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AMP BH420 Hey look what I found!

Frankie Fender

Frankie Fender

Jul 13, 2004
2,019
2,272
First Coast, FL
#1
I just picked up an AMP BH420 online sight unseen and am very happy with it. Thunderous low end! I rehearsed with it a few times and will be gigging with it this Friday night.

I have owned SWR heads in the past (Bass 350 & Bass 750) but they were nowhere near as warm sounding as this amp. It does have a brittle top as some have described, but the bottom and mids all sound punchy and as low as you ever want to go. I swear it has more of a tube sound than any SS head I have heard including all the quasi-SS's that had tube preamps.

I run it basically flat but it does have a wide range of settings and sound. Thanks to the TB'ers for bringing this head to my attention, your opinions were right on!

This amp truley is a sleeper and I shudder to think that the Thunderfunk improves upon it. Someday I will have to check one of those into the stable too. Needless to say I am very happy with it and it cuts through great with the Berg. It is approaching perfection. :D

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#6
the dude said:
Hey Frankie -

You giving up on using your 70's SVT?

...or is this just an alternative for less hauling?

At any rate nice basses, cab & head!

You've got great taste!
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Thanks Dude. Depending how the gig goes, I think i have found the lightweight alternative. That SVT kicked my @ss at my last gig.
I loaded in all our PA by myself plus my rig up a flight of stairs, then played four sets. At the end of the night I had help carrying it all down, but I was bushed. That's what got me thinking of a lower weight head. If I *really* like what I hear Friday, the SVT may have its days numbered.
 
#8
Frankie Fender said:
Thanks Dude. Depending how the gig goes, I think i have found the lightweight alternative. That SVT kicked my @ss at my last gig.
I loaded in all our PA by myself plus my rig up a flight of stairs, then played four sets. At the end of the night I had help carrying it all down, but I was bushed. That's what got me thinking of a lower weight head. If I *really* like what I hear Friday, the SVT may have its days numbered.
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Boy, does *that* sound familiar! Assume (as in my band) you're about the only guy who can also hook up/run the PA? Oh well, beats the alternative (renting PA and having some goofball who doesn't know sound.)

Hope your lead singer also plays guitar (so he at least has to haul his little 40 lb combo!) Nothing worse than a singer who owns no gear and hauls no gear while the rest of us make it happen. (Been there...)

I've not tried my TF with the NV610 yet - I'm still grinning about the sound with my '72 SVT :D . Looks like that will be next up.
 
#9
the dude said:
Boy, does *that* sound familiar! Assume (as in my band) you're about the only guy who can also hook up/run the PA? Oh well, beats the alternative (renting PA and having some goofball who doesn't know sound.)
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I'm sure glad there is someone out there who understands.
BTW my SVT also peels paint teamed up with the Berg but I'll probably only bring it out after I heal up. :bawl:
 
#10
Those are a rare find, Congrats FF!

I used to have the AMP SL-1, which is the pre-amp side of that famous head-amp. Lot's of possiblities with it, almost gooey tubey possiblities too... especially from a SS pre. The eq controls are laid out real well and has an amazing feature, a tone knob... great simple tone tweek.

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...here's my old one.
 
#11
Congrats! I love mine, although its a Gibson GB440. It´s really strange that these amps wheren´t a bigger hit back then. The market might not have been ready for them. BTW mine came with a rack kit that looks stock. I have it in a rack right now.
Here´s a pic of one like mine:
 

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#12
SMASH said:
"Turn up the 'good', turn down the 'suck' !"

I didn't know those AMPs came rackable. Or is that an aftermarket kit?

Frankie, that's not a Fender P Bass is it?

Congrats on the cool amp. Mind saying what it cost? I love my Thunderfunk and Gibson BH440, wouldn't mind getting the triumvirate happening with an AMP too. Maybe Brad Johnson will post his collection of these.
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Thanks for all the compliments. I did a google search for an AMP BH420 and found a store that had it listed on a used items sheet, made a call and that was it. The AMP came with removeable rack ears that run the entire depth of the case, they look stock and leave room for the handle. I paid $325 shipping included. I thought it was a good price, it is in very nice shape. It is more than 2 rack spaces so I have it in a 3 rack-space case with a 1 spacer overlapping to fill the gap.

