I need an amp that is reliable

[greencow]

Original post follows, jump to page 3 to see the developments sofar.

Hi.

I haven't been on talkbass in a while, actually spent some time playing my instrument. But now the GAS has struck again.

Actually my Marshall MB4210 decided to start functioning as a heater(again) in adition to producing lovely sounds. I want this to be the last time an amplifier fails on me.

What I'm looking for:
I am looking for an amp in a price range up to 700 euros but if it's 700 euros it better be damn good.
Power: 200-500w
DI: Has to have a usable DI, the on in my Marshall gave me some trouble in a couple of gigs(to hot) and I decided it was safer to use a separate DI.
Reliability: This amp will spend about 10-15 hours being used every week and will also ride to a couple of gigs every month. It has to be reliable.
Sound: I'm verry happy with the sound of my Marshall. In a sense that it has many, many sounds and all of them depend on the instrument and the way I play. I have noticed that some amps take almost no regard to where I pluck the strings or if the tone knob on my bass is turned all the way up or about midway.
Bells and whistles: I don't need distortion, if it has a tube or tube emulation to get some warmth in my sound I love it. For distortion there are better things the a single gain knob.
I don't need a compressor, mainly because the one on my Marshall stinks and I've never used it. Also I am a dynamic player. If, however the compressor is good, and by good I meand decent enough to make my playing in a recording less dynamic I wouldn't mind giving it a shot.
A tuner is something that might add to value but is not a necesity.
EQ: I am a fan of parametric/semiparametric EQs or 4band EQs. Hate graphic ones though.

Other equipment I use: A Yamaha RBX270(I know I know, she's as cheap as they get) with 50-105 flats, mostly use the neck pickup. This thing beats MIM Fenders out of the watter for me. The neck isn't covered with a sticky layer of something and I really don't like active electroncis in my bass.
Play fingerstyle. That's right no slap or pick, I can't even play fingerstyle properly yet.
Also have a Boss GT-10B, but I am a bit dissapointed in it and mostly use it for short gigs and recording ideas at home.

Also I will need a cab with 2x12 or 2x10 speakers and a tweeter. It can't be to heavy. Right now carrying the marshall up to the fourth floor is not as fun as it sounds. Actually replace the heavy with heavy to lift. Some of you may know the difference(The MB4210 is to big to be held in a way that is comfortable. Also some amps that weight a ton only have one handle). I like the idea of stacking cabs the way TC electronics does, it gets the speakers up to my head level. The cabs should also be heavy duty.

Now to my problem. Normally I'd just go to the local music stores and try out some amps. But I live in Estonia. Sofar 2 of the local stores have had the Eden EN400 with a 4x10" cab.
I haven't gone to try it yet, simply because the 4x10" is an instant dealbraker.One of the local stores should carry Ashdown and one should carry EBS. Also there should be some MarkBass here and there. I think that EBS and MarkBass will go out of my pricerange though, as the cabs are also quite expensive and although I haven't set a pricepoint for the cabs I feel like I shouldnt spend more than 1000 euros on an amp and 1 cab if they are really really good and I get to try them out first.

Also i have acces to thomann.de cyberstore and i am willing to buy from there, only the maximum price will drop a bit if I'm buying blind.

Pour upon me the wisdom you have, masters of talkbass.

[greencow]

Just wanted to add a few questions here.

First about TC electronics:
The BH 500. Is it any good. Just seems so much cheaper then RH amps while delivering the same power and functions?

Also I'm a bit confused about the cabs. The BC series have a lower power rating and come with a tweeter and have lower power handling then the RS series. Again the price makes me wonder if the BC seies lives up to the reputation of TC Electronics.

On a sidenote. The BH 500 is advertised with BC cabs and RH amps with RS cabs. However The BH500 and the Classic 450 for instance are both rated at 500w and the peak power for the BH500 is actually higher.

is the 500w the rated power into 8Ohm and the peak power what you get when using 3 TC cabs(2.7Ohm?)
Or is the peak power the power output hen the amp is cliping. If so then is this rated at an 8ohm load or a 2.7ohm load?

In the end: Is the BH series setup a reliable option? Is it ok to use the BC cabs with the classic 450 or any other RH head?

The second notion on the list is MarkBass

I remember a lot of talk about Markbass cabs not living up to the amplifiers. I also see a lot of people using non Markbass cabs with markBass heads. What is the reason for using alternate cabs and what would be some good choices?


I had forgotten how fast topics fall of the first page here in TB, I hope some of the information also finds it's way into this thread.

