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Do you play Bass through a solid state or valve?

#101
I have a 70s SVT for backlining purposes, best SVT I've played through, and my least favorite of my amps.

Have an SWR grand prix/power 800 head that is pretty sweet. I do like the tone I get from it.

My fave amp was my older Epifani UL502, I have a little mark Mark III that is doing fine. tone wise it does what I like.

That said, I like clean tones and real sharp sounds. My MXR bass envelope and distortion/wah sound plays a part in what sounds I like as well.

EXCEPT........my p bass with flats with the SVT, that is pretty rad. If someone would just just up with all of that for two songs per gig, that would rock.

We all need robot roadies.
 
#103
I prefer the sound of (working) tubes but play solid state for reliability and ease of maintenance. I'm mechanically lazy and cheap, so when my tube preamp started sounding funny, I just sold it (as a non-working item).
 
#106
I have all 3 (tube, SS, class D).

I love the sound of a good tube amp but mine stays at home sat on top of an old school 412 cab.
My 96lb SS combo is currently out on loan, as is my 410 + SS amp.
I gig with a class D (and carry another as a spare) through a lightweight neo cab.

I'm just too old to schlep heavy gear.
 
#107
I like my all valve amp quite a bit more than my SS head. I would choose it over the SS head almost any day of the week. I still love some things about SS heads, the response, the tightness, the light weight, the ease of use. The biggest asset to SS vs. an all valve head, you don't have to worry about tubes going out on you or replacing them. But to me, its worth it. My Electric is all tube, KT88 powered, and I love its tone so much. It took me a bit to get used to the response of tubes, but I love it now. I get what all the hubbub has been about all these years. The weight of the amp doesn't bother me either. My amp isn't like those old 90 lb SVTs, it only weights about 60 lbs I bet. most likely less.

Both are great for different reasons. Tonally though, I much prefer valves/tubes. SS still rules though too.
 
#108
FuzzFacetious said:
I have read a lot of STRONG opinions about how much valve amps rock and solid state amps suck on guitar forums, although I use a solid state for both and I like them, and if anyone thinks my amps suck, that's their problem :p

When it comes to bass players in general, is there a consensus among those who can afford top end/upper-middle tier gear, about all bass amps worthy of recognition being valve amps, or is it more of a personal preference thing, rather than a consensus?

Is your main amp tube or SS?
Click to expand...
Tube preamps (SWR), solid state power amps(Stewart & SWR).
 
#110
FuzzFacetious said:
I have read a lot of STRONG opinions about how much valve amps rock and solid state amps suck on guitar forums, although I use a solid state for both and I like them, and if anyone thinks my amps suck, that's their problem :p

When it comes to bass players in general, is there a consensus among those who can afford top end/upper-middle tier gear, about all bass amps worthy of recognition being valve amps, or is it more of a personal preference thing, rather than a consensus?

Is your main amp tube or SS?
Click to expand...
I use a sans amp RBI which is all analog but no tubes into a crown xls1500 which is a lightweight class d amp so no tubes in my rig. Now in the studio right now and I'm running a bunch of tubes... an Avalon and a LA2A. I feel like my sans amp is good enough for the PA systems we typically play through at shows. the Avalon alone provides more than enough tube warmth in the studio
 
#112
I currently play through a class D hybrid, which I absolutely love for local gigs where I'm loading equipment in and out of my hatchback and carrying back up the stairs to my apartment afterward at 4AM. If I was going into the recording studio and could play any amp I would want a vintage B-15. If I were playing on a big tour and I had roadies moving my gear, an Ashdown CTM 300 with an 8x10 would be the amp I'd want.
I guess you could say I am a real world class D amp user with tube amp dreams.
 
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#114
I play both! My two rigs are a GK MB800 into a Faital Loaded Greenboy Dually 2x15 and a custom 300W tube head from Dunwich Amplification into an Ampeg 810e. The Class D/super light cab rig is what I haul out when I jam with people and it's really versatile. The big tube monster is what I like to play for the heavy music I like to write and record myself.

I also play guitar and I like/own both valve and solid state heads for that as well.
 
#117
There are certainly some great tube amps, and that is pretty much a mature technology. Most of them were developed for the passive Fenders, and particularly the P bass. Players who are primarily P bass players are often preferential to the tube amps. Why not? That combination has worked for decades now.

Two areas of continued and more recent development are refinements to onboard bass preamps and "Class D" power amplifier technology. Great strides have been made in both areas, and many players have gone in that direction.

IMO, categorical statements comparing both kinds of amps which omit the player's instrumental preferences and objectives may produce entertaining internet arguments, but do not produce much useful information. Also, players breaking down gear at 2:15AM for $75 vs players recording country material in a pro studio have differing contexts for their preferences. There isn't enough discussion on TB of what gear works in which contexts as opposed to too much posting of mine is better than everyone else's who doesn't have the same thing.

Back in the day, my first big tube amp was a Sunn Model T. It was glorious. But, once I started gigging somewhat regularly, I figured out what was going on, sold it, and bought a Fender Bassman, which I had modded up to 100W. That was my version of a club gigging amp before we had "Class D." Now, there are some amazing "Class D" designs out there; and I gig those quite happily. And, they keep getting better.
 
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#118
If you don't count the 12AX7 tube in my MarkBass Compressore my system is all SS. But that's because I only need use a combo amp right now and I don't know of any combo bass amps that use tubes. I don't have to lug gear around and will eventually upgrade to a nice heavyweight tube amp and cabinet. I have two tube amps for my home stereo.
 
#120
I play SS right now and I love my amp. It's a GK Backline 600 (the Chinese 400RB). The thing is indestructible. I opened the hatch of my parents' SUV, and the amp had shifted on the drive and fell out before the hatch was fully open. It fell 5 feet straight onto the tarmac. I brought it inside, plugged it in, and it never even said "ouch." When/if it dies/I throw it off a bridge in order to destroy it so I can justify buying a new head, I'm going to buy what my ears tell me to and my back allows, be it SS, hybrid or all tube.
 

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