Good eye on the P-bass It is not a Fender, but it is a Fender design. Solid alder body with a jazz neck/ebony fingerboard, and all aftermarket parts with SD basslines QP's- incredible sustain and punch!

The Jazz is actually a Fender 75 RI (Japanese made) solid American Swamp Ash body with a Warmoth neck/Brazilian Rosewood 1/4" slab fingerboard, with Lane Poor jazz pu's, once again great sustain and incredible low end!

I will definitely be looking for a Thunderfunk in the future although I may hold out to see if Mr. Funk comes out with any different models, then again, who knows? I can be very impulsive.
 
#13
the dude said:
Boy, does *that* sound familiar! Assume (as in my band) you're about the only guy who can also hook up/run the PA? Oh well, beats the alternative (renting PA and having some goofball who doesn't know sound.)

Hope your lead singer also plays guitar (so he at least has to haul his little 40 lb combo!) Nothing worse than a singer who owns no gear and hauls no gear while the rest of us make it happen. (Been there...)

I've not tried my TF with the NV610 yet - I'm still grinning about the sound with my '72 SVT :D . Looks like that will be next up.
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Dude'ster
I'm guessing you like the NV610.... go ahead ... make me feel like I should have kept it ....
If I go back to a sealed Bergie, it will be the 425 or 215 most likely, I just love the way they are designed. Great to move for a larger cab and they look soooooo cool. Anyway I hope you're are enjoying the BergieLove.
 
#14
Big String said:
Dude'ster
I'm guessing you like the NV610.... go ahead ... make me feel like I should have kept it ....
If I go back to a sealed Bergie, it will be the 425 or 215 most likely, I just love the way they are designed. Great to move for a larger cab and they look soooooo cool. Anyway I hope you're are enjoying the BergieLove.
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As Frankie will tell us, NV cabs rule! (esp. with a 70's SVT)

I'd also like to snag a 425 and a 215 (if I could find 'em used and in as good of shape as the NV610...)
 
#15
SMASH said:
Other than some upgraded features such as Speakon output (newer models), cooling fan (on some), ground lift (on some), DI out, etc., there may be no advantage to you in doing so. All of those features are shared by the Gibson save the Speakon, fan (totally unecessary), and ground lift. The AMP has fewer features but I can't recall offhand which ones (DI I believe ... you tell us?).
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True, True. Some differences I have noticed is that The AMP does have a DI out (post EQ only) and the Enhance switch is either on or off and footswitchable (it is not variable, like the TF Enhance)

As an added bonus the AMP is also biampable with separate high and low outs (to another amp presumably) with a variable crossover point. Not that I would ever Biamp, I like it running full range. and it also has the Tone control which is very useable, I believe that it either boosts the highs and cuts the lows at the same time or boosts the lows and cuts the highs - pretty cool. I believe it is the predecessor of the TF Timbre control. When I thin it out to about 3 o'clock position my jazz almost resembles a Rick 4001 (at least I like to think it does)

Can't wait to jam with it tonight. We will be playing in a club with about 100 people. WHOOP!

I will check back to let you all know how it goes.

FF
 
#16
SMASH said:
Fascinating.

The Gibson and TF also have post-EQ only DI, with level control. But both also have an unbalanced out that's pre-EQ. That bi-amp feature on the AMP sounds cool. Pls post detailed pics of the front and back if you ever get the chance?

Good luck with the gig.
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I think I screwed up the DI, it is pre-EQ, I was at work and going from memory. Anyway, here is a shot of the back and follow the links for many more pics.

FF

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#19
j-raj said:
Those are a rare find, Congrats FF!

I used to have the AMP SL-1, which is the pre-amp side of that famous head-amp. Lot's of possiblities with it, almost gooey tubey possiblities too... especially from a SS pre. The eq controls are laid out real well and has an amazing feature, a tone knob... great simple tone tweek.

Invalid Link Removed
...here's my old one.
Click to expand...

I also have the preamp version, I traded a cab for it last month. It sounds *great* but has an odd quirk, sometimes I have to turn it on twice . . . It always powers up on the second time so it's no biggie. I'm not sure I'll keep it, only because I'm very happy w/ my current rig.
 

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