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Basic Amp brand generalizations?

#21
sigmafloyd said:
JimmyM you are the voice of reason, a lone voice in the wilderness. TB has already tainted my perceptions of basses, why do it with amps as well. I need something light anyway so I might go for an Aguilar or TC electronics.
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Ya, I see a lot of fast and loose recommendations of needless money-spending on here, as well as a lot of typecasting of certain gear. But I remember the days when the only decent gear I had was a Fender Precision I modded into a Jazz and a V4b/810, so I had to make it work for whatever I was doing no matter what style because I had no other choice. And even though I have a ridiculous amount of basses and 3 amps now, I still do that kind of thinking. Hey, need me to slap and all I have is a violin bass with old flats? No problem! Won't be what most consider ideal but it'll work and sound good.
 
#23
JimmyM said:
Never really bothered me to make alterations. I tried to buy into that "leave all tone knobs at 12:00" thing for a couple years, but I never could make it work so I gave up on it and just twiddle knobs till I'm happy. Doesn't take too long if you know what you're looking for.
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I'm glad that SOMEONE finally pointed this out!! I have tried several times to "run flat" both with my 4Pro and my HSVT and it just flat out doesn't work for me....To my old assed ears "flat" sounds just that - FLAT.

You should start a club Jimmy - the "forget the flat" club :D
 
#24
LOL! Strong work, I like it.:D

brianrost said:
Ampeg I'm a weightlifter on steroids

Peavey I don't have much money

Traynor I'm from Canada, eh

Fender I've never heard of Ampeg

Carvin I can't afford a Peavey

SWR I slap all the time

GenzBenz I can't lift an Ampeg

GK I can't lift an GenzBenz

Behringer I can't afford a Carvin

Hartke I'm from Joisey

Orange I have no penis

Acoustic I only shop at GC

Marshall I really play guitar

MarkBass I've never heard of GenzBenz

Trace Elliot I have a huge collection of vintage blacklight posters

Alembic I dropped acid and thought I was Phil Lesh



:hiding:
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#25
Ok Round 2. Here's a few more once again feel free to disagree...

Fender - Fender may have invented the electic bass but missed the mark with bass amps. The original Fender Bassman was really just a guitar amp and vintage bassmen are still popular with guitarists. Many of Fender's "Bass" amps make much better guitar amps. In recent years Fender bought SWR and focused on that for bass amplification. Leaving amps with the Fender name plate to be low priced entry level stuff. You can hear guitarists on a bassman on Nirvana nevermind, CCR, Brian Stezer, etc. I don't know where you can hear someone play bass though a fender amp?

Hartke - Hartke is know more for their cabs then their amps. Hartke makes solid state amps with either solid state or tube pre's. There isn't a "sound" these amps are known for. They have copied the best parts of GK and Trace amps with EQ, and Contour controls. These amps are known for being pretty clean and transparent with a bit of a snappy high end. While there is nothing revolutionary about these amps thier artist list is a who's who - Victor Wooten, Stu Hamm, Dave Elfson, Adrian Terrazas-Gonzalez and many more.

Genz Benz - Full disclosure I currently play a genz 1200. The Idea is that genz amps have both tube and solid state pre-amp channels so you can flip back and forth between Ampeg and GK type tones on the fly. Genz and Markbass have been racing in recent years to make excellent tone fit in the smallest most portable package possible. Genz has managed to make an SVT and an RB800 fit into a tiny little 6lb box with a DI and a ton on in outs. - I don't know where to hear one recorded but I saw Princes bass player with one live.

Acoustic (70's made) In the 70's acoustic was the amp of choice for Zepplins John Paul Jones. In this era alot of bass player used PA heads for bass rigs because the amps of the day were underpowered. Acoustic, Sunn and Kustom bass heads come from PA style power amps. The focus was on the power amp section with little or no focus on the pre amps or tone circuits. These amps are frequently paired with big ported 215 cabs for enormously loud low bass. This setup is the sound of the 70's but now-a-days you might find this rig at a reggae show.

Acoustic (current models) - The Acoustic brand name has been revived and crapped all over a bunch of really cheap garbage that they sell to beginners at Guitar Center.

SWR - SWR blazed the trail in hybrid amps (both tube and solid state). Prior to SWR most manufatures focused on the low end, high watts and big speakers. Some people had started adding horns to cabs to get a little high end but bass still wasn't "full range". To achieve "full range" SWR was a pioneer in designing amps and cabs designed to work together. As a relsult SWR amps are supposed to be clean and transparent but end up having a distinct midrange sound. These amps have come to be know as a slappers delight which is wierd since most slap tone is scooped out and doesn't take advantage of the "full range". SWR is the grandfather to all modern bass amps (genz,mark, PJB, etc). You can hear SWR on most super slappers like Stanley Clark and Verdine White but Phil Lesh and Tony Franklin use 'em too.

That's it for now maybe more later.
 
#27
ok, ill play

Ampeg- Darker, classic rock tone.

