Amp question...

[Kro]

Ok, found your amp’s manual. Not sure if you’ve ever read through it (since you likely purchased used, you can get it [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]), but it shows how that style selector adjusts things, and also what each of the EQ knobs does – so you can see how they might interact/counteract one another.

STYLE
1 = -25dB @500Hz
2 = -12dB @500Hz
3 = flat
4 = +5dB @2kHz and above
5 = -6dB @50hz and below

TREBLE 40dB range @10kHz
ULTRAMID 30dB range @500Hz
BASS 36dB range @50hz

To put into words how I would describe those settings:
1 = Heavy mid-scoop/contour
2 = Medium mid-scoop/contour
3 = Flat/Neutral
4 = Shelving high-mid boost
5 = Shelving low-cut

Hope that’s helpful as you get things worked out!

 

[Lobster11]

Lots of good advice in this thread. The one thing I'll add is that if you still aren't satisfied after experimenting with all the tone settings on the amp, it could be a matter of putting on a new set of strings. Bass strings start to lose their "zing" after a while, and you'd especially notice the difference when playing the D and G strings.

 

[bobyoung53]

What i do is make sure the bass is set up properly, play each string individually and make sure they put out approximately the same volume, if not bring the corresponding part of the pickup (s) up or down to compensate, I do this with all the tone controls flat (12 o'clock), and the mid selector in the middle. If the strings are even then set the tones the way you want it to sound. The d and G strings might be buried if you have the bass control set too high or the low mids set too low for example. You usually don't have to set any of the tones at a drastic position such as putting the bass knob on full. Try to see what the amp sounds like out in front of it, too much bass will usually mask the sound of it getting worse and worse the farther you move away from the amp. You should be able to get a good even tone out of that amp with a little experimentation and practice.

 

[mrcbass]

I have an Ampeg BA-115 combo. It has more bass than I'll ever need, but D an G strings don't sound too good on it.
I want to buy a Marshal MG Series 100HDFX and MG412B half stack.
Can I connect the Ampeg to it so I have both a clear sound with mid and highs and the thump of the lows?
Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the bass club.

As has been stated, you probably have EQ issues, possibly on both your bass and your amp. When I picked up my first bass a few year's ago, I was experiencing the same issues ("why can't I hear my highs?"). I took the bass in to make sure it was working properly and the tech played with the EQ on the bass to demonstrate that it was working properly. He was kind enough not to laugh at me - at least not while I was standing there! I had fiddled with the knobs, but it never really registered.

Although I saw a couple of posts arguing against this, I do find that a 115 ( or even a 112 or 118) is a little harder to coax the crisp high tomes out of then say a 210. This is not a scientific, highly educated statement - just what I have learned. I personally find that having a combination of two-four 10s + one 15 or 18 make for nice well rounded sound for just about any genre.

Good luck figuring all this stuff out - it can become a full time pursuit fiddling with EQ and electronics.

 

[Shishka Bob]

I had that very same amp. It took me a while to get used to TURNING THE BASS DOWN. (literally the bass - range knob). I know. Seems wrong. Get that bass knob into the negative. Use your bass guitar knobs to mix pick-ups in order to get the thump you like. Not enough? Turn the bass knob on the amp up just a tad. Spend some time getting used to that. It's a lot psychological. It's a G R E A T amp, but it's easy to cover up the mids by having the bass set too high.

I forgot to mention the "presets" As others have mentioned, the middle setting is "flat" Use that and follow the above advise.

 

[GreyBeard]

For me EQ is a lot about whatever I get use to. If you set your amp EQ with the BASS knob maxxed so you can feel your pants flap, in time you get addicted to that sound and feel but, your upper notes like those on the D-G strings will suffer. I'm not saying that this is your case, but it might be. Try setting everything flat on both your bass and amp. You might hate it at first but, like I said, it is whatever you get use too. If it just sounds too thin, add just enough bass to where you can stand it. The Ampeg ULTRA LOW button cuts a lot of mids and boosts 40 hz. I wouldn't use it, but the ULTRA HI button on the other hand can add some zing if you need it. I sometimes add the bright button but turn down the treble a bit to bring it all under control. Play around with the EQ but don't max anything. I think you can still get what you are after from your amp.

 

[bobyoung53]

Welcome to the bass club.

As has been stated, you probably have EQ issues, possibly on both your bass and your amp. When I picked up my first bass a few year's ago, I was experiencing the same issues ("why can't I hear my highs?"). I took the bass in to make sure it was working properly and the tech played with the EQ on the bass to demonstrate that it was working properly. He was kind enough not to laugh at me - at least not while I was standing there! I had fiddled with the knobs, but it never really registered.

Although I saw a couple of posts arguing against this, I do find that a 115 ( or even a 112 or 118) is a little harder to coax the crisp high tomes out of then say a 210. This is not a scientific, highly educated statement - just what I have learned. I personally find that having a combination of two-four 10s + one 15 or 18 make for nice well rounded sound for just about any genre.

Good luck figuring all this stuff out - it can become a full time pursuit fiddling with EQ and electronics.

Just to point this out, he wasn't complaining about lack of highs it was that his D and G strings were not loud enough, I don't know where that came from.

 

[bobyoung53]

I forgot to mention the "presets" As others have mentioned, the middle setting is "flat" Use that and follow the above advise.

