Why it is that difficult to test some amps?

[vbchaos]

I am currently on the look-out for a new bass head. I play a 1980s trace Elliot AH150 which I ripped from the 1110 Combo a couple of years ago. No doubt, great sound, but not really what I'm looking for anymore...
But WHY for gods sake is it that terrribly difficult and hard to A/B some good/interesting amps? I remember the "good old days" when you just walked into a random guitar shop and they just got everything there.
I just want to A/B 2 amps: The Ashdown ABM EVO III and the new Traynor YBA 300. I live in the Netherlands, and both amps are JUST NOT AVAILABLE here. I contacted some local stores and asked if they can order these amps. But the answer is always the same "the manufacturer-websites do not show a local dealer for netherlands".
So, I have to order them, both, from southern germany (Thomann). I have to pay them 100% in advance (incl. shipping costs) although I just want to test them, wait a few days, be extremely careful while testing (ok, that's for sure anyhow) and have to sent at least one back, on my own costs (maybe even both if I don't like both of them). With only one tiny little scratch, they won't take the amp back or I at least have to pay a bit.
So it always comes down to the opinion of other people already playing these amps - and I hate to rely on such personal impressions! Or trying to get some impressions from records/samples on the web, but honestly, these are not very reliable either. All amps will eventually be compared with Ampeg and it seems that no amps compare to ampeg - If I speak to bass-players of bands that tour around in europe and ask them they always say "**** ampeg - You see them alot in the USA and US bands, because you go to a guitar shop in the US and they have ampeg and that's it". In my opinion: I have nothing against ampeg, in contrast I adore the bass sound of Alice in Chains, but for me, these amps are a bit too expensive.

but OK, maybe somebody here can help me out (I don't expect it but a no-shot is always a miss). As I have no chance to test a lot of amps, here is my impression and experience so far:
I want a certain kind of little grind in my bass sound - Currently I play a BigMuff, but after all sound samples I heard so far, the grind of a good tube-preamp seems to fit me more. So, I definitely want to have a Tube PreAmp. Furthermore I know that I hate compression sounds - I often played a trace elliot SMX 600 on stage because we were often gigging with a band of a friend of mine and we shared amps - he uses the compressor and I don't like that sound, I like the dynamic of my way of playing. But further, I am no sound doctor, I don't want to play a lot with all the knobs and buttons, I don't like the 11band graphic EQ of my TE either. Over both the ashdown and the traynor I read "just plug in, ignore the knobs, it WILL sound". I like a fat and punchy sound with a little grind, sometimes I put a WahWah between bass and amp, and thats it. I am no purist, I don't need an Amp that's worth my car, but of course I am in to spend some money on a good amp.

I play and played trace elliot alot, and.. it is not my sound anymore. I once played a Kitty Hawk (all tube I guess), which was aweful concerning the non-existing bass... I played Ashdown MAG heads, which just do not sound when you set them to a stage-volume. I played Hartke full-stacks and was not able to find my sound in it.
I once played the Ashdown ABM Evo in a store a year ago and I liked it alot, but I was sitting half a meter in front of the ashdown abm410 cab and that's not very representive at all...

Of course I know that nobody can make the dicission for me, but honestly I just wanted to get off of that frustration - Is it the same somewhere else in the world?

[DLaunder]

I'm going to recommend the Genz-Benz Streamliner 900. I'm very similar in terms of my tone goals to what you described and I researched for about a year before switching from my Alembic F1X pre/Carvin power amp/6x10 cabs to the Genz. Kjung has a number of great clips that demo this head that helped me make my decision and I've got to say I'm happy with my choice.

[brianrost]

Originally Posted by vbchaos

But WHY for gods sake is it that terrribly difficult and hard to A/B some good/interesting amps? I remember the "good old days" when you just walked into a random guitar shop and they just got everything there.

I remember those days but that was when there was a lot less choice AND less info about the many brands existing beyond Fender, Acoustic, Sunn and Kustom. Here in New England in the 70s, you saw lots of Traynor and Earth but not much early (tube!) Peavey, West, Woodson, Garnet or other "regional" brands that came and went.