GK- less natural sounding, metal players love em, but so does Flea.

MarkBass- along the same lines as Ampeg, but more compact and usually solid state.

Hartke- brighter snappier attack, think Victor Wooten and Megadeth

SWR- slap players. haha

GenzBenz- less colored tone, light and easy to handle

Behringer- cheap and unreliable, very specific sounding

Peavey- the ultimate cheap bass amp. gigantic and loud

Acoustic- along the lines of markbass and ampeg, but a cheaper guitar center brand (i still like em)
 
#28
brianrost said:
Ampeg I'm a weightlifter on steroids

Peavey I don't have much money

Traynor I'm from Canada, eh

Fender I've never heard of Ampeg

Carvin I can't afford a Peavey

SWR I slap all the time

GenzBenz I can't lift an Ampeg

GK I can't lift an GenzBenz

Behringer I can't afford a Carvin

Hartke I'm from Joisey

Orange I have no penis

Acoustic I only shop at GC

Marshall I really play guitar

MarkBass I've never heard of GenzBenz

Trace Elliot I have a huge collection of vintage blacklight posters

Alembic I dropped acid and thought I was Phil Lesh

:hiding:
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Funny! Thanks.
 
#29
brianrost said:
Ampeg I'm a weightlifter on steroids

Peavey I don't have much money

Traynor I'm from Canada, eh

Fender I've never heard of Ampeg

Carvin I can't afford a Peavey

SWR I slap all the time

GenzBenz I can't lift an Ampeg

GK I can't lift an GenzBenz

Behringer I can't afford a Carvin

Hartke I'm from Joisey

Orange I have no penis

Acoustic I only shop at GC

Marshall I really play guitar

MarkBass I've never heard of GenzBenz

Trace Elliot I have a huge collection of vintage blacklight posters

Alembic I dropped acid and thought I was Phil Lesh

:hiding:
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This is awesome and I'm going to use this as purchasing guide from now on.
 
#30
Hey, it seems like a couple other important aspects might be addressed here. How about generalizations (to whatever extent they may be worth) for:

1) quality / durability / reliability (ie, takes a lickin' and just keeps on tickin'; had it for years with no probs, etc)

2) value (ie, getting something pretty darn good at a modest price is generally better value than getting the ultimate amp but paying a massive amount for it)

3) maintaining resale value.

Can anybody add to the prior good comments, with respect to these factors? Thanks!
 
#31
brianrost said:
Ampeg I'm a weightlifter on steroids

Peavey I don't have much money

Traynor I'm from Canada, eh

Fender I've never heard of Ampeg

Carvin I can't afford a Peavey

SWR I slap all the time

GenzBenz I can't lift an Ampeg

GK I can't lift an GenzBenz

Behringer I can't afford a Carvin

Hartke I'm from Joisey

Orange I have no penis

Acoustic I only shop at GC

Marshall I really play guitar

MarkBass I've never heard of GenzBenz

Trace Elliot I have a huge collection of vintage blacklight posters

Alembic I dropped acid and thought I was Phil Lesh



:hiding:
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:rollno:

Mesa Boogie - I'm a gear snob. :eek:
 
#32
This will probably be my last batch of sweeping generalizations. Please continue to call me an idiot.

Aguilar - Aguilar's amps are designed around the destinctive aguilar preamp. Aguilar makes their pre in on-board, out-board and amp versions which helped lead to the modern active bass sound. The pre idea was that it should sound exactly like your bass' natural tone only boosted. The aguilar preamp missed that goal and wildly exagerates somes frequencies over others. While that has lead to lot of competition in on-board bass pre's a lot of people like that quality in an amp. Aguilar amps are on stage with U2 and John Petrucci.

Eden - There is only one word for the sound of eden amps... WARM. While alot of amp makers are racing to be the cleanest and most transpartent Eden is a brand that prizes itself on the color that's added to your sound. Warm is usually a term used for tube amps (and Eden makes some tube amps) but even the solid state amps they are know for are incredibly warm sounding. They also have one of the only built-in compressors that's worth using. You can hear these alot in modern R&B and I see them on stage with alot of blues artists.

TC Electronics - TCE was renowed for years for thier rack mount studio gear (EQ's, Finalizers, Exciters, etc.) TC decided to jump onto to the tiny bass amp band waggon ala genz and markbass. The amps are some of the smallest around but use emulation (fake tube sound) as the basis for most it's sound. I doubt you can find an arist using it in the studio.

Ashdown - Ashdown makes amps for Rock on a budget. This amp does straight ahead rock. If you are starting a local Buckcherry tribute band this is your amp!
 
#33
What makes this really hard is that brands have changed over time. Many of them have chased each other around in terms of features and tone, so what brand X sounded like years ago has nothing to do with how they sound today. Keep this in mind.

