Double Bass Cheap amps that sounds unexpectedly good

[DB Slidefunk]

Hi just wondering about this because in our weekly rehearsal we are randomly put in different rooms with different amps.

My set up is always, solid Jay Haide Bass, Velvet Garbo's and Lifeline into EDB2 which is generally set with a slight treble boost.

I generally play through whichever bass amp is there and sometimes the PA if the speakers don't rattle. There is an old Peavey 2x12 TNT amp on the floor that actually sounds pretty good. Somehow the string noise is retained and cuts through the mix nicely. There's also a little Peavey 12" combo that sounds very warm.

Other amps can sound pretty dire and all boomy. Just wondering if anyone else has plugged into a beaten up rock style amp and found it actually sounded half decent?

 

[Spaldo]

Ashdown.

I've bought about 5 different models on the second hand market recently for next to nothing. IMO they're better sounding and more robust than some boutique models I've tried (re-iteration: I said 'some'.....)

 

[bassmanrocke]

I have a Crate k50 Keyboard amp I bought for $20 with a whirlwind 20 foot cable at a garage sale. I have used it at a couple open mike nights and it sounds pretty good with my bass.

 

[Ric Vice]

My set up is always, solid Jay Haide Bass, Velvet Garbo's and Lifeline into EDB2 which is generally set with a slight treble boost.

I think the magic ingredient in that setup is the Headway EDB-2. I've ran it into a wide variety of combo amplifiers, and it makes all of them sound better. Our practice space at Washington University, has those little Acoustlc 250 practice amps. With the EDB-2 as the pre amp, they sound amazing. So not discounting your bass, strings and pickup, I'd have to say that the Headway has a lot to do with why those amps sound so good.

I generally play through whichever bass amp is there and sometimes the PA if the speakers don't rattle. There is an old Peavey 2x12 TNT amp on the floor that actually sounds pretty good. Somehow the string noise is retained and cuts through the mix nicely. There's also a little Peavey 12" combo that sounds very warm.

There is one thing about Peavey's that can't be discounted. The older ones are relatively bullet proof, and can withstand a lot of punishment, with the improved front end that the EDB-2 gives them it's just a rugged and simple practice amp, with a Class A pre amp.

Other amps can sound pretty dire and all boomy. Just wondering if anyone else has plugged into a beaten up rock style amp and found it actually sounded half decent?

Well, I have a laundry list of practice amps I used to abhor for Double Bass, but with the EDB-2 a lot of them sound pretty darn good.

Ric

 

[DB Slidefunk]

Your right about the EDB-2, before I had it I generally had to turn up gain and master way too much and shred the signal. I like the sound of some of the old rehearsal room relics. I also had a nice sound from an 6x8 trace elliot once. Smaller speakers sound nice sometimes.

 

[tyb507]

Just mentioned this in another thread, but the Ampeg B328 is pretty sweet, and I bought mine for $100 years ago.

 

[Ethan Eriksen]

I love my Traynor TB100. It's a very good amp for its price range and is great for high school/college level bassists or anyone on a smaller budget.