[will33]

If you want an amp that is reliable and will get the job done each and every time you ask it to, get a peavey.......or an old fender tube amp.

That's about the only things you can rely on to do that....oh, and qsc poweramps.

[poorbassist15]

Originally Posted by will33

If you want an amp that is reliable and will get the job done each and every time you ask it to, get a peavey.......or an old fender tube amp.

That's about the only things you can rely on to do that....oh, and qsc poweramps.

+1 for the Peavey...never had one fail.

[dmusic148]

You haven't really told us what sound you're after. But I'm gonna guess and say you're a rock guy. If I were you, I'd get a GK800RB and an SWR Golight 2x10 and call it a day. Reliable as a brick, great sound, plenty of power, very easy to carry. The GK can power more/bigger cabs if you need, and you can find used ones(here) all day long. The 2x10 is great sounding and very light. There is one in the classifieds now, but I doubt the seller will ship to Estonia.

[Kwesi]

Now folks, THIS is how you ask for gear suggestions. I vote that this be stickied for that reason alone.

Originally Posted by greencow

I remember a lot of talk about Markbass cabs not living up to the amplifiers. I also see a lot of people using non Markbass cabs with markBass heads. What is the reason for using alternate cabs and what would be some good choices?


I had forgotten how fast topics fall of the first page here in TB, I hope some of the information also finds it's way into this thread.

As far as rigs and junk go I'm not the most knowledgable person in the world but I've tried my fair share. I can't say whether or not Markbass heads outshine their cabs but I can say for sure that the reason I didn't keep my old 104HR is because the thing was DARK! At the time I was playing Spectors, some of the brightest basses I've ever laid hands on and the Markbass rig (the head was a Little Mark II) was just too muddy for me. Really, I can't tell you how it sounds but a Markbass Little Mark III (sounds just like the Little Mark II) or F500 would fit your criteria just fine. They sound good, are VERY portable and seem to fall well within your price range so I'd say their worth a look. I'm sure someone else could give you a real tonal description of either (calling Kjung ).

Here's a clip of my old Spector Euro 4LX going from my old LMII straight into my computer:

‪Casiopea - The Sky Bass Cover‬‏ - YouTube

Originally Posted by will33

If you want an amp that is reliable and will get the job done each and every time you ask it to, get a peavey.......or an old fender tube amp.

That's about the only things you can rely on to do that....oh, and qsc poweramps.

I sincerely hope this is a joke otherwise it is one of the silliest things I've ever read on TB. That includes Eric Albany's posts.

[Kwesi]

I meant to say above, Markbass amps seem to work very well with any cab their paired with, so much so that even before I was shopping around for a bigger cab (I had an Epifani PS112, fantastic little thing), I took my LMII to every music store I visited. It just sounded great paired with whatever.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

You haven't really told us what sound you're after. But I'm gonna guess and say you're a rock guy. If I were you, I'd get a GK800RB and an SWR Golight 2x10 and call it a day. Reliable as a brick, great sound, plenty of power, very easy to carry. The GK can power more/bigger cabs if you need, and you can find used ones(here) all day long. The 2x10 is great sounding and very light. There is one in the classifieds now, but I doubt the seller will ship to Estonia.

GK800RB is a great suggestion. That and a bag end S15d or two would do you VERY well.

[dmusic148]

Yep, that ^ would work, too. Lots of cabs to choose from these days. Any of the decent ones would be OK. But the amp is key, get a good one.
I forgot to mention, Markbass TA-501, which I also have. Very nice with my Goliath II Jr. cab.

[MNAirHead]

Originally Posted by poorbassist15

+1 for the Peavey...never had one fail.

I've never had one fail...

Can't say this about my Eden(s), Hartke(s), Mark Bass(es), Mesa, etc.

Unfortunately we Yankee Americans may not be qualified to discuss what you can get in Europe.

[greencow]

Thanks for the info sofar. One of the local stores said they carry MarkBass. In here it may verry well mean they have one combo sitting in the corner or something. In a country with about 200000 people per a music store bass amplifiers are not sold as often as one could imagine ; ) I'm gonna take some time and jump through there at the end of next week. Also, would the Little Mark 250 be something I could consider.
The amp itself really doesn't have to be small or extra lightweight. It's the cabs that I would like to be able to manage.

Also I got a call from the store that carries Ashdown. They have the 500w evoIII. For some reason I find it hard to trust something that needs a VU meter though. Anyone here can share their experience with these, seem a bit cheap. Also the cabs weigh a bit more then I'd like.

There is a Peavy tour450 available but the store has no decent cabs to try it with.

