Would a tube PA be good for bass?

capnjim · #1 12-10-2010, 12:23 PM

So I have a chance to trade for a 200 watt all tube Garnet PA head(Vocal pro 200) 4 el-34's. I have been dying to get a tube amp. I had a Traynor custom special and miss it and have been trying to get the sound with many many SS amps. I can't find any Ampegs or traynors in my price range, but can do a trade for the Garnet. I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron so I can maybe do some mods myself.
The size and weight are not really an issue as I jam in one place and don't really gig.
Whaddya think?
Thanks
Here's a link to the ad.
http://montreal.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-...AdIdZ247649091

MAMMOTHvolume · #2 12-10-2010, 12:33 PM

yeah, that'd be great for bass. I think that'll do nearer to 100watts, but if it is doing the 200, be very careful what el34s you go for

SurferJoe46 · #3 12-10-2010, 12:37 PM

The old-guys rule of thumb:::

If it's good enough for a PA, it's great for a bass amp.

IF it has some raw wattage, then since (as all we old school fartheads know) a PA amp is basically voiced for pretty close to the same freq response as a bass and the human ear, then YES it would be a good thing.

I would have no fear for the trying this and I have even used my Peavey PA-100 4-channel combo for exactly the same purpose - but be careful if it has drivers that aren't quite up to the 40-cycle stuff.

craig.p · #4 12-10-2010, 12:48 PM

It MIGHT work for you, but four EL34s in every amp I've ever seen or played through will give you only around a hundred watts. And if it's a PA head, it may not be designed to be flat down to typical BG frequencies. (In a tube amp, that costs money.) But if you don't need a lot of power, and if you're not looking for really deep bass, then maybe . . .

JGR · #5 12-10-2010, 12:56 PM

See if you can get a schematic for it. You could switch the EL34's to 6550's and beef up the power supply capacitance to help out, but if it is only 100 watts, I think you will be somewhat limited in volume and headroom.

capnjim · #6 12-10-2010, 01:12 PM

Thanks for the replies..I should have mentioned that I had, for a while, an old Showman and it was *almost* enough power with just my Aggie 1x15..just missing a touch of headroom, but it sounded great. Why don't I keep these things?
I did see a picture of the garnet with the back off and the OT is huge! Its more a voicing/tone thing. Just wondering if it will likely give enough low end.
The Garnet can do 4 ohms so I plan on using it with my GS115 and an Eden 2x10.

Rumblefisher · #7 12-10-2010, 01:15 PM

I like the beer ring on the top. It adds tone

Hmm...for $650 you can get better stuff. ALSO, and I speak from experience, the older tube amp stuff will probably need changed caps, re-soldering of loose connections, etc...

Check out the TB classifieds...for that money you can get some pretty great stuff designed specifically for bass, say a Peavey VB-2.

Rumblefisher · #8 12-10-2010, 01:21 PM

Peavey VB-2
Mesa Boogie Buster FS
FS/FT Peavey VB-2 All Tube Head
F/S: Traynor YBA200 DC Area
1972 Traynor YBA-3 Custom Special amp (local sale: DC area)
FS: Mesa 400+ w Gator Case

Quick search yielded some pretty good results...

capnjim · #9 12-10-2010, 01:24 PM

Unfortunately..I have no cash and nothing is selling these days. The item I am trading is worth 300-400$ so its not 600$. I am also in Canada and it too expensive to ship a tube head.
I can do a cap job myself.

T-Bird · #10 12-10-2010, 01:43 PM

Hi.

I'd go for it, unless it's really a 4*EL34 200W head.

In that case You're SOL on finding any EL34's that will work in that amp. Any CP tube will melt in a sec.

I'm not saying it ain't possible, stranger things (amps) has seen the light of day.

Regards
Sam

s_mcsleazy · #11 12-10-2010, 01:49 PM

i love p.a heads for bass

sound so meaty

craig.p · #12 12-10-2010, 02:46 PM

Jim, where did that 200W figure come from? That sounds way off spec for that class of glass bottle.

Also, transformer size may be the limiting factor WRT how deep that amp can go at full power.

JonathanD · #13 12-10-2010, 02:50 PM

I like my Fender PA135 4 channel head for bass.

capnjim · #14 12-10-2010, 03:44 PM

Well..its a vocal PRO 200, so I assumed its 200 watts. Probably closer to 120. My long gone Beloved Traynor was 130 watts with 4 EL-34's, so this, being another Canadian amp is probably similar and probably has the same transformers...Like I mentioned, the OT is huge!
Here's a link to another for sale with really good pics.
Check out that OT!!!
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/detai...lnt_condition/

Loel · #15 12-10-2010, 04:41 PM

capnjim,

May i ask what you are trading for the Garnet,
do you still have the 32" jazz?

seamonkey · #16 12-10-2010, 05:14 PM

I bet it's a SS preamp/mixer part.

capnjim · #17 12-10-2010, 05:20 PM

I'm trading an old Silvertone amp-in-case. Its a one owner guitar and is as close to mint as you will find.
I still have the 32" jazz..its my main bass and a keeper.
Its an all tube pre-amp..I think its 4-5 pre-amp tubes.

lowphatbass · #18 12-10-2010, 08:45 PM

If you try it and it isn't right for your needs will you be able to get as much $$ for it as you could sell the Silvertone for? Few people want to buy vintage tube PA heads and use them for what they were originally designed for, the market is mainly guitarists looking to modify them for their specific needs. These old units are almost considered just "parts" so great condition doesn't bring much of a premium which drives priced down.

Rick Auricchio · #19 12-10-2010, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capnjim

Well..its a vocal PRO 200, so I assumed its 200 watts.

That's like assuming a BMW 535 can go 535 miles per hour.

kosmicwizard · #20 12-10-2010, 09:14 PM

But if you try it out and are happy with it, I mean if it sounds better than what you are trading for it, then go for it and save up your money until you can get something better. Don't let other people tell you what to do, let your ears decide what is right in your particular circumstance. Cheers