Amp Sounds -Sticky?

[heavyhitter]

Think we can compile a list of amps and include the tone character and sound of the different amp brands?

This is not ment to be a "this amp is good that amp sucks thread" but rather an non biased summary of the sound of the availible amps on the market today.

This would be nice to help though who are looking for a new amp to narrow down selections and for those who dont live in heavily populated areas that can go to lots of music stores and dont have GC's to test out 30 amp brands.

It would be nice to a very complete comprehensive list. And maybe sticky it.

If there is a list like out there please advise but I have failed in finding one through seaches.

Examples:
Ampeg
SWR
Eden
Hartke
Ashdown
GK
Genz Benz
Orange
etc etc etc...

 

[bassninja7]

ive always wanted to see this

but... the bass you use to create the audio sample will vary from person to person.

 

[Selta]

Too subjective to too many variables to accomplish.
I can plug my SVT say, into my SWR (12 stack) and get a tone. Plug the same head, using the same bass and EQ and everything into my Ashdown, and totally different tone.

 

[TerenceSharp]

I have the same problem, I'm not in a position to try tons of amps out.

 

[debassr]

All we'd need to do is provide a DI instrument sample for a baseline to compare with the amp sound. It's not ideal but it would work to give someone an approximation. I do think that all EQ settings on the bass and amp should set at 12 o'clock for testing though.

 

[thetawaves]

Why stop at amps? Amp/bass combinations would be good. If there aren't the majority of combinations on this forum, they're hardly going to be in many other places! I'll post up a trace elliot sound on this thread tomorrow

 

[therex]

all amps should be tested with flat EQ, and with some generic bass like a jazz bass and with full volumes and tone and same playing style(fingers or pick or slap) with some kind of generic really simple bass line, that could make it easier for the listeners to decide wich amp

 

[thetawaves]

+1 @ therex. On second thoughts, I think it'd get terribly confusing with the numerous millions of basses out there.

What bassline though?!

 

[TerenceSharp]

You want something that covers most of the fretboard I'd assume.

What about major scales in a set pattern?

 

[lowendgenerator]

I thought you meant your amp sounded sticky. I thought we had found a new adjective for tone!

Darn...

 

[heavyhitter]

I realize that there are alot of posibilities but there is still has to be a baseline to measure them with.

 

[Kelly Lee]

If you can get everyone to record their amp DI with the exact same kind of...

Settings
Bass (pickups, strings, settings)
Technique (pick, fingers, slap, etc.)
Recorded file type and compression (WAV, MP3 -AC3 LAME, ???)
Same recording frequency (44, 48, 96 kHz) and bitrate (128, 192, 256, ???)

...and so on, you might have something that people could make a fair comparision between amps tone wise with IMO. Otherwise, it is just posting sound clips of your setup, recorded your way, with your technique.

Ofcourse, YMMV and IMO.

 

[tom once dead]

it would be awsome if we could get a list together, with recordings.

 

[bassninja7]

i hope this goes somewhere, lol/

 

[JazzyLambert]

Genz Benz shuttle provides a very 'honest' sound, with little 'clolouration'. If you own a great bass made of tone woods, these amps (and the cabs that come with them), are great at showcasing your instrument's inherent goodness.

 

[greenboy]

Let's see if we can get the government to do this FOR US using our hard-earned tax dollars. They like to spend a lot doing tests that mean little or nothing.

Since we are being unrealistic anyway ; }

 

[heavyhitter]

Sadly, I dont think this post will take off...... It is not as impossible as people are making it.

I guess I dont get the too many variables thing......

Yet we catagorize basses and wood tones all the time.
Ask a boutique bass builder what tone does ash have, what does maple have... They arent gonna say...... "Nope cant tell yea, what pick ups do you use, what strings, what amp, pick or fingers?" They will say, "this has a bright sound and strong attack, that has a warm tone and great sustain." Or something along those lines.

So I guess all those goes going for that "classic Ampeg tone" or guitards needing that "vintage Marshall sound" must just be living in a pipe dream since "that tone" cant be defined.

 

[thetawaves]

Well, I'll try kick things off...here's a Trace Elliot GP7 SM amp 4x10 combo with a flat EQ. I tried to get a combination of sounds with lower and higher sections as well as some harmonics, it's one of the better tones I've heard so hope it's some use

Bass is a Warwick Corvette $$ (swamp ash body, koa top, maple neck and fretboard) with warwick black label strings. I was using the outer coils on the pickups which supposedly emulates a jazz single coil sound...

Was going to do a slap passage but the G-string promptly snapped

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Swift713]

Well, there you go. I thought that sounded lot like the Trace I used to have even though I play a Stingray copy and have never played a Corvette $$. I think this idea has some merit. Of course there are an infinite number of variables but we should be able to get some idea of the basic tone of an amp by comparing a straight direct recording with one through an amp. I would suggest multiple clips when possible: Direct, amp set flat, amp set the way you like it, etc.

 

[thetawaves]

Dang nammit! I think this thread has died on its' feet.