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.
Do people not like Acoustic amps.
- Thread starter pica
- Start date
BTW, the little "stack" thing that Acoustic makes that looks kind of like the mini SVT that Ampeg has blows the Ampeg version away, in rich, thick buttery low end. It ain't even close.[/QUOTE]
+1
I bought the 260 mkii earlier this year and have enjoyed playing it as a practice/small gig option. The cab really does set itself apart in a good way. The head isn't anything special, but as a combo, and for under $250, it sits proudly in my music room.
+1
I bought the 260 mkii earlier this year and have enjoyed playing it as a practice/small gig option. The cab really does set itself apart in a good way. The head isn't anything special, but as a combo, and for under $250, it sits proudly in my music room.
How can you not like Acoustic amps?
I've been gigging a B200 MkI in small/medium clubs for almost 2 years now. In my opinion, anyone who thinks it lacks tone is either out of their mind, or wants tube breakup, or listens with their wallet, or wants a dirtier sound than it can provide. For their price range, the sound can't be beat. It's EQ is extremely flexible, and for a solid state amp, it's pretty damn warm. I can get a sound that I like a hell of a lot from any of my basses, no matter if it has humbuckers, lipstick tubes, Fender singles or that P-Bass split coil.
If I have a complaint, they could have spent $0.50 more on an input jack made of metal. I stepped on my cable and broke the passive jack (I blame the crowded stage). I did this on a Crate bass combo 25 years ago, and felt that it was a cheap move then, too. The Acoustic's passive input still works after this debacle, so it must have longer pins than the Crate's jack did. I don't demand hand wiring, but a plastic input jack is just cheap. Other than that, the construction is good. The metal corners are a tried and true design, and the tolex is durable. Casters are almost a must, but it's already got mounts, and you'd want casters on almost any amp that was loud enough to keep up with my drummer.
I'm getting a new amp soon, but that's not because of any tonal problems with the amp. It's because there are several times with the surf band that it's been suggested "You know, you could turn up." However, this is not the case, the master and the gain are dimed. It's able to just barely keep up with a Dual Showman, a Twin and a keyboard run through a 500W P.A., but just barely. Having a house P.A. for support is a great help at shows. I have an o.k. bankroll for an amp this time, not enough for one of the 360/361 reissues, but enough. I don't know if I'll get another Chinese built Acoustic, as I am looking for a warmer distortion than solid state usually offers.However, if I went with Acoustic, I'd probably have money for either a tube driver pedal or a tube preamp instead. I'm still deciding.
I've been gigging a B200 MkI in small/medium clubs for almost 2 years now. In my opinion, anyone who thinks it lacks tone is either out of their mind, or wants tube breakup, or listens with their wallet, or wants a dirtier sound than it can provide. For their price range, the sound can't be beat. It's EQ is extremely flexible, and for a solid state amp, it's pretty damn warm. I can get a sound that I like a hell of a lot from any of my basses, no matter if it has humbuckers, lipstick tubes, Fender singles or that P-Bass split coil.
If I have a complaint, they could have spent $0.50 more on an input jack made of metal. I stepped on my cable and broke the passive jack (I blame the crowded stage). I did this on a Crate bass combo 25 years ago, and felt that it was a cheap move then, too. The Acoustic's passive input still works after this debacle, so it must have longer pins than the Crate's jack did. I don't demand hand wiring, but a plastic input jack is just cheap. Other than that, the construction is good. The metal corners are a tried and true design, and the tolex is durable. Casters are almost a must, but it's already got mounts, and you'd want casters on almost any amp that was loud enough to keep up with my drummer.
I'm getting a new amp soon, but that's not because of any tonal problems with the amp. It's because there are several times with the surf band that it's been suggested "You know, you could turn up." However, this is not the case, the master and the gain are dimed. It's able to just barely keep up with a Dual Showman, a Twin and a keyboard run through a 500W P.A., but just barely. Having a house P.A. for support is a great help at shows. I have an o.k. bankroll for an amp this time, not enough for one of the 360/361 reissues, but enough. I don't know if I'll get another Chinese built Acoustic, as I am looking for a warmer distortion than solid state usually offers.However, if I went with Acoustic, I'd probably have money for either a tube driver pedal or a tube preamp instead. I'm still deciding.
scabpicker (great handle btw).....having a B200 combo, a '73 150 / 106 ACC rig and a '83/84 Wagner era B220 head, if you still want to stay with Acoustic (you should) then I'd suggest doing a little searching for a vintage rig or combo. With a little time / effort there are vintage gems that pop up often. I agree with you on the B200 as far as bang for your buck. Have used mine for smaller gigs / practice, have linked it up with my B220 head, and it's always been reliable, good tone and power in the right situations. Use my "precious" 150 /106 mainly 'cause it's just fierce, but I'm content with knowing the B200 combo & B220 head are there, ready & willing to go when needed.
