On the fence about getting a tube amp... Opinions/Exeriences would be great

[J2Kbass]

Wow. I've looked up a lot of what you guys have mentioned. Some great ideas that are worth looking into further. Thank you.

And please keep them coming...

[Mr. Foxen]

Originally Posted by redhed

Are you saying the new Ampeg's are crap?

Not specifically the new ones. They are Ford Transit, basically right for what it does, used all over. The people that put real money into a superior product to sell at a high price all went out of business. There are things that can be done better, but why try when the name badge covers all the benefits of doing so?

Edit: http://www.chambonino.com/work/ampeg/amp4.html

[Roadkill]

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

I play a Bugera 1960, its 100 watts

I got mine (the newer Infinium model) for $340 shipped as an "open box" . Awesome amp!

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

Not specifically the new ones. They are Ford Transit, basically right for what it does, used all over. The people that put real money into a superior product to sell at a high price all went out of business. There are things that can be done better, but why try when the name badge covers all the benefits of doing so?

LOL! Yeah, nobody buys them for the sound...just for the name.

[worxforme]

If you're worried about maintenance of a tube amp, get a Glock HR2. It can sound like a great tube amp and it will last forever without any maintenance. It's built with top notch components. 40 ish lbs of tonal heaven. Get the HR2 as apposed to the HR1.

If you want to go tube, there are several around 50 lbs. I'm biased toward the Mesa Buster because it can follow along with my style of playing and it is loud as balls. You can find them used and in nice condition at a great price and replacing the tubes is easy; no bias needed just buy a mesa matched sextet, plug them in and go.

[two fingers]

Well, perhaps you could try an ALL tube preamp with lighter power. I'm not saying that the single 6025 mini tube in your Markbass does nothing. But it probably doesn't do as much for your tone as a full tube tone stack would. Perhaps you could look into an Ampeg SVP-CL, or a Warwick Quadruplet, or READ Purity, Alembic F series, Jule Monique, etc. Stick a lightweight power amp under it (or even the Carvin thing suggested by bobcruz) and enjoy lots of tone without lots of pounds.

Or, here's a thought. Try a SansAmp stomp box. See if it gives you enough of the warmth and/or grit you are looking for. If it does, quit stressing over tubes and enjoy the tone without the weight.

It's all about the ears. As suggested earlier, try a bunch of options with YOUR bass. Go at it with an open mind. You might be surprised at what fits the bill. I had all kinds of preconceived notions about the tone I was looking for until I heard the Mesa Walkabout Scout 15" that I play now. I expected a "whatever" experience when I tried it but it's my main amp these days. (about 56lbs. with the speaker attached and the matching extension cab is about 43..... just saying) It's not all tube. But it puts out a very warm tone with a two tube preamp and solid state power. I can even dial in a little grit if I want it.

Either way, best of luck!

[Calaverasgrande]

Originally Posted by nostatic

A real tube preamp into whatever power amp you want

will play like a preamp + a power amp.
I tried that kind of arrangement for years.
the problem that I had with my rigs was that they were essentially more unreliable than an ancient tube head. The power cables or line cables would often get partially unplugged. And since most dudes and dudettes that run a pre+power amp end up running stereo biamp or dual mono (you are usually carrying around two amps in one box if your using a PA amp) you end up with a whole nest of cables that can fail. I know I am exaggerating a bit. But honestly one of the best things about ditching rack set ups for amp heads is the "all-in-one" package.
And one thing I learned from years of gigging is reduce all of the points of failure, provide for eventualities you can't prevent (spare picks?) and focus on the pocket.

Anyway, not ll tube heads are heavy as hell. The SVT is arguably the most famous tube head, and it is also literally the heaviest production head in use. (seriously I can't find any other bass head that is heavier except for a couple one off custom jobs). Most any other head you check out will be lighter. The Mesa Bass 400 is about 45 pounds, the 400+ about 60.
Peavey has one that uses toroidal transformer to get it closer to 30lbs.
Or if you arent that loud you can use a vintage Bassman or their cheaper cousins the Traynor YBA1a or YBA3.

[wmheilma]

Keep your little Mark and get a tube amp too! Then you can have some variety. I have a really sweet Trace Elliot tube head, but I don't always use it. I use a Genz-Benz for most of the gigs I do. BTW - I paid a lot more then $65 to get six decent matched 6550's for my tube amp.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

And one thing I learned from years of gigging is reduce all of the points of failure, provide for eventualities you can't prevent (spare picks?) and focus on the pocket.

