Ampeg B-100r = almost perfect?

[kratekyle]

Hi all, I used to play the bass a little bit (a few years back) and now I am getting back into it. I have a nice fender '75 ri on the way and now I am amp shopping. I have spent the last few days reading old threads and learning as much as possible (although much of it is way over my head).
For the music I want to play it seems like the Ampeg B-100r is the logical chioce for me: small enough for practice, big enough for jamming, VINTAGE TUBE SOUND, reliable, not cheap, not too spendy. HOWEVER, It is lacking in features that seemingly would come in handy. Things like the ability to add another cab, xlr line out, and rca inputs just sound like a good idea to me (as a newbie).
Does anyone make a quality, VINTAGE TUBE SOUNDING solid state combo amp with these features? (it simply must have that old school sound!) Thanks everyone!

 

[Juneau]

While I cant recomend an alternative with the features your looking for, I love my B-100R

 

[Michael Jewels]

While I cant recomend an alternative with the features your looking for, I love my B-100R

+1.

I honestly don't know what to recommend either, but I don't think you'll find an amp like the one you're describing unless you spend a lot more than the $500 price of a new B100R.

I have one and love it.

BTW, welcome to Talkbass, kratekyle.

Mike.

 

[kratekyle]

Thanks for the welcome Mike. I have been on forums for my other interests, but Talk Bass is the best forum I've ever seen. Just got off the phone with G.C. I saw a b-100r when I was there the other day. The sides were pretty scratched up and the manager said he would take $450. for it. If nobody comes up with an alternate amp I guess I'll just go buy that one.

 

[superfly]

You could do better than $450. I bought a new one in box at GC for $460. I ended up taking it back because I found that it "farted out" too much for my taste and the chassis rattled a bit.

 

[lpdeluxe]

You'll probably like the B100R. I bought one to replace my aging (1963) B15N, and it does the job. I don't miss the "features", but I'm a component kinda guy. I'd rather buy 3 boxes that do 3 things than 1 box that tries to do 'em all.

And, I think the key to the sound of the B100R is NO TWEETER. I personally have never heard a tweeter-equipped bass amp that didn't display some fault in its sound as a result.

Be sure to get the casters (you can probably get ones that fit for less than the Ampeg ones at a hardware store): it weights 65 lb, not as heavy as ol' B15N but not featherlight either.

The tone shaping is perfect for me. I play 2 solidbody 4s and an ABG 5 and I have no trouble making the tone happen with a few tweaks (and I HATE knob tweaking, too).

 

[Bongolation]

Just got off the phone with G.C. I saw a b-100r when I was there the other day. The sides were pretty scratched up and the manager said he would take $450. for it.

That price on a B-100R in the described condition is ridiculous.

I bought a B-100R only a few months old in stone mint condition at Guitar Center two weeks ago for $269.99.

AND they gave me a set of new casters.

 

[kratekyle]

Holy Cow! $269.99??? what is the location of this G.C.? maybe I can use this info to help me get a better deal.
(although I have not yet given up hope of finding an amp that sounds like the b-100r but has the features of the ba115, except the tweeter)
Come on yall there has to be something like this! Right??

 

[bino]

Yeah, you can get a new B100R for $450 without any effort. They got one at BassNW.com right now. I know Ashdown and Mesa make combos with tube preamps for about double the price. They sound real good, but don't really have that vintage Ampeg sound.

 

[Bongolation]

Holy Cow! $269.99??? what is the location of this G.C.? maybe I can use this info to help me get a better deal.

If you want, I'll send you a scan of the receipt if you think it'll do any good.

With used stuff, though, price is usually determined by how much they have in it when they took it in trade or bought it.

 

[Planet Boulder]

I picked up a used one (in great condition) a few years ago at a local store for $225.00. I talked them down from $275.00.

I am ALL about the deal!

 

[Bongolation]

I am ALL about the deal!

Yeah, me too. Ampeg just keeps going up, though. MSRP on the B-100R is currently a whopping US$749 So I didn't do too badly for a mint Yellville one at $269.99.

I got a brand new BA-112 (which I love) for $159.99 at GC a few months back on sale and only discovered last week that MSRP on that little thing is a breathtaking US$499!

I have a lot of bigger Ampeg stuff, but these small amps are quite nice.

 

[iamthebassman]

I have one and I love it. First, get the casters. Second, I use a SansAmp Bass driver for my tone and it has an XLR out so the signal goes from there to the PA, so that's not a problem for me. Third, I have no used for RCA inputs on my amp. Fourth, yes, an extension speaker out would be nice, if for no other reason than to get the sound up off the floor.
I absolutely love the input LEDs. My sound is right on the edge of overdriven and they keep me from overdriving the preamp.
It looks different than other amps, too, so that's good.

 

[bass555]

I got mine for (ulp!) $200 at a pawn shop

 

[bass555]

Anybody else get mixed results with active pickups vis a vis the two (regular and -15db cut) inputs?

In -15db cut mode, It seems I have to run my B-100 preamp pretty hot if I use the active EQ on my Spector

runing throught the regular mode (using the Spector Active EQ) I can only run the B100R preamp on about "3" (approx 10 o'clock)

 

[Michael Jewels]

Anybody else get mixed results with active pickups vis a vis the two (regular and -15db cut) inputs?

In -15db cut mode, It seems I have to run my B-100 preamp pretty hot if I use the active EQ on my Spector

runing throught the regular mode (using the Spector Active EQ) I can only run the B100R preamp on about "3" (approx 10 o'clock)

I plug all my basses, active or passive into the 0 db input, and just adjust the pre-amp control according to the red/green lights.

Now that I think of it, it's usually at 12 O'clock.

Mike

 

[kratekyle]

I am still hoping that through the collective wisdom of the T.B. community, someone will be able to give me some direction twards my 1st question. Or maybe such an amp simply does not exist......ampeg, are you listening?

 

[Special_Ed]

Thanks for the welcome Mike. I have been on forums for my other interests, but Talk Bass is the best forum I've ever seen. Just got off the phone with G.C. I saw a b-100r when I was there the other day. The sides were pretty scratched up and the manager said he would take $450. for it. If nobody comes up with an alternate amp I guess I'll just go buy that one.

LOL come on man he is playing you for a sucker. Walk in there with $350. He will GLADLY sell it for 350.

p.s. It digusts me how GC is always ripping newbies off. **** those people. I refuse to buy new. All my gear now is used. I didn't end up buying that yorkville but got a Carvin DCM2000 used for a very nice price.

 

[Bongolation]

I am still hoping that through the collective wisdom of the T.B. community, someone will be able to give me some direction twards my 1st question. Or maybe such an amp simply does not exist......ampeg, are you listening?

It doesn't exist in the Ampeg catalogue, anyway.

I don't have any use for RCA ins and the B-100R has a line out, it's just not XLR. Running extension speakers from a 100WRMS bass amp is not a big priority for many people, I don't think.

I don't believe I've ever seen all these features on the same amp. I've only seen the RCA CD-ins on small practice amps. Not to say that amp isn't there somewhere, it's just not in my experience.

 

[Bongolation]

I absolutely love the input LEDs. My sound is right on the edge of overdriven and they keep me from overdriving the preamp.

Yeah, but they're not on a front panel where you can see them.

The best I can do is look for a reflection of them on the gain control knob.

Really.