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Anyone else dislike SWR?
- Thread starter Jazzkuma
- Start date
had a rented sm900 and 8x10 at a gig once. spent the whole soundcheck trying to get it to sound good and kicking myself for not bringing my sabddi. the tone was pretty much as most describe it . . . which I guess just isn't my thing.
I recently replaced the woofers in my GIII 2x10 & 4x10 cabs with Eminence BP-102s - which has made a tremendous improvement in tone & power.
I like my SWR Bass 350 head with the 2x10 on my upright for jazz jobs. I basically set it flat. I do not like that same head with my Yamaha TRB1005 - it's very "sterile" sounding - doesn't inspire me at all. In fact, I find I dig in harder because the amp doesn't give me what I need power & tone-wise.
Therefore, I use an Eden preamp & Crown power amp with the 4x10 and that's a pretty good combination for most club & concert gigs.
That is, until last week when I played through a real tube Ampeg stack...sigh.
I like my SWR Bass 350 head with the 2x10 on my upright for jazz jobs. I basically set it flat. I do not like that same head with my Yamaha TRB1005 - it's very "sterile" sounding - doesn't inspire me at all. In fact, I find I dig in harder because the amp doesn't give me what I need power & tone-wise.
Therefore, I use an Eden preamp & Crown power amp with the 4x10 and that's a pretty good combination for most club & concert gigs.
That is, until last week when I played through a real tube Ampeg stack...sigh.
I loved my pre-Fender Redhead(s). I'd still have it if it wasn't for its weight not matching with my aging body.
All the SWR gear I ever (including SM-400, Baby Blue, Goliath II cab) had gave great tones and were completely reliable, gig after gig after gig, and in all sorts of rooms.
Nowadays, I love Genz-Benz and Traynor, and I'm curious about Aguilar. As for (some) other brands, I've not been able to get a sound I like out of any GK amps in 25 years of trying, and Ampegs are hit and miss to my ears.
What does this all mean? To each their own, I guess, and probably little else.
My experience with SWR is that they punch through great, probably better than any other amp I've ever used. They just never sound bassy enough for me. You tweak them and they sound 'tweaked'. But for a firm, percussive presence, there's nothing better.
I demo'd a few SWR models way back when and just didn't like them well enough to purchase. But that's just me, also played through a Redhead (provided backline) for a few sets and for the life of me I couldn't dial in anything I liked. Plenty of punch but not much happening in the lows.
i love my swr son of bertha cabs. just not too keen on the heads i used in the past. mix and match, find the sound, on and on forever...but swr is good stuff to me
The best thing that happened to my SWR was a Sansamp. I had gobs of experience with the 750 and 350 (pre Fender) and could never get a tone I liked out of either. I could never understand the point of the 12AX7 in those amps as they were the least warm sounding things out there where increasing the gain did little if nothing at all to give them at least a little grit. I honestly believe the tube feature was an unnecesary gimmick that made little sense in the scheme of SWR's super transparent reputation. The tube was little more than a glowing bulb stuck into the signal path as a "neato!" afterthought (the one good feature was the tubes role in the direct out). All that said, I love their cabs and still use a Son Of Bertha 1x15 with my GK700 RBII and Neo 1x15III. I plan on keeping it even after I get another Neo 1x15 III to complete my GK rig. If anyone wants to but a failed 350x, I have one collecting dust in my basement. I would say that SWR's signature sound is not having a signature sound...clean and transparent to the point of useless in many contexts, IMO.
I have had an SM-400s, both a red and chrome faced Bass 350 and a Bass 750.
I disliked the 750 pretty intensely (got it in a trade), but I really liked the tone of the SM-400s and both 350s and would not mind having any of them back.
I have and still use Goliath III Jr and Son of Bertha cabs and like them a lot except for the weight now that I have had spinal surgery.
I disliked the 750 pretty intensely (got it in a trade), but I really liked the tone of the SM-400s and both 350s and would not mind having any of them back.
I have and still use Goliath III Jr and Son of Bertha cabs and like them a lot except for the weight now that I have had spinal surgery.
SWR taking yet another Talkbass drubbing. I guess that's why I only got $330 for my SM-500 
Funny though...SWR remains one of the top five most requested backline amps even after Talkbass got hold of it. Ampeg, GK, Hartke, SWR and Eden still get the vast majority of calls for rental gigs, though Mesa and Aguilar are starting to get out there.
Funny though...SWR remains one of the top five most requested backline amps even after Talkbass got hold of it. Ampeg, GK, Hartke, SWR and Eden still get the vast majority of calls for rental gigs, though Mesa and Aguilar are starting to get out there.
