Best amp you played through

[rtslinger]

1975 Ampeg SVT 8*10

 

[MegaSwing]

I once owned a Mesa-Boogie Basis M2000 that was pretty badass. If only I had learned to use even half of its many features, it might have sounded even better.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Vintage SVT with 8x10. Even better, it was backlined.

 

[interp]

Walter Woods Electracoustic Stereo. Honorable mention to SVT and 1964 B15N.

 

[bass12]

Ampeg SVT III and IV Pros
Aguilar TH 500
Tecamp Puma 900

 

[The Regulator]

GK 800RB
Ampeg SVT CL
Aguilar DB680
SWR Bass 750

 

[skwee]

I really liked playing through a borrowed SWR Redhead.

 

[Lo-E]

I've been around long enough to have played through some truly wonderful bass rigs and I'm lucky enough to have some really excellent gear in my arsenal, but when you put the word "best" in the title the answer, for me, at least, is clear:

Early '70s SVT w/ squareback 8x10

I'm not just being specific to loud playing or rock'n'roll, either; at any volume or in any style I have never gotten a bad sound out of an SVT and a fridge. I've never owned a full SVT rig, but I've played through plenty and they've never let me down. Ever.

Honorable mention goes to the entire flip-top family. I love my '66 B-15n especially, but all the vintage flip-tops sound great, from the little SB-12 to the B-18.

Don't get me wrong: I love me some more modern gear, too. I'll probably never get rid of my Eden gear, Aguilar and Berg are hitting it out of the park, older Trace Elliot and Ashdown are fantastic, the list goes on.... But when someone asks what I want in a backline, I want a fridge.

 

[Nev375]

Kern IP-777 preamp through a Stewart PR-1000 power amp.

I'm using an SWR Amplite right now for power for weight reasons. It does perfectly fine, but it has a fan instead of the absolute silent convection cooling of the Stewart. I always worry about fans breaking down. It's silly, but the Stewart gave me more peace of mind.

 

[two fingers]

I did an outdoor provided backline gig once with a classic SVT and two 8-10 cabs and a great mic in front of one of them. I was able to blend two channels (one off the bass and the SVT miced). It was everything you would think it is and more. And I didn't have to set it up!

What's even better is that I had a family thing that made it where I had to catch a hopper plane to the gig. So, I got off a jet with a gig bag over my shoulder, caught a cab to the back stage area of the show, and stepped on stage to an SVT with a wall of 10s. Rock star for a day.

 

[S W T]

Gk mb212 is the combo
Gk 1001rbii playing thru the gk neo 412

Jury is still out on that 1001rb head. Not sure if it'll last the long haul. I'll definitely let you know. So far it's done about 750 gigs in 10 years...

 

[jj4001]

Best amp I've played through?

Acoustic 371

Honorable mentions:

'73 Ampeg SVT through a Heritage 8x10.
Acoustic 320 through either a 408 or a 402 cab.
'69 Ampeg B-15 (With apparently some mod done to the output transformer. On whole notes, the attack started clean, then a swell of distortion, then back to clean as the note decays. A very cool sound.)

 

[Biggbass]

In my project studio the best amp to play thru is my '61 B15
In a small room venue the best amp to play thru is my Markbass LM3 with 2x10 cab
In a medium room venue the best amp to play thru is my Ampeg V4b/2x12
In a large room venue the best amp to play thru is my Ampeg SVT7pro/4x10

 

[geowis]

Mesa D 800
Mesa Walkabout

 

[dlb1001]

A toss-up between a Mesa D 800 and Bassman 135. Would like to check out the new Genzler to see how it compares to the Mesa.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Ampeg V4B - Ampeg 8x10.
In the day, the SVT was too powerful for the average club gig, but I actually liked the tone of the V4B better. I think it was because I could get to the edge of overdriven without knocking things off of walls.

 

[Liam Wald]

I have a number of very good amps but my favorite rig that I use 95% of the time is a Mesa M-Pulse into a Bergantino AE410.

 

[buldog5151bass]

View attachment 838566
Ampeg V4B - Ampeg 8x10.
In the day, the SVT was too powerful for the average club gig, but I actually liked the tone of the V4B better. I think it was because I could get to the edge of overdriven without knocking things off of walls.

@#!$~@ - dig the near-fro. I'd toss my knickers on stage for that.

 

[ghorvers]

Monique + M700.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Please don't.