British Bass Amps

[spiritbass]

I wish they made a 300 watt tube version of the Ampeg B15n portaflex. Maybe in another lifetime

There is a 150 watt version (amp head). Kevin Shaw in Nashville hand-wires them together (true point-to-point) and calls it the "B-150". The only differences on the front end are that he includes a six-position mid-emphasis switch and a "shift" control (de-emphasises the bass and brings more mids).

 

[Jim C]

It was somewhere around 4-5 grand, it was advertised as a "man's bass" big neck etc.

Every one of the 70's Sing Coil Tele basses I've played had a 1 3/4' nut and baseball bat shape.
It would be worth $4K to me!
I'm assuming you saw this years ago….

 

[corinpills]

The thing that classic Hiwatts do really well is produce a clear tone without much coloration. A high fidelity amp, if you will. A 100-watt Ampeg head will have a little more grit than a 100w Hiwatt, because it is designed that way. Ampegs are a little more flexible, Hiwatts are unforgiving. Think of it this way Ampeg=growl, Hiwatt=bark. Both amps take pedals well. If you want to hear the pure sound of the instrument itself, go Hiwatt. If you like more interaction between bass and amp, you'll lean towards the Ampeg.

This is true and with guitars I find a 100w Hiwatt almost impossible to drive to distortion without the volume just being preposterous. A 100 watt Hiwatt is better for bass if you want to break it up a bit-the Entwistle live at Leeds sound- the 200 watt is enormous and clean, BUT they take pedals incredibly well. If you check out John Wetton's tone on Red, you'll hear what I mean.

God, I want one so bad. My Trace V6 is so close in sound, but it just doesn't say Hiwatt on the front.

 

[bobyoung53]

Every one of the 70's Sing Coil Tele basses I've played had a 1 3/4' nut and baseball bat shape.
It would be worth $4K to me!
I'm assuming you saw this years ago….

Yeah, I like the single coil Tele basses too. I saw it about 2 years ago, it was for sale in a British music store, someone in some forum posted a link.