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Convo with myself - amp related

USAJO

USAJO

Apr 13, 2005
1,137
1,480
#1
my opinions, my experiences

My D800+ just does not work for me directly plugging my 51 MIJ P bass. I can't find a tone I like. Gosh knows I've tried hard. Maybe it's my technique I'm not sure.

Maybe active basses or split pick up P basses are different. My single pup 51 style bass sounds terrible to me into the D800+

After trying several pedals I found the SGTDI into the front of the amp gives me a ton of tone shaping variations and I can get a tone that works for me using both the Mesa and the SGTDI controls with the 51 MIJ. Just a little of the SGT drive and a little of the SGTDI pre amp.

The SW15 is great but honestly I think I need a second one to get the fullness I seek. But it'll do for now.

I do have the D800+ for sale here but after a long practice this morning with what I have I don't feel the urgency the rash of 800D posts generated. Not giving it away in a panic mode.

My posts are more of a dialog with myself and I revisit them trying to avoid mistakes I made in the past impulsively seeking the holy grail.

Ok I'm good for today. Thanks for your patience. 😀 see ya tomorrow. Lol
 
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#4
agedhorse said:
Remember that there are thousands of happy D-800+ and Subway 115 players out there… maybe the cause isn't purely gear related. Maybe there isn't even a holy grail?
Click to expand...
I understand and I always acknowledge that my playing technique and skill level enter into it as well.

I also have a specific bass tone I like. I think the 800D would be closer to it without a pedal needed but maybe not.

Maybe some day I'll find out.
 
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#6
USAJO said:
I understand and I always acknowledge that my playing technique and skill level enter into it as well.

I also have a specific bass tone I like. I think the 800D would be closer to it without a pedal needed but maybe not.

Maybe some day I'll find out.
Click to expand...
I mean, if you can describe that tone, or even better, have a video or recording example of it, we're all gear nerds here who're happy to sniff out more gear.

Also, if you want to post pics of the gear, the settings you're using, etc, that may help your forum friends in directing you towards better options.
 
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#8
USAJO said:
my opinions, my experiences

My D800+ just does not work for me directly plugging my 51 MIJ P bass. I can't find a tone I like. Gosh knows I've tried hard. Maybe it's my technique I'm not sure.

Maybe active basses or split pick up P basses are different. My single pup 51 style bass sounds terrible to me into the D800+

After trying several pedals I found the SGTDI into the front of the amp gives me a ton of tone shaping variations and I can get a tone that works for me using both the Mesa and the SGTDI controls with the 51 MIJ. Just a little of the SGT drive and a little of the SGTDI pre amp.

The SW15 is great but honestly I think I need a second one to get the fullness I seek. But it'll do for now.

I do have the D800+ for sale here but after a long practice this morning with what I have I don't feel the urgency the rash of 800D posts generated. Not giving it away in a panic mode.

My posts are more of a dialog with myself and I revisit them trying to avoid mistakes I made in the past impulsively seeking the holy grail.

Ok I'm good for today. Thanks for your patience. 😀 see ya tomorrow. Lol
Click to expand...


Buying the Boogie 800D without doing a demo may result in the similar disappointment. Maybe your just an Ampeg guy. Nothing wrong with that.

I haven't played any of the Subway amps. My understanding the Boogie 800D is modeled heavily on the Mesa 400+, which I own. I also own 1969 and 1987 SVTs. A 400+ and an SVT are very different sounding amps, and you can't adjust them to sound alike. Which is better? That's up to you. They are both awesome. Which do I like better? Neither. I think I like my 400 non-plus best. Ask me tomorrow and I may give you a different answer. For me there is no grail.

Since you are able to get a sound you like with existing gear, don't be in a rush. Take some time and try to find a range of different amps to demo.
 
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#11
I can somewhat understand Mesa Amp/Cab not giving you 'exact' sound you want with your Bass

But to say you can't find any tone you like and it sounds terrible without SGDTI also 1x15 isn't capable of fullness is very perplexing to say the least

Good luck with the Holy Grail Quest🙂
 
#12
I don't know if you need some advice, but, well, there're different amps and they sound differently. I've had an amp where a passive 4-stringer through a tube compressor just shined, but active 5-stringer just was bad, whatever I did and did not. after I sold it, it was the way around: the new amp had my active 5-strings sound gorgeous, but the passive 4-stringer was now uninspiring.

if you like ampeg sound with your passive single coils -- nothing's wrong with it, both with getting an ampeg head or using a pre before a clean head.

this all said, I once went shopping for an ampeg and ended up getting a reidmar, it also can be pretty old-school.
 
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#13
You're not wrong. I'm not saying you're right either though. But what we hear is what we hear. People swore up and down about the Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 and SL112 cabs when they first came out. I understood why people liked that setup, but it was a loose woofy mess and I didn't like that AT ALL. I desired the tight low end and easily pointy mids with lots of sparkle and shimmer.

Enter Mesa.

What are your tonal goals? Deep and thick? Slightly overdriven and loose? Old school thump with mids? Let us try and help you out with some knob suggestions. But, if you're really done with it that's cool too.
 
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#14
Element Zero said:
You're not wrong. I'm not saying you're right either though. But what we hear is what we hear. People swore up and down about the Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 and SL112 cabs when they first came out. I understood why people liked that setup, but it was a loose woofy mess and I didn't like that AT ALL. I desired the tight low end and easily pointy mids with lots of sparkle and shimmer.

Enter Mesa.

What are your tonal goals? Deep and thick? Slightly overdriven and loose? Old school thump with mids? Let us try and help you out with some knob suggestions. But, if you're really done with it that's cool too.
Click to expand...
I guess as one reply hinted maybe I'm just not a Mesa Class D guy. Maybe I'm more of an Ampeg tube sounding person.

The D800+ will work primarily as a power amp and since I already invested in it there's no point in taking a beating by fire selling it. It's a quality and seemingly dependable head and does have shaping I can also use.

When practicing I typically run the bass into the SGTDI using headphones.

On the bass i back off the volume and tone knobs about 10 to 20 percent.

This picture shows my settings on the SGTDI and it gives me what works for my ears. Some days i may add or back off the SGT level.

I think i really wanted the Mesa head to be the end all for me and as someone replied "maybe you're just an Ampeg person".

Maybe I'm just an SGTDI or Origin Bassrig person.

Maybe everyone else would try those setting and be appalled. lol
 

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