The middle setting (#3) on the switch is one of a range of midrange frequencies controlled by the middle pot, the middle position is usually just what the middle control would change if it had no other positions like an amp with just bass, middle and treble. The #1 pos for example controls low mids, #5 high mids etc. You can only control one range of mids at a time with this set up If the pots are all set at 12 o'clock the amp (depending) is set to flat, some amps have a mid bump with all controls set to 12. With the middle pot set at 12 it doesn't matter where the 5 position switch is set as it's effectively out of the circuit until you turn the pot up or down if that makes sense.

 

[Kro]

The middle setting (#3) on the switch is to change the range of midrange frequencies controlled by the middle pot, the middle position is usually just what the middle control would change if it had no other positions like an amp with just bass, middle and treble. If the pots are all set at 12 o'clock the amp (depending) is set to flat, some amps have a mid bump with all controls set to 12. With the middle pot set at 12 it doesn't matter where the 5 position switch is set as it's effectively out of the circuit until you turn the pot up or down if that makes sense.

False.

Guys, look what amp he has. I posted a link to how that switch works and to the manual a few posts above (very top of this page). This, and comments about the deep and bright switches are completely off base and must be confusing as hell to OP.

Not all Ampegs are the same.

 

[bobyoung53]

False.

Guys, look what amp he has. I posted a link to how that switch works and to the manual a few posts above (very top of this page). This, and comments about the deep and bright switches are completely off base and must be confusing as hell to OP.

Not all Ampegs are the same.

So what you're saying is that the 5 pos mid selector is independent of the mid tone control? That doesn't make sense, I do not own one and have never played around with them enough to know but on every other Ampeg that switch controls the tone center of the mid pot. This from a review at ZZ sounds:

"Sound: Very midrangey, the tweeter has to be one of the cheapest features of this combo. The mid selector does add a small amount of character for shifting the midrange peak. The treble is very hard to control and extremely hissy. ."

 

[Kro]

So what you're saying is that the 5 pos mid selector is independent of the mid tone control? That doesn't make sense, I do not own one and have never played around with them enough to know but on every other Ampeg that switch controls the tone center of the mid pot. This from a review at ZZ sounds:

"Sound: Very midrangey, the tweeter has to be one of the cheapest features of this combo. The mid selector does add a small amount of character for shifting the midrange peak. The treble is very hard to control and extremely hissy. ."

Ok, ok, sorry - I'll turn it down a bit. I am after all making an assumption as well as to what version of the BA115 OP has based on the image in his profile pic (it's a BA115v1)- the BA115v2 does have the switches, but I don't believe that's the amp being used in this case.

At any rate - on the BA115v1, the selector switch does work independently of the mid-tone control, and in my experience this type of control isn't unusual, especially when it comes to combos that may be more targeted at beginner bassists - as it's an easy way to offer up different tonal profiles to those that not be familiar to dialing them in on their own.

I found that review that you were referencing from ZZ sounds, and the user must have been a little confused as to how that knob works... it seems off enough to make me wonder if he may have placed his review alongside the wrong product. At any rate, the manual clearly states what the function is, and I can back that up from my personal experience with the BA115v1.

 

[GreyBeard]

False.

Guys, look what amp he has. I posted a link to how that switch works and to the manual a few posts above (very top of this page). This, and comments about the deep and bright switches are completely off base and must be confusing as hell to OP.

Not all Ampegs are the same.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

From this one can see that it doesn't have the selectable mid range but, it does have a ULTRA LO (deep) and a ULTRA HI (bright) button. Is this the amp the OP has?

 

[bobyoung53]

At any rate - on the BA115v1, the selector switch does work independently of the mid-tone control, and in my experience this type of control isn't unusual, especially when it comes to combos that may be more targeted at beginner bassists -

Or to people like me who would have assumed it does work with the mid control and would have been mighty PO'ed when he got it home[/QUOTE]

 

[Kro]

Or to people like me who would have assumed it does work with the mid control and would have been mighty PO'ed when he got it home

I do kind of like the thought of that guy angrily typing that ZZounds review:

"A SHEEP IN WOLVES CLOTHING! (actual title) WORST MID SELECT SWITCH EVER - ONE... AND A HALF STARS!"

 

[Papideaaron]

So what you're saying is that the 5 pos mid selector is independent of the mid tone control? That doesn't make sense, I do not own one and have never played around with them enough to know but on every other Ampeg that switch controls the tone center of the mid pot. This from a review at ZZ sounds:

"Sound: Very midrangey, the tweeter has to be one of the cheapest features of this combo. The mid selector does add a small amount of character for shifting the midrange peak. The treble is very hard to control and extremely hissy. ."

I agree with that description. In my novice opinion.

 

[Papideaaron]

Ok, found your amp’s manual. Not sure if you’ve ever read through it (since you likely purchased used, you can get it [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]), but it shows how that style selector adjusts things, and also what each of the EQ knobs does – so you can see how they might interact/counteract one another.

STYLE
1 = -25dB @500Hz
2 = -12dB @500Hz
3 = flat
4 = +5dB @2kHz and above
5 = -6dB @50hz and below

TREBLE 40dB range @10kHz
ULTRAMID 30dB range @500Hz
BASS 36dB range @50hz

To put into words how I would describe those settings:
1 = Heavy mid-scoop/contour
2 = Medium mid-scoop/contour
3 = Flat/Neutral
4 = Shelving high-mid boost
5 = Shelving low-cut

Hope that’s helpful as you get things worked out!

Thank you! This is awesome!