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Don't forget, he's also a Grill master. This guy knows how to BBQ! He also endorses Rolling Rock!
Never owned any Hartke gear, but I've used it as provided backline. Gotta say I very much liked how it sounded. Not sure which model head and cabs but it was two stacked 4x10s with paper cones.
Never owned one but have played through several of them for backlines - the older XL cabs definitely had a baked in sound that was decent but not my cup of tea. The newer cabs and amps are the same - decent and professional gear with decent sound. Never had a problem with them but the older cabs and amps did seems to need much higher volume settings than comparable gear - one backline was a 3500 into a 410XL and the amp could barely keep up with a loud band (where my WT-400 and 410XLT was more than enough).
They are affordable, durable, simple, and they sound good. Plus they're everywhere in the world which I think is very important for a touring bassist.
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Id assume because its a decent quality amp with good people behind the company. Affordable enough for most to try them if they want. They are probably available all over the world for back line rentals too.
my hartke experiences are three.
first, in the 90s i did blow out a hartke aluminum speaker (it ripped like tissue paper), but while my wattage was well within its specs, i play with a lot of attack and hadn't yet learned that made a difference. after that i blew out a peavey black widow LOL
second, my beloved hartke LH500. it is still my favorite amp that i owned - what tone! - but alas, shoulder damage means it was hard to move, and i prefer a smaller amp.
third, my husband has a little hartke HD15. it has more low end at lower volumes than any similarly sized amp i've tried. it's definitely got the beef.
first, in the 90s i did blow out a hartke aluminum speaker (it ripped like tissue paper), but while my wattage was well within its specs, i play with a lot of attack and hadn't yet learned that made a difference. after that i blew out a peavey black widow LOL
second, my beloved hartke LH500. it is still my favorite amp that i owned - what tone! - but alas, shoulder damage means it was hard to move, and i prefer a smaller amp.
third, my husband has a little hartke HD15. it has more low end at lower volumes than any similarly sized amp i've tried. it's definitely got the beef.
As a Hartke convert, I could say that Hartke delivers amps that really push, fewer knobs and knobs that are voiced to keep the sound in a very usable and musical range, light weight speaker cabs that have exceptional frequency response from top to bottom, very high quality class A preamp and DI's. In general, it's a no frills high quality setup. As a working musician it's perfect for me.
I used an LH500 for years. They sound great and are quite affordable.
Unfortunately mine gave out after a couple years of use. I can’t remember exactly what happened to it, but to his credit, Larry took care of me personally. I got the amp fixed free of charge, well after the warranty period had ended.
Then it died a second time, shortly after the repair. This time, Larry sent me a brand new unit for no charge. Excellent service provided yet again.
And then THAT one died. It’s still sitting in my office, unused and broken. I’ve since upgraded to Mesa.
That’s just been my experience with them, YMMV.
Unfortunately mine gave out after a couple years of use. I can’t remember exactly what happened to it, but to his credit, Larry took care of me personally. I got the amp fixed free of charge, well after the warranty period had ended.
Then it died a second time, shortly after the repair. This time, Larry sent me a brand new unit for no charge. Excellent service provided yet again.
And then THAT one died. It’s still sitting in my office, unused and broken. I’ve since upgraded to Mesa.
That’s just been my experience with them, YMMV.
I used to think Hartke was junk. I got an amp and cabinet cheap because they needed repair. The 1x15 cabinet had a replacement speaker in it. I installed a new Hartke aluminum cone speaker. It sounded okay but sold it. The HA3500 amp just needed a new op amp in the compressor circuit. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it sounded once I got it working. I only sold it because I was getting away from heavy rack gear. I kind of wish that I still had that amp.
So I have changed my mind about Hartke. I think they are pretty decent gear.
So I have changed my mind about Hartke. I think they are pretty decent gear.
The aluminum cone has a sound that I dig, they are affordable and they used to be at every rehearsal studio in NYC. Ive blown many of Hartke speakers in the earlier days, nowa days they seem pretty bullet proof.
Larry Hartke is at Sam Ash on 34th st in Manhattan all the time in the Bass dept, hes a cool guy and really cares, he stands by his products. Years ago he put his phone # in his ads and said if you have any issues just call, it was his actual phone number. When you meet a guy like that you want to use their products.
Larry Hartke is at Sam Ash on 34th st in Manhattan all the time in the Bass dept, hes a cool guy and really cares, he stands by his products. Years ago he put his phone # in his ads and said if you have any issues just call, it was his actual phone number. When you meet a guy like that you want to use their products.
