• 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.

Hartke LH500 First Impression

#21
Beserkerbass said:
Anybody have experience with swapping out the stock tube in the LH500?
Click to expand...

I put a Tesla in my ha35000 and noticed a difference. I spoke to Larry Hartke about replacing the tube. He said he uses Sovtek in all of his amps because they are efficient and reliable. He suggested a Tesla, JP, or Groove Tube for a hotter sound. He also said you won't notice a huge night and day difference.
 
#22
JoeH said:
I just got my LH500 last night and all I can say is wow! I am running that with a vertical stack of 210 XLs. Nice punch, great tone that is clear and seems to cut right through the mix. Looking forward to rehearsal on Monday to put it through the paces! Orpheus, I do have it in a 4 space SKB rack just for some protection and ease of moving it around to gigs, rehearsal, etc.
Click to expand...

Good choice! (LH1000 for me)
ImageUploadedByTalkBass1407623747.441720.jpg
 
#24
I love my LH1000, i got it because i needed a lot of power and i had very little money to spend. Holy crap it sounds incredible!

I'm using it in bridge mode with 2 1x15 cabs, but i like that i could run two 2 ohm stacks if i wanted to. It's ridiculous, but i like that the option is there.

Also, these amps are superb pedal platforms. OD, fuzz and distortion will sound great.
 
#25
Spirit of Ox said:
I love the rig, do you plan on filling the other rack spaces? You probably don't need to. What else could you need? A compressor maybe?
Click to expand...

Hey Ox. I used to have a Mesa 400+ in there a few years ago. This rack with Furman and tuner sat in my garage for a few years after I sold it. I had the LH in a 2 space but decided to put it in the big rack. I doubt if I'll add anything else.
 
#26
I've played my new LH500 three times now a d it is every bit as fine as others have described. By the way, the Gator 2U shallow rack is a perfect match for this amp; the amp goes right to the end, but the rear lid fits fine. There is no extra room for cables but I carry those in a gig bag anyway. I'd tried the SKB 2U Roto rack, the full size one, and it was just too much wasted space and bulk for me; the rack overhung the cab. I play mostly fretless and get much better pinch a d articulation on the LH500 than I did on the PF500. BTW, the PF cut out for good and I sold it to an engineer who claims it only needed a rely switch. Very happy with the Hartke!
 
#27
Orpheus55 said:
I've played my new LH500 three times now a d it is every bit as fine as others have described. By the way, the Gator 2U shallow rack is a perfect match for this amp; the amp goes right to the end, but the rear lid fits fine. There is no extra room for cables but I carry those in a gig bag anyway. I'd tried the SKB 2U Roto rack, the full size one, and it was just too much wasted space and bulk for me; the rack overhung the cab. I play mostly fretless and get much better pinch a d articulation on the LH500 than I did on the PF500. BTW, the PF cut out for good and I sold it to an engineer who claims it only needed a rely switch. Very happy with the Hartke!
Click to expand...

Well, I (sorta) told ya the Gator shallow would work for the LH. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Killer Of Giants and Orpheus55
#28
Never had the pleasure of the LH-500. Have a few respected net bud's that fly under the radar and really like the amp a bunch. Like me most of them have a 'big' Fender tube amp somewhere in their background. Big being a relative thing... Big enough to have a mid control so, 85 to 100 watts of burn in' 6L6's. That these guys like the amp and put up with the weight says a lot to me.

A couple of settings to recall for the Showman style tone stack (depending on how faithfully it was rendered)
Treble- Middle -Bass
Approximate flat 2-10-2
Reasonable scoop 6-10-6
My fave (no kidding) 6-6-6 which should be the devils scoop but has a wonderfully crisp and defined sound for a P Bass.

Needless to say, this is all very cabinet dependent. The original Fender Showman cabs did not make a whole lot of low end... I prefer a good modern 2x15 as the bottom under a Fender tone stack. I did a custom roughly based on the John_K10 Starliner loaded with 3015's. To my ear it is just the thing... My ' Fender' these days is an old tubey MusicMan though... Well that and a DIY Showman preamp front ending a power amp at one of my rehearsal spaces...

One of my fave rigs of the last 10 to 15 years was an Alembic F2B into the instrument in of a GK 1001RBII. Worlds loudest Showman Amp... Seems like Larry Hartke kinda got bit by that same basic idea...

Some folks find the interactivity really off putting, it isn't for the faint of heart I suppose but there are some great sounds in there if you're willing to coax them out... I don't really even think about it any more. I just dial in and play...
 