I intend to run the Monique into a powered cabinet - same number of cables/failure points as a regular head/cabinet rig. Then again, I could plug straight into the powered cab and reduce another point of failure. But it likely wouldn't be as fun, and certainly wouldn't look or sound as cool. Which is almost as important as the picks

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by nostatic

I intend to run the Monique into a powered cabinet - same number of cables/failure points as a regular head/cabinet rig. Then again, I could plug straight into the powered cab and reduce another point of failure. But it likely wouldn't be as fun, and certainly wouldn't look or sound as cool. Which is almost as important as the picks

Heh. Picks fail at least a hundred times more often than any cable or other electronic component in any of my rigs, IME.

[nostatic]

You should stop using active picks. Everyone knows that passive picks rule.

[vbchaos]

Originally Posted by Alex1984

Traynor YBA-300. Tones that compare very favourably against my SVT, light as a feather in comparison. Traynor also has a great reputation for being solid work horses.

+1!!!! Lightweight and heavy sound! Bought it and amp-GAS was over!!

[Munjibunga]

I think your two concerns are well-taken. I've sold off my heavier amps (about 50 pounds each in a rack) and cabs (about 100 pounds each) and gone to micro amps (2 to 9 pounds) and neo cabs (40 to 62 pounds). I don't have any serious back problems, but at my age I don't want to get them.

In a gigging situation, the only one who is going to care what amp you're playing is you and, frankly, any improvement in sound with tube amps (if there is any) isn't worth the hassle and isn't going to be discerned by your audience. I certainly have never gotten any negative comments about my MB800 and Berg AE cabs from audience or band.

[spacebassed]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I think your two concerns are well-taken. I've sold off my heavier amps (about 50 pounds each in a rack) and cabs (about 100 pounds each) and gone to micro amps (2 to 9 pounds) and neo cabs (40 to 62 pounds). I don't have any serious back problems, but at my age I don't want to get them.

In a gigging situation, the only one who is going to care what amp you're playing is you and, frankly, any improvement in sound with tube amps (if there is any) isn't worth the hassle and isn't going to be discerned by your audience...

Agreed, I've (almost) always used solid state or hybrid stuff for gigs, plus a lot of tube heads have rudimentary eq's - with my Eden wt800 I can handle even the worst rooms, there's nothing I can't EQ in or out. I love tubes in the studio but I don't feel it adds anything to use them in a gigging situation - but I know plenty of guys who disagree with me completely.

[Honkycat]

Another thumbs up for the Traynor YBA-300...Tried one on the gig a couple of months ago..nice...and only 50lbs or so...My only complaint was the asking price for a new one (with taxes close to $1800) which I thought was prohibitive and did not buy it.

[vbchaos]

Originally Posted by Honkycat

Another thumbs up for the Traynor YBA-300...Tried one on the gig a couple of months ago..nice...and only 50lbs or so...My only complaint was the asking price for a new one (with taxes close to $1800) which I thought was prohibitive and did not buy it.

They raised the price... bought mine from thomann. Was not on stock when my order was placed - payed 780€ when they stocked again and they raised the price to 998€ simultaneously. Lucky me :-)

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by nostatic

A real tube preamp into whatever power amp you want

That's neat. $1300 neat? Hmmm..........

[Bassmec]

If you are worried about weight at all, then all tube technology is not what you want other than in a pre amp.
Anybody who thinks they can get big output transformer saturation out of anything less than a big output transformer is kidding themselves.
Just the subtile compressive nature is impossible to model at only 24 bits.
Lots of very good engineers have tried very hard to make this a reality
for many years but so far not much luck in the feel department, partially due to the inherent latency problems.
A quality all tube pre amp like the Monique/TAB V71 or anything else really cool like a very early Langvin or RCA tube pre amp, with a proper gain variable negative feedback output transformer is all you can do really.
But we are back to the same problem as the gain variable feedback pentode pre amp weighs a lot, as there is loads of big iron in it.
The 600 ohm output transformer alone weighs about the same as a modern 100watt Guitar amp output transformer.
Perhaps if you were to combine a varimu compressor with that sort of preamp you would have it almost totally licked but is that kind of pre amp heavier and at least six times the price to buy second hand than say an SVT.

Yes of corse it is actually
PS This is maybe a bit lighter:

then all you will need is a class D amp and a Fearful.

[Mr. Foxen]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

LOL! Yeah, nobody buys them for the sound...just for the name.

You know the speaker cabs were duff for a fair period, dark speakers, not having the 'right' tone. Still sold plenty. Isn't really the tone I'm talking about anyway. That's from the circuit. Its the being able to run them on 10 all night every night that you'd head towards with less component compromise.

[Wadge]

Originally Posted by B-string

As I have said before: Every bassist should own a tube amp at least once.

Hmmm, maybe one day but I don't see it happening any time soon for me. With me thinking of going the IEM route, I seem to be headed the other way.