Hartke LH500

[SGD Lutherie]

Passive tone stack=no boost.

Technically yes, but there are gain recovery stages after the stack, which is why you get boost from the bass and treble.

If you turn all the controls to zero you get no sound.

An active tone stack has a gain stage for each band, and can do boost/cut.

The Hartke uses the same style tone stack you find on a Fender Bassman or Alembic F-2B.

I call it the Stanley Clarke in a box amp.

 

[efe_gallagher]

Subscribing so I remember to come back and read aaaaaaaaall of this

 

[pan1k]

LH500 is hands down is an amazing amp for the price / value. Simple Circuitry, excellent tone. when i had one, i loved it!

 

[Ed_in_NE_Ohio]

I'm playing through a Hartke Kickback 12 now and absolutely loving it! Frankly, it's probably fine for my needs (bar gigs in a four piece Classic Rock cover band).

However, I've got my eyes on the LH500 as my next escalation in "the amp wars"...

Given all this, what Hartke cabinet should I couple with the LH500?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I'm playing through a Hartke Kickback 12 now and absolutely loving it! Frankly, it's probably fine for my needs (bar gigs in a four piece Classic Rock cover band).

However, I've got my eyes on the LH500 as my next escalation in "the amp wars"...

Given all this, what Hartke cabinet should I couple with the LH500?

I use either a Harke XL 4X10 with the aluminum drivers, or my old Mesa 4X10. The Mesa sounds warmer, and the XL is crunchier. With the LH500 any of Hartke's cabs would work since with a single 8 ohm cab you are only pushing 350 watts, and most of their cabs are rated 400. The HyDrives are rated higher. Probably a lot of other brand cabs would work fine too.

 

[Ed_in_NE_Ohio]

I use either a Harke XL 4X10 with the aluminum drivers, or my old Mesa 4X10. The Mesa sounds warmer, and the XL is crunchier. With the LH500 any of Hartke's cabs would work since with a single 8 ohm cab you are only pushing 350 watts, and most of their cabs are rated 400. The HyDrives are rated higher. Probably a lot of other brand cabs would work fine too.

Thanks very much SGD Lutherie!

Invalid Link Removed while researching the 410XL after reading your post, so now I've got my eyes on the HyDrive HX410! But...
410XL = $400
HX410 = $700

Is the Hydrive cabinet worth the extra green? I assume both cabinets are voiced well for the LH500?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Thanks very much SGD Lutherie!

Invalid Link Removed while researching the 410XL after reading your post, so now I've got my eyes on the HyDrive HX410! But...
410XL = $400
HX410 = $700

Is the Hydrive cabinet worth the extra green? I assume both cabinets are voiced well for the LH500?

The HyDrive can handle 1000 watts @ 8 ohms. The XL handles 400 Watts @ 8 Ohms.

If you are getting an LH-1000, you probably want the HyDrive. They also have a warmer tone because of the partial paper cones, and a 1-inch titanium compression driver.

The 410XL doesn't have a tweeter. I don't hink it needs one, but the 4.5 XL does.

I got the 410XL because I like the tone of the aluminum drivers, and it's cheaper.

 

[RBASS930]

Also (if it matters to you).......
410XL = Ported
HX410 = Sealed

 

[imdkoz]

Bought an LH1000 used here on TB and WOW! Running it through an Ampeg PR410HLF and it sounds incredible. Can't wait for the next show.

 

[pica]

There is an LH500 for sale on my local CL with a cab and a 4x10 extension cab for like $400.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

There is an LH500 for sale on my local CL with a cab and a 4x10 extension cab for like $400.

If it's all in good working order, how can you go wrong!

They are $350 new just for the head.

