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Amps you hate
- Thread starter ojthesimpson
- Start date
I had an audition with a provided Hartke rig and all I could hear was clackclackclackclackclackclackclackclackclack from those awful, brittle-sounding metal cones. Is it normal to have to roll off the treble on everything with those things? I have clean technique and instruments with a good setup - couldn't believe how foreign I sounded through it compared to what I am used to.
Lonnybass
Lonnybass
I dont like this brands that much:
SWR (sterile, brittle)
Ampeg (most are underpowered and muddy)
Behringer (crappy, muddy and copycats)
IMO.
SWR (sterile, brittle)
Ampeg (most are underpowered and muddy)
Behringer (crappy, muddy and copycats)
IMO.
At our rehearsal studios (Robanna's in Birmingham, for interested locals), there's a real motley mixture of amps and cabs in various stages of disrepair - Eden, SWR, Ashdown, Hartke, Peavey, etc etc etc
It doesn't matter which I use, my first response on plugging in is usually "Ugh!" But 30 seconds of thoughtful tweaking gets me to a point where the sound is at least useable for the rehearsal, and I'm convinced the rest of the band wouldn't really care much about the difference anyway as long the tone isn't totally outrageous.
So, I'm with some of the earlier posters on here - the only amp I'd really HATE is one that lets me down on a gig. And the only time that happened to me (so far
) was in 1982. I was using an "Impact" head at the time. I'd avoid those if I were you. 
It doesn't matter which I use, my first response on plugging in is usually "Ugh!" But 30 seconds of thoughtful tweaking gets me to a point where the sound is at least useable for the rehearsal, and I'm convinced the rest of the band wouldn't really care much about the difference anyway as long the tone isn't totally outrageous.
So, I'm with some of the earlier posters on here - the only amp I'd really HATE is one that lets me down on a gig. And the only time that happened to me (so far
) was in 1982. I was using an "Impact" head at the time. I'd avoid those if I were you. 
I really hate Ampeg amps as their only way of achieving high SPL levels is with very distorted sounds. Hate their 8x10s and 6x10s (farty and bottom-less!) cabs too. Also hate GK heads, not punchy at all. Hate Ashdown heads (same reason as Ampeg). Finally, never heard an SWR or Ashdown cab that didn't fart at ridiculously low volumes too. I'm all about CLEAN HEADROOM!!!
ANDRUCA
ANDRUCA
I preferred the separate channel inputs on the Mark III to the single mixed input on the Mark IV, especially since I never had the Automix footswitch!
You certainly hit the virtues of those heads: cheap and loud. You could add solidly-built and dependable. Alas, some people, I fear, have issues with the tone. But, you need to be heard through the rest of the band before you start worrying about subtleties.
The only amp I hate, HATE, HATE!! is the crate combo that came with my Ibanez SR200; Oh, so long ago yet the memory of suck remains.
gk heads arent punchy? news to me.
im not a big fan of ampeg cabs or gk cabs for the most part. never really cared for any hartke stuff ive tried.
im not a big fan of ampeg cabs or gk cabs for the most part. never really cared for any hartke stuff ive tried.
I'm beginning to wonder upon what basis these claims are made. I've said this before, but are we making these statements based on trying them out at Guitar Center for a few minutes, or are they based on actual ownership and use in a gig situation? Some of these statements are ridiculous.
There is no way an Ampeg 8x10 is farting out unless you are ridiculously overpowering it - at which point, you've probably lost most of the hearing you are using to base that opinion on because the sound pressure levels have made you deaf!
"Peavey are basically out of it"? Why? Did you have a bad experience with one amp? Does that make the company bad? Have you tried the rest of their stuff?
Come on, people. If we haven't owned or used any of the gear we are bashing in a gig situation, then we don't really have any basis for comment, do we?
The Locos totally rock.
There is no way an Ampeg 8x10 is farting out unless you are ridiculously overpowering it - at which point, you've probably lost most of the hearing you are using to base that opinion on because the sound pressure levels have made you deaf!
"Peavey are basically out of it"? Why? Did you have a bad experience with one amp? Does that make the company bad? Have you tried the rest of their stuff?
Come on, people. If we haven't owned or used any of the gear we are bashing in a gig situation, then we don't really have any basis for comment, do we?
The Locos totally rock.
Yeah man I dig those old things! Peavey made some different stuff in the 80's, it's not high end but it's a hell of a lot better then the stuff they make these days.
At the end of the day, most mainstream amps are coloured with a mid scoop to make jazz basses sound good in different ways. Mark Bass, Peavey, SWR, Ashdown and most of the hybrid heads for example.
Since I don't own a jazz bass, and my Smiths already have a mid scoop in the voicing of the instrument, many coloured amps make my Smiths sound like there's either a pillow over the cab or remove the mids altogether. Given one of the Smiths is fretless, I need the mids to pitch myself.
Trace stuff has been ok for the mids but they're a very aggressive amp with a scoop towards the lower end so I get lots of boomy thunder and some bark but the mids are reduced. I have to use pretty extreme settings on the graphic.
