amp recommendations?

[RichardW]

I've been using an SWR Workingman 210 Combo for years, which I like, but have been thinking about entering 2019 with a new amp and so would appreciate any recommendations.

I'm looking for something lighter (the SWR runs about 70 lbs) that would offer good tone. I'm not a pedal guy. Should I stick with a combo or go head/cabinet route? My band gigs mostly in bars, doing classic rock and blues. I'm generally playing either a Fender J or P, both with flats. Using my fingers and not a pick. My preference is to "set it and forget it." I don't spend a lot of time fussing with settings. Assuming I'd need to spend a few hundred bucks for something decent.

Any recommendations for amps I should consider?

 

[el murdoque]

You have not specified a budget.

Therefore, I recommend to you a Mesa Boogie Bass Prodigy head and one or two barefaced two10 cabinets.

Good class D heads you should have a look at:

Aguilar Tonehammer series :
Warm, wooly sound with low mid punch, gives you a tube-like feeling. They are built like tanks and the power sections are a size bigger than necessary, so you can run them on full for the whole night if needed.

Mesa Boogie '800' heads:
Many tonal options and very high quality heads with lots of power on tap, even with an option for 2 ohm loads.
A bit more harsh to the ears than the Tonehammer family, but IMHO, a bit more versatile as well.

Tech21 bass heads:
Basically a Sansamp pedal with a poweramp. Their preamps are so good that many musicians bypass their pre section and play the Sansamp pedal into the FX return. Well, no need to do that when you can just buy the preamp with a poweramp.

The cabinet is where the size and weight are. So first of all, you need to decide how big you need to go. When that SWR with 210 was enough, than any quality 212, 212 or 115 should suffice. When you want to go really small, there always is the co called 'supercab' class. fEARless & fEARful designs, barefaced and Audiokinesis are the Names that pop up every time with people trying to tell how great these cabs are, and failing miserably because words on an internet forum are not good enough to explain such a thing.

 

[aproud1]

If your WM210 has plenty of volume and you like the ease of a combo You could probably get one of the modern GK or Fender 2X10 combos and be happy.

Knowing your budget would help.

 

[twinfallsbass]

I have had combos in the past and have never had a problem with them while gigging. But there is good argument to be had for a sperate head/cab upposed to a combo. What do you do if your combo amp fails you during a gig, you can’t plug another head into it. With a seperate head/cab, if your head fails during a gig, you can always plug in your backup head to it and keep going.

 

[RichardW]

Let's say my budget would be no more than $500.

 

[aproud1]

Let's say my budget would be no more than $500.

I say save another $100 and buy this...

Fender Rumble 500 2x10" 500-Watt Bass Combo

Or go used and do a seperate head/cabinet.