What cab w/ a Hartke LH500 do you use?

dregsfan · #1 07-03-2011, 04:42 PM

Recently purchased a Hartke LH 500 from a fellow TB'er. I like the sound more than any amp I've had since my Dual Showman I grew up using. Larry Hartke says it was based on the Fender Bassman circuitry and also Alembics F2-B preamp. Alembics website says "The F-2B was inspired by the Fender Dual Showman amplifier." No wonder I'm so pleased with it's sound. .......................... For those of you that have experience with this amp (or just want to make a suggestion), what cabinet did you use? I need a cabinet and want a warm, round, old school tone. I'd prefer a single 12 or 15, but open to suggestions. Thanks for the input.

dregsfan · #2 07-04-2011, 05:22 PM

bryan gibson · #3 07-04-2011, 06:01 PM

Had one for a few months, but couldn't get comfortable with it. Anyhoo, I tried it thru 3 different cabs & combinations therein:

Transporter 4x10 (passable by itself, but lacking in the low end);
Transporter 1x15 (not bad by itself, hard time eq'ing with 4x10 parallell);
SWR WM 2x10 (best sounding of the 3, decent match with the TP 1x15, not much headroom though).

Best setup was the TP 1x15 and SWR 2x10, both on the floor, with my Fender Jazz. When stacking the two cabs, all the squeak, clunk & fret rattle was aimed right at my ears, and with only a 3-band EQ, it was hard to filter out without turning to mud. FWIW, I'm still running the same cabs, but back to my old "Model 2000" Hartke head-sounds better to me, YMMV.

Long story short, any decent 1x15, 2x15, or 4x10 should do the trick. Mixing cabs can be a crapshoot due to different EQ requirements.

knappymer · #4 07-04-2011, 06:18 PM

I use mine with 2 transporter 410 cabs or an 810vx with the horn disconnected. I've had nothing but good results and I've heard pretty much nothing but good things with almost every combination.

bassplayerbob · #5 07-04-2011, 06:19 PM

I had the lh500 first, then got the lh1000. On the lh500 I had my ampeg 4 ohm single 15 and it sounded great for my band, motown, funk, classic rock, reggae and top 40. I use a musicman sterling, older one, 1998. I upgraded to the lh1000 and matching hydrive 410 this year and still sounds really good. Nothing but good words from our soundman.

dregsfan · #6 07-04-2011, 06:19 PM

Thanks Bryan.

dregsfan · #7 07-04-2011, 06:20 PM

Thanks guys.

spaz21387 · #8 07-04-2011, 06:21 PM

Pre fender swr goliath Sr 6x10 it kills but if you want a round oldschool sound I would get a 1x15. I also tried it with an ampeg 1x15 and It was great.

dregsfan · #9 07-04-2011, 06:23 PM

Yea, I've considered a Ampeg 1X15. Also a Bag End S15-D.

spaz21387 · #10 07-04-2011, 06:25 PM

I would try the hartke hydrive 1x15 because most 15s have a low handling or run 2 1x15s

dregsfan · #11 07-04-2011, 06:28 PM

What do you mean by "a low handling" ?

gjbassist · #12 07-04-2011, 06:31 PM

Dr. Bass 1580. Great all around cabinet with a 15" driver, 8" mid and a horn. Just so happens I have one for sale!

Dr. Bass 1580 Cabinet

dregsfan · #13 07-04-2011, 06:36 PM

Since I don't play out (much), that's more cab than I need. Nice looking though.

pgk · #14 07-05-2011, 05:14 AM

a Bag End S15-D.[/quote]

hard to go wrong there, esp with a pair. the mid sized S15L-D is even better. i'll be getting an lh500 soon for mine, my first ever solid state amp. since i've been running a modded bassman head my whole life, a lh500 backup is a no-brainer. i can't wait.

dregsfan · #15 07-05-2011, 06:31 AM

pgk, I take it you've played the LH 500. What did you think? How was your Bassman modded? Thanks for the S15L suggestion.

genstormbringer · #16 07-05-2011, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dregsfan

Recently purchased a Hartke LH 500 from a fellow TB'er. I like the sound more than any amp I've had since my Dual Showman I grew up using. Larry Hartke says it was based on the Fender Bassman circuitry and also Alembics F2-B preamp. Alembics website says "The F-2B was inspired by the Fender Dual Showman amplifier." No wonder I'm so pleased with it's sound. .......................... For those of you that have experience with this amp (or just want to make a suggestion), what cabinet did you use? I need a cabinet and want a warm, round, old school tone. I'd prefer a single 12 or 15, but open to suggestions. Thanks for the input.

The Hydrive 115 is a great choice so is the Hydrive 410 these cabs were built for this line of amps.

pgk · #17 07-05-2011, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dregsfan

pgk, I take it you've played the LH 500. What did you think? How was your Bassman modded? Thanks for the S15L suggestion.

no i have'nt heard it yet. since i know that sound so well i can easily imagine a showman stack with a super clean ss power section. now There's my idea of solid state heaven. is it an alembic pre with a crest power amp? hell no, but i really doubt i'll be dissapointed. i've said it before and i'll say it again, i have to applaud larry hartke for looking after guys like us old school fender bass head loyalists. even fender themselves missed the boat here, so bravo larry for having the cojones to finally do it. yeah, we bassman/showman freaks sneer at master volumes and a million knobs!

pgk · #18 07-05-2011, 09:10 AM

How was your Bassman modded?

heavily, and it stopped being a stock bassman long ago: upgraded power tranny, a huge blonde showman output tranny, 6550's, stock values for the power supply and coupling caps, midrange control added to both #2 inputs, channel 1 converted to a blonde bassman cascode (not cascade) style pre. essentially it's a combo blonde bassman/blackface showman front end with a power section that has far more grunt and headroom than a stock bf showman, and enough clean low end to make you shake your head. a few more small improvements to be made down the line. it's been my main baby for 25 years. a reggae bassist heard that rig in a small club recently and totally flipped out, to give you an idea of the low end whomp it delivers. but i need a reliable backup with a lot of juice, so it's the lh500 for me, no doubt about it

bassplayerbob · #19 07-05-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dregsfan

Recently purchased a Hartke LH 500 from a fellow TB'er. I like the sound more than any amp I've had since my Dual Showman I grew up using. Larry Hartke says it was based on the Fender Bassman circuitry and also Alembics F2-B preamp. Alembics website says "The F-2B was inspired by the Fender Dual Showman amplifier." No wonder I'm so pleased with it's sound. .......................... For those of you that have experience with this amp (or just want to make a suggestion), what cabinet did you use? I need a cabinet and want a warm, round, old school tone. I'd prefer a single 12 or 15, but open to suggestions. Thanks for the input.

Just wondering, what kind of bass is your primary bass? I know my music man basses sound great, but my Yamaha attitude ltd2 is rather harsh and bright.

dregsfan · #20 07-05-2011, 11:30 AM

It's a USA Custom Guitars alder P. body with a J neck (Tele headstock), Delano soapbar in the neck and J pu at the bridge. Passive. I really am happy with it.