I'm so tired of searching for a reliable and affordable bass combo!

[2milehighspike]

Trust me on this one ..... GK MB112 or 15!!! you can't go wrong!

[johnny b]

Dude get a genz-benz 6.0 combo,its killer loud almost for any gig or rehearsal, if u need louder add a small but loud 12" or 15" to it! Maybe GB 12" OR CARVIN'S EXTENSIONS 210,115,112 CABINETS,there loud & clean and reasonable prices

[1958Bassman]

Originally Posted by bassman74

I have a 350$ store credit, i'd like to use the store credit to buy the new combo or head/cab. This store is only selling fender, ampeg and tc electronics amplifiers so i do not have a lot of choices.

My budget is 550$

Got it.

Aside from assuming the amps were all lemons, what could have contributed to them failing? You had four, right? Did you try a different outlet when the one didn't turn on? Is is possible that you have an electrical problem in the house and have you tested it to rule this out? It happens. Any chance it was plugged into a switched outlet? I only ask because I assumed my TV went bad and it turned out to be me, not noticing the switch for the outlet (I didn't even know it was switched because I only used one of the two receptacles).

[bassman74]

The only amp i used at an High volume was the ba110, the volume was approx. At 7 out of 10, with bass at 1 o'clock, mid at 9 o'clock and high was flat.
I played with this setting twice for an hour an a half. If sounded great until it started cracking one month later.

The other 3 combos, were défective out of the box.

[bassman74]

The ba112 didn't left the store, we tried it in 3 different power outlet without success. There were other amps using the same 3 power outlet, they were all working.

At home, i used different electrical device in the power outlet, including a computer and nothing happen to the other stuff.

I'm not complaining, just deceived because i really like ampeg's tone.

I just wish i could clap my hand and an affordable, reliable and great sounding amp Will appear!!!

[Russell L]

Maybe you should omit the "affordable" part. I have a Markbass combo that rocks and is very reliable (CMD 121H combo). But I paid $980 for it.

[mystic38]

Personally if you are concerned about longevity of an amp, I would stick with a simple design in a rugged box.

I could not recommend the BG250.. it is a nice and capable amp, but to me it seems fragile, unreliable and has QC issues...

The two GC local to me both have them on demo, neither works.. every other amp they have does...

I personally am on my second, and it also is faulty...(1st dead tuner, this has dead DI out)

ymmv but thats my experiences.

[vaesto]

Hi,

I strongly advice to look at the Ashdown. MAG series, 1X15 or 2X10. Build like a tank, sounds great. IMHO best performer for the money. Simple and effective. Only pros is weight...

Vaesto

[bassman74]

I was seriously thinking about buying something more expensive.

I still have the bassman tv twelve in mind, my only gripe is 750$ plus tax for a 150 watt combo, i was expecting something that i could gig with at this price.

[Sid Fang]

It's your money and your music, but I'd tend to agree that if you're going to spend $750 you should have a giggable rig. I've gigged with a 150W combo, but it's an EBS, and they are both more conservative than Fender in their power ratings and more efficient than Fender in their speaker/cabinet designs, so I can't promise you that the Fender could also do the job. If you really really like the sound and build of the TV 12, maybe it's your best path, but don't let yourself be up-sold (again) to something you don't really want. Your best option to get a giggable rig at the lowest cost remains buying used gear of higher quality. Again, does the shop with which you're dealing also deal in used gear? What's their excuse for not giving you a full refund? Did you hang onto that first Ampeg for several months or something?

[boristhespider9]

Too bad you can't get a Markbass.

[Russell L]

Originally Posted by boristhespider9

Too bad you can't get a Markbass.

+1. I'd recommend a Jeff Berlin combo. My 121H combo is giggable, but not for a rock gig. I am currently running a separate Little Mark III head with one or two Traveler 151P cabs. One cab alone can do a moderate-volume rock gig, but two is better. But, the one cab can do a lot more than the one 12" in my 121H combo. The Jeff Berlin will go a LONG way.

Personally, I don't mind paying the price for something that will please me and be extremely reliable.

[mpdd]

my start playing again combo was a 200 watt marshall ibs 115 combo, 100 dollars at a garage sale, i'd look for a similar deal, another good find was an orange 100 watt combo at a pawnshop for 100 bones, i wouldn't over think this save some money have some fun

[DiabolusInMusic]

The BA series are a major production blunder, from the littler practice amps to the stage worthy amps. I bought a BA210 years ago, and I will never buy another (Asian) Ampeg again after getting a replacement SVT-6 Pro which also had issues.

For those that say you got a lemon should read around, they BA series are notorious for failing. You didn't get 3 lemons, the whole line are lemons and a few good ones slipped though to other people.

I personally like Fender amps but their rumbles not as much, I don't have experience with the TC but I would certainly consider them when looking at a new amp, they make quality gear in my experience. I also love markbass amplification but their cabs have a noticeable mid range bump that is not for everybody, so that is why I wouldn't recommend a combo from them. Heads I recommend all day long, their cabs are not for all.

[VanillaThundah]

Originally Posted by bassman74

I have a 350$ store credit, i'd like to use the store credit to buy the new combo or head/cab. This store is only selling fender, ampeg and tc electronics amplifiers so i do not have a lot of choices.

My budget is 550$

If you just need a combo for practice, get a Fender rumble combo. They aren't packing tube preamps or 3-way crossovers but they are solid amps and sound good for SS. You could always throw a preamp pedal in front of it if you want to beef the tone up some, but I use the 15w one at my vocalist's house and it sounds pretty good for an 8" speaker....the bigger ones should be great.

[bassman74]

their excuse is that they will be stuck with it a used ba108 when it will come back from the repair shop. Man i played it 10 minutes and it`s used!!!!

They agree to refund the extra money i paid for the defective ba112.

here's what i'm interested in:

1) Fender tv twelve combo
2) tc electronic bg250
3) fender rumble 150 + tech 21 vt bass pedal
4) maybe a GK mb200 + an affordable 115 cab and + VT bass pedal
5) ampeg ba115hp (just not sure becaus emy experiences and reviews)

[bassman74]

i forgot about fender bronco 40, i just read great comments about it, it,s great for practicing but maybe not so great with a drummer

the main problem is the $$$ i just went back to university and it is very expensive

[bassfran]

I would go with your #4 option.

(Sorry to hear about all the trouble you've had.)

[Sid Fang]

Originally Posted by bassman74

the main problem is the $$$ i just went back to university and it is very expensive

I think you need to fight like hell to get all your money back from this shady operator of a store you're dealing with, and buy some good quality used gear. I think I must have been playing for at least 20 years before I bought my first brand new amp. It would have been unthinkable in my student days.

I'm really not sure what the best way to pressure these guys for a full refund would be. How high up the store management chain have you gone? Sales droids and first-level managers are trained to always say no and hope you'll just give them your money and go away. If you have musician friends in the area, particularly some who sometimes shop there, and you can persuade them to come with you, so there's a small crowd of angry customers and not just one easy victim, that can change attitudes. If you're going to make a scene, make sure you do it at a time when there's a maximum of other customers in the store. The only *sure* way to get your money back is for someone responsible at the store to believe that they'll lose more money going forward if they screw you now.

[garmenteros]

Buy a fender cab, a 210, and get a used gk400rb.