British Bass Amps

[amusicalperson]

I have mostly used Rics for the past 35 years - I've had about 15 - and in that time have owned 1 Superbass and used another for an extended period. I love Squire, Glover et al. I play lightly and don't like to be loud on stage so too much drive was never an issue, but I really liked both of mine. However as I never really got on with any of the many Ampegs I've used (could never pin down why, they just never worked for me) YMMV.

Thanks! I appreciate your post!

 

[BassmanPaul]

Marshall bass amps eh? In the beginning it didn't matter what you played you bought a Marshall amp, I bought the 50W amp, and pretty much either a slant front, which is what I bought, or a straight front 16Ω 4x12. I used that cabinet for a few years latterly with a Fender Bassman. Sold both when we came to Canada in '73.

 

[amusicalperson]

Marshall bass amps eh? In the beginning it didn't matter what you played you bought a Marshall amp

Exactly! They ran everything through Marshalls in the early days!

 

[amusicalperson]

For anyone keeping up with this I decided to edit the title to "British Bass Amps" instead of "Marshall Bass Amps" because I'm pretty equally interested in any experience with Hiwatts, Oranges, and Marshalls.

 

[Jim Carr]

...live Voodoo Child is what Jack Casady sounded like with that Alembic Guild through Sunns. When I say sounded like, I heard all of these up close in person live played by these people. I was also fortunate to have owned and gigged them...

Ron Wood played bass with ...the Jeff Beck group. Rod Stewart sang. Find Jeff Beck Truth & Beck Ola to get a different take on what was happening musically when Led Zepplin eclipsed it all by great PR. He used two Majors with two 4x12 cabs.

Saw and heard the Jeff Beck Group at the boston Tea Party in ~'70. Ron was on his Tele bass and Marshall Major rig. The greatest live rock band I have ever heard.

Earlier, in 1969, I got a Marshall Major 200 watt tube head and the obligatory 812's (two 412 cabs, the top one being a slant face) from Manny's in NY. I had a friend who got a Sunn 2000s about 1970. I soon realized that the 2000s had tons of sweet low end, but the Marshall was thin and wimpy down low. The "green back" Celestion equipped cabs did not do the job.

@amusicalperson — I took that Marshall rig on the road to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1971, and when I got back I sold the cabs and got a lightly used Acoustic 301 118 cabinet. So much better for everything.

The Marshall Major head was nice, but I don't miss it much. 84 lbs and not very reliable. Pushed, it was loud, not very flexible, and kind of harsh. To be honest, you can get that sound easily with a pedal or two and a clean loud amp/cab pair. I hate to sound jingoistic, but the English have never produced a bass amp that I really liked. YMMV. Then again, I don't like SVTs, either.

 

[D.M.N.]

Always wondered how he got that tone; thanks,
With a Tele bass right?
Those two records were so far ahead of their time and stand up today.

How did Woodie go from being an excellent bassist to rhythm gtr?

I do believe on Truth Wood used a rented Jazz bass from what I remember reading. It's possible though that he had the Tele on some tracks. Beck-Ola, as far as I'm aware, is indeed early Tele bass through a Major. That outro solo to Spanish Boots is just burly. Honestly that song and Jailhouse Rock off the same album are huge inspirations on my approach to tone. His playing on Let Me Love You and I Ain't Superstitious with Jeff Beck and Barabajagal by Donovan are also amazing.

 

[Jim Carr]

...His [Ron Wood's] playing on Let Me Love You and Ain't Superstitious with Jeff Beck and ...are also amazing.

These were major inspirations for my playing when I was a youngster.

 

[Jimmy4string]

It seems Orange would fall into the category of British bass amps as well perhaps?! I see a lot of Orange Terror bass heads -but seems as though folks like a different cab. Is that mainly because of the orange cabinet price?
Sorry if i am in wrong thread...

 

[ThudThudThud]

I had a Marshall 100w Lead amp head (not sure which one. Tubes. Heavy) in the early 80s I used to play through with bass (probably worth a fortune these days..), and I thought it sounded great.
After that I had an Orange Matamp head (THE one in the Wishbone Ash 'Argus' album cover photos).
That was a monster. Big, heavy, impossible to carry, but sounded wonderful. Again, probably worth a fortune these days...

 

[Tanner5382]

It seems Orange would fall into the category of British bass amps as well perhaps?! I see a lot of Orange Terror bass heads -but seems as though folks like a different cab. Is that mainly because of the orange cabinet price?
Sorry if i am in wrong thread...

Not experienced with the Terrors, but I play an AD200B through a Orange 115. MONSTER rig. The Orange OBC115 is my favorite cab. Nothing fancy, no frills, no tweeters/horns. Just what I like. Classic, loud, and awesome tone.