A drummer who hosted a basement jam I used to play in had an old, beat up, really crappy looking Hartke 410 for his bassists to use. It looked like hell, but I used several different amps through it and it always pretty sounded good to me - even when we had three guitarists playing. No complaints at all.
About a year and a half ago, I was looking for backup cabinets because my band was talking about adding some outdoor gigs (my main rig is a pair of Barefaced cab and I wanted something I could use if the weather looked questionable). I found a nice deal on a pair of like new Hartke HD210 and bought them. I find them to be nice sounding cabinets and have no problem using them. To be honest, they're even a little easier to move than my Barefaceds and take up less space in my car. Again, I have no complaints.
My old instructor is a monster player and he has several Hartke HyDrive cabinets. I’ve seen him play multiple basses through different combinations of his cabinets in a blues band, rock band, and a Caribbean band and he always sounds fantastic.
I've never used a Hartke amp, but my experience is that Hartke cabs are good stuff.
About a year and a half ago, I was looking for backup cabinets because my band was talking about adding some outdoor gigs (my main rig is a pair of Barefaced cab and I wanted something I could use if the weather looked questionable). I found a nice deal on a pair of like new Hartke HD210 and bought them. I find them to be nice sounding cabinets and have no problem using them. To be honest, they're even a little easier to move than my Barefaceds and take up less space in my car. Again, I have no complaints.
My old instructor is a monster player and he has several Hartke HyDrive cabinets. I’ve seen him play multiple basses through different combinations of his cabinets in a blues band, rock band, and a Caribbean band and he always sounds fantastic.
I've never used a Hartke amp, but my experience is that Hartke cabs are good stuff.
If you were there AT THE TIME, it was the next big thing! They sounded amazing, were definitely the sound of the future at the time compared to very old school tech most were transitioning from, they looked amazing and became kind of like the mark of a pro.
Seriously, if you played through them, it honestly did give you some instant street cred.
Yes if abused too much then they could have reliability problems. I supposed it's because the aluminum doesn't flex and something else has to give... namely the cone detaches somewhat, or this is what I have been led to believe. I personally have never owned them, nor have I seen any problems with them.
I did play through them lots back in the day, though, and just loved the sound.
If you had been there at the time you might feel more like I do. Which is... wow, that was then the hartke aluminum speakers were HUGE!!
Yes, some very clever advertising placement in magazines helped tremendously... which was ALWAYS the case back then. We had no internet. So you based what the pros used on what we read in magazines. Magazines used paid or gifted-to-artist advertising. IT WORKED.
But besides that, they truly were excellent, and unique sounding speakers.
The sound of music changed then, and these went along with it.
Amazing days... and I still always feel I missed out on them back in the day.
I guess I could get the Behringer ones now if I wanted to.............................
Seriously, if you played through them, it honestly did give you some instant street cred.
Yes if abused too much then they could have reliability problems. I supposed it's because the aluminum doesn't flex and something else has to give... namely the cone detaches somewhat, or this is what I have been led to believe. I personally have never owned them, nor have I seen any problems with them.
I did play through them lots back in the day, though, and just loved the sound.
If you had been there at the time you might feel more like I do. Which is... wow, that was then the hartke aluminum speakers were HUGE!!
Yes, some very clever advertising placement in magazines helped tremendously... which was ALWAYS the case back then. We had no internet. So you based what the pros used on what we read in magazines. Magazines used paid or gifted-to-artist advertising. IT WORKED.
But besides that, they truly were excellent, and unique sounding speakers.
The sound of music changed then, and these went along with it.
Amazing days... and I still always feel I missed out on them back in the day.
I guess I could get the Behringer ones now if I wanted to.............................
I remember when Hartke first appeared the cabinets were about $1000 list. I had two and I can tell you that there are tones I could get that I could not with any other cabinet. I sold them after 4 years because they were 100 lbs and I fell down a short flight of stairs off a stage, I should say I held on and bounced my way down they were solid. I bought 2 Bag End 15's because they were less than 1/2 the weight. I could not get the tones the Hartke could but the style of music I was playing at the time didnt need it. I must say since the prices have come way down I have been thinking about getting another Hartke 4-10 just for the rock gigs where I want that sound.
And Hartke was more than "decent gear". It was one of the top names. They came out with this stuff when a lot of the competition was all very well known in their sound, and nothing new and exciting had come out. I mean, what were the creative and unusual bass amp makers in the 80s? Hartke, SWR, and Trace Elliot. They came outta nowhere and had new sounds that were different, and were all really really well made and very usable.
