Fender Bassman 800 or Darkglass Microtubes 900

[Bassist96]

Hey

Im lucky enough to be getting a new head cause my current setup is being pushed way to hard for some of the big gigs I've recently had and have coming up. Im looking at the Fender Bassman 800 or Darkglass Microtubes 900. just asking for people to lay on me there experiences with these amps, I am so undecided haha. If you've used both also let us know what you think, I know Im comparing apples and pears haha.

Cheers

 

[erigod23]

I've played neither, but it will help others if you mention the other pieces to the puzzle:
1.Music genre
2. Cabs
3. Venue sizes/ FOH/ monitors
4. tonal goals

Sorry I couldn't provide more help other than, I'm a Fender guy and would pick the Bassman.

 

[Kombo]

The darkglass is extremely versatile and can produce monster tones. I’d pick this in most situations(I promise I’m not biased even though I have darkglass gear)

I’d take the bassman if I was playing country or more classic rock stuff for a mellow tone, coupled with a pbass and some flats. The darkglass is definetly capable of doing these tones well though!

 

[RColie]

I have the Bassman 800, and I agree with Kombo that it will do country and classic rock very well, especially through the vintage channel. However, it also has a modern active EQ channel that Fender calls the overdrive channel...you can definitely get modern sounds and between the two channels (and overdrive if you want it), the Bassman is very versatile. I haven't tried the Darkglass amp.

Bob

 

[CL400Peavey]

Hey

Im lucky enough to be getting a new head cause my current setup is being pushed way to hard for some of the big gigs I've recently had and have coming up. Im looking at the Fender Bassman 800 or Darkglass Microtubes 900. just asking for people to lay on me there experiences with these amps, I am so undecided haha. If you've used both also let us know what you think, I know Im comparing apples and pears haha.

Cheers

What cabs are you using, and what kind of music are you playing?

 

[rodl2005]

I have the Bassman 800, and I agree with Kombo that it will do country and classic rock very well, especially through the vintage channel. However, it also has a modern active EQ channel that Fender calls the overdrive channel...you can definitely get modern sounds and between the two channels (and overdrive if you want it), the Bassman is very versatile. I haven't tried the Darkglass amp.

Bob

Yes. . The OVERDRIVE channel CAN be used for overdrive, but also can be used totally clean. ..just have the blend control off. Very versatile. I've got the Super Bassman --same pre amp-- it'll do any tone you want..
Except thin and cr@ppy

 

[Linnin]

One thing to keep in mind is the difference in how the wattage ratings are measured. With Fender, it is in clean continuous watts. These are 'real' watts that you can count on. The Fender 800 would peak out around 1600 watts.

In light of two long and controversial threads, many companies choose to use burst power, or peak power, or duty cycle rating methods. There is a lot of voodoo engineering going on. There is always the age old marketing method of wattage rating where you just pull a high number out of thin air because it beats out the competition. In these cases it is wise to divide the stated power in half to arrive at something more accurate as either RMS or clean continuous watts.

Darkglass doesn't state the method used for their wattage rating. So be careful.

 

[Bassist96]

I've played neither, but it will help others if you mention the other pieces to the puzzle:
1.Music genre
2. Cabs
3. Venue sizes/ FOH/ monitors
4. tonal goals

Sorry I couldn't provide more help other than, I'm a Fender guy and would pick the Bassman.

1. whatever i get hired to play, so the amp needs to be versatile, usually rock or funk music though
2. was gonna grab the matching cab of the amp im grabbing, most likely at this point a 4/10
3. usually these bigger venues im playing fit around 3000 people
4. once again its whatever I need to replicate, for my own bands its usually a thick rock sound.

 

[Mowbro]

One thing to keep in mind is the difference in how the wattage ratings are measured. With Fender, it is in clean continuous watts. These are 'real' watts that you can count on. The Fender 800 would peak out around 1600 watts.

In light of two long and controversial threads, many companies choose to use burst power, or peak power, or duty cycle rating methods. There is a lot of voodoo engineering going on. There is always the age old marketing method of wattage rating where you just pull a high number out of thin air because it beats out the competition. In these cases it is wise to divide the stated power in half to arrive at something more accurate as either RMS or clean continuous watts.

Darkglass doesn't state the method used for their wattage rating. So be careful.

The microtubes 900 manual states 900w rms.

 

[Linnin]

The microtubes 900 manual states 900w rms.

That's good then. I checked out their website, but didn't download a manual.