Thunderfunk TFB 550?

Circus · #1 04-13-2005, 06:08 PM

Hello everyone, looking at an amp which would work well for both electric and double bass. I have exchanged a few e-mails with dave from thunderfunk, he assures me that if the tube emulator switch is off on the tfb550, it is a great double bass amp. I have read that the tfb 420 is not the greatest for double bass, well, not as good as say, a clarus or walter woods. I guess I can always order it and give it a try, I live in Canada so there are no dealers near me. Has anyone else tried this amp with double bass? Thanks!

hdiddy · #2 04-13-2005, 07:07 PM

No but for about the same price/wattage/weight you can get an EA iAmp500. Many TBDB'ers are very happy with EA products, including me.

Circus · #3 04-13-2005, 08:00 PM

The EA is actually quite a bit cheaper, I can get one for about 800 canadian, the tfb 550 is around 1000 american, but the ea stuff does look very interesting. Maybe an iamp 500 and 112 for double bass, and just get a different cab maybe for larger electric gigs.

tombowlus · #4 04-14-2005, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Circus

The EA is actually quite a bit cheaper, I can get one for about 800 canadian, the tfb 550 is around 1000 american, but the ea stuff does look very interesting. Maybe an iamp 500 and 112 for double bass, and just get a different cab maybe for larger electric gigs.

Yes! An iAMP 500/800 with one Wizzy for upright, and two Wizzy's for louder/electric gigs works great!

Nuno A. · #5 04-15-2005, 02:00 AM

I have an EA iamp 500 + Wizzy, couldnt be happier.
Sounds great, very portable, endless tone shapping possibilities.

NUNO

c-ba55 · #6 04-16-2005, 01:23 PM

I can't compare the Thunderfunk to those very high-end amps,
but I was quite pleased with how it handled my EUB. It definitively filled out the sound to be closer to a DB. I've only played my DB briefly through the TF rig, since it's major overkill for me. It sounded very good, certainly.

macmrkt · #7 04-18-2005, 08:04 AM

My experience is with the iAMP 500, Clarus SL and Focus. On DB - the Clarus SL and Focus are more revealing in the midrange, yet retain a rich, tube-like sound that makes them preferred over the iAMP500. The iAMP500 has a more neutral sound that may be preferred for BG, depending on your instrument and taste. The iAMP500 also seems to have more low end punch, again on BG. By the way, the Clarus SL seems to me, at lower volumes anyway, to be a tad purer sounding than the Focus.

**Chef** · #8 06-05-2005, 08:02 PM

Bump for more info?
Anyone used the TFB550 with "the switch?"
It has broader eq range than the iamp eq section, and the "tube emulator off switch" is supposed to throw the amp into a much more hi-fi sound....which I have not heard in person...

Thunderfunk · #9 06-05-2005, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Circus

Hello everyone, looking at an amp which would work well for both electric and double bass. I have exchanged a few e-mails with dave from thunderfunk, he assures me that if the tube emulator switch is off on the tfb550, it is a great double bass amp. I have read that the tfb 420 is not the greatest for double bass, well, not as good as say, a clarus or walter woods. I guess I can always order it and give it a try, I live in Canada so there are no dealers near me. Has anyone else tried this amp with double bass? Thanks!

Since alot of the information in this post comes from my emails, I need to clarify some things. No one ever said the TFB420 wasn't a great DB amp. It's just that some players preferred a more sterile, less colored sound for DB, as provided by the WW, iAmp, EBS, or Clarus. A tonality I didn't prefer. But you're question is an amp for BOTH electric AND DB. Many players using it for both are quite happy. I'm just trying to be honest with you and not just saying, "Oh yea, you'll be thrilled." But if you want a "clean" tone for DB you're going to be giving up some of the warmth of a "colored" sound for electric. 21 months ago I modded an amp and had Victor from LeAnn Rime's band check out both designs. I preferred the original tonality, and didn't change the design. The Switch on the TFB550 came about when I realized I could offer both options in one amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chef

The "tube emulator off switch" is supposed to throw the amp into a MUCH MORE (emphasis added) hi-fi sound....

Chef, I try to make it clear to anyone considering ordering one, that the change in tonality with The Switch is slight, not "much more." You are correct in saying that The Switch is an OFF switch. The amp without the switch is a Tube tone design. The Switch removes the guttiness, and some upper mid-range "honk" and gives the amp a more glassy high end. But, if you don't have good speakers, a good bass, and a good touch, you may not notice much difference. It's not an EQ shift, or some other type of emphasized, fake tonality. I can't comment on whether you'd like the change or not. That's something you have to decide for yourself. Todd VanSelus now has a TFB550 with The Switch and will soon be posting samples of it for you to hear. That amp will then go to AccuGroove in Santa Clara, where you can check it out. And three of them are going to Green Square Music in Australia, all with The Switch. And Atlanta Bass Gallery should also have one this month. I feel that the TFB550 with The Switch provides the most flexibility of any amp out there for doing "double duty."

**Chef** · #10 06-06-2005, 06:02 AM

I think it's real nice to have vendors here to explain their product, thanks Dave! Thank for the basstasters sample too-Alan