The best bass head for $800 or under

afrodillyb · #1 05-08-2010, 08:15 PM

I have an Ampeg SVT810AV Anniversary Bass Cabinet but I need to find the perfect head for it. Since I am a dirt poor college student, I do not have enough money to buy an expensive head and I am not sure what kind of head will give me a great vintage tube like sound for that price. If there is any tube amps for that price, I would like to know about the as well

RickenBoogie · #2 05-08-2010, 08:19 PM

Traynor and Peavey are the only "budget" tube amps I know of. Otherwise, there's way too much out there for a blanket recomendation.

blendermassacre · #3 05-08-2010, 08:21 PM

orange bass terror. also, I'll sell you the tube amp in my sig for $800, shipped.

hdracer · #4 05-08-2010, 08:21 PM

VB-2, cannt beat it for the price

mrjim123 · #5 05-08-2010, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afrodillyb

I have an Ampeg SVT810AV Anniversary Bass Cabinet but I need to find the perfect head for it. Since I am a dirt poor college student, I do not have enough money to buy an expensive head and I am not sure what kind of head will give me a great vintage tube like sound for that price. If there is any tube amps for that price, I would like to know about the as well

LOL. If you've got $800 to spend you're not a "dirt poor college student" (been there, done that).

blendermassacre · #6 05-08-2010, 08:23 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

You're welcome. I'm too poor for this right now.

afrodillyb · #7 05-08-2010, 08:25 PM

Well the head I want is 1700 :/ but I will never make that money with the job I have now.
Thanks for all the help! I will look into every single head that was posted.

Bassman7PM · #8 05-08-2010, 08:26 PM

Carvin B1500. Power to spare and awesome tone.

hdracer · #9 05-08-2010, 08:28 PM

I just got a new in box 5 year warrenty VB-2 for $499.00 I watched that Orange on eBay for a while & was saving for it when I found the Peavey

blendermassacre · #10 05-08-2010, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

I just got a new in box 5 year warrenty VB-2 for $499.00 I watched that Orange on eBay for a while & was saving for it when I found the Peavey

wow. Killer deal. Care to PM the info? No wonder my alpha bass isn't selling.

**IvanMike** · #11 05-08-2010, 08:43 PM

forget tube or not tube find out what you like by listening. I hear the carvin 1500 is quite good and loud. also dont be afraid to look into used. lots of buying and selling here all the time as we are a fickle bunch.

newbold · #12 05-08-2010, 08:58 PM

+1 on the Peavey VB-2

Mesa Walkabout?
Ibanez Promethean?
TC Classic 450?
used Eden?

**B-string** · #13 05-08-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IvanMike

forget tube or not tube find out what you like by listening. I hear the carvin 1500 is quite good and loud. also dont be afraid to look into used. lots of buying and selling here all the time as we are a fickle bunch.

+1 to listening to amp heads. Spent too many years as a tube snob. Try out a G-K 700RB II.

KsPiNeSh · #14 05-08-2010, 10:05 PM

I'd suggest Genz Benz or Mesa as well... great tones, and used ones are definitely in the ballpark of your price range. Also, the 700RB-II is a sweet amp and you can usually pick one up in the classifieds for around $400. Arguably one of the best values out there.

Luke19Boarder · #15 05-08-2010, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassman7PM

Carvin B1500. Power to spare and awesome tone.

That's what I use, and I have absolutely no complaints, as a poor college student

**nostatic** · #16 05-08-2010, 10:22 PM

Markbass LMTube. Currently having a tough time finding any faults with this amp.

TC Classic 450 is another candidate, though more on the "vintage" tip for tone.

waleross · #17 05-08-2010, 10:36 PM

I agree, $800 is not all that bad. I have tubes. I suggest you save your dough and wait until you get up to $1800. I like the Fenders such as the TB1200 and the full tube bassman 300

Jaguar · #18 05-08-2010, 10:37 PM

Peavey VB-2

ourworldisgrey · #19 05-08-2010, 10:43 PM

I use a Carvin BX1200 through an 8x10 and it sounds awesome. I use an analogman modded Ibanez TS9DX for some grit when I need it.

jelwood · #20 05-08-2010, 10:51 PM

The used market is definitely the best place and probably the only place you can go for a really good tube head in that price range.

However, as others have stated before me, you shouldn't force yourself to be restricted to only tube amps. GK is definitely a solid state manufacturer to look in to. Any of their artist series you should definitely give a try: 800rb, 700rb-II, or if you want more headroom, which I assume might be a factor since you have that fridge at your beckon, the 1001rb-II. Guitar centers always have these guys on the floor for you to play. If you do a bit of research on them you'll see that they are highly praised around here. Also, there are discontinued GK models you might want to give a try, such as this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/Gallien-Krueger-...item2a06db94a7. Although this amp was discontinued because of heating issues (and also GK revamped their bi-amp system, so the 2001 came out as a result), you can send the amp in to their factory and they'll install a second fan for free which will set you good to go (but only if this one doesn't have it done already, you'd have to ask the seller). A lot of people, heating issues aside, have had high praise for this amp and a lot say that it's the best sounding GK, next to the 800rb. I recently bought one of these myself and have been very pleased. You could probably talk the guy down a hundred bucks or so. That's just my two cents