I just got back from driving home from Georges Acoustic USA "R & D Facility". I drove 11 hours to pick up some vintage dirt bikes on Friday night/Saturday morning and after that rendevous, another 5+ hours up to visit with George. It took me 8 more hours driving home yesterday, but hey, I had to make sure that George wasn't planning on spending my planned down payment on cardboard cutouts like some uninformed goofs on Talkbass were suggesting in reference to the New "Acoustic" USA 360/361 amps. I met George, and was in his shop BEFORE he started this tremendous undertaking a number of years ago chatting with him, buying Tolex and actually trying out a restored original Vintage 360 at that time. In fact it was the ONLY 360 I had ever played through before Saturday!
I have been playing bass through Acoustic amps since 1980, starting with a store demo model 470 using various JBL cabinets, including a Sunn 215BH loaded with 2-JBL 2226H drivers that the band referred to as the "coffin" because it had wheels on the side, and also handles on the side and was killing us to load it into our bus, then around 1983 or so I found an almost new 320/408 that I played through for 8 years, ultimately changing the stock Eminence speakers with 4-JBL 2226H PA system speakers for high volume THUNDER like you never imagined. I, like so many others finally after 8 years of lugging a 408 around with almost 80 extra LBS of magnet weight with the JBL's decided on something smaller and found a 406 narrow cabinet and used it for a while but hated the insert cup handles on the back. Just like 301 cabinets, they cut your hands unless you move it palm up, which is akward.
I bought a Hartke 7000 amp, which I still have as a spare, and I tried 1, then 2 Ampeg SVT-18E cabinets, a litte later 1, then 2 SVT PRO Isovent cabinets, ultimately replacing the dual Isobarically loaded 16 Ohm 15" Eminence speakers with JBL 2226J 16 Ohm speakers, which was a killer combination, but made the cabinet 40 LBS heavier and very unbalanced on the handles and akward to even load and unload. I put all 4 of the original Eminence 16 Ohm speakers from the 2 Isovent cabinets in my 408 cabinet and after painting the center cones on the 2 forward facing speakers white, a nice gentleman from Chicago drove down in his station wagon and bought my first 320/408 with covers and the 406 narrow cabinet also. I needed the money, but it brought tears to my eyes to see them go.......
I bought a couple of wide 406 cabinets, one that I put JBL E140's in, (nice well defined bright sound), and another that I still have with JBL E145's in, (almost as clear sounding as the E140's but much more volume capability), but they now need the surrounds replaced after 3-4 years of punishment. I also bought a rough empty 408 cabinet that I sold after deciding I wanted a nicer one, and I bought an all original 408 cabinet with original Alnico V magnet Eminence speakers, (the best version in my opinion), that was the 1st 320/408 sold in the Chicago area right after they came out in 1977 and later sold it to a fellow forum member, because I needed the cash. So goes the life of a musician, and so on.
I had a 270, a 370 3 different 301 cabinets with original speakers, then JBL E155's, (great all around sound), then used the 301 cabinets in my PA system with killer JBL 2242H drivers in them, but too bassey sounding for a bass guitar, no definition, just thump. I sold my cargo van and downsized to a more fuel efficient Honda Pilot, great vehicle BTW, but sold the 301's and kept 1 406 wide cabinet with JBL E145's. A while back I drove from Illinois to Denver Colorado after a gig that night into a blizzard, dropping from 58 degrees to -16 along the way to buy my current 408 cabinet with JBL E140 speakers for $400. I will not sell it, EVER, so don't even ask!
Sorry for the information overload, but after 3 days worth of driving jammed into 2 days, I need a nap. Onto my comparison:
I stated earlier that several years ago I played through an original restored 360 at Georges place. I had my trusty Hand Made 1983/84 BC Rich Warlock 24 frett bass with DiMarzio pickups and Fender Flat Wound strings. My instrument of choice, flat wounds, John Paul Jones smooth but serious loud and rounded notes of pure tone that cut through the room effortlessly ALA 360, the legendary tone.
My impression at that time was that I could reproduce that sound with my 320/408 or 320/406 setup. I have always applauded Russ Allee's masterpiece, the 320 amp. It can do it all and make any sound that I want to play because of its many combinable features. Pure and simple, light years ahead of it's time, and it still is! The original 360's are great, but in my opinion, the 320/408 or 320/406 comination is hard to beat, especially with the right speakers.
Fast forward to yesterday May 22nd around 5:00PM. after spending an hour or more talking with George and hearing all of the hurdles that Acoustic USA has had to jump through regarding UL listing testing in the USA, seeing early versions of pre-amp and the UL requirement changes and the changed versions and nit picking updates required to make it so, I looked at some of the different combinations that are coming out, some assembled some in testing stages near completion and played through 3 different setups. I will tell you about the 360, but this is true about all of the models I tested, but since I was there to try out the amp I will be buying and plan on putting money down on one of them as soon as they get the go ahead, 1 word can describe what I found;
CLARITY
I love the sound of my 320/408/406. The New "Acoustic" USA 360/361 is clear as a bell at excessive volume when the shelves in the store shake. It sounds equally clear at any level. My 320 doesn't sound that clear, sorry Russ, but you wanted to know. Some people, including myself have voiced their opinion about 301/360 type cabinets not being clearly heard while on stage. Not this one. Clear and crisp, punchy, smooth as silk, but still well defined. I'm not much to play with knobs especially on a 1st test drive, but there is a lot of variation of tone and level of crispness or moderation that can be achieved, but it would take a couple of weeks to figure them all out, not a couple of hours. I do understand the Vari-Amp a little now, kind of like a shape boost or cut in a specific area or group of notes. I used that feature on a Harke Kickback 12 I had once, and once more familiar with it, I am sure I would like it also, especially on lower volume setting when wanting a bottom end boost in a certain range. This amp makes you humble. I kept reminding George that I am just a hack, but I have been hacking away at bass since 1973, so that must be worth something.
The notes are so well defined it scares me that anyone in the audience will know when I make a slight miss fret or hit a wrong note. It cuts though the room like no combination of Amp/cabinet I have ever owned. You can dial it back and make it warm and smooth, but it still cuts through.
I initially hated the idea of having a horn, I thought "that's just not right". My Isovents had a horn with an adjustment, yuck, hiss. This can't be a horn, even though I saw it with my own eyes. No hiss, period! Just a smooth extension of frequency range. And you can turn it off, although I like it on with my flat wound strings. BTW, a few years ago the neck twisted on my BC Rich, which I still have and still plan on trying to have it fixed some day if I can, but now I have a USA Fender Jazz bass with an S-switch (always on), but still with Fender flat wound strings, and (bummer) only 20 frets. I love the JPJ sound of Whole Lotta Love. It Rocks! And so does the new "Acoustic" USA 360/361 and they are sooo close to product launch. The sound is fantastic, the look is absolutely killer, and I'm IN! Michael R. Winter, Newton, IL.
P.S.
If the made in China music companys had to get USA UL listing, they would have closed their doors and went home with their tail between their legs long ago. Thank God that George, Mark, and Russ, and the entire gang have vision and committment to quality 1st and are sticking to it!
I've been reading your posts here for quite a while.