You had lots of small stores you can drive to within a half hour rather than a big box that has the exact same stuff in every store all over the USA

Today there's big time distributors with consolidated brands: btween Fender (and their many brands), Kaman (etc.) and Peavey (etc.) that's all you are going to see with franchises locking out other franchises.

Seems like the only place to go these days is local shops with lots of used gear flowing through all the time. Or take a weekend vacation in LA or NYC

[4-string]

Originally Posted by vbchaos

I am currently on the look-out for a new bass head. I play a 1980s trace Elliot AH150 which I ripped from the 1110 Combo a couple of years ago. No doubt, great sound, but not really what I'm looking for anymore...
But WHY for gods sake is it that terrribly difficult and hard to A/B some good/interesting amps? I remember the "good old days" when you just walked into a random guitar shop and they just got everything there.
I just want to A/B 2 amps: The Ashdown ABM EVO III and the new Traynor YBA 300. I live in the Netherlands, and both amps are JUST NOT AVAILABLE here. I contacted some local stores and asked if they can order these amps. But the answer is always the same "the manufacturer-websites do not show a local dealer for netherlands".
So, I have to order them, both, from southern germany (Thomann). I have to pay them 100% in advance (incl. shipping costs) although I just want to test them, wait a few days, be extremely careful while testing (ok, that's for sure anyhow) and have to sent at least one back, on my own costs (maybe even both if I don't like both of them). With only one tiny little scratch, they won't take the amp back or I at least have to pay a bit.
So it always comes down to the opinion of other people already playing these amps - and I hate to rely on such personal impressions! Or trying to get some impressions from records/samples on the web, but honestly, these are not very reliable either. All amps will eventually be compared with Ampeg and it seems that no amps compare to ampeg - If I speak to bass-players of bands that tour around in europe and ask them they always say "**** ampeg - You see them alot in the USA and US bands, because you go to a guitar shop in the US and they have ampeg and that's it". In my opinion: I have nothing against ampeg, in contrast I adore the bass sound of Alice in Chains, but for me, these amps are a bit too expensive.

but OK, maybe somebody here can help me out (I don't expect it but a no-shot is always a miss). As I have no chance to test a lot of amps, here is my impression and experience so far:
I want a certain kind of little grind in my bass sound - Currently I play a BigMuff, but after all sound samples I heard so far, the grind of a good tube-preamp seems to fit me more. So, I definitely want to have a Tube PreAmp. Furthermore I know that I hate compression sounds - I often played a trace elliot SMX 600 on stage because we were often gigging with a band of a friend of mine and we shared amps - he uses the compressor and I don't like that sound, I like the dynamic of my way of playing. But further, I am no sound doctor, I don't want to play a lot with all the knobs and buttons, I don't like the 11band graphic EQ of my TE either. Over both the ashdown and the traynor I read "just plug in, ignore the knobs, it WILL sound". I like a fat and punchy sound with a little grind, sometimes I put a WahWah between bass and amp, and thats it. I am no purist, I don't need an Amp that's worth my car, but of course I am in to spend some money on a good amp.

I play and played trace elliot alot, and.. it is not my sound anymore. I once played a Kitty Hawk (all tube I guess), which was aweful concerning the non-existing bass... I played Ashdown MAG heads, which just do not sound when you set them to a stage-volume. I played Hartke full-stacks and was not able to find my sound in it.
I once played the Ashdown ABM Evo in a store a year ago and I liked it alot, but I was sitting half a meter in front of the ashdown abm410 cab and that's not very representive at all...

Of course I know that nobody can make the dicission for me, but honestly I just wanted to get off of that frustration - Is it the same somewhere else in the world?

I hear you - the last time I actually tested a bass amp before buying was when I got a 4x10 Calsbro combo. 1988 I believe.

There are some shops here that carry most of the usual suspects, but usually a limited number of models.

I don't get carried away over it though, because testing in a music store only tells you so much anyway. A real band setting is the only way to tell, and as long as most of the bigger online stores have a no-questions-asked return policy, I'm good.

[BassmanPaul]

A store is there to sell equipment. It's not there to allow you to browse through everything on the market. The store will stock only the items that they believe they can sell quickly at a good profit. That has always been the way even back in the good old days!

