The oldest Bass amp Manufactures and best.

gary mitchell · #1 02-18-2011, 05:14 PM

Is Fender the oldest Bass amp Manufacture around, that still making amps. Who are the Oldest and best who have hung in there. who do you think. And why.

DJ Bebop · #2 02-18-2011, 05:16 PM

Ampeg

Sartori · #3 02-18-2011, 05:20 PM

Traynor's pretty old as well.

gary mitchell · #4 02-18-2011, 05:23 PM

I wonder how many are still made in the good old USA. I'am old I remember when that meant something.

Sundogue · #5 02-18-2011, 05:25 PM

Fender - Bassman - 1952
Ampeg - Super 800 - 1949 but meant mainly for upright bass.
- Model 815 - 1951

Blankandson · #6 02-18-2011, 10:49 PM

I had a 1967 Standel 100 watt s/s with 2 x 15 and it was trying to be a Baseman. I think people just bought the Baseman and Standel faded away. Mine was fine, but I blew speakers about every 3 weeks. Used a Gibson SG and a P-Bass. I don't miss it.

JimmyM · #7 02-19-2011, 02:47 AM

ampeg actually started in 1948 with the michaels-hull bassamp.

Sundogue · #8 02-19-2011, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

ampeg actually started in 1948 with the michaels-hull bassamp.

Which wasn't a bass amp at all, but an acoustic pickup meant for an upright bass...aka, the "amplified peg" which was plugged into an amplifier not intended for bass.

Vintage-Blue · #9 02-19-2011, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

ampeg actually started in 1948 with the michaels-hull bassamp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundogue

Which wasn't a bass amp at all, but an acoustic pickup meant for an upright bass...aka, the "amplified peg" which was plugged into an amplifier not intended for bass.

I'm confused. Why wasn't the Michael-Hull Bassamp a bass amp? It was developed while Stanley Michael and Everett Hull were partners for a few years (1946-1948) and Hull continued to refine it after they separated and Hull formed the Ampeg Bassamp Company. It was a completely separate product from the "Ampeg" pickup.

JimmyM · #10 02-19-2011, 09:16 AM

ya, the amplified peg was a whole separate product.

wcriley · #11 02-19-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vintage-Blue

I'm confused. Why wasn't the Michael-Hull Bassamp a bass amp? It was developed while Stanley Michael and Everett Hull were partners for a few years (1946-1948) and Hull continued to refine it after they separated and Hull formed the Ampeg Bassamp Company. It was a completely separate product from the "Ampeg" pickup.

"Bassamp" was difinitely the model name for an amplifier.

It seems that Ampeg continued using the "Bassamp" designation after the introduction of the electric bass guitar as seen by seperate inputs for "Electric Bass" and "String Bass".

Sundogue · #12 02-19-2011, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

ya, the amplified peg was a whole separate product.

According to Ampeg's own website, the amplified peg was plugged into kind of an "all purpose" amplifier...not one dedicated to bass.

But really what does it matter, since Ampeg DID make the first dedicated Bass Amp a couple years before the Fender Bassman anyway.

Both are, obviously, still going strong.

KramerBassFan · #13 02-19-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundogue

....
Both are, obviously, still going strong.

After numerous leadership changes....

Sundogue · #14 02-19-2011, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KramerBassFan

After numerous leadership changes....

Which is inevitable given they've been around so long. How many leaders would an innovative music equipment company go through in over 60 years?

tombowlus · #15 02-19-2011, 08:37 PM

Definite shout-out to both Ampeg and Fender. To mention some others, though, while not the oldest, Mesa/Boogie deserves some attention as being around for 40+ years and remaining under the same ownership. Carvin has been around even longer - and stayed under the control of the same family, the Kiesels - but I am not sure when they started making bass gear. Bob Gallien's also been doing his thing since the late '60s.

stevetat · #16 02-19-2011, 08:43 PM

KramerBassFan · #17 02-19-2011, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundogue

Which is inevitable given they've been around so long. How many leaders would an innovative music equipment company go through in over 60 years?

I know, my comment was more tongue in cheek than anything else.

Peavey is also forgotten here.

JimmyM · #18 02-19-2011, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundogue

According to Ampeg's own website, the amplified peg was plugged into kind of an "all purpose" amplifier...not one dedicated to bass.

and that's exactly why everett hull had the michaels-hull bassamp built.

jelwood · #19 02-20-2011, 01:04 AM

Yeah Ampeg the name has definitely been around the longest, but I wouldn't count any companies that have changed ownership here. Tom B pointed out the best candidates, then: Mesa, Carvin, GK (Peavey? But they aren't strictly bass). Not that this has to be a competition, just saying, sometimes when ownership changes...bad things happen, *cough*

Duke21 · #20 02-20-2011, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

ampeg actually started in 1948 with the michaels-hull bassamp.

Didn't Fender introduce the Bassman-59 to match the Precision bass? I mean, Maybe Ampeg had the first double bass amp, but Fender made the first amp for "electric bass", or?