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Best bass amp brand?

#143
interstatejoe said:
Just curious about what makes you say Marshall the best guitar amp? Laney, Ampeg, Fender, Sovtek, Mesa/Boogie, and even Peavey all make exceptional tube guitar amps that will give any Marshall a run for its money. Marshall just seems to be one of the most popular. Just saying....


As for the best bass amp, I guess it all depends on what you're looking for in an amp.
Click to expand...
Best ALWAYS means most popular.
 
#146
Friedman Amps are building the highest quality Marshall based circuits these days.
Way higher quality than anything Marshall is offering
I haven't looked to see if they offer a Super Bass or Major build.
 
#147
OK, four years later, my position is this: As I've said before, it's a great time to be a bass player. There are many excellent amps out there, and choosing one as an "iconic" brand would be nothing more than a matter of personal taste. In regard to my 2010 comment, I'd say Ampeg would possibly be the analogue of Marshall in name, but again, there are a lot of amps out there of equal or higher quality.
 
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#148
You really can't go by brand name alone any more.

The originals may have been spectacular, but the R/I's may use all kinds of cost cutting measures to meet a price point.

Someone asked me the difference between a vintage Blue Line Ampeg V4b and a new one.
Looking at both specs, the first thing I noticed was a 16 pound difference between the original and the R/I's.
That may sound great for your back, but it's telling me loud and clear they are using much lighter duty transformers.
Original weight 57 pounds. New R/I weight 41 pounds.

In my experience, the beefier the transformers the better the clean headroom and richer the tone.
 
#149
FFTT said:
You really can't go by brand name alone any more.

The originals may have been spectacular, but the R/I's may use all kinds of cost cutting measures to meet a price point.

Someone asked me the difference between a vintage Blue Line Ampeg V4b and a new one.
Looking at both specs, the first thing I noticed was a 16 pound difference between the original and the R/I's.
That may sound great for your back, but it's telling me loud and clear they are using much lighter duty transformers.
Original weight 57 pounds. New R/I weight 41 pounds.

In my experience, the beefier the transformers the better the clean headroom and richer the tone.
Click to expand...

So are you saying that you've played through the new V4B Reissue and you find the tone to be bland? You've done a side by side comparison with an original unit and it doesn't have as much clean headroom as the original V4B?
 
#150
I'm saying Ampeg is cutting corners using a lighter duty transformer than on the originals.
They may sound fine, but the fact remains Ampeg is using cheaper components.
The builds are not as robust as the originals. The new amps are outsourced clip in wiring harnesses where the original
were soldered together.

Marshall, Fender, and Vox are all using cost cutting measures as well.
 
#151
I play through Acoustic Control amps, but I have been thinking about putting an Ampeg logo on them, just for the quality of the brand. I'm sure it would give those old amps that little extra when it's needed, plus it's worth an extra five horsepower.
 
#157
Hmmmm best Bass amp subjective thing I use a SWR 400 redhead on top of a SWR Goliath 111 cab.
Using 2 main basses Fender American jazz and Ibanez SR 700 the amp is perfect for my tastes.
Deep rich lows and mid range bright !
-17358719026CA0FD8A.png
 
#158
Wow...All through my development and subsequent career I loved virtually every rig I had at the time I had it...From my first, a Kustom 100 watt with a 2x15 silver tuck & roll, to a HiWatt Custom 100 on an 8x12 stack to a nondescript Peavey somethingorother to the Acoustic 370 (3 times!!). Actually, my first 370 came with two 301 cabs, and it. Was. Good...Had two 370's in all at various moments in my career, including the carpeted model I have now. They sound great through just about any cab, was designed to operate optimally @ 2 ohms, rumblerumblerumble...with a nice crisp hint of top end. Yummy! Ah, but age and health issues creep up, and my equipment choices are more and more revolving around weight--Praise be for class D!!!!!!

The closest I ever got to even understanding the appeal of Ampeg gear was in the early 80s sitting stageside at the Hangar in Springfield MO watching Dug Pinnick play a Jazz Bass through a cranked SVT-powered 8x10 with a Scholtz Powersoak. THAT cat made it sound like Ampeg should be the ONLY bass amp company left. That's when I realized that it ain't the amp that makes the bass player.
 
#160
much as I love Mesa (my favorite), and admire Aguilar... I'd have t say the way you phrased the question "Brand" it's going to be Ampeg... just like Fender is the best Bass...

That said, my dream rig is a Alembic Series II with my 8:88 ... but I'm just calling it like it is.
 

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