Amp for F# tuning
 

Hi guys/girls.

I'm looking for my first amp
I'm looking for an combo or stack that can handle f# tuning

Budget 400 euro 497,09 dollar

Something like:
Mesguggah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9LpMZuBEMk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc98u-eGzlc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UISjgLu8zBA

Thanks For replying.

As long as you are looking for a practice amp, anything will do. You just have to understand the physical limitations of the amp you get.

If you want to do F# at a loud gig volume, then I would let my budget grow and look into a fEARful. They were designed with that tuning in mind.

My fEARful 1515/66/1 + Crest ProLite 3.0

My fEARful 12/6/1 x2 with a Carvin B1500.

Or start a third or fourth thread asking the same question :rollno:

Hi.

^This

Starting multiple threads on the same subject is considered normal and is thus accepted behaviour in certain forums, but it's better to stick to one and bump it (sparingly) if necessary.

As for Your question about a F# capable amp, the already suggested headphone-amp is the best solution by far if just practising is the immediate need.
If You want something "nicer", a pre-amp and heaphones would be the next logical step.

If You want a gig-spl capable rig for F# tuned bass, 1KW is IME the very minimum and requires a very efficient speaker system. Add a zero to Your budget if that's your goal.

That said I practise with a SWR WM10, and have even used that as a monitor live when playing in a small bar and a hefty PA.
But, You have to be VERY CAREFUL since a ported cab doesn't offer the driver any suspension below the tuning frequency and over-excursion happens very, very fast.
Less than 10W at sub 30Hz frequencies can blow even the sturdiest of MI driver(s) so better to roll off the lows and to consentrate on the harmonics.

Regards
Sam

If I was doing this I'd get a Hartke amp. They do a mighty rock sound and have a very adjustable preamp section. You might find one of them in your pricerange on the second hand market, maybe even with a matched cab.

I'd also fit my instrument to use Rotosound DropZone strings, play only with a pick and roll the bass out of any amp you use (as has been previously indicated). This will enable your midrange harmonics to click out the low notes without the amp trying to reproduce impossible sub lows that will stress your speakers unduly. It won't be very articulate but you could get an adequate facsimile of the Meshuggah sound using this method.

In order to reproduce an articulate tone lower than a B you will need to invest many thousands of dollars on highly efficient boutique speaker cabinets. I looked into this recently as I wanted to drop to G# on a 5 string. There is no poor man's equivalent on this issue so I chose to steer away. There are so many factors in the process that it gets expensive almost immediately. It's also not really worth risking it on cheaper gear in my opinion. The worst busted Ampeg SVT810 I ever saw was used by a guy who didn't know how to turn his bass knob down while playing in A. 6 of the 8 speakers had cracked clean out of the cab during the show.

Get a decent high pass filter. Then the amp stops mattering nearly as much. Speakers are your major limitation otherwise.

Hughes & kettner basskick 515 i can get secondhand for 275euro.
Will that work?

If you are playing bass, keep in mind meshuggahs bass player does not tune down that low, the guitars and bass are actually all in the same Octave.

The reason I think that most people probably shouldn't tune that low is illustrated in the following video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K57w9pdJPnY

Worst sound possible.

Hi.

^This, still.

Almost any amp and definitely any speaker/cab intended for bass/kbd use will be able to reproduce those frequencies.

With a budget rig or a combo, the SPL will be very low though.

Regards
Sam

Is this one good for it? Ashdown MAG C410T/300
Attachment 317348

That model probably can't handle that low of bass. The lowest I take my Ashdown stuff is C.

I would get a very efficient 15. That will probably do the best job in articulating those frequencies. I would suggest an 18 but I know nothing about them, maybe someone else does.

Blue speakers have never given me any lows.

+1

When you listen to the DVD that came with the Nothing reissue, you'll find that the bass actually lies over the guitars tone-wise, with tons of grind. If I were to play in a band like that I'd go that route too as it would serve three very important aspects; first, no need to get a giant rig capable of massive lows, second, the low end won't be as muddy allowing you to hear yourself better AND make the band sound less boomy, and third, there is no third. Well maybe as a fourth, your sound will make the band, at least in meshuggahs case.

Imo it's kind of the smartest way to avoid a fubar sound situation... Other bands like Bongripper make that low F tuning really happen though so it doesn't always have to turn into sonic mush. Just keeping the stereotypical metal band in mind though...

That Ashdown is probably the least suitable amp you can buy. For technical metal you need crisp and growly, like a Hartke, a GK or an Ampeg. Ashdown make a bananas great rock amp, but they're warm and mellow. I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole for my metal bands.

Thanks.
Which GK, Hartke, ampeg?

If you can afford it, try out several amp brands with a minimum of 500 watts and try out various cabs with at least four 10's and take it from there in deciding what you feel will work for you.

And you will be surprised what a Ashdown rig can do in the range you want to go down to.

I've been using Ashdown amps for almost 15 years and depending on what model you'll be just fine.






Ashdown endorser.

Barefaced bass. Get as much barefaced as you can afford and hit it with A LOT of watts. I'd probably get an ART pro channel II into a peavey IPR pa amp. I'd also recommend a STEEP high pass filter in the 38hz range. That should get ya started