Ampeg BA115 enough?

behndy · #1 06-28-2010, 10:49 PM

howdy.

so, when i put my rig together i was going for portability and trying a modular approach. so with my setup it's easy to go to any combination of 2 separate GS112's and/or a GS115 with a power amp that pushes more then they can handle. all the preamp and tone shaping is done through my pedalboard.

BUT.... i just fooled around with an Ampeg BA115 at my favorite local music store... and it was pretty darn nice and LOUD. also very cool that it's a kickback combo so the shortness of it is alleviated by being able to point it at my face. or neck. or thereabouts. seemed like a VERY nice, space saving solution for shows with good FOH that i just need a bass monitor on stage for.

thought i'd delve into the insane amount of knowledge and experience on TB to ask if this little guy would be well suited to that task? i do run three or so distortions, and some octaver (-1) and filters. and use a 6 string.

would this be fine for low B? loud enough to cut through? i play with 0 guitarists and 0 live drummers now. just me and a singer that plays synth (i broke his left hand) and bunches of electronic skittering and beats.

right now we put a couple of PA speakers and run all synth stuff and backing and effected vocals through a laptop, but we're looking into wireless in-ear stuff right now.

thoughts? suggestions? hate this amp? love it? scream it's name when masturbating?

i love Garth Ennis.

oh yah..... i can get the used BA115 for a bit under $200. seems like a good price since they go new for about $380.

thanks!

JimmyM · #2 06-28-2010, 11:03 PM

that is a good price, behindy. is it my favorite ampeg product ever? no. it's a little low-endy for my tastes, but would probably work well for you. is it the best combo you can get in the budget price range? i personally think it is, though i'm sure some may disagree. will it work for what you need? absolutely.

and remember, good boys and girls sleep with their hands ABOVE the covers!

bassguppy · #3 06-28-2010, 11:32 PM

former BA115 owner - for a show with good FOH i would think it would be fine. Not sure on the low B, I have played a Lakland 55-01 thru it and at medium volume it was OK it did fart though when cranked (as expected for 100 watt amp).

For a 100 watt practice/small gig it's a great bang for the buck.

behndy · #4 06-29-2010, 12:47 AM

sweet. if Jimmy even backhandedly recommends something, i RUN out to get one.

i know it's only 100 watts... but DAYUM it feels louder than that.

jimmy & bassguppy - something i'm a little worried about... is that i'm used to using a power amp. is it easy to get it to a completely flat eq? i'm sorta nervous about that goofy ass "tone knob".... and i'd really prefer something that i don't have to tune my pedalboard to.

woot.

lol.... what about buying it, swapping the 15 out for a capalite, yanking out the amp and putting in a SWR Power Lite?

BOOOM!!! .... or.... booom as in exploding amp?

JimmyM · #5 06-29-2010, 03:44 AM

good question about the flat eq. i don't rightly know. but even though the knobs won't be flat all at noon, i think it shouldn't be hard to get something resembling flat response out of it.

as for the kappalite and power lite mods, i think you're either yanking me or consumed one too many shirley temples at dinner. i hope you're yanking me.

er...

so hey, how about that musket?

Sav'nBass · #6 06-29-2010, 05:42 AM

After a few years the style selector switch tends to get a bit wonky on that amp.. it happened to the one we used at my church and I have noticed a few used ones that have similar issues.. It is a decent amp though.. but if I were in your shoes with what I know I'd go for one of those GK combos..

like maybe

MB115 or
MB212

JMBassist · #7 06-29-2010, 06:42 AM

Man, I just love my BA115!!!

Little, strong, powerfull sound and great for smal or medium spaces.
Actually, I prefer the sound coming out of the BA115 than the one i get from my Ampeg Classic 350.

100 watts but it sounds like 200!!!

JMac4strngr · #8 06-29-2010, 07:01 AM

The BA 115 is probably the best bargan ampeg has going on their combos. I borrowed a friend of mine's BA115 and thought it sounded great, so I went and bought the BA210SP. The 210SP is a turd compared to the 115. You would think more watts and more speaker would do better but it didn't.

The BA115 is cool, although I am with you on that five position tone knob.

behndy · #9 06-29-2010, 07:07 AM

jimmy - no no no NO. today we are staying on TOPIC. no Devo, no Man vs Wood, no Crunchy Dream Analysis conversationzs allowed. not gonna do it. i am a steadfast pillar of undistractableness.

oOo! BIRD!!!

.... damnit.

SavN.Bass - hur. this thing (i'm thinking about a specific model at my local music store) is in very good, barely used shape. and i would pretty much go with a "set it and forget it" tone, so i'd think that would prolong the life of the amp significantly. and it's only $200.... i've never used much GK stuff, it seems decent, but i'm not planning on using the preamp on the amp so tonal differences between the two brands are gonna be minimized a significant amount. thanks tho!

jMbassIst - sweet. glad to hear it's stood up for you! Ampeg stuff DOES usualky seem morr.... i dunno... ballsy? then the power rating suggests on it's stuff. sneaky mo' fo's.

jimmy - fine.... if you hate my "awwwww.... lookit all your guts on the floor! thanks for the over-priced box to stick brand new hardware into!!" re-housing idea.... then what about opening it up and wiring the passive input to bypass the preamp section? or put in a killswitch that defeats the preamp in the chain?

