Amp Design (Looks, Not Sound)

[SolarMan]

I think that all of those amps are on the unattractive list

You can't beat the simple beauty of an Ampeg or Fender head IMO

(the aguilar looks like it was designed by a kid playing pin the tail on the ampey)

 

[Dave W]

Purely based on looks...I think the GB is the best of the bunch in that pic. The Aggie and TC are terrible, they look like toys.

 

[fingerbun]

You have to turn the TC on to really get the visual impact. It could double as a Christmas tree.

I personally like the GB - simple and functional.

 

[joeydavidson]

The Aguilar looks best to me, it looks classy with that font and nice layout, some of the others look like a dash mounted radio reciever from some retired old police car or truck.

 

[2milehighspike]

Grey on grey with white markings and grey knobs...

I just remember an era of about 1993-1999 where about half the provided backline would have these GK heads and having a hard time on a crowded stage with bright stage lights figuring out what the heck was going on with them.

I think gk should illuminate the mb5 like they do the mb8, i gig with my mb8 at least 3 nights a week and that feature alone makes the mb8 worth the extra $s, just my 2cents

 

[Aceonbass]

My problem with the GK is that the EQ knobs go high to low instead of low to high.

This is because that's the flow path of the signal as it's filtered. GK is the only company that has them engineered that way.

 

[johnk_10]

I think that all of those amps are on the unattractive list

You can't beat the simple beauty of an Ampeg or Fender head IMO

(the aguilar looks like it was designed by a kid playing pin the tail on the ampey)

i agree. while i love my streamliner 900, i was just telling my wife the other day that it almost looks like i just set a 'pull -out' car radio from the late 70's on top of my cab. i much prefer the look of an ampeg, sunn, vox or fender tube head but you can't beat the portabilty and weight of the micro's.

as a side note, i did put my GK 1001RBII in an old vox head cab just so it would look right with my 2x15 JBL k140 and 1212/6 cabs that are on vox trolleys. here's a few of pics of it:

 

[iJazz]

In the OP picture borrowed from another OP, I'd call the GB the easiest to look at and perhaps the easiest to use. The TC isn't as horrid as other comments have made it out to be, particularly when you take into account that the knobs are missing. I can understand that the lighted up panel can be a drawback in certain stage settings, but I think it would be very handy.

To me, the GK looks like a bad radio design without the channel readout.

I've come to respect JohnK's comments, but in this instance I've got to say that I never understood the VOX design. The only thing worse to me would have to be having the knobs on the back side of the head. I do agree though that the old Sunn design simply rocked when it came to ease of operation, to say nothing of pretty much rocking in general.

iJazz - I only wish I could suffer the "poor design" of the Genz.

 

[Revolver]

I think the GB and the Aguilar have that classic/vintage "Hi-fi" stereo look. The TC looks like it was made by Mattel (toy company). The others . . . meh (and I'm a GK user)

 

[teemuk]

I actually find the tc electronic unit being the best looking of the bunch: It has utilitarean and clean layout, yet it still manages to be visually impressive with the plain black/white + red illumination colour scheme. The unique chassis shaping is icing on the cake.

 

[Energy]

This is timeless beauty to me:

 

[hover]

Looks aside, to those who are complaining about legibility on a bright stage, I say if you don't know your amp's layout, cold, you haven't spent enough time with your amp. And WHO is making such drastic changes to their tone onstage that it would matter in a live setting anyway?

That all said, I always thought Genz Benz was behind the curve in the aesthetic dept. Their old cabs with the light grey baffles behind black cones with rat fur? THAT screams 80's sanyo boom box to me. Personally, I find none of the pictured micro heads that attractive and they all fail in the looks dept, if that is important to you. I even find the new Portaflex amps kind of unattractive, but miles better than these...don't GET me started on that horrible looking MarkBass line. I just don't get it. The rock one, with the red bit on a black face? THAT is a nice looking amp.

But you wanna talk amateur design? Look no further than the Carvin BX500. the 250 even worse. I really felt it all was secondary consideration.

 

[BurningSkies]

Looks aside, to those who are complaining about legibility on a bright stage, I say if you don't know your amp's layout, cold, you haven't spent enough time with your amp. And WHO is making such drastic changes to their tone onstage that it would matter in a live setting anyway?

That all said, I always thought Genz Benz was behind the curve in the aesthetic dept. Their old cabs with the light grey baffles behind black cones with rat fur? THAT screams 80's sanyo boom box to me. Personally, I find none of the pictured micro heads that attractive and they all fail in the looks dept, if that is important to you. I even find the new Portaflex amps kind of unattractive, but miles better than these...don't GET me started on that horrible looking MarkBass line. I just don't get it. The rock one, with the red bit on a black face? THAT is a nice looking amp.

But you wanna talk amateur design? Look no further than the Carvin BX500. the 250 even worse. I really felt it all was secondary consideration.

If you're using a provided backline, it ain't your amp and on stage you're much more likely to need to twist knobs than with your own gear.

 

[hover]

None of the amps mentioned would ever be in provided backline, it's always half functioning Hartke 3500's with half the eq sliders bent off or old GK800RB's. We all know that.

 

[Munjibunga]

Genz benz in the pic looks like the knobs have been replaced and the 3 fonts make sense 2 are branding and the main label font is clear and easy to read. The design is pretty solid IMHO.

I did change the knobs on the GB - I think the aluminum ones look cheesy.

 

[Jazz Ad]

Perceptions.
From that pile of amps, it is the GB I prefer. It doesn't try to be flashy or trendy, just practical.
The most pro looking without a doubt.

 

[iJazz]

don't GET me started on that horrible looking MarkBass line. I just don't get it.

+1 zillion

iJazz

 

[charlie monroe]

I don't remember if the OP said he only wanted Class D amps, or just purty ones...Out of Munji's pic, I do like the GB Shuttle. White mini chicken heads would put it over the top for me. My personal taste runs more like these:

+1

Also nice.

Anyone have any T.E. love? I wish I had found a pic of this powered up.

My Silver face Bassman 100 has grown on me. Also the Tone Hammer is Aguilar's only abortion. They have done some nice work.

I love the sound of my Ampeg, but there are better looking rigs out there.

 

[burl0029]

Here's what I did to my last amp to make it more aesthetically pleasing. I build a head case to match the cab and changed out the knobs to the dark gray style that are on the current Eden amps. If I had really been on my game, I would have used red piping instead of gray. I also added the grille cloth to the cab as well.

 

[onosson]

Of the pics in the OP, I like the Aguilar best from an aesthetic point of view.

From playability, I would probably put it dead last.

So, for me, looks are a far far lower factor when it comes to gear. I always hated the MarkBass aesthetic from the first time I saw one. But I bought a LMIII in December, based on several months of comparing heads, and solely on the criteria of sound, usability, and my budget.