[will33]

Can you try hartke's LH series amps over there? They're warm, a little tubey with a very simple few knobs to turn, very much "set it and forget it". Or find something with pre and post gain controls for the preamp tube, can dial in various amounts of grit that way.

[scottfeldstein]

Amen to the OP. It's weird that I still get met with shock and surprise when I suggest "try everything for yourself instead of asking for opinions here" isn't always tenable advice for amp seekers.

[vbchaos]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

A store is there to sell equipment. It's not there to allow you to browse through everything on the market. The store will stock only the items that they believe they can sell quickly at a good profit. That has always been the way even back in the good old days!

In this case, the store has no right to be suprised when they run bankrott! For the most people playing music, we're still talking about a hobby, not their job. 1000 Euros for a new amp is nothing I do just by a blink of my eyes, I have to save some money for that and I want to invest this money as good as possible, not in what a store thinks it will fit for me.
I remember when I first bought a bass (in fact, my parents did, I was 12), the guy at the guitar shop took more than 3 hours of time to explain almost everything on basses, amps, quality and what-so-ever, it was really interessting, even for a 12year-old. Our guitar-guy was in a shop to test some WahWahs last year, and the girl from the shop was terribly nervious because he had 5 wahwahs on the floor to test worth more than 1000 euros and she was scared something will break because you step on it with your foot. WTH happened since I was 12?
I of course understand that a small shop cannot stock everything available - That's something for the big suppliers like Thomann, and they are specialised in shipping and only accidentally have a store.
But what really pisses me off is that a normal guitar shop will not order any amp for me to test. And it's not like that they tried, they just don't do it, almost like they do not want to have my money. Or is there just no option to do that? In my naiv opinion they can just order such an amp, if I don't buy it, maybe someone else does - If nobody does, hand it back. I guess the manufacturer whould appriciate this more than only 2 dealers selling their amps in whole europe (what actually appears to be true for Traynor, so how should they ever become popular??)

@DLaunder
I could not find any GenzBenz amps here (GB website show some dealers, but their webshops do not stock GB). But I will look further, I read good stuff about GB. Thanks so far for that hint, I did not have GB on my radar.

@will33
I accidentally can Our local store has Hartke LH amps - As I have bad experience with Hartkes 2500/3500 amps, I did not follow them anymore, but this seems to be a good tryout. Almost too few knobs for mee Thanks for that tip too!!!

@scottfeldstein
Thanks on that! Maybe I should start running a business organising day travels to big guitar shops with a big bus! Or even better: Bringing the store with a bus to us

[JimmyM]

I hear you, but nobody's going to order amps for you on the off chance that you will like one out of the five they might get for you and you'll buy it. If you don't buy it, then they have to find another buyer, and it may be an amp that sits there. Music stores are feeling the pinch, too. I agree that it's tough to buy without trying. But if you have no other options, I've found TB a pretty reliable place to at least narrow down your choices. It's not the same, but at least you can put together a few amps that might be what you want.

[beans-on-toast]

The larger chains have driven the smaller shops out of business. They take this "if we don't have it, you don't need it" attitude.

If you can't find something locally you need to travel. It makes a fun weekend or vacation.

Another option is to attend a music trade show. Musikmesse in Frankfurt is coming up in March.

[mustbampeg]

This is why you buy used. Always buy quality used gear and if its not your sound, flip it for something else. You may have to do this 30 times before you find the one that suits you. But, you won't be out any money other than your initial investment on the first amp you buy. IF you only buy gear you can get your money back out of.

Randy

[BassmanPaul]

OP, back when you were twelve the world was a different place. There were stores that would take the time to show you equipment. Nowadays a lot of that kind of place have been driven bankrupt by the larger suppliers. Sadly that's life.

There are not too many stores that will order you some esoteric piece of equipment. If you don't end up buying that item perhaps nobody ever will! That leaves the store with a piece that they cannot sell - ever. In this time of economic uncertainty there's not a lot of disposable income available to anyone personally or to a store. Thus it's less likely that a store will risk such an order.

[AwkwardLoudness]

It's usually been a case of trying amps after buying them for me. I just can't find certain amps locally especially vintage, boutique, and/or British amps.

[rockstarbassist]

Bc you can't bring the handful of amps you wanna try out to a number of gigs and see how they do...