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.
Good Looking AND Playing Amp
- Thread starter ajsmcs
- Start date
The Rumbles sound like Fenders - they're a good tonal pairing for just about anything - I'm also assuming you're not looking for an ultra-modern sound given your predilection for voxes.
P.S. Vox AC30B is not worth the money as a bass amp - very nice amp, but I think you'll find anyone still using them are guitar players.
EDIT: I should qualify that by saying "since you want something that will make the transitions to small gigs" In the living room it would sound awesome for bass.
Last edited:
Well, I love the Vox sound with a guitar. She just thinks they look pretty.
Honestly, I'm not actually clear on the differences between a vintage vs modern tone when it comes to bass. Vintage=warmer, Modern=more clarity?
Could you give me a good example of some well-known songs featuring a more vintage bass tone vs ones using a more modern one? How would you classify Geddy Lee's bass tone circa 2112/ Permanent Waves? (Which- if memory serves right- is played on a Ric 4001 on 2112 and a J-bass on Permanent Waves)
Honestly, I'm not actually clear on the differences between a vintage vs modern tone when it comes to bass. Vintage=warmer, Modern=more clarity?
Could you give me a good example of some well-known songs featuring a more vintage bass tone vs ones using a more modern one? How would you classify Geddy Lee's bass tone circa 2112/ Permanent Waves? (Which- if memory serves right- is played on a Ric 4001 on 2112 and a J-bass on Permanent Waves)
Ampeg B-15N could be one of the most recorded bass amps of the 60's and beyond. The design exudes class. You might find this video helpful:
CSN&Y, Carry On, from Deja Vu, soloed 2 minutes into the song is one example. More in the Portaflex Wiki but this just touches on where it was used.
Everything that you hear in the bass world is build on the groundwork that this amp laid down. Alright, I admit to being a bit biased. I have a 1963 that has been in service for over 50 years.
You can find lots of originals for much less and when restored, they can be better than new. They are still quite expensive though.
It is worth checking out the Ampeg BA Series.
Last edited:
Yes! with the silver point to point wiring and the gold chassis! If you get an upgraded wood cab you could get out the door for around $55k!
Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
Dan
Last edited:
Get whatever amp head you want and stick it in the closet. Then get an 8 10e , lay it on its side and it can double as a coffee table.
I don't think so. The $50,000 gold chassis option is off a very old price list. I can't imagine it being less than $75,000 now.
As I see it, that VOX amp is quite capable of doing a gig. If your lady IS really keen to be part of a project she will need an amp of similar capabilities. That being the case its actual appearance really should not matter. Both amps need to be together so that you can both learn material and also play off each other. I feel that could be a lot of fun.
Yes there are ridiculously expensive options out there but they are not what's required here. you need a simple but practical amplifier that will hold its value. I don't know enough about commercial amplifier offerings as I use a pre/power rig. You should look for a 100-200W SS amp with a 2x10 or 1x15. This could be either a combo or separates.
Good luck with your music.
Yes there are ridiculously expensive options out there but they are not what's required here. you need a simple but practical amplifier that will hold its value. I don't know enough about commercial amplifier offerings as I use a pre/power rig. You should look for a 100-200W SS amp with a 2x10 or 1x15. This could be either a combo or separates.
Good luck with your music.
I haven't been on for a few days so my apologies if this has been answered.
"vintage" tends to mean yes warmer with a bit of an emphasis on "fatness" - usually low mids - while generally when people way "modern they mean cleaner (less thd) and usually a bit of a scoop in the mids so you hear the lows and the highs. This is just a guideling since many people use old amps scooped or new amps distorted and with lots of mids.
Generally - if there's a lot of treble it's "modern" - so things with tweeters.
I would say that 80s music (like John Taylor of Duran Duran or Duff McKagan of Guns n Roses) would exemplify the "modern" sound (ironic that modern means 30 years ago on an instrument that's 60 years old but...) While, James Jamerson (almost any Motown record) or Paul McCartney would be goo examples of "vintage" - warm, round, a little less definition to the note.
Geddy is neither modern nor vintage - he is quite trebley but also has a large "fat" not with a good deal of amp distortion - he's just "Geddy" - which would be the case with many of his time Chris Squire is distinctly Treble-y but I'd personally not say his sound is particularly "modern".
One final analogy - the difference between vintage and modern would be the difference between on old tube PA and a good hifi. One is warm and fat and a little distorted but sounds "nice" while the other is more true to the signal coming in and more defined but not inherently kinder to the ear.
To be clear I meant that an AC30B would not be giggable with BASS. It's only 30 watts and open backed (which is far more important in this situation) which would be pretty farty if you turned it up (assuming you didn't actually blow the speakers) - an AC15 is totally doable for a small gig on guitar.As I see it, that VOX amp is quite capable of doing a gig. If your lady IS really keen to be part of a project she will need an amp of similar capabilities. That being the case its actual appearance really should not matter. Both amps need to be together so that you can both learn material and also play off each other. I feel that could be a lot of fun.
Yes there are ridiculously expensive options out there but they are not what's required here. you need a simple but practical amplifier that will hold its value. I don't know enough about commercial amplifier offerings as I use a pre/power rig. You should look for a 100-200W SS amp with a 2x10 or 1x15. This could be either a combo or separates.
Good luck with your music.
+1 on the Ampeg micro stack. My wife thinks they look pretty nice. I have the CL, 100 watts, could be enough for your needs, about 350 new. The VR, I think, looks a bit nicer, and has easily enough power for your needs. New they are a bit out of your price range (~600) but a used one would be a perfect fit.
If I'm bringing an amp home, I need to get approval. Vintage amps have to pass both an appearance and smell test.
What you want is the Genz Benz Contour 115 Combo. 300 RMS. Add an additional 15" cab at some point & it's 500 RMS. Close-out priced @ $359 shipped. Loud bugger. No better value around. Nothing else I see in this thread can compete.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genz-Benz-C...190?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item46262af906
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genz-Benz-C...190?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item46262af906
As an eBay Associate, TalkBass may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
I have to admit I only used an AC30B once as a loaner in the late sixties. I used it to play the Silver Blades Ice Skating Rink in Liverpool, England (Kensington at Shiel). Using a Gibson, I think, EB2, that amp handled everything I threw at it. It was literally walking across the sloped stage. no distortion whatsoever. I still get the warm fuzzies remembering that gig.
In todays world I'd not even try to play a gig with that little power or with an open backed cabinet. Things were very different back in those days.
