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Aguilar choice - AG500 or Tonehammer 500

H

HipCity

Guest
Oct 26, 2011
31
3
#1
I`m planning to buy a new amp and have the possibilty to buy one of these amps. Would really appreciate if anyone who has tried both these amps could give me some input.
Whats the difference between them in terms of sound? Best option if you play soul/ funk and don´t need glassy highs? Also interested if anyone has any experience of playing both electric and upright through these amps.

/Hugo
 
#4
I'm thinking of the same thing. I get 3 paychecks this month (dont you love when that happens?) And I was thinking of pouncing on the brown AG500 over at theperfectbass.com. But it's gone now!
Still, I am liking the idea of a two channel head. Even if it is solidstate.
I do have to make some accommodations for my aging skeleton.
 
#5
HipCity -

No opinon on the AG, but I do have the TH500. My words to define it: fat, warm, clarity, tubey

I love it to be honest. I have a Streamliner to compare it to and to be honest it has a lot more in the midrange going on which I'm definately a fan of.
 
#6
Can't really see any reason to choose the AG500 over the TH500 unless channel switching was a major benefit for you.

I'm not a DB player, but would not think the wooly, big tone of either of these amps would be particularly DB friendly.
 
#7
I just bought my friend's TH500 I auditioned a couple weeks ago.

I've only heard the AG on live recordings & it does sound great, but it didn't sound like the TH
AG sounded clean, modern, TH to me seems fat & dirty (just how I like em).
U can get it clean, but it seems to pretty much always have a li'l give-fudge-there. Even with gain low & drive off it's still a li'l crunchy.
 
#9
I found the AG's EQ to be very limiting. I haven't tried the TH but sweepable mids are a thing of beauty.

With upright - If you are using a pre/DI such as a Baggs then I imagine you would be wanting the cleaner option, The AG. EQ would not be an issue.
 
#10
I prefer the AG series stuff over just about anything they make. I have an AG500SC going through a pair of GS212s and I do play soul/r&b, among other things. Cabs make an even bigger impact on your sound than amps do, especially if you're deciding between the DB and GS Aguilar cabs.
 
#13
I've owned both, and prefer the TH500 in every single way, it's a great amp. Not to say the AG isn't good, it's also great but I prefer the tone of the TH. If you want to hear the difference I've done videos on my youtube channel with both, using the same bass/cabs/mic (but no direct comparison videos unfortunately). Should give you little a bit of an idea.

http://www.youtube.com/user/damienlangkamer?feature=mhee
 
#14
Owned both. The only thing similar IME is the name. If you are doing soul/ funk the TH is the way to go. The AG is a totally different animal compared to the rest of the line.

However, I think the overdrive/agro channel sounds better on the AG
 
#15
DamienLangkamer said:
I've owned both, and prefer the TH500 in every single way, it's a great amp. Not to say the AG isn't good, it's also great but I prefer the tone of the TH. If you want to hear the difference I've done videos on my youtube channel with both, using the same bass/cabs/mic (but no direct comparison videos unfortunately). Should give you little a bit of an idea.

http://www.youtube.com/user/damienlangkamer?feature=mhee
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting. You sound amazing through both. Nice recording setup.

I like my AG 500, but this thread is giving me GAS for a Tonehammer.
 
#17
I've had both and to my ears the TH500 sounds closer to my DB750 just minus the ridiculous power and about 40lbs

The AG500 was nice too, but I never found the dirt as useful. The eq on the TH seems more user friendly to me than the AG as well. In fact, I think the AG had more flexibility, but also sounded more like my SWR amps in a clear crisp sense.

If I'm going to carry the 2 rack space and 16 lbs of the AG500, I'd rather bring my DB750. For my purposes I find the TH500 a great sounding and powerful amp in a convenient package.
 

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