Ampeg versus Fender thoughts

[obascin]

Played a Fender Bassman 300 Pro for years before it was stolen. Bought an Ampeg PF350 as a replacement and hated every minute of it. Much to my chagrin, I preferred the Ampeg DI out vs. all the other DI sources I had in a blind test at the time. Sold it an didn't regret it. I think there was some emotional baggage there due to the loss of my much loved Bassman amp that anything I would have bought to replace it would have been soured. BUT I did just buy a PF50T to see if that gels with me. I think enough time has passed that I'm done mourning. Ultimately I love the Fender tone, specifically the big tube amps, but Ampeg does have a great tone too. So I'm in the "both" camp.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

I think getting the sound you want comes down to personal preference and understanding the tone stack.
They go about shaping the sound differently.
These days both make good amps with enough power.
When I started out, Fenders 50 watt Bassman seemed like a lot compared to the B15.
Things changed when the mighty SVT came along.

 

[pfschim]

I started out in the late 60s' on Fender Bassmans too, although I did get to use a few Sunn rigs too. I got very comfortable with the Fender tone stack but have not had any problems getting a good workable live or recorded tone with pretty much any amp I've got to/had to use in backlines or on sessions.

different tone tools, but both are pretty great.

 

[james58]

It's all a matter of taste I guess.
The Fender Rumbles are very popular, but so are the Ampeg BA combos.
I myself am an Ampeg fan, but I can't say Fender doesn't know how to make Bass amps.

I love my recent Rumble 200 acquisition. It has a decent tone without having to turn up the master too much, and I used to have to haul around a Marshall half-stack. I can say that I didn’t lose much, if anything, since nowadays we have mics/line out and PA’s. There’s no need for a wall of big amps anymore, except for the look.

 

[butterfingers1]

I’m limited to “amp-in-box” preamps for tones. I have the Broughton SVpre pedal to get the Ampeg tone, or close enough for me, it sounds really, really good, brings my Traynor combos to life.

Now I am intrigued by the Broughton Silver Deluxe. I don’t need it and it’s expensive, but if it’s different enough and good enough I’d like to try it.

 

[Enrique M]

I’m limited to “amp-in-box” preamps for tones. I have the Broughton SVpre pedal to get the Ampeg tone, or close enough for me, it sounds really, really good, brings my Traynor combos to life.

Now I am intrigued by the Broughton Silver Deluxe. I don’t need it and it’s expensive, but if it’s different enough and good enough I’d like to try it.

So ... resurrecting this thread because I am in this same boat. I have the SV-Pre, thinking about the Silver Deluxe, but also the Sushi Box Slammpegg Bee and/or Underground Accelerator. Maybe stacking, I don't know. Going direct to the mixer in the studio, via a Broughton Messenger Jr., or through my Rumble 500c combo live.

I am not not chasing a particular "pure" tone, just trying to get a nice fat clean, as well as a fat dirty blues (dusty hill) sound.

What kind of luck did you have?

 

[butterfingers1]

The Broughton Scorpion also sounds really good, it’s a so-called Fender tone stack, with much more distortion on tap if desired. I prefer it to the Damnation Audio MBD3.

The SolidGoldFX BetaV is very good for dark but punchy (think 1960s Motown) and plenty of dirt available too. It’s a little boring on its own but mixes perfectly with anything, and very simple to understand and adjust. It’s my most useful tone pedal.