#30
LH >>>>> for Larry Hartke. Larry is GREAT. His Amps are GREAT. I have the LH1000 and for me no other brand compares. I am currently gassing for an all tube amp but I think my LH1000 has spoiled me and I'll be disappointed in all tube.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Killer Of Giants
#31
4Mal said:
Never had the pleasure of the LH-500. Have a few respected net bud's that fly under the radar and really like the amp a bunch. Like me most of them have a 'big' Fender tube amp somewhere in their background. Big being a relative thing... Big enough to have a mid control so, 85 to 100 watts of burn in' 6L6's. That these guys like the amp and put up with the weight says a lot to me.

A couple of settings to recall for the Showman style tone stack (depending on how faithfully it was rendered)
Treble- Middle -Bass
Approximate flat 2-10-2
Reasonable scoop 6-10-6
My fave (no kidding) 6-6-6 which should be the devils scoop but has a wonderfully crisp and defined sound for a P Bass.

Needless to say, this is all very cabinet dependent. The original Fender Showman cabs did not make a whole lot of low end... I prefer a good modern 2x15 as the bottom under a Fender tone stack. I did a custom roughly based on the John_K10 Starliner loaded with 3015's. To my ear it is just the thing... My ' Fender' these days is an old tubey MusicMan though... Well that and a DIY Showman preamp front ending a power amp at one of my rehearsal spaces...

One of my fave rigs of the last 10 to 15 years was an Alembic F2B into the instrument in of a GK 1001RBII. Worlds loudest Showman Amp... Seems like Larry Hartke kinda got bit by that same basic idea...

Some folks find the interactivity really off putting, it isn't for the faint of heart I suppose but there are some great sounds in there if you're willing to coax them out... I don't really even think about it any more. I just dial in and play...
Click to expand...
Hey 4Mal...some cool settings to tinker with. Somewhere in the big LH500 thread Larry Hartke himself said a flat EQ is 3-10-0 on the amp. I have run that setting with good success, sometimes boosting treble a click or two or reducing bass depending on the room etc.
 
#34
4Mal said:
Ah, the that is a little off the traditional fender tone stack. Would be intersting to try 3-3-3 and see what the results are.
Click to expand...
Since the mids are cut-only, running them at anything other than 10 is basically turning the volume down. If you've got the headroom to compensate with Volume, cool, but now you've got a pretty good scoop going with more power in the bass and highs than may be healthy for your cabs. The knobs interact a bit so there are many tonal possibilities, but tread lightly...
 
#35
Great news on the Gator shallow. I have it in a regular SKB I am "borrowing" from a buddy of mine. As age creeps up I love things that are lighter. Will report back on the first official run on the rig after practice tonight but I think it is safe to say it will kick a little tail. Orpheus my dad lives down in Port Charlotte. Have to let me know when you are playing and I will have to tell him about it and hopefully be able to catch a show the next time I am down that way.
 
#36
ArtechnikA said:
Since the mids are cut-only, running them at anything other than 10 is basically turning the volume down. If you've got the headroom to compensate with Volume, cool, but now you've got a pretty good scoop going with more power in the bass and highs than may be healthy for your cabs. The knobs interact a bit so there are many tonal possibilities, but tread lightly...
Click to expand...

Always been a factor with the RCA / Fender tone stack... IIRC the output of the treble feeds the mids, feeds the bass. So cutting the mids also cuts the bass... It's been so long since I had to think about it I could have it wrong. I've been using some version of that basic setup since the early 70's... Regardless of the head, paying attention to what your cab is saying is always a good idea. I've reconed more than a few Altecs and JBL's over the years by failing that test... Another flavor of the 'inattention tax'.

Anyhow, I sure would like to play about with an LH 500. Your guys sure make it sound like a box I could learn to love...
 
#37
4Mal said:
Ah, the that is a little off the traditional fender tone stack. Would be intersting to try 3-3-3 and see what the results are.
Click to expand...
I have the LH1000. The manual clearly states that keeping the EQ levels equal is just like adjusting the volume. IOW raising them from 3-3-3 to 4-4-4 would not change the tone. It would just be louder. Minor tweaks of of individual EQ levels make huge differences in tone. For example; to remove boominess in a boomy room I have rolled the bass down to 4 and left the mid & Treb @ 5 each. If I want some extra Boom I go with 6-5-5. IMO keeping them equal is the perfect starting point. Then you can tweak them individually from 0-10 which gives a ton of range. If you need more than 10 for any individual knob then you can just roll the other 2 back and raise the volume.
 
#38
Well I must admit I am digging the LH500 big time. During rehearsal my guitarist looked at me with a smile and said it sounds great! Cutting through the mix and he could hear me nice and clear. I was tweaking the settings a bit but had the volume on 5 and the B-M-T ended up at 3-8-4 though I am still playing with them. I am sure they will get tweaked more tonight and then at the show on Friday.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Killer Of Giants
#39
Noob question here. I also have the LH500 & love it but, on the question about tone settings when you guys state settings like 2-10-2 or 3-3-3 are you talking about the actual numbers on the tone knobs or you using the old clock settings such as straight up would be 12 or noon?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back