Converting guitar head into bass head

[Arlekiin]

Hello,

I have a guitar stack created by Carvin, its an 50th anniversary edition MTS3200 with a matching 4x12" cab (not relevant here as its a guitar cab).

Youtube Demo

So my question is - is there something one should do if he wants to convert a guitar head into a bass head? I would like to have a nice tube head in my arsenal for my bass so I am thinking maybe I could "MOD" it to suit bass better.

I have been using it as is for bass playing with bass cabs I have (markbass 4x10" + 1x15") and it sounds quite nice but would like to go even further if possible

Any opinions?

[calebbarton]

You have to edit the EQ, channel 1, 2, 3 whatever. Means you have to change out some caps and pots. Get a schematic for the preamp.

[JimmyM]

There usually isn't a whole lot of difference between tube guitar amps and tube bass amps, except the guitar amps might have slightly different EQ points or smaller transformers than their bass counterparts so they break up sooner. But it's a case by case basis regarding what you'd need for yours. If it's working for you well as is, I'd just leave it, as transformer replacements aren't cheap at all.

[Arlekiin]

Thanks for the input Jimmy

Calebbarton: What do you mean by modifying the EQ (larger caps and pots for deeper tone (works on headphone amps :P)?

[T-Bird]

Hi.

IME no modding is necessary in most cases and usually the mods just make things worse on the low end. The tube amps meant for guitar are low end shy by design, the SS are shy on low end by cheapness of the power semiconductors.

I've played through a "guitar" tube amps on and off since the late 80's with no mods that have stayed.

Originally Posted by calebbarton

You have to edit the EQ, channel 1, 2, 3 whatever. Means you have to change out some caps and pots. Get a schematic for the preamp.

Care to elaborate?
Based on personal experience or " the gurus on the internet told me so, so it must be true"?

Regards
Sam

[Arlekiin]

Aha thanks T-Bird, just wanted to know if there is anything specific that could be done to improve -
all in all my friend gave a concert using my cabs and this head and it rocked and filled the room with velvety bass and sounds awesome as it is to be honest.

At the moment I myself am using mostly markbass little rocker 500 as my main amp and alltough its a killer sounding little SS I am missing some of that tube sweetness on occasion.
I would like to have both SS and Tube in my bass arsenal. Both rock in their own way

[MAMMOTHvolume]

Originally Posted by Arlekiin

Aha thanks T-Bird, just wanted to know if there is anything specific that could be done to improve -
all in all my friend gave a concert using my cabs and this head and it rocked and filled the room with velvety bass and sounds awesome as it is to be honest.

At the moment I myself am using mostly markbass little rocker 500 as my main amp and alltough its a killer sounding little SS I am missing some of that tube sweetness on occasion.
I would like to have both SS and Tube in my bass arsenal. Both rock in their own way

You can mod the circuit to increase the bass, but this tends to make it so when it clips it sounds farty and bad. In my experience modding high gain heads like that for bass is more hastle than its worth.