 

[stevezuki]

gigged my new lh500 for the first time last night, struggled a bit with the eq..-sound-check sounded great.. as soon as it was showtime- seemed as tho the 'top end fairy' had paid a visit.. perhaps i should have turned the brite off?.. managed to get it more or less close to what i wanted towards the end of the set.. (by taking the bass up and bringing the treb down.. ) im now thinking of buying an eq pedal just to get some more control/mids out of her?.. perhaps overdriving the valve a little to get a bit of dirt in there?..

 

[JCooper]

I notice that at higher volume there seems to be LOTS of top-end, I dial down the treble.
Sometimes, the interactive EQ controls take me a minute to dial in...
I have been using a VT bass in front of it, and the combination of additional EQ and 'as dirty as I like' works well. IME.

 

[stevezuki]

yeh- my thoughts exactly cheers

 

[SMB13]

Does anyone know if you can mod the LH500 so the DI s post EQ instead of pre? I just sold my Carvin BX500 and have an LH500 on the way and am super excited

Also, I'm assuming it takes pedals pretty well? Mainly an OD + EQ, but more effects and modulation will be added over time (in the FX loop of course)

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Does anyone know if you can mod the LH500 so the DI s post EQ instead of pre?

There is no easy way to do that.

I use the effect send for a DI. That's because the sound guy wants to put it into a line level input and not a mic input.

The effect send is post EQ.

Also, I'm assuming it takes pedals pretty well? Mainly an OD + EQ, but more effects and modulation will be added over time (in the FX loop of course)

It's an amp, it works with pedals. I use OD, and fuzz, and modulation, and other stuff. I do not use them in the effects loop.

 

[ejmy]

Does anyone know if you can mod the LH500 so the DI s post EQ instead of pre? I just sold my Carvin BX500 and have an LH500 on the way and am super excited

Also, I'm assuming it takes pedals pretty well? Mainly an OD + EQ, but more effects and modulation will be added over time (in the FX loop of course)

LOL So funny, I just sold my LH500 to buy a Carvin bx500, Absolutly no comparison, the Carvin is miles ahead, would never go back. Hated the Hartke from day one.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

LOL So funny, I just sold my LH500 to buy a Carvin bx500, Absolutly no comparison, the Carvin is miles ahead, would never go back. Hated the Hartke from day one.

Hmmmm. I played a benefit one night and even though I brought my amp, I ended up using a BX500 because it was already set up. I really disliked it. I found it muddy sounding. No matter what I did with the EQ I didn't get a tone I liked.

On the other hand I've never gotten a bad sound out of my LH-500. This is my seventh or eight amp, and my favorite so far.

 

[SMB13]

There is no easy way to do that.

I use the effect send for a DI. That's because the sound guy wants to put it into a line level input and not a mic input.

The effect send is post EQ.



It's an amp, it works with pedals. I use OD, and fuzz, and modulation, and other stuff. I do not use them in the effects loop.

Okay, cool. I was wondering because I wanted to continue to plug right into my interface to record bass. The same can be done with the effects send then?

Hmmmm. I played a benefit one night and even though I brought my amp, I ended up using a BX500 because it was already set up. I really disliked it. I found it muddy sounding. No matter what I did with the EQ I didn't get a tone I liked.

I was able to get some good sounds from it, but never the sound I wanted from it. I can agree though, it's sometimes hard to EQ it because the bottom end can get pretty muddy/flubby

 

[ejmy]

Hmmmm. I played a benefit one night and even though I brought my amp, I ended up using a BX500 because it was already set up. I really disliked it. I found it muddy sounding. No matter what I did with the EQ I didn't get a tone I liked.

On the other hand I've never gotten a bad sound out of my LH-500. This is my seventh or eight amp, and my favorite so far.

To each his own I guess. But I had the Hartke for 2 years and have the Carvin for over a year now. Mine is anything but muddy. A part from live, I use the preamp in the Carvin for recording into my computer witch is way cleaner than the preamp in my external sound card, WITHOUT THE FAN NOISE witch was a big problem with my LH-500. Nope, nobody will ever convince me of a possible comparison between the two.