New to Micro Heads...

Raoul_Duke · #1 07-16-2010, 12:07 PM

Okay, guys, I'm looking for some recommentations on micro heads. First things first!!!

Quote:

DUrR I REKAMENDM Y HEAD LAWL!1!!"

I realize that this is what these threads usually become. That being said, I'm genuinely inexperienced with these little guys and I have some specific needs, so anyone who has owned one and feels like offering me some input, it would be greatly appreciated!

I need something with decent power (600-1000 watts), light in weight of course, and that doesn't color the sound a whole lot right off the bat. I'm looking for something with an extermely simple layout. Think Alembic F1X. If theres a graphic EQ or more than 6 or 7 knobs, I'm not interested.

I'd go try some of these things out, but I don't have a store within reasonable driving distance that carries any.

fivestringgecko · #2 07-16-2010, 12:19 PM

I bought my Shuttle 6.0 sight unseen (with the safety of Musician's Friend's return policy) and can't tell you how much I like it. 600 watts at 4ohms, tube preamp, 4-band parametric EQ (don't worry, not too complicated

), three shape switches (which I hardly ever "need" to use) and only 4lbs. It fits in a small laptop bag, which has pockets/storage for other things like power/speaker cables, earplugs, manual, finger exercise book, etc.

I use it to power an Avatar 2x10 & 2x12 stack and it sounds amazing... tight, punchy and loud, and it can really get some low end thunder going. You should see the looks I sometimes get when I pull out that little amp with one hand, put it on my cabs and tell people it's 600 watts. "Nah, couldn't be!" Then I play. lol

I usually head for the Markbass LMII if I play something at GC, and definitely like that amp as well. It has a little less power, but weighs about the same and sounds pretty good too. I don't really have any "real world" experience with it to comment much more than that, but I do like it.

5sg.

Double Agent · #3 07-16-2010, 12:23 PM

Given your power requirements, the Genz-Benz Shuttle 9.0 would be a nice choice. It is not the simplest head out, but it isn't terribly complex either. 3-band EQ with semi-parametric mid control. Variable filters, which you can just not use if you don't want to. The most complicated thing about it is the separate gain and volume controls for the preamp, which allows you to drive the preamp tube into some mild overdrive. To me, that isn't complicated at all.

Here is a video review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqancBS121M

Burlington · #4 07-16-2010, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double Agent

Given your power requirements, the Genz-Benz Shuttle 9.0 would be a nice choice. It is not the simplest head out, but it isn't terribly complex either. 3-band EQ with semi-parametric mid control. Variable filters, which you can just not use if you don't want to. The most complicated thing about it is the separate gain and volume controls for the preamp, which allows you to drive the preamp tube into some mild overdrive. To me, that isn't complicated at all.

Here is a video review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqancBS121M

+1

I bought my 9.0 sight unseen and I could not be happier. Lots and lots of headroom and amazing tone, even flat. I recommend turning on the bass boost filter, then dialing the bass knob down from noon a few clicks. Just sounds amazing.

RFord04 · #5 07-16-2010, 12:41 PM

The MarkBass LMII or LMIII or both pretty clean amps, though they are a little less power than you're talking (500 watts at 4 ohms). There's also the LMTube 800 which puts out a pretty clean 800 watts with the added option of a tube in the pre. I haven't tried the Genz Benz amps yet but I would love to based on their positive feedback here.

4Mal · #6 07-16-2010, 12:52 PM

unfamiliar with the search function as well apparently ... There isn't much out there in the weight class you mention, 600 to 1K watts. Given the real difference in output between a 500 watt head and 1 K watt head - which is not much acoustic difference at all - I'd be looking at the GK.

I use the MB2-500 (A07) as my micro. Love it.

fivestringgecko · #7 07-16-2010, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFord04

I haven't tried the Genz Benz amps yet but I would love to based on their positive feedback here.

All the love for the Shuttles I kept seeing is exactly what made me order one.

+1 to Double Agent and Burlington, the Shuttle 9.0 sounds like it would be just the ticket for you.

5sg.

Raoul_Duke · #8 07-16-2010, 01:18 PM

Quote:

unfamiliar with the search function as well apparently ... There isn't much out there in the weight class you mention, 600 to 1K watts. Given the real difference in output between a 500 watt head and 1 K watt head - which is not much acoustic difference at all - I'd be looking at the GK.

I use the MB2-500 (A07) as my micro. Love it.

I'm familiar with the search option, used it, and couldn't find the information I was after (at least not after 15 minutes of looking).

Also, thanks for the input.

mizzou541 · #9 07-16-2010, 01:23 PM

If you're looking for simple and powerful, might check out the Ashdown Little Giant 1000.

Ric Vice · #10 07-16-2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raoul_Duke

Okay, guys, I'm looking for some recommentations on micro heads. ............

