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Combo opinions

R

raoul_duke2k

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Dec 9, 2015
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#1
hi, new to the forum and a somewhat new bass player - played guitar on and off for many years, but have left the dark side ;)

Just would like to get some knowledgeable opinions on a buying a combo amp. Basically I've narrowed it to these four:

Acoustic 270 mkII mini stack

Orange Crush 1x12

Ampeg BA112

TC Electronics BG 250 1x12

Feature wise, the TC is most attractive to me although it's a bit on the edge of what I'd like to spend. Musically I generally play rock/funk/Jazz, etc... mostly fingerstyle. I've scouted reviews, YouTube demos and so forth on all of these but some insight would be appreciated.

Cheers!
 
#2
You forgot one...once you play through one you'll know!

gk.jpg
 
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#9
raoul_duke2k said:
Ah yes - GK. Would you say a 1x10 GK is a better call than the 1x12 Ampeg? I think they are both about 100 watts.
Click to expand...

Better? On what basis? Is this just a practice amp, or will it be used for jamming or small gigs? Do you favor a 'full' bass tone or perhaps a more detailed, articulate tone. Old school or modern? Is weight or size a consideration? And something worth repeating:

B-string said:
Forget the toys, bells and whistles.
Click to expand...
 
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#10
Mostly a practice amp with some jamming. Versatility in tone is important to me and I reckon my taste veers more towards old school.

as I play more I'm sure to get a better sense of what I really like and invest in a more expensive setup.
 
#11
I will say this. I've got a TC BG250. Mine is the 1x15. It doesn't fit my needs. The toneprints are fun, but they really aren't usable (outside of one or two of them) with a band IME. I was in the same boat you are now a little over a year ago, and I wish I would've gotten a cheaper combo that I could use at home set on a lower volume and something else that I could crank. That's actually what I'm planning on doing soon. I'll be selling the TC, and using the proceeds on a smaller combo (probably an Ampeg or Fender) and purchasing a head and cab for gigs/jams/etc.

I know that tone and sound are entirely subjective, but the BG250 (or at least the 1x15) really just doesn't do it for me. There is no way for me to cut enough bass for the sound to be audible but not boomy. I can't say that the 1x12 will do the same thing, but it might.

On the other hand, it has never let me down, and it does have an attractive set of features. It fit several of my needs at the time, and it still does fit a lot of them. It just isn't the solution for me.

If you have any specific questions about the amp, or if there's any other way I can help, let me know.
 
#13
If budget is a concern I would consider a smaller amp. 1x12 is popular for guitar but for bass can be seen as a bit of a no man's land: too much for a practice amp and not enough for gigging. It depends on your specific needs though. I'm just thinking out loud.
 
#15
Personally, I did not care for the tone of the BA112. I demoed the Orange and, although I liked the tone, it did not make me reach for my wallet. On the other hand, I did actually walk out of a Guitar Center with an Acoustic 270 (Mark I - not 2). I MUCH preferred the old school tone of the Acoustic over any other small amp I tried. It sounds really good and gets pretty loud for its size. But, having said that, it is also fairly limited. The Mark I did not have a direct out and did not allow for operation at anything but a 4 ohm load. So, you were pretty much limited to playing it just through the included cab. Not a bad thing if you really only want it for practice. But, if you have hopes of live performance in the future, you will definitely see the limitations. I ended up selling mine and getting an old GK 200MB combo. And, I have never been happier with a small amp.

So, from your choices, I would pick the Acoustic. But, if it were me, I would be scouring the want ads for a GK. (200MB/150MBE/150MBS)
 
#16
GK all day! First-quality kit for short money. Shop used for best value.

I use the acoustic micro-stack (bought it used and cheap to step up from a Rumble 15) as a practice amp and for low-volume background music gigs. They have a hum issue (more of an annoyance than anything else, but still), and it's surprisingly heavy. It's not a toy, but sometimes it seems like one. For your money you have numerous better options IMO.
 
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#20
Buzz E said:
Stick with GK if clarity, articulation, definition and versatility are your main goals. The GK's can get dark and muddy like the Rumbles but the Rumbles can't reproduce the upper clarity and tone of the GK's.
Click to expand...
Yeah I used to have a rumble 100 v3 sounded very fluffy and muddy and had no clarity even with a jazz bass sold it at a huge loss glad its gone. The GK combos are fantastic and I couldn't agree more about the clarity you can get from them and for around the same price too :thumbsup:
 
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