A good amp for less than $500?

[JaneBass1]

Anybody can suggest an amp for less than $500, either used or new.

I don't have much experience with amp/cab gear. Besides the ones I had used in rehearsal places. I have used a GK 600 amp, through a ?? cab. But I never liked the sound, maybe I didn't know how to tweak it properly.

Reliability has to be a plus. I don't have the budget to buy backup gear, as I read some people have just in case

Thanks for the help.

 

[kirkm24]

A used MarkBass Little Mark II or a used Gallien Krueger 1001 RBII or 800RB.

I think Ashdown is releasing Little Giant Microamps this summer that will probably be pretty good and if I remember right, the 500 watt version was like $300 or something like that.

 

[DanielleMuscato]

I was going to suggest a used Markbass LMII, also. I picked one up a few months ago for $400 and *love* it with my Schroeder 1210L (not very different from your Avatar, neodymium, but a 12+10).

What kind of sound do you want, and what kind of music do you play? What kind of bass?

P.S. Welcome to Talkbass!

 

[j.a.e.r.i.p]

i would suggest the acoustic 200H
if you want features this is not the amp for you, but if you want crystal clear sound and reliability this amp would suite you.

 

[JaneBass1]

I have a couple of basses that I mentioned in my profile.

I play mostly rock and punk, but my roommate was into jazz so much, that it grew on me. So I went to a website and defretted an old yamaha bass. I like the sound a lot, even though the finished job looks like crap.

I am thinking of defretting the other basses as well. So probably I will send them to a pro to do it.

I am hoping to get a sound more towards a jazz, upright bass. But also have the option to still rock. Actually a sound very similar to Pearl Jam's Vitalogy

 

[playibanez]

Saw an Aguilar AG 500sc for 500 at guitar center a week or so ago.

you can keep your eye out for one of those if you like.

Was going to buy an Ampeg v4b for around that a while ago too if you want to go that route.

 

[Jaco who?]

It depends on what you mean by less than 500, but I'd try to find a Peavey firebass/Max700 and use it with a 4 ohm avatar, since it will do 2 ohms and you could add another cab later.

I use a fretless quite a bit through a Peavey Nitrobass with a 4 ohm 2x12 (the Firebass's less powerful twin) and it's great. Not particularly versatile as far as tone shaping capability, but it has a decent clean tone that works well for me.

If you decide later you want something else, the discontinued Genz Benz GBE600 would be a good alternative, since it will handle a 2 ohm load also.

 

[Marcury]

Another vote for the MarkBass Little Mark II. I have the Mini CMD 121P and both my fretlesses (RA MB2 and Ibanez 1305) sing. My fretted P rocks through it too!