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Could use some Amp recommendations please

#21
I've been very impressed with the Mesa Boogie D800. As someone who is drawn to vintage tube tones, I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but it has a warmth and heft to it that is incredibly satisfying. What's interesting is that it highlights the unique voice of each instrument that I plug in, bringing out the best of that individual bass. I also love how it maintains tone across volume, from living room all the way up to outdoor stage. It probably helps that I'm running it through a SW 112 & 115.
 
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#23
I waqs just browsing in the classifieds and ran across this:

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/baer-apx210.1648516/

I used to have a pair of Baer 112s and they were probably the best sounding cabs that I ever owned. Bigger and more powerful than I needed so foolishly sold them. This would be a great cab for what you are describing, and for $900 delivered it is a great deal.

I have no affiliation with the seller at all - just know a good cabinet and deal when I see one. Only down side is that Baer cabs are not well known, it might be harder to sell if you needed to. But it should definitely check all your boxes, and at $900 you can easily pair it with a top-shelf amp (Mesa or Genzler or other) for under $2K.
 
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#24
Default said:
OK y'all, so I'm still trying to drag myself into the modern era of playing bass and I need some guidance.

What I have/have had:

Currently I have some vintage Kustom amps and massive cabs, my go to right now is a K250 with a 118 cab that's 6ft tall and 300lbs. Love it, but I cant afford the road crew to support that thing lol. I also have a Fender Rumble 800. Nice, but kinda dead sounding to me. I've had in the past older tube amps and a few ampeg heads as well, but its been a while

What I'm looking for:

Im looking to have a slightly vintage tone (mostly play passive basses, or ones designed around a "vintage" sound), be powerful and preferably more portable than the Kustom stuff. I know I can get a 410 in my trunk if its the right build (I've had an acoustic 410 cab in there fine). I just hate the lifting.

Budget is sub $2k, I tend to go for as much power as I can but I'm still trying to wrap my head around how modern amps wattage works when compared with old stuff (I know the math and function, but you cant convince me the old stuff is louder with the same watt/RMS ratings...)

Also, I'd be open to getting the Fender 210 extension to pair with the rumble and maybe something like a sansamp or other front end piece to give me a bit more flavor, I just don't know what I'd go with.


And NO, I wont just use an amp in a box or DI only situation. I need the air to move. The keyboard player farts too much for it not.

Thanks
Click to expand...

On the low end price wise, a 210 Rumble extension cab and a SansAmp might get you to where you are going. My main gripe with Rumbles is their baked in sound that you either like or not, and maybe the Sans amp can modify it to your satisfaction.

i’m going to assume since you said “extension cab” what you have is a Rumble combo. I’m sure there are lot of situations where the combo is all you need, and lugging a 410 cab around is a PITA unless you need it

What I play through is a Mesa WD-800 (great amp available used around $800) powering a 210 8 ohm Eden 8 ohm cab that will put out up to 127 decibels. I have a second 210 cab for outdoor gigs. While this cab rated at 500 watts and highly efficient, the fact that Eden is no longer in business, I would suggest a different cab.

I’m thinking you could land a well designed gently used 212 or a 215 cab with NEOs for $1,200. Check out the classified here on TB and if you can’t find something suitable (not a lot of sellers willing to ship these days), try Guitar Center online used gear. Those come with a money back guarantee and extended warranties are available.

Happy hunting!
 
#25
So I going to just throw this out there. If you wanted to be really efficient with $2k you could go a whole other route.
IMG_0038.png

2 off these.
IMG_0039.png

and 1 of these.
$2.1k and you’ll have a kick ass small pa when you need it, or 2 monitor wedges.
Lots of versatility.
Just throwing out some outside the box ideas.
 
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#26
Aguilar Tonehammer 500 or 700 - get the old version, maybe find a second hand one.

If you want the maximum volume out of the lightest package possible, pair it with a 12" barefaced cabinet of your choice. These are incredibly loud and incredibly light.
Still light and loud, but not as loud as the 12" driver ones are the barefaced 10" cabinets. They have more of a warm vintage sound to them, so that might be more up your alley.
 
#33
AK Bass Guy said:
So I going to just throw this out there. If you wanted to be really efficient with $2k you could go a whole other route.
View attachment 5493975
2 off these.
View attachment 5493981
and 1 of these.
$2.1k and you’ll have a kick ass small pa when you need it, or 2 monitor wedges.
Lots of versatility.
Just throwing out some outside the box ideas.
Click to expand...
I've had my K12.2 for a few weeks now, using an HX Stomp XL among other pedals in front of it.
I wanted to give it a try given all I've read about it and it seems pretty strong thus far.
If I decide it's not really what I'm looking for, I'll most likely be going with one of the Mesa offerings, most likely the TT.
 