I don't know, Jimmy, this thread doesn't seem like a drubbing to me. It just points out that some amps' signature--colored--tone isn't for everyone. And selling used gear in this economy is a beeyotch, for sure, for any and all brands. $330 for an SM-500 sounds pretty good to me! Peace, Bob
Dang thing cost me $1100, though!
But I hear ya Bob...ultimately I went back to Ampeg so I guess it's not a ringing endorsement I'm giving here either, but I think folks were happier with SWR until this EQ thing became more known.
But I hear ya Bob...ultimately I went back to Ampeg so I guess it's not a ringing endorsement I'm giving here either, but I think folks were happier with SWR until this EQ thing became more known.
I've had two WorkingMan's 12 combos, an S.O.B. 1 x 15, and Goliath II Jr. 2 x 10. Hated the horns on all of them, really enjoyed the tone besides that.
WM12 is one of the few combos I've found that sounded equally good on bass guitar & upright. Kinda miss it, wouldn't mind getting a WM10.
Interesting thread here about bypassing the Aural Enhancer to even out SWR amps' response.
WM12 is one of the few combos I've found that sounded equally good on bass guitar & upright. Kinda miss it, wouldn't mind getting a WM10.
Interesting thread here about bypassing the Aural Enhancer to even out SWR amps' response.
I don't main them anymore, but I was very happy with my SWR SM-400 and (old school) Goliath II 410.
My first real amp was a GK 800RB but I was pretty disappointed with its tone and power. The SWR I felt gave me a better sound. I liked the mid-scoop, though I had no problem warming it up as well. Gotta turn that horn on the 410 down though!
Even today, I keep the SM-400 at a friend's house and it sounds great. I semi-retired the 410 when the metal grille started rattling and I couldn't make it stop. I took off the grille and it sounds fine but I don't take it out anymore.
My first real amp was a GK 800RB but I was pretty disappointed with its tone and power. The SWR I felt gave me a better sound. I liked the mid-scoop, though I had no problem warming it up as well. Gotta turn that horn on the 410 down though!
Even today, I keep the SM-400 at a friend's house and it sounds great. I semi-retired the 410 when the metal grille started rattling and I couldn't make it stop. I took off the grille and it sounds fine but I don't take it out anymore.
I should say - in the spirit of this thread - I sincerely disliked my workingmans 12 combo and my california blonde. I was also disappointed in the Goliath II 4x10 and the little Henry Jr 4x8 cab.
In fairness, I wanted to like them - but I bought each of these units used - so they were all kind of beat up in one way or another by the time they got to me.
In fairness, I wanted to like them - but I bought each of these units used - so they were all kind of beat up in one way or another by the time they got to me.
- Oct 8, 2007
- 970
- 60
- Disclosures
- Former Part-Time, Non-Commission Employee MOOG Audio
I owned a 1999 (pre Fender) SM500 and I loved everything about it until the day it was stolen from my car in 2008 or so. While I owned it I gased for no other amp and constantly got compliments on my tone (SM500 through a relatively cheap Peavey 410tx.)
Since then, I've bought and used many, mnay more expensive heads and while I'd probably pick an new EBS 360 or a Glock Blue Soul over a new fender made SWR, I've never been as satisfied with any head as I was with my SWR.
Have my tastes changed? certainly,
Today I now have the SWR tone covered with preamps that I can run into my very flat Glockenklang, a two rackspace and killer sounding SWR made Groove tubes tube preamp and a one rack space grand prix. anyone can pick either of these up cheaply if they want to flirt with the SWR sound
Since then, I've bought and used many, mnay more expensive heads and while I'd probably pick an new EBS 360 or a Glock Blue Soul over a new fender made SWR, I've never been as satisfied with any head as I was with my SWR.
Have my tastes changed? certainly,
Today I now have the SWR tone covered with preamps that I can run into my very flat Glockenklang, a two rackspace and killer sounding SWR made Groove tubes tube preamp and a one rack space grand prix. anyone can pick either of these up cheaply if they want to flirt with the SWR sound
I really dislike SWR amps. It's not that they're low quality or anything like that; they're good amps.
It's just that it's more difficult to get a tone I like on them than on the vast majority of other amps I've played. Basically they're not built to get the kind of tone I like without a lot of EQing.
But that's okay, not every product is made for me.
It's just that it's more difficult to get a tone I like on them than on the vast majority of other amps I've played. Basically they're not built to get the kind of tone I like without a lot of EQing.
But that's okay, not every product is made for me.
I had a SM400..in the early 90's..back then..I guess it was cutting edge technology .It sounded fairly decent using an active bass,and was portable.The downside was it got extremely hot and was a fairly weak 400 W (for my needs).
There are currently some great deals on older SWR gear...It's money well spent if you want a lot of bang for your buck.
There are currently some great deals on older SWR gear...It's money well spent if you want a lot of bang for your buck.
