Hartke VS Thunderfunk

[Doug Parent]

Thunderfunk.........it's a no brainer unless your only criteria is cost.
Hartke is mass produced low-mid quality fodder.
Fender MIA Jazz 5 for sale.

 

[DWBass]

I've seen a lot of seriously abused Hartkes. I haven't seen one well kept one with problems. Maybe there's a correlation?

There ya go! I've had amps by many different manufacturers [Peavey, SWR, Fender, Hartke, a 60's Traynor, Carvin] and not one has ever failed on me! I treat all my gear with kid gloves. As for sound, I'll reitterate that I don't think that they are for the 'Rocker' and that may be why a lot of them don't dig the sound. To me, Hartke has a clean, loud and uncolored sound.

 

[Dirty Dave]

but seriously, i cant stand Harkte gear. looks fugly, sounds equally so. they've also been notoriously unreliable, and flimsy for me. cant vouch for their customer service, but it better be good enough to keep up with their crappy product.

In reference to your subjective opinions, I beg to differ. I love the look of the aluminum cones and don't think they sound too bad at all. While Hartke is not the final stop for me, I could easily live with the tone if my funds were more limited than they are.

As far as being unreliable goes, I've had my HA3000 for a couple years now with no problems. Gets used a minimum of three times a week at band practice and has been moved around everywhere between Boston and Florida. A friend of mine has had his HA3500 even longer, doesn't take care of it nearly as well and has yet to report any problems either.

I guess YMMV.

 

[Joe P]

I'd go with the Thunder funk based on the sole fact that you have access to Mr. Funk via this forum.

I didn't know that! I've had that thing on my mind ever since I read about it here, and then visited their website (linked to it from TB)

Invalid Link Removed

- and the headquarters is just down the road from Milwaukee here. I was thinking of paying a visit when it's new-head-time!

Joe

 

[Mel Monihan]

I own a Thunderfunk and it is all I need. It is light , versatile and powerful.I have owned many amps in the past though I have never owned a Hartke.I have played through Hartke's though, and I thought they sounded fine.I do have a friend that works at G.C. though, and he says that they are having alot of repair problems with the newer Hartke's.It sounds like there are many here that haven't had any problems with theirs though, so maybe there is something to the notion of who is using them.
I have spoken to Dave(Funk) on many ocasions, and he is a great guy who stands behind his product completely, so if there ever are any problems, you can get right in touch with the guy that built the amp.How often can you say that.

 

[jerry]

I have a Thunderfunk and a old Hartke 7000. I've had the Hartke for years, and either rent it out to a sound company or leave it at one of my rehearsal spots, and sound companys are not gentle on equipment. I've had no problems with the Hartke, and could easily gig with it and get a good tone, but not as good as the Thunderfunk Like Brad said, if the tonality sounds the same to you, save the bucks and go for the Hartke. DWbass has been playing bass a long time, and I would respect his opinon too.

 

[jeflepard]

Not to be a smartass but it is not a good comparison. The Thunderfunk is a high end amp . If money is not a factor the Thunderfunk is the only choice.

 

[Arranger]

Buy a Thunderfunk now and you won't be sorry. If you really, really are sorry, for who knows what reason, you can turn around and sell the TF for 90% of what you paid.

If you get the Hartke and think you're happy, that's great. If you change your mind and decide to sell it, you'll lose 33% immediately, perhaps more.

Good equipment will always be good equipment.
Great equipment will always be great equipment.

The Thunderfunk is built and created here in the US by a premier head designer who has engineered some of the most important bass heads in gear history, and who has given up trying to satisfy the whims of mass-production companies that cut corners (to save a nickel.)

Thunderfunk heads clearly demonstrate their quality in every way and they really are worth much more than Dave charges for them.

Oh, and a child can carry the Thunderfunk head. It's only 17 pounds. I love carrying it into the gig with my bass in my other hand.