I think that the Genz Benz heads have a little edge over the MarkBass Little Mark series in that the pre amp has FET's (Feild Effect Transistors) that have a very warm sound even without the tube. I've played them both and found that the Shuttle 3.0 had the sound that's similar to my older Walter Woods MI-400-8 the grandaddy of micro heads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raoul_Duke

I realize that this is what these threads usually become. That being said, I'm genuinely inexperienced with these little guys and I have some specific needs, so anyone who has owned one and feels like offering me some input, it would be greatly appreciated!.......

I play through the Shuttle 3.0 10 combo at Webster University for their Jazz Camps in the summer, it's a very lightweight. powerful little combo amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raoul_Duke

I'd go try some of these things out, but I don't have a store within reasonable driving distance that carries any.

Unless you are in a very big city it's almost impossible to find many of these heads. Guitar Center in St. Louis doesn't have them, heck they don't even have any of the GK 500MB's!

Raoul_Duke · #11 07-16-2010, 02:02 PM

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Unless you are in a very big city it's almost impossible to find many of these heads. Guitar Center in St. Louis doesn't have them, heck they don't even have any of the GK 500MB's!

Yeah, man. I live about 10 minutes from Elderly Instruments, which is one of the better places in the midwest, and they don't have any Genz Benz, TC Electronic, or Markbass heads. I really hate to buy anything without sampling it first, but these heads seem to have good resale value and I'm hoping enough input will nudge me towards a first purchase that I'm happy with.

Anywho, the comments are all helpful and appreciated, so thanks.

lposavad · #12 07-16-2010, 02:15 PM

As much as I really, really like my Carvin BX500, I don't think it's a contender for you.
First off, it has a parametric eq plus graphic eq (read: many many knobs); second, I don't consider it a 'flat' response amp, as I had to add quite a bit of bass to meet my tonal needs (standard classic rock growl); third, it's 'only' a 500 watt / 4 ohm head (I remember owning a monstrous 250 watt amp, but that was the late seventies...).

Having said all that, the rest of my amps (including two Edens) stay home these days. I get the tones I need from the Carvin, it's light, and it's cheap.

Double Agent · #13 07-16-2010, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raoul_Duke

Yeah, man. I live about 10 minutes from Elderly Instruments, which is one of the better places in the midwest, and they don't have any Genz Benz, TC Electronic, or Markbass heads. I really hate to buy anything without sampling it first, but these heads seem to have good resale value and I'm hoping enough input will nudge me towards a first purchase that I'm happy with.

Anywho, the comments are all helpful and appreciated, so thanks.

If you're unsure about what to buy, the best way to "try" them out without taking a hit on the resale value is to buy used via the TB classifieds. Do some research (like you are doing in this thread), decide on 2-3 that look the best according to what you are finding, then wait for one to come up in the TB classifieds (or Ebay, but I would stick to TB. You'll have better luck here IMO.). Play with it for a while, if it floats your boats, you're done. If not, you can usually sell for the same as you bought it for, minus shipping which is very cheap on these amps because they are so small and light. Sometimes you can even do a trade to get what your looking for. Repeat until you've either tried everything or found something that kills you desire to look for anything else.

Thing is, if you play out you really can't know what will work best for you until you try something on a gig. Actually, until you try it on at least 2-3 gigs. Just playing something in a music store will give you an idea, but you won't really know if it fits the bill until you use it with the band. Keep doing your research and when you feel like you have an idea which direction to go, take a leap and see what happens.

jelpo · #14 07-16-2010, 05:05 PM

I recommend Markbass Little Mark Tube 800. It's 6lbs, puts out 800 watts @ 4 ohms, and to my ears has a clean wide sound. No graphic eq, but more the 7 knobs, but it's very intuitive to use.
http://www.markbass.it/products.php?...cat=1&vedi=101

B String · #15 07-16-2010, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raoul_Duke

Yeah, man. I live about 10 minutes from Elderly Instruments, which is one of the better places in the midwest, and they don't have any Genz Benz, TC Electronic, or Markbass heads. I really hate to buy anything without sampling it first, but these heads seem to have good resale value and I'm hoping enough input will nudge me towards a first purchase that I'm happy with.

Anywho, the comments are all helpful and appreciated, so thanks.

The only dealer in the USA who sells Markbass is Guitar Center. I live in Los Angeles and I only know of one place that might have a small amount of Genz Benz Stuff. I haven't see the TC line anywhere, but they might have it at the Bass Exchange. Maybe.

The one thing is...These heads all sound very different. I've owned most of the brands mentioned above, and I ended up with the Shuttle 9.0. Works for electric AND upright bass. Works with just about any box I've paired with it. It has a warm, articulate, sort of open sound out of the box, and the eq is pretty usable and simple. Your mileage may vary.