How many bass amps (or heads) do you own?

[Modern Growl]

Originally Posted by KJung

...similar to your Puma head

Small correction - I play a TC RH750.

I find it to be the best combination of SS "quick", but also tube warmth. Tight/Punchy - but also warm as well.

The Tubetone knob is very "authentic & real" sounding, in when turned off - I get a wide, deep, fast tone. (Relative of course... there still is that slight compression which I love from the inherent voice of the RH750). But turned up 1/4 of the way, the overall tone softens, mids get pushed up, and the high's and lows compress ever so slightly (like a real tube head - or similar to pushing a 12AX7 preamp section hard).

I see the appeal to having two heads though... but overall I just don't pull the trigger.

My ultiamte would be to have:
Mesa Carbine or GK tone - but in a small footprint.
&
Aguilar DB751 - but in a small footprint (TH500 isn't quite there).

[TheDialog]

ABD kind of guy.
My 1978 SVT could do everything, but it's obviously heavy.
I teach a few private lessons, tour, record etc. and like to have a few different amps for different tones, for teaching purposes and so that I can keep amps in different places if necessary.

Amps:
1961 B15N // 1978 SVT // 1997 B15R

Alessandro Basset Hound

[Ryan L.]

Eden WT 1205 into an Eden D610XST.

Mesa Titan V12 into a Mesa Powerhouse 1200.

Fender Bassman 150.

Ampeg BA110.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by Modern Growl

Small correction - I play a TC RH750.

I find it to be the best combination of SS "quick", but also tube warmth. Tight/Punchy - but also warm as well.

The Tubetone knob is very "authentic & real" sounding, in when turned off - I get a wide, deep, fast tone. (Relative of course... there still is that slight compression which I love from the inherent voice of the RH750). But turned up 1/4 of the way, the overall tone softens, mids get pushed up, and the high's and lows compress ever so slightly (like a real tube head - or similar to pushing a 12AX7 preamp section hard).

I see the appeal to having two heads though... but overall I just don't pull the trigger.

My ultiamte would be to have:
Mesa Carbine or GK tone - but in a small footprint.
&
Aguilar DB751 - but in a small footprint (TH500 isn't quite there).

Ah, I remember now. I was thinking of Nostatic when I posted! I gigged the RH450 as my 'more warm' option for a while and dug it. Nice head, and the 750, with that more open top end would most likely make me pretty happh in general.

You might want to check out the GK MBFusion800 when it finally comes out. It has a bit of the Carbine tone, and is very small. I would wait 6 months after introduction.... GK unfortunately tend to use their customers as Beta testers when releasing an amp, but they seem to eventually get it right. That should be a killer head if you are looking for a wider, brighter, more aggressive and much louder solution.

[Grateful]

Originally Posted by Green Lantern

B. Some want different size amps to meet certain needs. Small combos for instance when they won't need their big heavy amp for certain gigs.

This one here....I have 2: a Carvin MB210 and an STV4-Pro/Carvin 10.4Neo.

[RickenBoogie]

Long ago, when I gigged regularly, I had ONE bass rig and a couple of basses. Fast forward to the age of the internet and TalkBass, I no longer gig at all, (and may never again), but have a couple of recording projects. This has been going on for at least the last 6 yrs, in which time I've bought/sold/ traded so many bass amps/cabs/instruments, that I've now lost track. I have trimmed down to a workable arrangement of 2 complete bass rigs, a small bass combo amp, a small keyboard combo amp, 1 guitar amp, 2 guitars, 3 basses, and 3 synthesizers, along with 4 pedalboards.

[Lenwood Dinard]

I keep a few options ready to go depending on the gig. Bigger venues get the ampeg 6x10 with a MarkBass little mark II on top. Smaller stages get the MarkBass powering a GK 2x10 kickback @ 4 ohms. Of course, when appropriate I use a DI into the mains.
I may not be ready to commit just yet, but this LittleMark II is close to the Silver Bullet.

[DWBass]

I have 2. A Markbass LMIII and a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0. I'm planning on upgrading the shuttle to the 6.2 at some point. I'd also like to upgrade my behemoth Genz 410TXB cabinet to a lighter, newer model.

[bb5000]

5 and increasing, I blame it on my new hobby, tube amp building....100 , 200 and 300W tube heads, a class D 500W micro head as backup and an old EBS preamp/SS power amp. I keep some of them in different practice spaces with various cabs.

[Modern Growl]

Originally Posted by KJung

Ah, I remember now. I was thinking of Nostatic when I posted! I gigged the RH450 as my 'more warm' option for a while and dug it. Nice head, and the 750, with that more open top end would most likely make me pretty happh in general.

You might want to check out the GK MBFusion800 when it finally comes out. It has a bit of the Carbine tone, and is very small. I would wait 6 months after introduction.... GK unfortunately tend to use their customers as Beta testers when releasing an amp, but they seem to eventually get it right. That should be a killer head if you are looking for a wider, brighter, more aggressive and much louder solution.

Funny - I was actually just starting to look into GK... though I'm not tempted enough, I'm still looking.

Your a head connoisseur of sorts. What head would you classify as warm, but with ultra fast/quick punch & transients like the Carbine series? Any other besides the GK MB Fusion?

