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All-tube amp advantages?
- Thread starter Hambone 70
- Start date
Now that sells it to me!
And that!
And it's probably a lot harder for some low-life scumbag to steal a 50 pound amp from a bar...
That's why I load in my instruments first, then amps, then cabs, and load out in the reverse order. Way more worried about someone making off with an easily carried bass case than a 60 pound amp or a 150 pound cab.
I do like the idea of a nothing but a passive bass, all-tube amp, cab, and my fingers! And maybe a tuner...
I've toasted two SS amps. No issues with the SVT or Prodigy...
I have only passive basses.
I do have an extensive pedalboard, but most of the time the pedals aren't on.
Really? I've got a couple amps with tube preamps and I don't sense any significant limitations.
It only matters to those who give a rat's --- So when I play my little local old school gigs I take two solid state heads as insurance, because they are less reliable in my experience. I am not a pro like Jimmy but had an original Fender P in the early 60's then a 60's jazz. The only amp I owned in those days was a Fender tube amp. I don't know if there was a solid state option then. The people who come to gigs probably could care less. But when I care about a better gig I bring out the tube amp. I hear it, but my stuff is flats playing blues jump swing jazz etc. I will add a side note. My buddy was the carpenter / custom speaker in the wall / whatever the high end home theater company needed nuts and bolts guy for high end theater projects in the rich enclaves of the Silicon valley. That audio company installed systems with silver speaker wire, and tube power amps to provide the best sound for those millionaire clients. Maybe hocum. Maybe not. I hear the tubes. I hear Jules Monique preamp. I love my all tube amp. But do the drinkin club crowds care?. The drunken bass player that played there the week before does. YMMV
There was a hilarious thread being quoted on my little Facebook world of some groupie being upset that she shagged the bass player thinking he was the guitar player. LOL I never correct any woman who says I play a beautiful guitar. Tee Hee.
tube amps with no fan can operate extremely quietly and therefore superior for recording. many solid state heads have a fan that will kick on automatically. which can be a bad thing if its a sensitive session.
D
Deleted member 165050
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Perhaps you should let the guys at Mesa Engineering know, I don't think anyone's told them...
I don't agree with this statement. I've owned only SS amp and all of them were super quiet! The only bad amp I've tried was the Aguilar DB750. That amp was as loud as a plane taking off. Seriously!!
I have to chime in here. The people in the bars, clubs and dancehalls (yes, I'm in Texas and play actual dancehalls!) couldn't tell the difference between a Monique or a SansAmp pre, they won't care any more if I'm playing a P, J, Ibanez or Ritter. Tubes, SS, hybrids matters not to the crowd. The patrons will hear exactly zero perceptible quality difference in the bass of 99.7% of the places I play.
That said, since the crowd, the owners, the managers and the band don't care, the only one that matters is me. How do I feel when playing? Do I feel empowered? Do I feel "in control", am I serving the song with the notes that I am playing ...Does the sound AND the overall experience work for me?
It is a very self-service thing, being a musician. I don't want distractions or worries to pull me out of the moment. But the most important thing, for me, is I am lazy. I don't want to lift heavy stuff, haul it in and out of my car, haul it in and out of my house, just being honest.
So, the decision between Tube and SS is an easy equation: sound quality ÷ laziness = SS
I would LOVE to have an Ampeg Heritage SVT but would it matter? I would feel quite empowered standing in front of a fridge (an have) but I'm currently using two 15lbs Barefaced cabs and getting a 3lb Quilter Bass Block 800 via FedEx later today and I sense that I am going to feel quite empowered at my gig tonight, and so will my back.
So, in a nutshell, tubes or SS depends on only you. Some people HAVE to have tubes, I can respect that.
That said, since the crowd, the owners, the managers and the band don't care, the only one that matters is me. How do I feel when playing? Do I feel empowered? Do I feel "in control", am I serving the song with the notes that I am playing ...Does the sound AND the overall experience work for me?
It is a very self-service thing, being a musician. I don't want distractions or worries to pull me out of the moment. But the most important thing, for me, is I am lazy. I don't want to lift heavy stuff, haul it in and out of my car, haul it in and out of my house, just being honest.
So, the decision between Tube and SS is an easy equation: sound quality ÷ laziness = SS
I would LOVE to have an Ampeg Heritage SVT but would it matter? I would feel quite empowered standing in front of a fridge (an have) but I'm currently using two 15lbs Barefaced cabs and getting a 3lb Quilter Bass Block 800 via FedEx later today and I sense that I am going to feel quite empowered at my gig tonight, and so will my back.
So, in a nutshell, tubes or SS depends on only you. Some people HAVE to have tubes, I can respect that.
^^THAT^^ I totally agree with you!
That's the main reason why I never owned any tube amps but only hybrids.
I also totally agree with you say the only person capable of telling the difference is you. No one in the crowd will be able to tell if you use SS or tube amps.
The way is see it is: Tube amps for recording, SS amps for touring.
That's the main reason why I never owned any tube amps but only hybrids.
I also totally agree with you say the only person capable of telling the difference is you. No one in the crowd will be able to tell if you use SS or tube amps.
The way is see it is: Tube amps for recording, SS amps for touring.
Well there you go. It's settled for me. I've been concerned as to whether or not my bass amp would still be working after a nuclear attack. I need to get me a tube amp just in case.