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#34
I always start with the cab, since that's what I'm hearing and basically tuning the amp to. I have a Mesa Subway 212 cab and two SW 115 cabs. For your budget, I think a used SW212 can't be beaten. A single 115 provides more volume and deep tone than most guys can use in a bar or club, so you can consider that. Two SW115s is off the chart good; not hifi, super, super deep but with an upper edge that's controllable with the tweeter control.

As for heads, I have a Mesa D800+, Quilter BB800, and GK MB800. The most versatile is the Mesa, and sounds a little vintage, but it's so versatile it can do almost anything. I wouldn't say modern sound is its thing, but it can get you there. It's more about thump and punch. The BB800 is darker sounding, but very deep and loud. like, surprising so from such a small amp. the gain knob on it is cool, as it works much like a tibe amp in that overdrive and compression can be dialled in. The GK is brighter and sounds very full range. I like it a lot for rock.

My reccy is the Mesa D800+.
 
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#36
Default said:
OK y'all, so I'm still trying to drag myself into the modern era of playing bass and I need some guidance.

What I have/have had:

Currently I have some vintage Kustom amps and massive cabs, my go to right now is a K250 with a 118 cab that's 6ft tall and 300lbs. Love it, but I cant afford the road crew to support that thing lol. I also have a Fender Rumble 800. Nice, but kinda dead sounding to me. I've had in the past older tube amps and a few ampeg heads as well, but its been a while

What I'm looking for:

Im looking to have a slightly vintage tone (mostly play passive basses, or ones designed around a "vintage" sound), be powerful and preferably more portable than the Kustom stuff. I know I can get a 410 in my trunk if its the right build (I've had an acoustic 410 cab in there fine). I just hate the lifting.

Budget is sub $2k, I tend to go for as much power as I can but I'm still trying to wrap my head around how modern amps wattage works when compared with old stuff (I know the math and function, but you cant convince me the old stuff is louder with the same watt/RMS ratings...)

Also, I'd be open to getting the Fender 210 extension to pair with the rumble and maybe something like a sansamp or other front end piece to give me a bit more flavor, I just don't know what I'd go with.


And NO, I wont just use an amp in a box or DI only situation. I need the air to move. The keyboard player farts too much for it not.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I'll tell you what I'm running now because it's portable, powerful, and pretty vintage sounding. I go through a Broughton hi/low pass filter into a Hartke LH500 into a Barefaced Super Twin cab. That's more than $2k but if you went with something like a Hartke HL410 cab you would be safely under.

That Hartke LH500 is very tubey sounding and the gain stage on the Broughton gives you what the Hartke otherwise lacks -the ability to drive the tube and get some good vintage grind. And most importantly it keeps your power section A/B. I've tried many, many class D heads and I've come away believing that you just can't really get a truly vintage tone out of anything less than a fully linear power section.

It's a pretty sweet setup.
 
#37
O.P.,

Watch the T.B. Classifieds for used, but not abused, equipment. Your dollars will go much further by going used.

(Picture is my gigging set-up.)

SansAmp BDDI V2.

G.K. M.B. Fusion 800. (Tube pre, 800 watts, 5.5 lbs.)

Bergantino CN212 cabinet. (40'ish lbs.)

All came from the T.B. Classifieds.
Total investment, $1,100.00.

20230506_181918.jpg
 
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#38
I’m using a Mesa D800 with 2 112 cabinets. Smaller gigs get one cab, outdoor and bigger clubs get both. FOH does the heavy lifting anyway so we’re mostly talking stage volume and IEM’s. I used GK for years, the 700RB. I also agree a pedal into your rumble might get you there, but that’s a whole other rabbit hole.
 
#39
I'll throw this into the mix:
  • Boss Katana 500 head. Class D, super versatile sounds, can do vintage to modern. Built-in effects, you can also edit presets with more detail using their app. 500w into 4Ω, 250w into 8Ω. Sweetwater has a demo model for $719 right now, otherwise $799.
  • You could pair this with a single 8Ω 2x10 cabinet for smaller gigs, and two cabs for larger ones - so you can carry the equivalent of a 4x10 in smaller modules as needed. You could go with the Ampeg SVT-210AV (200w) at $379, or if you want to run it louder, a Peavey Headliner 210 which can do 400w for $299 - they're a bit more rugged / heavier but maybe worth it? Or a mix of a 1x15 + 2x10 for fuller range.
  • That would give you a 500w setup for about $1,600 tops.
 
#40
Honorable mention, I had one of the cabs years ago and it was bit smaller than a normal 4x10 and packed up really nicely in the back of a trunk. Built like a tank but as heavy as one, but being built into a road case meant the ability to stack gear on top of it. If one popped locally for under $400 I’d buy it in a heartbeat. O
IMG_0040.png

Oh and they are vintage.
 

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