp or use one of my guitar overdrive pedals to boost the warmth. Or just throw an electric blanket over the GK...

[steamthief]

Find a used Ampeg B100-R, it's a loud, fat combo.

[magikmarker]

yeah, my buddy says that too.

[Thunderthumbs73]

Originally Posted by magikmarker

So I'm another guitar player moving into P-bass territory. Need to buy a new or used combo that will fit in a Honda Accord and work for home practice and small club gig.

Seeking advice from the more experienced readers on what to look for (under $750) to get:

BOOMY (probably from a 15" driver)
WARM/ TUBEY/ TUBEY-SOUNDING

Basically I'm used to Fender and Peavey tube amps and seek a bass amp that delivers classic vibes with a fat low boom.

I'm thinking of Ampeg BA115 (easy to find used) or Ampeg B100R (hard to find used!!) or maybe Fender TV Bassman 15 (so pricey). But what am I missing?

I really wanted to like ultra-light GK MB115 or MB210 but too sterile for me (where others may hear clarity and precision; I know it's an issue of taste and style). I tried a used Trace Elliot 715x (tons of power and clarity; 15" celestion) but it seemed to want to be brighter than I'm seeking.

What am I missing? The big rig will come later perhaps.

The good news, IMO, is that boomy and warm often come together in even the least expensive amps. Sometimes the amps are so inexpensive, you'll have 20 watt warm and boomy instead of 300 watt warm and boomy.

Yes, you can spend a couple grand on warm and boomy in an Ampeg SVT, but a lot of cabs/amps at higher price points (but not all) are shooting for clean and well, un-boomy. So you're probably in luck more than you realize.

Make sure your bass is set up in such a way that helps you achieve warm and boomy. Aka, roll back the tone knob, and definitely older strings, perhaps even flatwounds. That never hurts.

[jumbosilverette]

Acoustic b200 http://www.guitarcenter.com/Acoustic...LAID=439923729

[Thunderthumbs73]

I am very partial to the Hartke 1415 combo amp I used to have... :/ Miss it.

[humpdebump]

Give the Mesa Boogie Walkabout a try. The 12" combo is super portable and sounds huge!

[Mark Olson]

That Fender TV Bassman 15 would be great if you could swing it. I do really like the Ampeg B100R though too.

Does it have to be a combo? I play a Marshall Lead and Bass head (weighs 20 lbs, all tube) through an Ashdown ABM115 Compact cabinet. You can get a clone of that head here:

http://www.ceriatone.com/productSubP...ssComplete.htm

for 610$ (they were $500, they just raised the prices) and if you could swing that and add in your choice of a 15" cab it makes a really cool rig. Here's how mine sounds with a Fender Mustang (with Seymour Duncan Precision Bass pickup) and some palm muting:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=9017996

That's with the amp on 2 (of 10). Of course you can get that bit of breakup if you push it as it's tube. The amp only has a volume and tone knob for each channel, but the tone knob can get as dark, warm, and fat (boomy, as the 1960's Marshall bass amps are notorious for) as you want.

[MNAirHead]

Howdy.

The below may be your smartest reply.

Few observations.. the listed amps in your original post are not warm or boomy.

I'm unsure what "tubey" sounds like.. I've owned solid state stuff and tube amps.. neither sounded like they were supposed to.

OVERALL it may be a cabinet porting you're seeking more than an amp.

I can get warm and boomy out of a Hartke 15" kick.. digital rack mount mixer with a 15+2-10... can also get this out of a Peavey Basic 50 w/12

Have you considered a Zoom or Pod - some of the preamps/DIs will do this too... many sounds can be dialed in on a commodity amp....

The more I'm learning about gear, the more I'm learning it's porting and EQ that create warm and boom.

If you have a head have you considered a small 12 cabinet ported to the warm and boomy range.

Tim

Originally Posted by Thunderthumbs73

The good news, IMO, is that boomy and warm often come together in even the least expensive amps. Sometimes the amps are so inexpensive, you'll have 20 watt warm and boomy instead of 300 watt warm and boomy.

Yes, you can spend a couple grand on warm and boomy in an Ampeg SVT, but a lot of cabs/amps at higher price points (but not all) are shooting for clean and well, un-boomy. So you're probably in luck more than you realize.

Make sure your bass is set up in such a way that helps you achieve warm and boomy. Aka, roll back the tone knob, and definitely older strings, perhaps even flatwounds. That never hurts.

[lomo]

My .02:
Find another 100 and get a used Mea Walkabout 12 combo. You'll have enough volume, FAT tone to die for and room to expand.

[rayzak]

The Walkabout combo is a great, however, expensive suggestion.
The Ampeg B-100R is on of the "tubiest" sounding solid state combo's you'll find anywhere, and with a P-bass-- to die for!
However, if by "boomy" you mean deep, thick, knocking objects off of walls FAT/LOUD, the only way to really get that is by adding speakers.
This would do just what you want it to do...... may have to get a new car though- Aguilar AG500 2-12

[Wes Whitmore]

I really liked the Ampeg B100R. It was also attached to a Pbass with flats...smooth, warm, and the sound I wish I had a lot of the time.
Wes

[magikmarker]

What a thoughtful set of suggestions!

I do think I need 200 watts or so from a combo, as I can't expend PA miking: in this case, size matters.

I'm wondering if there's some no-name or diamond in the rough that the insiders know about that does the ampeg/fender/mesa/etc warmth plus clarity at a better price and with good power. Used is even better!

[Lurker79]

Precision --> Terror bass --> 212.