The only reasonably priced amp manufacturer I've tried which isn't prejudiced against the colouring of my Smiths are Gallien Krueger. I get lots of mids, the RB700 combos I use are clear enough that they sound as good as a PA with CD's through them and there's oodles of club filling warmth and punch if I need it. The only time I need to tweak the eq is when there's some onstage acoustic issues (like too much boom).
I can play any of my other basses through the combos as well, and they all sound the way I need them to for me to be able to hear myself clearly on stage. If I need extra volume I can whack a 210Rbh on top of the combo and have enough volume for any venue up to a thousand seater.
But back OT. The amps that have impressed me the least were the Fender solid state BXR range and Marshall's solid state stuff. Both well established brands that seemed to be trading more off their guitar heritage than trying hard to deliver quality bass amplification. Both sounded very coarse and boomy, the features on the amps were limited and overall I was just left thinking 'why bother'?
I suppose in Fender's case, because they own SWR now they don't have to work hard to market bass amps under their own brand. Speaking of SWR, I had problems with volume as well when I owned an SWR Bass350 and a Triad cab.
The Triad cab was only rated 98dB sensitivity and I suspect this along with the 8ohm impedance would have been the cause of the lack of volume in my case. I was probably only getting 250w or so.
For Peavey stuff, I used to own a 410TX cab which seemed to have a lot of clack and boom but no mids - I wondered if this might have been a phasing problem but I sold it before I could find out. The Peavey heads I've tried (Mark VI, Mark IV) deliver what's needed to be heard on stage but not much more. I had a TNT150 combo once as well which was pretty good but compared to my GK combos, it didn't do mids very well either. I've also tried a 450w Databass combo and that thing was very impressive. I wish they'd bring it back with neo speakers - it would be a fantastic package.
Since I don't own a jazz bass, and my Smiths already have a mid scoop in the voicing of the instrument, many coloured amps make my Smiths sound like there's either a pillow over the cab or remove the mids altogether. Given one of the Smiths is fretless, I need the mids to pitch myself.
Trace stuff has been ok for the mids but they're a very aggressive amp with a scoop towards the lower end so I get lots of boomy thunder and some bark but the mids are reduced. I have to use pretty extreme settings on the graphic.
The only reasonably priced amp manufacturer I've tried which isn't prejudiced against the colouring of my Smiths are Gallien Krueger. I get lots of mids, the RB700 combos I use are clear enough that they sound as good as a PA with CD's through them and there's oodles of club filling warmth and punch if I need it. The only time I need to tweak the eq is when there's some onstage acoustic issues (like too much boom).
I can play any of my other basses through the combos as well, and they all sound the way I need them to for me to be able to hear myself clearly on stage. If I need extra volume I can whack a 210Rbh on top of the combo and have enough volume for any venue up to a thousand seater.
But back OT. The amps that have impressed me the least were the Fender solid state BXR range and Marshall's solid state stuff. Both well established brands that seemed to be trading more off their guitar heritage than trying hard to deliver quality bass amplification. Both sounded very coarse and boomy, the features on the amps were limited and overall I was just left thinking 'why bother'?
I suppose in Fender's case, because they own SWR now they don't have to work hard to market bass amps under their own brand. Speaking of SWR, I had problems with volume as well when I owned an SWR Bass350 and a Triad cab.
The Triad cab was only rated 98dB sensitivity and I suspect this along with the 8ohm impedance would have been the cause of the lack of volume in my case. I was probably only getting 250w or so.
For Peavey stuff, I used to own a 410TX cab which seemed to have a lot of clack and boom but no mids - I wondered if this might have been a phasing problem but I sold it before I could find out. The Peavey heads I've tried (Mark VI, Mark IV) deliver what's needed to be heard on stage but not much more. I had a TNT150 combo once as well which was pretty good but compared to my GK combos, it didn't do mids very well either. I've also tried a 450w Databass combo and that thing was very impressive. I wish they'd bring it back with neo speakers - it would be a fantastic package.
Yup...your reminding me how pathetic I am. Well put. Also how many times have you heard a bass player sound great in a small club (w/o PA support) and when you evaluate his gear you see a middle of the road bass and amp/cab. Then your reminded of what's important.Technique and groove.
Harke- Wasn't getting the Big sound out of a full stack, wasn't doing it for me, just was lacking that omphh I like.
Ampeg- I can stand there stuff ok but I HATE there combos
Line-6- just way to muddy for my tastes, lacking power
Rogue- that speaks for it self
Thats all I can think of, plus only 1 minute untill classes switch.
I will keep you posted on more I don't like
I love me some Mesa and Eden though
Ampeg- I can stand there stuff ok but I HATE there combos
Line-6- just way to muddy for my tastes, lacking power
Rogue- that speaks for it self
Thats all I can think of, plus only 1 minute untill classes switch.
I will keep you posted on more I don't like
I love me some Mesa and Eden though