...... i've not looked at the guts of Ampeg combo's.... so maybe that's just Pipe Dream Undoableness. durn it.

did the phrase "Pipe Dream" come from opium usage originally? 'cause if it didn't, it sure SHOULD have.

behndy · #10 06-29-2010, 07:12 AM

jMac - nice!

yeah, i HATE "this actually has the posibility of being useful, but we need to keep it not scary, and words like 'shelf' or 'bandpass' are SCARY" marketing. it's gotta be something they do to increase it's user friendliness for first time players or kids.

that kinda sh*t i find VERY annoying.

leegreenman · #11 06-29-2010, 07:26 AM

Without live drums or guitars I think you'll be fine with this amp. I used one last weekend with a full band,at moderate volume, and cut through the mix relatively well.

behndy · #12 06-29-2010, 07:39 AM

thanks Lee the Green Man!

yeah.... we do the music usually from the base up (HORRIBLE pun.... i know. it's early.) so i get first dibs on the frequency range i want, so i think i usually need a less I'M HERE amount of pushing.

think i'm gonna go pick this little guy up tomorrow. or at least get them to hold it for me.

woot.

Floridabwoy · #13 06-29-2010, 07:39 AM

I have one and I love it... I use it a lot for gigs w. a FOH..... I find it works better in a lot of situations than my 600 watt w. 410 cab. It is just too loud and a lot of sound guys dont like you to be super loud on stage.. IME at least. And it is 62lbs which is great. Downside, with my guitar players fender hot rod deluxe, sometimes it gets washed and the drummer cannot hear me.

I think for your situation it is great. I keep my tone selector on 3, gain all the way up, and volume around noon. Great ampeg tone, when we play acoustic it fills a room nicely as well.

**JayAmel** · #14 06-29-2010, 07:46 AM

I have a BA115 and yes, it is quite loud and sounds awesome all the way down the low B. I play through it on a regular basis with a loud guitarist and a heavy drummer, and yes I can cut through easily.

Best volume one can get out of a BA115 is processing like this :

- ajust MASTER at a moderate level (something like 9 o'clock)
- THEN crank progressively the volume, step by step, until you start hearing a bit of distortion
- then crank down just before the distortion level
- finally, adjust master as needed.

Other advices :

- don't crank the lows crazy,
- don't use the padded input unless your bass has supranatural output,
- do all of the above settings AFTER you have found your proper EQ settings.

Should work fine. Works for me.

philter25 · #15 06-29-2010, 08:04 AM

As for the 5 position tone knob, I had a BA115HPT, and I believe setting #3 on the tone knob is a flat EQ.

I always used setting #3 and then just tweaked the bass, mid, and treble to my liking.

**JayAmel** · #16 06-29-2010, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philter25

As for the 5 position tone knob, I had a BA115HPT, and I believe setting #3 on the tone knob is a flat EQ.

I always used setting #3 and then just tweaked the bass, mid, and treble to my liking.

Same for me. Yes, #3 is flat EQ. I keep all EQ on the BA115 flat either.

behndy · #17 06-29-2010, 08:29 AM

Florideaboy, JayaMEL, &pHILTER - awesome! thanks for the settings info!

yeah... it was CRAZY loud in the store compared to most 100 watts combos i've played. i think i'm gonna go pick it up today. if i do, we have a practice/saving money by tracking all the bass session tonight so i'll get a chance to see how it hangs at moderate volume.

thanks!

DreadRaver · #18 06-29-2010, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philter25

As for the 5 position tone knob, I had a BA115HPT, and I believe setting #3 on the tone knob is a flat EQ.

I always used setting #3 and then just tweaked the bass, mid, and treble to my liking.

Yup, 3 is flat and usually where I have mine too.

Great combo, big sound.
I really like the kickback feature which makes it very nice for use as a stage monitor, and it can hold its own in the mix in a practice session with moderate guitar volumes.

$200 is a great, great price.

lijazz · #19 06-29-2010, 08:39 AM

I have owned a BA115 for 2 years and like it very much. The only thing I did when I first got it was to disconnect the tweeter to eliminate the hiss coming out of it, which seems to be an inherent design flaw. Other than that, I have had no problems and it sounds great.

beelzelboss · #20 06-29-2010, 08:43 AM

I own a BA115 as of right now, its my only amp. I like it. Its good for lower level volumes. I play my five string through it and while it doesn't really pump out that low a ton, you can still hear it. The only way I have found to make it really pump out that low B is to turn the bass knob up, but if you are playing everything at 12 settings, you can go pretty loud without it farting up.

The tone knob switch is kind of weird, but the "3" setting is flat eq. That is the one I like most. What it does is it just scoopes or boosts part of the eq freq. You can hear a difference when switched, and as I said, 3 is a flat eq.

I would go onto Craigslist, I have seen them as cheap as $100 and still in great condition. I was dumb and bought mine from GC (although I got a smokin deal on it. Got like 4 packs of strings, two 12' cables, and a set of guitar strings for $320, while it retailed at $340).

I would say go for it, especially because you are playing solo, and that is not the only thing your running out of, but I still think you can run solo play out of it.