[KJung]

Originally Posted by Modern Growl

Funny - I was actually just starting to look into GK... though I'm not tempted enough, I'm still looking.

Your a head connoisseur of sorts. What head would you classify as warm, but with ultra fast/quick punch & transients like the Carbine series? Any other besides the GK MB Fusion?

We are going a bit OT here, but quickly, IF you are looking for the Mesa Carbine type tone (big lows, very strong upper mid brightness, lots of treble extension, and while having a bit of 'tube complexity', mainly a solid state hammer type response), the only micro that does that (for better or worse) is the GK micro line, with the current MBFusion coming closest. I would think the new 800 version will come closer to the chest thump of the M9.

A head that is not quite as 'goosed' as the GK, but still quick, fast and punchy, is the Puma900... VERY impressive amp, and more 'musical' (for lack of a better term) than either the M6/M9 or GK micro line to my ear. Big down low but not so much that you need an external hi pass filter, and bright and present up top without going 'over the top' on the grind and sizzle.

IMO. Sorry to the OP, back on-topic!

[Modern Growl]

^ Thanks.

Yes, BOT.

[Russell L]

Well...

Five combos:

Trace Elliot GP7SM 1x15, 200w (retired to home use only, too heavy).
Fender Bassman 150 (mostly home use at second home, but a gig once in awhile for variety).
Fender Bassman 25 (mostly home use for silent practice, although I took it camping once, LOL, and played in headphones under the stars by the fire).
SWR Workingman's 12, 100w (first 112 bass amp, but it doesn't have enough juice for its weight).
Markbass CMD 121H (my regularly working combo for rehearsals and small gigs, and it's damn good!).

One separate head:
Markbass Little Mark III, 300w (may be all I ever need, gigged regularly for 95% of my gigs).

Two speaker cabs:
Markbass Traveler 151P, 8 ohms.

If my Markbass amps had a headphone jack I wouldn't need either of the Fenders. I'd get a Big Bang, but I'm waiting to see if they ever make one that also has semi-parametric mid controls. If they do it'll be the "silver bullet."

[bassfran]

Correct answer for me is D.
I use either an Overton Flyweight 200 head (class D) or the amp section from an old Kustom Charger (SS).

Between them I get a good range of vintage and modern sounds.

[62Jazzbass]

I have a silver bullet amp, my 1976 Ampeg SVT & it's matching 810 cab.

That said, the reality is I am not 23 years old any more; it's not practical for most applications due to the venues I typically play, the vehicles I drive, and my lack of desire to schlep it around all the time. When I do get the chance to break it out though, there is nothing like it!

Over time I have picked up some other stuff, heads and cabs, and I mix and match based on my mood and the demands of the gig or rehearsal.

The other heads are an older GK 400RB, and a Genz Benz Neopak 3.5. The cabs are an Ampeg 410, and a couple of Carvin 210s. I really like the 410, the Carvins get the job done but are nothing special.

If I had to pick a first choice between the two heads, I'd say it was the 400RB. That said, I used the GB the other day at rehearsal and was reminded how much I like that one too (I am not a big EQ nut, but the EQ on that is really sweet - small turns of the knobs produce very noticable and musical results). So really, it's a draw.

[Green Lantern]

Originally Posted by 62Jazzbass

I have a silver bullet amp, my 1976 Ampeg SVT & it's matching 810 cab.

That said, the reality is I am not 23 years old any more; it's not practical for most applications due to the venues I typically play, the vehicles I drive, and my lack of desire to schlep it around all the time. When I do get the chance to break it out though, there is nothing like it!

Very nice! I would be very happy with that amp too. Just need a roadie to carry it to every gig.

My original silver bullet was my Mesa Boogie 400+ head with the Boogie four 10 cabinet. That was so awesome. However the cabinet was so heavy and it did not fit in my car too well. So I traded it to a SWR four 10 cabinet which was not as deep (so it fit in my car better) and it was lighter. It had a brighter tone and though the bass was good, it did not have the full bottom end of the Boogie. Now with class D amps we do not need heavy amps anymore....thank goodness says my 48 year old body.

[JimmyM]

1969 SVT
1964 B-15N
2010 Micro VR
2011 PF350

[Monotheist]

3 Basses:
USA Peavey Cirrus 5 Wenge/Walnut
Spector Rebop 5
fender Geddy Lee Jazz

Head:
Mesa M9 Carbine

Cabs:
Mesa Vintage Powerhouse 412
Peavey 810 TX

Now I'm on the market for a combo.

[4Mal]

A,B, D - not sure that the silver bullet actually exists... Too many musical on physical environments to cover... Not sure about collecting, but being able to cop a variety of sounds is something I've always been into though PW would probably say that I'm really chasing the same sound or vibe but starting in different places with each of those amp/cab combinations. ...at least I'm entertained

[Jack]

48? I was bored of carrying a full stack when I was 18! Though it was an Ashdown in my case.

Out of the current crop of rigs, I wouldn't trade mine for any of them. But a better amp (for me anyway) may be released tomorrow, or my nees, bands or tastes will probably change. For now I'm happy, although I could really use a small but gig-worthy combo for times when I just can't be bothered to tote a rig. Not that the GK+Midget rig is too big or anything, but the cables and plugging in just make it a faff sometimes. Basically, I want a Promethean or a clone thereof.