Frex, An ampeg SVT or B15 had the two ampeg sounds, so to speak. These days ampeg makes a bunch of stuff, and while some of them sound similar to the older all tube SVT, the original 8x10, or the B15, many don't at all. Many of their newer cabs were trying to cut into the market of SWR, Eden, etc and kinda diluted what the ampeg sound was. Ditto for their hybrid (tube preamp SS poweramp) pro series. The SVP preamp is pretty cool, but the SS power section means it's not gonna sound like an actual 100 lb glowing power tube section SVT. This doesn't make it bad, just different.

Likewise, with many companies trying to get into the beginner or less expensive market, the sound can be very similar, or it can be VERY different. At the same time, some amps using the same popular features (such as a fender showman preamp front end) can end up sounding very similar, even though they're not the same brand.

Just trying to make things more confusing. :D

I tell ya, 10 or 15 years ago I could answer this question without even thinking - these days, it's a LOT harder.
 
#35
waltwpowell said:
I'm not scared of that question. Feel free to rip my answers and flame me personally.

Ampeg Portaflex - Vintage Motown good in the studio - Can be heard on most old motown tunes.
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I have read somewhere that James Jamerson's Fender Precision was recorded via a direct box at motown, something that the engineers whipped up. regardless an ampeg portoflex does reproduce a thick tone.
 
#36
Price, Value and reliablity are too hard to list for each brand but here are some generalizations:

1# Tube amps are less reliable than Solid State. - Tube amps are more sensitive to temp changes and impact. Most people who buy an expensive All tube heads don't tour them and keep it in a nice studio. The exception would be Ampeg it's a road warrior and it's on the low end pricewise of All Tube amps.

2# Vintage amps are more expensive than late models - If an amp is no longer made it's value can exceed it's MSRP where used amps still in production shouldn't go higher than what one would cost new. So when talking about Vintage amps resale value can some times become appriciation.

3# If you can buy it at GC it won't hold it's resale value - Most of the stuff at GC is highly available and the laws of supply and demand dictate that harder to find items will be worth more cash.

Hope that helps some.

bassdood said:
Hey, it seems like a couple other important aspects might be addressed here. How about generalizations (to whatever extent they may be worth) for:

1) quality / durability / reliability (ie, takes a lickin' and just keeps on tickin'; had it for years with no probs, etc)

2) value (ie, getting something pretty darn good at a modest price is generally better value than getting the ultimate amp but paying a massive amount for it)

3) maintaining resale value.

Can anybody add to the prior good comments, with respect to these factors? Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
#37
waltwpowell said:
Price, Value and reliablity are too hard to list for each brand but here are some generalizations:

1# Tube amps are less reliable than Solid State. - Tube amps are more sensitive to temp changes and impact. Most people who buy an expensive All tube heads don't tour them and keep it in a nice studio. The exception would be Ampeg it's a road warrior and it's on the low end pricewise of All Tube amps.
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100% not true at all. I can only presume you never owned a tube amp. I've had tube amps last 10 years or more without having to change a single tube. I've also had a solid state amps break down on me 6 months after I got it. And vice versa. There's nothing that proves tube amps are any harder to maintain or any more sensitive to temp changes and impact than solid state. OK, so a tube goes bad now and then or you have to change out a capacitor. Solid state has its own set of woes as well.

2# Vintage amps are more expensive than late models - If an amp is no longer made it's value can exceed it's MSRP where used amps still in production shouldn't go higher than what one would cost new. So when talking about Vintage amps resale value can some times become appriciation.
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Eh, not particularly true. There are many vintage amps that go for a song compared to what they'd be worth if they were available new, especially if they're solid state. And vintage tube amps that you can still buy new versions of like the SVT go for about the same as you can buy a new SVT for, give or take a few hundy. The collector's market has generally bypassed bass amps. It's much less expensive to collect vintage bass amps than vintage basses.

3# If you can buy it at GC it would hold it's resale value - Most of the stuff at GC is highly available and the laws of supply and demand dictate that harder to find items will be worth more cash.
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Huh?
 
#38
BTW, whatever descriptions of gear have been mentioned here, I guarantee you I can take those amps and find the exact opposite sounds as well. That's why they come with knobs.
 
#40
I said that I'm OK with being wrong, I enjoy some healthy debate and I fully expect to get trash talked for the rest of time.

I would like to say that I have owned many of the amps I listed descriptions for and have played every one at least a little. (I left out amps I've never personally played ie: Carvin & Traynor)
I was compelled to post because I would have loved to have a thread like this to research before I spent tons of $$$ and time on trial and error.

I would also like to reiterate that the OP asked for generalizations and stereotypes. Sure someone might have a tube head from 1961 that's pumping out the jams everyday on tour in a van while their two year old smoke-free studio GK is burnt up from a bad fan. You might find that over the last 40 years Ampeg made some off the wall thing that sounds like an Orange or maybe you found the magic knob that makes your $200 Peavey sound exactly like a $3000 dollar Hiwatt. In general those things are NOT the case and there is no point dealing with "the exception" until you know "the rule".
 

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