 

[Tanner5382]

I do believe on Truth Wood used a rented Jazz bass from what I remember reading. It's possible though that he had the Tele on some tracks. Beck-Ola, as far as I'm aware, is indeed early Tele bass through a Major. That outro solo to Spanish Boots is just burly. Honestly that song and Jailhouse Rock off the same album are huge inspirations on my approach to tone. His playing on Let Me Love You and I Ain't Superstitious with Jeff Beck and Barabajagal by Donovan are also amazing.

Yep he rented it, and never gave it back....until they tracked him down years later.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

It seems Orange would fall into the category of British bass amps as well perhaps?! I see a lot of Orange Terror bass heads -but seems as though folks like a different cab. Is that mainly because of the orange cabinet price?

Pretty much.
The Orange cabs are standard designs with standard speakers. They don't use any damping inside, which is silly IMO, and don't offer anything I don't already have.
But i do love my TerrorBass500

 

[amusicalperson]

Not experienced with the Terrors, but I play an AD200B through a Orange 115. MONSTER rig. The Orange OBC115 is my favorite cab. Nothing fancy, no frills, no tweeters/horns. Just what I like. Classic, loud, and awesome tone.

I was kind of leaning towards the Ad200B. The reviews I listened to sounded phenominal! I was thinking THIS is the tone I'm after. It just sounds classic. Thanks so much for your input!

 

[amusicalperson]

Saw and heard the Jeff Beck Group at the boston Tea Party in ~'70. Ron was on his Tele bass and Marshall Major rig. The greatest live rock band I have ever heard.

Earlier, in 1969, I got a Marshall Major 200 watt tube head and the obligatory 812's (two 412 cabs, the top one being a slant face) from Manny's in NY. I had a friend who got a Sunn 2000s about 1970. I soon realized that the 2000s had tons of sweet low end, but the Marshall was thin and wimpy down low. The "green back" Celestion equipped cabs did not do the job.

@amusicalperson — I took that Marshall rig on the road to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1971, and when I got back I sold the cabs and got a lightly used Acoustic 301 118 cabinet. So much better for everything.

The Marshall Major head was nice, but I don't miss it much. 84 lbs and not very reliable. Pushed, it was loud, not very flexible, and kind of harsh. To be honest, you can get that sound easily with a pedal or two and a clean loud amp/cab pair. I hate to sound jingoistic, but the English have never produced a bass amp that I really liked. YMMV. Then again, I don't like SVTs, either.

Thanks so much for your experience!

 

[Tanner5382]

I was kind of leaning towards the Ad200B. The reviews I listened to sounded phenominal! I was thinking THIS is the tone I'm after. It just sounds classic. Thanks so much for your input!

You're more than welcome. If you're thinking it's what you want, go for it! I don't think you'll be disappointed! You can find some pretty awesome deals on used ones. That's what I did.

 

[spiritbass]

One of my favorite amps is designed by Mister HiWatt, Jim Reeves. The Reeves Custom 225, made in Ohio, USA. Mine has a NOS Mullard in the V1 position, so that part is British, anyway. The coolest Marshall rig I ever saw and heard was utilized to great effect by the late, great John Glascock when I saw Jethro Tull in 1977 or '78 (long, long ago in Hampton, VA). I think he was using two amp heads, but the unusual part was that he was using Marshal folded horn cabinets. Never saw them before or after. It was a great show!

 

[Mr. Foxen]

Dave Reeves. Hence the DR in the model numbers.

There are a great many more British amps than the ones marketed in the US. It is where the gems are.

 

[Jim C]

I do believe on Truth Wood used a rented Jazz bass from what I remember reading. It's possible though that he had the Tele on some tracks. Beck-Ola, as far as I'm aware, is indeed early Tele bass through a Major. That outro solo to Spanish Boots is just burly. Honestly that song and Jailhouse Rock off the same album are huge inspirations on my approach to tone. His playing on Let Me Love You and I Ain't Superstitious with Jeff Beck and Barabajagal by Donovan are also amazing.

Couldn't agree more.
I had assumed that it was something like a Fender Bassman that was kicking around the studio but have never been able to cop that tone.
I wonder if there is a pedal I could use with an SVT or SS amp to get close to that.

Thanks to all for the Ron Wood information.
I've read his biography but had no idea about the early days.
So sad about all the time he wasted in his house incredibly high on coke.
Who knows what sessions he could have been on or songs he could have written.
Hope he can stay clean.

 

[Tanner5382]

Reeves makes totally awesome amps. I've got a Custom 225 w/ the 410 and highly recommend it.

 

[spiritbass]

Dave Reeves. Hence the DR in the model numbers.

There are a great many more British amps than the ones marketed in the US. It is where the gems are.

Ha! Thanks for correcting my brain fart! Jim could sing but probably didn't know which end of a soldering iron to pick up.
He was one of my father's favorite singers.