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Bad Tone issue with mesa boogie bass 400+

#22
Sorry, but I disagree with all the 410HLF hate. That cab can sound really good under the right circumstances. As with most any piece of gear, it can also be a poor choice under the wrong circumstances. Genre, bass, amplifier, and room all play a role in how a given cab will sound. It's possible that it's the wrong cab for the OP. It's also possible that the Mesa isn't a good fit for his style, or that he doesn't understand how to get what he wants out of it. The 400+ isn't the easiest head to navigate.

As others have said, if you can, try the head with other cabs and vice versa.
 
#23
SactoBass said:
My only experience with an Ampeg 410 HLF cab was 15 to 20 years ago when I was watching a rock band perform outdoors, and the bass player was playing through an Ampeg 410 HLF. The bass was just a bunch of incoherent, low end, rumbling noise that sounded like crap to my ears. I thought "wow, I'll never buy one of *those* cabs!" (and I like Ampeg, which is why I was so surprised to hear what I was hearing).

So, I think the OP's issue is with the cab, as many posters in this thread have stated. :thumbsup:

This is, of course, assuming that the OP's amp and all of the tubes are operating properly.
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Lost gear troubleshooting method:. You find another bass player in the space, wait for them to finish up, ask if you can play your head thru their cab as a sanity check. Rinse and repeat until you find a willing participant with 5mins to spare. Given that it's a Bass 400+ most players will want to geek out on it for 10mins.

Failing that you hump your head and bass to stores with likely cabs and demo.

If in a gear desert you bust out your phone and scour Craigslist.
Back in the day Id have to grab the Gazette or Recycler.
 
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#26
Chickenwheels said:
This. And try some other heads, too. Maybe get your 400 checked out by a tech, too.
Matching tube heads to the right cabs is imperative. Mesa originally used EVM-15L drivers with these heads and with good cause.
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My fondness for 215s is bc of the Bass 400 and Road Ready 215.
Mesa 10" cabs of the era were underwhelming.
810 was my go to if I needed an alternative.

The early SWR 10/12, Eden 10, Baer 12, Acme 12, and Bag End 10/12/15 all work well.
The Bag End q10 in particular was a cannon.
A pair of Bag End 15s are more manageable but their 80s growl is a take or leave.

Aguilar any, Epifani any, GK Neo any, modern Mesa beside the Powerhouse 410 + 115, and modern 810 all work.
I've never gotten to play any of the greenboy derived stuff but what I've heard I really liked.

I still see Pacific thiele cabs with ev15ls of that era, worth it if the ev is intact and you get them for $100.
 
#29
400+ is an amp that you either get on with right off or you walk away from fairly quickly. It's a bit polarizing. I personally had one for something like a year and spend the whole year not ever getting to "I love this"...and moved on.

The funny thing is I have had plenty of 'Fender Tonestack' amps without a problem...and have a Kern IP-777 right now that is a really lovely sounding pre...but the Mesa 400+ just never worked for me.
 
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#30
i had a bass 400 i used in a punk band in the late 80's. that head sounded great for punk. as someone here has mentioned that head is real good in the mids. that amp cuts through the mix good.
 

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