High Gain Bass Amps?

zhollywood · #1 10-01-2012, 01:29 PM

Hey guys so I've been looking around and can't find any direct answers to this. I'm looking for a high gain bass amp that does not need a dirt pedal in front of it.
For example: When playing guitar, if I want a nice clean rounded sound (which I find most bass amps are TO AN EXTENT) I plug into a Fender amp. If I want something to thrash with I plug into a Mesa Dual Rectifier.

What are the Mesa Dual Rectifiers of the bass amp world?!?

I have a Mesa M6 Carbine and find it to be a little tubey and can get some grit from it. I want gain not grit.
Any ideas? I've tried Orange amps and find that those get closer to my goal but there is nothing that is close to being what I am looking for.

Thanks!

BbbyBld · #2 10-01-2012, 01:40 PM

Try the Peavey VB-3 overdrive channel.

brotherbassj · #3 10-01-2012, 01:42 PM

Try a Mesa Big Block 750 and use the distortion gain channel

wcriley · #4 10-01-2012, 01:43 PM

My bass rig takes the voltage from my pickups (1 volt or less) and increases it around 50volts. That's a LOT of gain.

To get more gain would probably require a multi-kilowatt PA power amp and a seperate preamp.

Primakurtz · #5 10-01-2012, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brotherbassj

Try a Mesa Big Block 750 and use the distortion gain channel

Bingo - this is the one.

JGR · #6 10-01-2012, 02:19 PM

Tech 21 RPM has a good amount of gain; GK2001RB has an overdrive channel that is high gain.

Calaverasgrande · #7 10-01-2012, 03:36 PM

Mesa D180 is pretty gainy. The Mesa Bass 400 and 400+ can get kind of gainy. But it doesn't get very distorted unless you are really punishing it.

I wish there was a nice all tube head with simple channel switching like most guitar heads have had for decades.

the Arsonaut · #8 10-01-2012, 04:42 PM

The fender bassman pro 300 (sunn 300t) is pretty decent with the gritty grainy sound...I've flipped through a few different 12ax7s in positions 1, 2...forget what's in there now(either a nos rca or mullard)...though stock was not bad, either...

nashvillebill · #9 10-01-2012, 04:45 PM

The Peavey Classic 400 has a great distortion channel. All tube. 400 watts. 100 pounds.

StrangerDanger · #10 10-01-2012, 04:52 PM

If I understand you then youre looking for a saturated sound, yes?

Try the Genz Benz Streamliner or Aguilar Tone Hammer 500. They can both get pretty saturated.

**CL400Peavey** · #11 10-01-2012, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashvillebill

The Peavey Classic 400 has a great distortion channel. All tube. 400 watts. 100 pounds.

It's pretty good Yup! Good luck finding one though.

Sartori · #12 10-01-2012, 05:14 PM

Mesa D-180, Ampeg SVT-2pro, just off the top of my head.

Calaverasgrande · #13 10-01-2012, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashvillebill

The Peavey Classic 400 has a great distortion channel. All tube. 400 watts. 100 pounds.

you had me until 100lbs.

Calaverasgrande · #14 10-01-2012, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zhollywood

Hey guys so I've been looking around and can't find any direct answers to this. I'm looking for a high gain bass amp that does not need a dirt pedal in front of it.
For example: When playing guitar, if I want a nice clean rounded sound (which I find most bass amps are TO AN EXTENT) I plug into a Fender amp. If I want something to thrash with I plug into a Mesa Dual Rectifier.

What are the Mesa Dual Rectifiers of the bass amp world?!?

I have a Mesa M6 Carbine and find it to be a little tubey and can get some grit from it. I want gain not grit.
Any ideas? I've tried Orange amps and find that those get closer to my goal but there is nothing that is close to being what I am looking for.

Thanks!

Also there are various old Acoustic brand amps that had some pretty wicked distortion on board. Sunn as well had the beta bass.

**CL400Peavey** · #15 10-01-2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

you had me until 100lbs.

How many true 400 watt all tube amps are out there though?

jasonbraatz · #16 10-01-2012, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BbbyBld

Try the Peavey VB-3 overdrive channel.

You should send me one of these so I can do a nice review of it - I have no idea why this thing isn't the belle of TalkBass by now.

edit: And on topic, the Aguilar AG500 has a versatile, wicked distortion section.

**CL400Peavey** · #17 10-01-2012, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonbraatz

You should send me one of these so I can do a nice review of it - I have no idea why this thing isn't the belle of TalkBass by now.

edit: And on topic, the Aguilar AG500 has a versatile, wicked distortion section.

I think cost and distribution both play into this. Not widely available, and the price keeps a lot of people from ordering site unseen. Cost stays high because they are not everywhere and being purchased by the masses.

nitromullet · #18 10-01-2012, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

I wish there was a nice all tube head with simple channel switching like most guitar heads have had for decades.

Fender Super Bassman and Bassman 100T. These could be what the OP is looking for also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc5hRJFAaq4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrK55S0T1_A

**CL400Peavey** · #19 10-01-2012, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

I wish there was a nice all tube head with simple channel switching like most guitar heads have had for decades.

The Classic 400 does this as well.

jasonbraatz · #20 10-01-2012, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

I think cost and distribution both play into this. Not widely available, and the price keeps a lot of people from ordering site unseen. Cost stays high because they are not everywhere and being purchased by the masses.

Plenty of guys on TB buy expensive stuff based on specs and features, though, and a 30ish pound tube head with all the bells and whistles for what an SVT-CL costs seems like something that more than one or two people would have dug on. Is it just the cheezy lights?

Maybe I'll just have to take one for the team.