Ampeg SVT 3Pro vs GK MB Fusion 500 vs Bugera BVP5500

[blanconino]

Hey guys

So im lookin to upgrade the head on my rig for something with a little more power (i currently own a backline 600 but need an amp that can be heard over my guitarist =/) but i cant choose between these three

When i tested out the Ampeg i was very happy with the sound from the tube preamp, but not so much with the price. After doing a little research i found the GK which brings the factor of convenience to the table for less money. Finally i found the Bugera, but was immediately wary for the sole purpose of the brand name.

If anybody has had any experience with purchasing one of these amps i would greatly appreciate your input! Also (If this should make a difference on the final decision) the cab i currently own is an ampeg 410 (@ 8 ohms) with a 5 string warwick thumb

[jelwood]

What 410 Ampeg, exactly? I say get a better cab regardless. That head you have will crank with the right speakers.

[blanconino]

Ive got an old B40 model from the 70s, its a hammy-down from a friend's dad. The only other cab i have is the backline 210 i got along with the head about 6/7 years ago (i know, im stingy when it comes to buyin new equipment).

[blanconino]

its an old B40 model from the 70s, a hammy down from a friends dad. I do have the backline 210 cab i got along with the head about 6/7years ago, but it plays even quieter then the Ampeg

[crustychef]

I play a GK MB Fusion with a Warwick Streamer Jazzman 5 and Fretless Thumb BO5. I couldn't be happier with that head. My cab is a TC Electronics RS212. I had a rs210 paired with it but it was over kill for me. Last show I played I just left the 210 in my trunk and still blew down the house. I'm in a rock band with a loud guitarist, heavy drums and keys. Never a problem being heard. I compliments on my tone at shows from non bass players too.

[jelwood]

Both cabs are junk. If you sell both those cabs, and then combine that money with the dollars you were just about to spend on a head, that would put you in the price range of some of the best cabs on the market. You can have an okay head and a really good cab but not a really good head and a bad cab. Look at GK's neo 412, Neo 410, Hartke Hydrive 410's, etc. Others will chime in with more options. You'll do a backflip when you hear how much louder your head gets with those. I personally have a GK neo 412 and with just 350 watts through it...B-String also has one and he carries around a hammer to pound nails back into wooden stages.

[JimmyM]

The B40 sounds good but won't take a lot of power. It has the same speakers used in the SVT 810 IIRC, and the 810 was rated for 250w back then. So you figure you could put 120-150w through it tops before you blow the speakers. If you need to be louder than your rig can currently go, getting more wattage won't do you a lick of good because you won't be able to use it. The Goldline cab...eh, let's just say not the best cab GK has ever made.

The cheap solution is having your guitarist turn down. If he refuses, you'll have to spring for a new cab that can handle more power and gets louder than the B40. You might be able to hang onto the head, but you'll definitely want to upgrade the cab.

[NKBassman]

For starters, I wouldn't buy anything Behringer just based on reputation alone.

IMO and IME, the 3PRO is an excellent and under rated amp. I've had one for about 10 years. They regularly sell for around $400-$450 used, which I consider a bargain, considering what a solid head it is.

[shroomcore]

i play an svt 3 pro. i love it.

[jeff7bass]

"For starters, I wouldn't buy anything Behringer just based on reputation alone".

Their reputation could be changing. Did you see that topic showing reliability ratings for bass amps in Europe? Very surprising results, Behringer rated HIGH. I look at them like Hyundai, use to blow up a lot but better now and plenty bang-for-buck. The fact that you can buy two new BX4500H heads for the price of used SVT-3 head makes it worth consideration to many people.

[B-string]

Bro your speaker cabs are your problem. No amp head will fix that!

[blanconino]

Thanks everybody, i think im gonna go along the new cab route and look into one of the gk neo series (im a little on the tiny side so having an amp thats half the weight of my B40 is very appealing). But once i have the funds i think ill either choose between the ampeg or the gk, Im sorry to say that ive just heard too many horror stories about Bugeras dying the moment people plug them in. (Plus if i ever found a used 3Pro for $450 i would pounce on that like a lion!)

[B-string]

Just IMHO understand but I think the MB Fusion is the better choice

[NKBassman]

Originally Posted by blanconino

(Plus if i ever found a used 3Pro for $450 i would pounce on that like a lion!)

Here's one:
FS Only: Ampeg SVT-3 Pro

[JimmyM]

Man, I should have waited out the initial micro boom...I only got $325 for my 3 Pro on Ebay a few years ago. But mine was one of the earliest, so maybe that had something to do with it, too. Still, that seemed awfully low.

[lavaxtris]

I own the Bugera bvp5500 and I couldn't be happier.

I have found that most people who give Behringer a bad name are little kids who cant afford the real thing and know nothing about amps. Disregard any negative reviews.

The only problems I have ever had with this are the handles.
In an almost impossible circumstance one of the handle's screws became undone while holding it. The screws were pretty long, so I don't know exactly how it happened. Nothing broke, but I recommend carrying any amp like this by the bottom, just in case.

I have played out of an SVT pro at the House of Blues once, and I was unhappy with the sound compared to my Bugera (both set up the same)