Hartke HA5500 - buying advice, being ripped off?

arif.is.beast · #1 10-18-2010, 06:18 AM

Hey all

I need a little advice

My local music shop has an awesome sounding HA5500 head and a 410xl cab, and they will sell it to me for $1460aus

Is it worth it, or is that too expensive

? or would it be worth buying from America with a step down transormer (would bring it down to justover $1000AUS)? Or does anyone on here have one second hand they could sell at a better price?

I live in the Frankston area of Victoria, Australia.

Thanks for any help I get

perogato02 · #2 10-18-2010, 06:27 AM

Well, even if it is a new head and cab, it sounds a bit steep.
Buying from the US, is a possibility but I know for instance that in Belgium you pay
a) the price + b) shipping costs + c) import taxes based on the price and shipping + d) VAT based on the price, shipping and import taxes ... so most of the time you only make a marginal profit.

mcapote · #3 10-18-2010, 06:58 AM

that does seem high, but i guess its supply and demand. I wouldnt pay $1143 USD on that setup though.
out of curiosity why the 5500?

Livewire · #4 10-18-2010, 08:44 AM

Def a rip off. You can get them here in the US for a little over $600USD. There's no reason that it should be twice that price in Australia. I say shop around online and find a site that will ship to you. Even if the shipping price is high, it should be less than $1200

jbalou02 · #5 10-18-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livewire

Def a rip off. You can get them here in the US for a little over $600USD. There's no reason that it should be twice that price in Australia. I say shop around online and find a site that will ship to you. Even if the shipping price is high, it should be less than $1200

I love my HA5500 and 410xl. Granted it was used, but in excellent condition. I got it for $500 USD. Added a 115xl for another $200. Seems way high to me!

arif.is.beast · #6 10-18-2010, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcapote

that does seem high, but i guess its supply and demand. I wouldnt pay $1143 USD on that setup though.
out of curiosity why the 5500?

Locally, the best amps I've heard are a Laney RB9 and the Hartke HA5500, and I'm looking to start playing live again in the near future. The Hartke just seemed to have more range of tone than the Laney.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livewire

Def a rip off. You can get them here in the US for a little over $600USD. There's no reason that it should be twice that price in Australia. I say shop around online and find a site that will ship to you. Even if the shipping price is high, it should be less than $1200

Was that $600US for the head alone? The head alone for the Hartke is $1000AUS and the cab is $600AUS they were giving me a discount if I bought the two combined... =/

They are sounding more of a rip off the more I hear =P

fleabee · #7 10-18-2010, 02:21 PM

Rip off in a HUGE way

mcapote · #8 10-19-2010, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arif.is.beast

Locally, the best amps I've heard are a Laney RB9 and the Hartke HA5500, and I'm looking to start playing live again in the near future. The Hartke just seemed to have more range of tone than the Laney.

yup sounds like supply and demand if that's the only 2 you can get. surprised they haven't broken out at least the LH series or something. they usually run cheaper than the HA series iirc and are pretty much what the shop guys at hartke are using now in their own rigs.

*ToNeS* · #9 10-19-2010, 06:00 AM

Sounds about right for Australia. Gear here is always more expensive than in the States, so don't go comparing the two - you'll just get depressed. Import costs and blah blah, all that.

Here, these guys do the best shop prices. They may be able to offer you a better deal, but they're in South Melbourne which is really not your area: Cool Hartke stuff at The Bass Centre

Livewire · #10 10-19-2010, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arif.is.beast

Was that $600US for the head alone? The head alone for the Hartke is $1000AUS and the cab is $600AUS they were giving me a discount if I bought the two combined... =/

They are sounding more of a rip off the more I hear =P

Yes I found one online for about $500USD, other places might have it for even less. I say shop around, don't pay that much for a Hartke setup...

Livewire · #11 10-19-2010, 07:58 AM

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/5500

Try contacting Sweatwater and see if they'll ship to you and for how much.

Good luck

arif.is.beast · #12 10-20-2010, 01:09 AM

Thanks for your help guys, I'm trying to contact Sweetwater, no luck via the phone so I left a message online, hope I hear back!

If i was to get a transformer for american to australian, how would i go about it, I'm a fair noob to step down transformers =/

T-MOST · #13 10-20-2010, 06:54 AM

The church I play for bought that exact set up in 2005 for $750.00 new!

*ToNeS* · #14 10-20-2010, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arif.is.beast

Thanks for your help guys, I'm trying to contact Sweetwater, no luck via the phone so I left a message online, hope I hear back!

If i was to get a transformer for american to australian, how would i go about it, I'm a fair noob to step down transformers =/

They're big clunky things, cost a few hundred (get them from any bigger electronics chain, like Dick Smith Powerhouse), and invariably someone will use your setup without realising they're supposed to use the transformer with it and boom - you're up for fat repair costs.

Import guitars and pedals, not amps (think of the weight factor in terms of shipping costs, too). Once you pick up a transformer as well, you're not saving a thing.