Acoustic - The Mother of All amps
Acoustic - The Mother of All amps
YUP. I tried um back in the early 80's. Not for me. I checked one of the new GC ones out a few weeks ago.STILL not for me.
To each his own.
Yeah, I'll defend the sound of the GC Acoustics because the people who talk **** about them either didn't spend enough time shaping the tone or never tried one. They're not even that cheap. They weigh more than most amps and they're around dollar per watt just like most any other amp out there, and the watts are huge. It sounds more like a 600 watt amp. I back lined it for a band who's bassist never heard of the new ones. He's got an Ampeg SVT Classic and he said after "That amp sounds really good" he's thinking about buying one for his backup. If they're so ****** why are they rated so high by TB members?
So how does that fit in with the sound? So when you play a note on the bass the amp instead screams "guitar center"? The B200 combo is the same price as the Ampeg 115 combo and it's much louder. They're not even that cheap. the 300 watt head is on sale for 350 and the 800 costs 600 bucks. I'm neither poor and I'm far from a beginner and I chose the acoustic because IMO it sounded the best. I walked in there with way more money than I needed and tried around 7 amps. I chose the Acoustic without even knowing the story behind it the only amps that were on par sound wise that I tried IMO were the GK fusion and Mark Bass. I was sold after the guy who works at GC I know personally said that they've sold tons of them and not one has came back.
I played a B600H the other day (where I practice the guy picked up the head on a MF stupid deal and never used it). I thought it had plenty of power into my Genz 2x12 neox and it sounded really good. SWR'ish to me but with more mids (which were sweet). I see they don't make that amp anymore but now make the 800. Seems like a great deal. It really sounded fine to me.
I owned a B600H and 2 of the 410 cabinets. I never liked the cabs, but the head was ok. Especially for the money. I sold the cabs and kept the head for a while and used it with a SWR 410 and it was great. My biggest complaint was the weight of the head....wow just too heavy for my use. So, overall I would recommend the amp heads just not the cabs.
Thanks about the compliments on the name, it's a song title from a band I was in 20 years ago. Disclaimer: I didn't write the lyrics, and I don't think they're about me. Warning: dual, and eventually triple guitar solos ensue, along with gratuitous use of phaser. I'm not playing bass, he's actually pretty good at it. I'm the guitarist with the restraint to not solo until the end.
I did seriously think about the 370 that was listed in the classifieds, but to get serious volume, you'd have to move more cab than I was willing to move.
Mostly due to tube envy, but also wanting a dual channel amp, I went with a GK MBF500 and a NEO 410. I got the head used, so it was the same price as the 370, and less than a new B600, which I also thought about. I went with the GK cab because it was there to test, and I ended up getting a deal on it.
I still stand by my statements about the sound of my MKI B200. The GK is more flexible, but the sounds the Acoustic gets are almost all good sounds. The B200 will ride along as a backup after I get its input jack fixed. With the extra air being moved by the 410, even at lower watts, it should be adequate for that purpose.
I own a B200H. It was my first "real" amp. The B200H is just rock solid, clean power. It's transparent, ballsy but not boomy, and you can dial in just about any EQ you want. I believe the Acoustic is the same as the big Kustom 200 watt head; same front and rear panels. Balanced line out and two speaker outputs plus an effects loop. Beginner-grade gear? I don't think so. Downside: big and heavy. (Of course, that means a thief would have to work harder in order to steal it.)
Currently my B200H is on standby status due to the overwhelming fun factor of the Tech 21 Landmark 300 and the Ashdown LB-30. I'm planning to put the B200H to work at church to run a stage monitor and backline to PA. BTW the blowout price on these heads at the end was like $130 IIRC. What a deal.
