"Bad Amps" that you actually like in the real world.

[Lync]

For me it is the Ampeg B2r (I actually own the original B2 which became the B2r and now it is the B2re with more power).

I can get a nice clean tone that is not brittle and has been loud enough for what I do. (I turn the master up to 10 and use the gain as my volume). The DI sounds great too.

This amp gets destroyed on the internet though.

What else? There must be some more hidden gems.

PS. I have also had good luck with some <gasp> Behringer gear (non-powered mixer).

[sanderic]

Peavey TNT 130

[Russell L]

Peavey Combo 300, except it's heavy as hell. It's not a "bad" amp, though, to start with.

[jnewmark]

I've been using a Roland DB 700 combo for years now and love the way it sounds. I retro fitted a JBL K140 into it, and it sounds so sweet. Roland does'nt get much love in the bass guitar world. Another old, cheap amp that I like was a Yorkville 250 head ( mono block ? ), that had more bells and whistles ( even a " sustain " knob ! ) than any bass amp at the time, and sounded loud as hell, but, unfortuneatly, kept breaking down.

[Lync]

Originally Posted by sanderic

Peavey TNT 130

I used a TNT 130 for many years and liked it (except for moving it around).

[Jayson]

Plus 1 for the Ampeg B2r- mine is a B2re actually. My only touring amp.

[5StringFool]

Originally Posted by sanderic

Peavey TNT 130

Originally Posted by Lync

I used a TNT 130 for many years and liked it (except for moving it around).

I guess I have a fetish for the old TNT's. I have a 130, 150, and a 160 at my house, rehearsal space, and church respectively. I like the 150/160 better than the 130 due to the graphic EQ, but imo you can get good tones out of all of them if you tinker enough.

[danhosh]

Another vote for the B2RE.

Sold it a long time ago, went through numerous amps (Ampeg SVT CL, Ampeg SVT2Pro, Mesa Boogie M-Pulse 600) and never felt like the Ampeg B2RE was that much less of an amp than the rest. Very underrated.

Every reviewer loves tearing them apart.

[Lync]

Maybe that was the one I owned. I believe it had a graphic eq and metal casings on each side of the speaker grill.

[danomite64]

Ampeg Portabass 250 with the 2-10 cab. I use it every week at church, and have done so for about 6 years now, and it's great. Sounds sweet, plenty of volume, never given me one problem.

[Sartori]

Ampeg SVT-350H.

Same thing as the B2r, really.

Everyone trashes it, but I liked mine.