Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
British vs. American
- Thread starter EdHunter
- Start date
U.S.A.! Eden (loving my WT400), Genz Benz. Granted I haven't played every amp out there and many quality choices are available.
i still love the 90's elan but you've got to admit the 60's one looks so magestic
Britain: Marshall, Park, Laney, Orange, Matamp, Hiwatt, WEM, Selmer, Simms-Watts, Carsboro, Sound City, Ashdown, Vox.
USA: Ampeg, Fender, Sunn, Mesa Boogie, Genz Benz, Morgan, Reeves, Verellen, Carvin, Hartke, Sadowsky, Eden, Acoustic.
Tough call...
I give the British the edge among vintage amps: Hiwatt and Selmer particularly are my favorites. Unfortunately, a lot of those great British brands are either defunct or building amps that are pale imitations or nothing like the vintage predecessors.
Among new or more recent amps, I give the edge to USA amps.
USA: Ampeg, Fender, Sunn, Mesa Boogie, Genz Benz, Morgan, Reeves, Verellen, Carvin, Hartke, Sadowsky, Eden, Acoustic.
Tough call...
I give the British the edge among vintage amps: Hiwatt and Selmer particularly are my favorites. Unfortunately, a lot of those great British brands are either defunct or building amps that are pale imitations or nothing like the vintage predecessors.
Among new or more recent amps, I give the edge to USA amps.
Dude!!! - you left G-K off that list... For bass amplication, it's no contest - USA wins easily... For guitar amps, things are a bit tighter...
- georgestrings
I left off Peavey, too, and many others. You are soooo smart to notice.
I suppose that Selmer is technically a French company although the UK division sold Selmer amps, so that may tip the scales back toward to USA for me in terms of vintage amps. Ampeg, Fender, and Sunn all made some vintage amps that I really like.
I'm an Ashdown junkie 
Plus, I'm a Brit, so I wasn't going to vote against good ol' Queen and Country
Plus, I'm a Brit, so I wasn't going to vote against good ol' Queen and Country
I'm British, my gigging (not that I've done much in the past couple years) setup, is a US made Ampeg SVT and a British made Marshall 8x10.
So, both!
(Funnily enough, my guitar amp setup was pretty much the other way around, British made Trace Elliot Speedtwin amp with a US made Peavey 412)
So, both!
(Funnily enough, my guitar amp setup was pretty much the other way around, British made Trace Elliot Speedtwin amp with a US made Peavey 412)
The OP didn't specify "vintage", or even tube amps, for that matter - I'm just sayin'...
- georgestrings
Yeah, it's atleast a contest regarding guitar amps - although when you count in the likes of Soldano, Splawn, etc... - I'm not so sure... Bass amps, no contest - USA wins easily...
- georgestrings
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Well, if you took a worldwide poll of any number of bass players regarding their top 10 bass amps of all time, I'm guessing 7-8 of the 10 would be American...end of patriotic rant 
Mesa/Boogie vs Orange, Ashdown, Trace Elliot and Marshall, it is a hard decision, as i am secretly a Mesa fanboy, but 4 vs 1 it is.
Liam
Liam
