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Head / Cab advice

C

chase2k

Jun 10, 2008
8
0
Bellingen, Australia
#1
Hi folks...

New here. Need some advice. I currently have a (really really crap) Ashton 150w combo amp. I need to upgrade - in a 60-70's style rock band, but personal preference is metal/reggae/ska/funk. For my current price range, I'm considering the following rigs (in my price range):

- Ashdown MAG600 head with either a Ashdown MAG410 or Ashdown ABM410T cab

- Warwick Profet 5.1 head with a Warwick 411PRO cab.

- Hartke 3500 head with a VX410 Hartke cab (although get the impression that Hartke are crap).

- Marshall MB450H head with a MBC410 cab

What do people 'round here recommend for the price? Bear in mind I don't wanna buy second hand. Just don't trust buying second hand amps - seen too many people burned with buying s/h amps that have been pushed way too far.

Initially I was leaning toward the Warwicks (as P.Nut from 311 and Norwood from Fishbone - my two fav. bands - use Warwick gear), but don't know much about them. Also considering the Ashdowns, but really only for style -I don't know anything about their working capacity.

Thanks in advance,

Chase2k
 
#2
honestly, the best thing to do is get out to your LBS and take your bass. Try everything you can. take your time, theres no rush. Then buy what you like best, and whats within your price range.

What is your price range? I'm too lazy to look up theses products and add 'em up (came back from a soccer game)

If it was up to me I'd probably go the Power amp and pre amp setup. You control your sound x 10. Dont like your sound? get a new pre amp. And a power amp will provide the power for whichever cab(s) you choose.

And regarding the buying used. If you're budget is not big, and you don't trust s/h, don't look at the craigslist/ebay ads. Check out TB's buy and sell section you'd probably find better deals there than anywhere else. And people unload almost new gear all the time.
 
#3
Price range is about $1500 (Australian) which is what, about $1400 US at the moment? Problem for me is that I live in a reasonably remote area (we have a music store about half an hour away, but they stock the cheap crappy stuff that high school kids buy and play). Nearest capital city is about 6 hrs away, so most of my research must be online. I've heard an SWR being played at a gig recently and LOVED the sound, but they're just a bit too much money :(
 
#4
i feel your pain bro, my LBS is also 30 minutes but its a) overpriced or B)old stock so i too do most of my research online.
Since you live in Australia its probably not worth buying things of TB;s classifieds as most of them live in N-A.

But the good news is, 1400 is alot to play with.
If it was me, i'd read a lot of reviews on the Warwicks, and go from there. if it all sounds good, go for it, if not move on to either the Marshall or the Ashdown. The thing that turns me down about hartke are the aluminum cones. but i've heard that their heads aren't too too bad.
 
#8
Please bear in mind that the OP is in AUSTRALIA!!! & OP...PLEASE fill out your 'profile' page-it helps ppl reply to your topics far more easily, & also saves a lotta ppl time-eg. advertising heavy Spkr cabs in USA if U R in Aus. I'm in AUS! & I reckon Ashdown are good. I also think Hartke are GREAT value atm. The HA3500 head-w/ tube & s.s. pre amp is a darn fine sounding amp IMO. Unless U can find a Hartke 4.5 cab(4x10" w/ a 5" hi freq driver) I'd go for an Ashdown 4x10" cab to go with the Hartke.
There's another Aussie on here that recently bought a Marshall MB450H IIRC- so maybe do a search for MB450H & find him & PM him to see if he'll give you his views on that amp.
IME I don't really like Warwick amplification...- that I've tried anyway. I had to use their 1x15" 200 or 300w combo for a month or so as it was backline at a jazz gig we had-we weren't playing "jazz" more blues/soul/old RnB & I wasn't impressed with that combo.
I'd either go All Ashdown or Hartke HA3500 amp & Ashdown 4x10" cab(or Hartke 4.5 cab-if U can find one- great, but HEAVY cabs!!!)
 
#10
From your description of your location, sounds like WA? I've been wanting a new amp for ages, but there's just nothing out there. I've tried all the used things I can find, ebay has like 3 results for the whole state, and there's pretty much nothing in any of the newspapers.

And buying new bass equipment in australia is like buying one for the price of two :P
 
#11
I'm actually located near Coffs Harbour in NSW. Got fam in WA though, so I know that there ain't much there :)

What I'm diggin' about the ashdowns is their LOOK. They look so damn cool. Especially with the blue cones.

As far as the Hartke's concerned, I'd be a bit worried about the alum. cones - wonder how they would sound. I just don't have the luxury of trying this **** out. I've basically gotta bite the bullet and get something.

And I know it's all personal opinion, and that they're all "much of a muchness", and no matter what I buy, there'll be someone out there who will completely disagree - it also depends on the day the damn things are made too - one person's complaints about reliability are completely unfounded by other users. I am basically just fishing for general advice, as in - 10 people saying "don't buy xxx, they're crap beyond belief", etc.

As a result of the advice though, I am now including Hartke in my options. I was basically ruling them out because they seemed a little on the cheap side - but I guess you don't have to spend lots to get quality.

I just want something that will compete more than adequately with the drummer (and f*ck, he's loud!), and something that will give me a warm tone, with nice top end AND bottom end - I'm quite partial to a bit of chord work on the bass.

Oh - BTW - Just in case this has any bearing, I use a Yamaha RBX 5 String - and a Digitech BP-200 (Don't worry - plan to do away with the BP200 soon - and get some REAL pedals). I love my RBX - has a nice feel and weight to it. Unfortunately, my Ashton amp drags it down...

Oh, and thanx for the advice folks - it's all valuable and all appreciated. Keep it coming!
 
#12
Hiya Chase.......another Oz resident here (Wollongong).

The Basscentre in Melbourne has some great deals at the moment - I just bought a Hartke 3500 from him and I dig it. He ships anywhere for very cheap rates.

Sydney is way over-priced in my opinion.

There is a nice Trace rig on eBay at the moment....if I had the spare cash I'd buy it myself. Been a few good things on there recently, just picked up a very good Sovtek 410(now I have 2!).

Good luck!
 
#18
If you have a Carvin distributor and the prices aren't too dear, consider a Carvin B1500 (an utter killer of a head) with maybe one of their BRX 10.4 neo cabs. I dunno what that would cost you in Oz, but you certainly wouldn't have to worry about keeping up with your drummer.

The HA3500 is a nice enough head, but IME and IMO a B1500 would leave it for dead.
 
#20
I don't like aluminum cones...to me it's all upper mid and nothing else. And not the good kind of upper mid. But some people totally love them.

BTW, 350w should never have the word "only" before it. 350w is a considerable amount of power.
 

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