Initially I got a deal on a matching Acoustic 115 cab but immediately returned the cab when GC started blowing out the GK 115 MBEs. I bought two of the GKs. The Acoustic cab, meh. The GKs,
JMHO of course!
Currently my B200H is on standby status due to the overwhelming fun factor of the Tech 21 Landmark 300 and the Ashdown LB-30. I'm planning to put the B200H to work at church to run a stage monitor and backline to PA. BTW the blowout price on these heads at the end was like $130 IIRC. What a deal.
Initially I got a deal on a matching Acoustic 115 cab but immediately returned the cab when GC started blowing out the GK 115 MBEs. I bought two of the GKs. The Acoustic cab, meh. The GKs,
JMHO of course!
I own a 371 set up and the b600h 8x10 rig as well. I waited a long while before I wanted purchase a new acoustic. Mainly due to my own pre conceived notions (it's not tube, it's not vintage, there's no rep for this new amp blah, blah, blah,) The fact is I went in and played it 9-10 different times. I finally swallowed my ego and just bought it. It sounded bad ass. I could get more sounds out of the b600h than I ever could out of my SVT. it never farted out on me now matter how much low end was going thru it.
I never cared for GK , ashdown wasn't for me, Eden stuff was alright, but I found myself constantly manipulating knobs to find what I wanted, and so on. I have tracked with this amp on several albums now (sometimes pairing it with the 301 cab). I get compliments on my tone every show. I think it's a highly underrated amp, both in sound and value. I've had this one about 2-3 years, and I haven't ever had a problem. Granted reliability is still questionable since it's still fairly new, but all in all a solid amp in my book.
I never cared for GK , ashdown wasn't for me, Eden stuff was alright, but I found myself constantly manipulating knobs to find what I wanted, and so on. I have tracked with this amp on several albums now (sometimes pairing it with the 301 cab). I get compliments on my tone every show. I think it's a highly underrated amp, both in sound and value. I've had this one about 2-3 years, and I haven't ever had a problem. Granted reliability is still questionable since it's still fairly new, but all in all a solid amp in my book.
I have the B450 with the B115 cab. I also have the hartke VX3500. I have to move my gear up stairs when I want to take it out, and the hartke is about the same weight as I am. I got the Acoustic rig because it is narrower and lighter. As far as quality, I don't see a problem, I don't have a problem with the sound either. With the extra cab it pushes 600 watts. I don't plug in to the PA, and I can outgun it... outside, inside, big room little closet... they have a volume and a gain knob. I can adjust the knobs so that it sounds like crap... and I can make it sound good.
Like I said, I have the Hartke, so I can compare them. I played through a GK for a festival that had a sound company who brought one in. Maybe my ears are crap, but I could have had either of my amps behind me and not been able to tell the difference in the band mix.
For the record, the B450 with the B115 cab out thumps the Hartke.
Like I said, I have the Hartke, so I can compare them. I played through a GK for a festival that had a sound company who brought one in. Maybe my ears are crap, but I could have had either of my amps behind me and not been able to tell the difference in the band mix.
For the record, the B450 with the B115 cab out thumps the Hartke.
I can't speak for the new GC Acoustic gear, but I used to gig with the old Acoustic Control Corporation stuff for years and still have some stashed in the closet. Great sounding gear built like tanks. OP, if you need further clarification, (or confusion) here are a few links to ponder. The first link is devoted to the old Acoustic Control Corporation gear and the second is for that MIA 360/361 that costs about $5000. Flea was endorsing that rig for a while. By the way, B-String and a few others have a good handle on the Acoustic story.
Link Removed
Link Removed
Link Removed
Link Removed
I have a B600h Acoustic Bass Head I bought 3-1/2 years ago that I really like but the new stuff is not the same as my 1976 Acoustic 370 Bass Head. However, they are reliable, sound good, and you can't beat the 3 year replacement warranty. I get lots of compliments on the sound with the newer amp though.
I stumbled on this beauty locally and scored it for $50 and an MXR pedal. It needs a 3 prong and the pots cleaned and it will be good to go. I have wanted an older pre GC Acoustic for awhile after playing a friend's 370 and couldn't pass this up. I am going to use it with 2 112's for now.
