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Ampeg BA-110 vs. Fender Rumble

T

TheLostEString

Sep 3, 2013
6
0
#1
*Fender Rumble 30*
I'm choosing either of those two as my first bass amp. Also, I'm choosing between a
Squier Vintage Modified Precision Bass Olympic White (rosewood fretboard and PB-101 Pickups)

or

Black Matt Freeman Signature Squier (maple fretboard and PB-105 pickups)

I play punk rock music such as The Sex Pistols, Old Green Day, The Clash, The Ramones, NOFX, and some other pop punk bands. Thanks guys.
 
#2
Punk! It sounds like you might reach the volume limit of those amps pretty quickly if you jam with others.

Are you thinking new? Are you are on a budget? If so I would suggest looking at higher wattage in some used gear around the same price range
 
#4
arai said:
Punk! It sounds like you might reach the volume limit of those amps pretty quickly if you jam with others.

Are you thinking new? Are you are on a budget? If so I would suggest looking at higher wattage in some used gear around the same price range
Click to expand...

I'm just practicing and if I have a gig I'll just stick a mic on it, don't worry. I mean my music is loud but I keep it at a moderate volume. I play electric guitar and I have a Fender Mustang amp and I keep the master volume at 5, go higher than that and the house will shake. I'm just focusing on those two amps and basses.
 
#5
JimmyM said:
Not just saying this as an endorser ;) but the BA110 is killer for its size and price. Rumble's not bad but I like the BA110 better.
Click to expand...

I've done research on the Guitar Center and Musiciansfriend website and they keep complaining about the buzz at high volume when playing my type of music for the Ampeg. Though my favorite bassist have Ampegs cabs and heads.
 
#6
TheLostEString said:
I'm just practicing and if I have a gig I'll just stick a mic on it, don't worry. I mean my music is loud but I keep it at a moderate volume. I play electric guitar and I have a Fender Mustang amp and I keep the master volume at 5, go higher than that and the house will shake. I'm just focusing on those two amps and basses.
Click to expand...

Then your best bet is to just try them and see which tone you like the best. Every other opinion is just subjective.
 
#8
TheLostEString said:
I've done research on the Guitar Center and Musiciansfriend website and they keep complaining about the buzz at high volume when playing my type of music for the Ampeg. Though my favorite bassist have Ampegs cabs and heads.
Click to expand...
They're what you call "knob watchers," and they're expecting to be able to turn it up all the way and stay clean. Unrealistic expectations. It's a 35w amp capable of giving you about 70w on peaks, which means once you get past a certain point on the dial, usually around 11:00, it's going to be dirty sounding. But it'll give you 35w of clean power. Not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, but I've used it many times on a gig as a monitor, and I even use it for house volume on one regular gig I do in a small casino ship bar.
 
#9
TheLostEString said:
I've done research on the Guitar Center and Musiciansfriend website and they keep complaining about the buzz at high volume when playing my type of music for the Ampeg.
Click to expand...

Both of these amps are practice amps - low wattage, low to medium output amps suitable for practice and quite gigs with no drummer or drummer playing with brushes.

That's it. That is all they'll reliably do. Period.

People posting bad things about these amps because you can't turn them up all the way have unrealistic expectations. Shoot, the same can be said about just about ANY amp. You can't turn them up all the way! The difference is that the 500 watt 410 system people gig with doesn't need to be up all the way to be loud enough.

- Keith -
 
#10
I am expecting to receive a BA 110 restock from GC any day now.

I was looking for a used one on CL, but became too impatient, and seeing the restock on the GC web site, I ordered it.

I have seen the line out described, (even by Hodgy, in an Ampeg video), as a balanced signal.

I don't think that is correct.

Other descriptions mention a contour switch, and all the retailers show the old angled cabinet design in their web site photos.

The tilt-back must be the discontinued model.

Do the older models also have a balanced out?

Do they also have a contour switch?

I may still keep an eye out for an older one, if I can have a balanced line out, and tilt-back.

Can anyone confirm if there is a balanced line out on the older models, with a contour switch, and tilt-back cab?

Thanks.
 
#12
I started with a small Ampeg I played it next to a Fender and an Acoustic in the same price range. I liked the Ampeg the best.
It wasn't long before I was playing in a band and needed a louder amp. I bought a uses SWR Workingmans 15. That did the trick but it was pretty heavy. Eventually I bought a new amp.
If you ever thing you will play in a band why not get a larger amp now?
 
#13
bassmeknik said:
I am quite sure all BA-110's have balanced out and are tilt back capable. IMO the Ampeg is more amp than the Fender but neither are powerful enough for gigging with a punk group...
Click to expand...

I down loaded a PDF of the BA 110 owners manual from Loud a couple days ago, and it shows a photo of a cube shaped cabinet, and specifically states: "Unbalanced 1/4" line output."

I would really prefer balanced, and hope the manual is a misprint, but I bet it is un-balanced.

Can anyone with an older BA 110 confirm that there is, or is not a balanced line out?
 
#14
I just looked at Ampegs web site and the amp is not a tilt back design, however on the main page for the BA-110 it mentions a balanced line out but in the owners manual listed for the same amp it clearly shows an effects loop and a 1/4" unbalanced out...
 
#16
The line out is unbalanced 1/4", and though it used to be a tilt-back, it no longer is. Fortunately, I have a tilt-back model, but it's easy enough to make them all tilt back with a stand or a wedge under them ;)
 

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