Micro Amp With The Most Tube Growl?

[john nam]

Can someone tell me which micro amp (or light combo) comes closest to producing the most tube growl?

I'm not looking for the warm vintage tube sound nor the fully electric guitar distortion tube sound either; just slightly overdriven, growly, tube sound.

An example of the tone I'm looking for is on "Black Velvet":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkXNEmtf9tk

So far, the TC RH450 comes closest to me, and you can hear it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWT5zv15iBs

How much does compression come into play with this sound?

I've had both ver. 1 & 2 of the VT Bass pedal and no matter how I set it, it just sounds mushy and distortion guitarish to me instead of a tight, growly tube sound.

Can the Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal do this? What about the TH 350?

I understand I will be getting a lot of responses that say "A real tube amp is the only way!", but I'm really looking for a micro amp that comes close.

[Bongokid]

I think that if you wanted the "black Velvet" bass sound. Your going to have to put on a set of flat or round wounds to get a (less ting) sound. The tone seems to be cut significantly. Regarding the amp.... I don't know. I've got a Micro Vr that might do the trick, although if your looking for more than 200 watts you'd have to think away from Ampeg.

[jlepre]

STM-600 or STM-900. I can only speak for the 900, but I'm sure there are others with the tone you seek.

Not sure what you mean by tube GROWL, but for warmth and break up the STM's from Genz Benz are very nice.

[CL400Peavey]

I second the Streamliner recommendation.

[bassgod0dmw]

The Walkabout can do a nice job. I'm not really sure if that's considered micro though.

[KJung]

Genz Streamliner - Wide open tube tone... deep but warm
Mesa Walkabout - lots of pleasant growl with that tube like deep, bloomy low end
Aguilar TH500 - deep, open bass, and lots of tube-like midrange complexity... it GROWLS
TC RS750 - lots of mid warmth, low end kind of emulates a sealed 10 sort of vibe (warm mids, tight bass)

[tbirdsp]

Originally Posted by john nam

Can someone tell me which micro amp (or light combo) comes closest to producing the most tube growl?

An example of the tone I'm looking for is on "Black Velvet":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkXNEmtf9tk

I think he's playing a fretless bass (despite what you see in the vid) and that is a big part of the sound on this particular song.

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

The Walkabout can do a nice job. I'm not really sure if that's considered micro though.

Agreed. If you can't handle the 1-12 Walkabout, you are looking for one tiny rig. You can even get a little overdrive if you have the right pre tube installed.

By the way, the bass sound on Black Velvet is a keyboard. Just saying.

[pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by tbirdsp

I think he's playing a fretless bass (despite what you see in the vid) and that is a big part of the sound on this particular song.

Actually the bass has keys




edit: two fingers beat me to it . . .

[Bossco]

+1 on the Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout.

[Johno Dunn]

Check out the PF series from Ampeg. I have a 350, and I can get that tone.

J!

[Roadkill]

Originally Posted by tbirdsp

I think he's playing a fretless bass (despite what you see in the vid) and that is a big part of the sound on this particular song.

The album version is a synth.

[GRAHAM SG1]

Streamliner 900 does it for me with plenty to spare
I see the Ampeg PF mentioned, I have the 500 and find it very disappointing in the growl department

[Steve Dallman]

I got that tone using my fretless with Labella nylon tape wounds on it with some mid increase, and digging in a bit. I used a GK1001RB, but could have done it with any amp that didn't have a big mid dip.

[Zoomie]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

The album version is a synth.

5 string maple neck fretless synth..........with flatwounds!

I just went through the same thing you're going through and looking for the same tone. I wanted something to offset the 45 pound Kilo.

I went with the Streamliner 900. I tried to head in a different direction. None of my music friends (whose opinions I trust) would let me.

[Steve Dallman]

I read a lot about the bass on that song, when we learned it several years ago. It was a keyboard, but was likely playing bass samples, probably of the songwriter's bass, who was a bass player and played with Alannah.

My fretless is a 5 and we did play it in Eb. Most of the time, I used a flat wound setting on my Line 6 Variax 5 and got close enough...again, if I dug in a bit at the right places.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by Steve Dallman

I read a lot about the bass on that song, when we learned it several years ago. It was a keyboard, but was likely playing bass samples, probably of the songwriter's bass, who was a bass player and played with Alannah.

My fretless is a 5 and we did play it in Eb. Most of the time, I used a flat wound setting on my Line 6 Variax 5 and got close enough...again, if I dug in a bit at the right places.

For emulating that tone on bass, that is all about a strong low mid presence with lots of 'complexity and harmonic distortion'. A bass with big old classic Bartolini soap bars (like a Roscoe), with the blend favoring the bridge pickup, and the player digging in relatively close to the bridge (fretless or not) will get you there.

Of the amps mentioned, if that was the vibe I was going after, it would be the Aguilar TH500 all the way.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by two fingers

Agreed. If you can't handle the 1-12 Walkabout, you are looking for one tiny rig.

I was just referring to the head, which IIRC is like 13lbs vs. 6.5lbs of a Streamliner 900 (which some people don't consider a micro either).

[ThisBass]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

The album version is a synth.

+1

[PlungerModerno]

Micro?

Tube growl?

Gallien Kreuger MB fusion - 500 and if you can wait a while there's an 800 on the way!

Have a listen http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...BqxrjgU#t=198s