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Am I Crazy?

E

ericplays

Supporting Member
May 16, 2002
73
17
Dallas
#1
I am having one of those yearly tone issues...

(I'm sure that we all know what I'm going through here)

I am looking at changing my whole amp set up. Right now I have a SWR sm500 into a Goliath III (4x10). I mainly play a Thumb bolt-on 4-string...and I have a Fender Jazz back up.

I play in a Rock group with just 1 guitar, 1 bass...and so I really want a loud, full, thick, ballsy sound. Most people say that we sound good and 'complete' for a 4 piece, but I think that my tone can improve some. I have been working a lot with overdrive lately, I have a SansAmp DI that I have been using full time.

Here are some options I have been looking at doing:

* keep my current set up, add a 1x15 to the bottom
* Getting a Mesa Bass 400+ with ampeg 8x10
* Getting some tube preamp - with a crown power amp (or some other solid state amp to push different chains of tube preamps)

any suggestions?
 
#3
I cant quite put my finger on why I want to change. I like swr because it is real transparent and bright, but sometimes it just seems too thin or brittle live.

I dont mind lugging around a 8x10 with a big heavy tube amp - we have a trailer for the van, and I do most of the loading unloading anyway, so I dont mind a few extra pounds if I know that its my rig.

I just find myself wanting to add more drive, more tube sound to my swr, which prompted the idea to change to the mesa400...however, I do like my sound for the most part, and I do get many comments about my tone. I just think that it could get better maybe?

oh yeah, my bass seems to distort live on the low string ( i drop to c#) I changed to a heavier string gauge, and I am thinking about adjusting the pickup height...but I might need a new preamp tube in my swr? Im not sure, I have been looking into that - but this problem could be a whole new thread on its own!

back to the amp delima...
 
#4
I did something similar recently. I just wasn't satisfied with my SM-500 and Goliath Senior. I went nuts, pres, amps, cabs, oh my! In the end, I am broke, still unsatisfied and wondering just what the hell I was thinking? Get a 1X15 for sure. That makes a world of difference. Tube amps are fun (i got a DB 728), but now I can't lift my rig by myself. 400+s are boat anchors for sure, but they satify that tube GAS.
 
#7
A 15 won't solve it as long as you are using SWR. I thought the same thing. It even sounded like one of my old posts. I had a Super Redhead and I put a Son of Bertha below it. I was expecting super bass. All I got was disappointed. Go for the Mesa. I have a Walkabout Scout that blows away the SWR gear. Amp-wise, I'm now GASless!
 
#9
Since you're in Dallas, where I presume that there is at least one Guitar Center, you could buy a 1x15 and if they had them a Mesa and an Ampeg 8x10 and try it all out.

If you time it right, you could have the unwanted gear returned and the credit back on your card before the bill even came, costing you nothing more than the gas to go back and forth.
 
#10
for some reason the mesa has been on my mind all night

now the question:
8x10 stack - or they have a rad 4x10-1x15 "powerhouse"

I am going to try to find somewhere that I can plug in and jam out with the mesa and see how I like it.
 
#11
BillyB_from_LZ said:
Since you're in Dallas, where I presume that there is at least one Guitar Center, you could buy a 1x15 and if they had them a Mesa and an Ampeg 8x10 and try it all out.

If you time it right, you could have the unwanted gear returned and the credit back on your card before the bill even came, costing you nothing more than the gas to go back and forth.
Click to expand...

I have totally taken advantage of guitar center's 30 day thing so many times...its great. Of course it works out because I have spent lots of money there, but still I think that it has evened out. I think this sounds like a good option
 
#12
Another vote that you take your exsisting rig and plug a 1-15" into it and see if you get the desired results. If not, try Mesa, Ampeg, G-K, and every other brand that you can find. Sooner or later you'll find something that nails the tone you want.
 
#13
Well if you're crazy, then I must be too since I just went through the same situation with different brands.

The cure for my insanity was replacing a Hartke stack with a Gallien Krueger stack. I feel much better now. :hyper:

Hope you find the tone you're looking for.
 
#14
well I thought that I might be crazy, because the sm500 is a bad ass amp head, and it seemed like the perfect amp that I would never have to get another amp ever when I bought it. Now I guess my stlye has changed, and I have just been thinking of getting a new amp. I will be in Dallas for Thanksgiving so I will rock on the Mesa and I will try to hear the 15 with my current set up.

hopefully I will hear something that I like
 

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