I have seen a GK once in my life. They are rare around here to say the least.

Would still love some hints and info on the cheaper stuff from TC. One of the options would be to get a RH 500 with a BC cab and later upgrade to RH head and amp if I feel like it. I'd be getting these things from thomann though so no playing them before buying.

As to the sound I'm after: Warm, mellow, oldschool. Sometimes I do like to get a bit more agresive with my attack and play something more funky. By warm mellow and oldschool i don't mean muffeled. As I said the amp should bring out the instruments personality not create it's own sound. If my Marshall can do taht, then there must be others out there.

[scottbass]

Along with Peavey, I also have long-term (more than two decades) experience with Carvin, and have found their amps to have rock-solid reliability as well.

Of course, there are no Carvin dealers in Europe, and I don't know if the VAT or whatever you would have to pay to have one shipped would totally ruin the value equation.

[Cb4rabid]

I have a Peavey head and cab from the 80's. Still going strong, this thing will outlast my children. Reliable? I would say so

[hdracer]

Peavey!!!! You can not kill them!

‪Peavey TNT 150‬‏ - YouTube

[Darknut]

Amps that I found reliable & unreliable in my 30 years of gigging ... on the road & off:

70's era Acoustic:
I had a 370 head & it was a total POS it broke down on me a lot I mean a lot!

Peavey:
Mark IV head ... Never failed once ... I had 2
Pro Bass 1000 preamp & Deca 700 power amp ... Never failed once
Tmax 500 Never fail yet .. I still use it


Ampeg: except for a few really old 200 lbs tube heads almost every Ampeg I ever touched had some sort of issue ... I'm not a Ampeg fan at all ... especially the new ones.

Trace Elliot: pre-gibson AH600 head ... 4 years on the road .. never failed

I had a old GK head that I did actually blow up but it took a year extreme abuse to do it ... GK's are tough

[greencow]

After a litle bit of googling I decided the Cheaper TC electronics stuff is probably not the safest bet. Gonna see about that Peavy, maybe I can find a cab to try it with. It had a graphig EQ though, and I just loathe these things. Mainly because of the Hartke boom that has taken over this country. Who in their right mind makes speakercones out of aluminum....

Also to check out Markbass

[runmikeyrun]

A graphic EQ on a head is a very invaluable tool. Those Peavey 450 heads are pretty good for the money. As much as you hate Hartke, I had a 3500 head years ago and it was dead reliable and sounded great. Tube and SS preamps, switchable graphic eq, blendable effects loop, high and low shelf controls, it was a very versatile amp. Try one through a GOOD cab (I hate aluminum cones as well) and you may like it.

[dukeisdog]

Originally Posted by runmikeyrun

A graphic EQ on a head is a very invaluable tool. Those Peavey 450 heads are pretty good for the money. As much as you hate Hartke, I had a 3500 head years ago and it was dead reliable and sounded great. Tube and SS preamps, switchable graphic eq, blendable effects loop, high and low shelf controls, it was a very versatile amp. Try one through a GOOD cab (I hate aluminum cones as well) and you may like it.

I use the tour 700 and would recommend it to anyone looking for an inexpensive head. Graphic EQ gives tons of tonal options, has lots of power, an octaver (though ive never used it in a band setting)

I love mine, I'd say you should try it out if you get the chance.

[LiamPodmore]

Ashdown ABM do the warm old school tones pretty well i'd say, and the VU Meter is just a feature that all Ashdowns have had, just a different way of showing you when the input is clipping than just a light. Yes, the cabs are heavy, but you don't have to use the Ashdown cabs with it.

Liam

[Cb4rabid]

Originally Posted by Darknut

Amps that I found reliable & unreliable in my 30 years of gigging ... on the road & off:

70's era Acoustic:
I had a 370 head & it was a total POS it broke down on me a lot I mean a lot!

Peavey:
Mark IV head ... Never failed once ... I had 2
Pro Bass 1000 preamp & Deca 700 power amp ... Never failed once
Tmax 500 Never fail yet .. I still use it


Ampeg: except for a few really old 200 lbs tube heads almost every Ampeg I ever touched had some sort of issue ... I'm not a Ampeg fan at all ... especially the new ones.

Trace Elliot: pre-gibson AH600 head ... 4 years on the road .. never failed

I had a old GK head that I did actually blow up but it took a year extreme abuse to do it ... GK's are tough

+1 to the Peavey Mark series. I have the Mark VIII which is older than me and it sounds great. Doesn't have a scratch on it. Peavey stuff can survive a nuclear attack over and over again.