Help me pick a rig? TH500/Mesa 800/TF.5/Rumble 800

[Tonecaster]

My rigs are mix and match, but mostly I use a TH500 with a Barefaced Super Compact 112, and an AG700 or Thunderfunk TB750 with a Super Compact 112 and Super Midget 112. I bought a Subway D800 when they came out. It was close but I decided to stick with the AG700.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your reply/

Any particular reason for not choosing the AG cabs?

All The Best,
Ed

 

[Tonecaster]

I use the TH350 with 2 112 Aggies (great tone!) and recently purchased the Mesa TT800 with the subway 115. I like them both for different reasons. The TT 800 and subway 115 is my new favorite setup! Absolutely amazing sound and versatility.

Hey DeepHZ,

Thanks for your reply.

Can you tell me what you prefer about the Mesa over the Aguilar?

Also, what genres you play with it?

Thanks!

All The Best,
Ed

 

[Tonecaster]

There are so many choices nowadays it is mind boggling!!! Don't rule out Bergantino. A Bamp and a pair of NXT 12's or a (what they call 322) 110 + 112 config lots of people rave about. You could scoop up all these pieces of gear, no matter the brand in the classifieds here with some patience. And a lot of the gear sold here is near mint condition

I currently own a Forte HP and a pair of HDN212's and the rig is pretty darn amazing.

You really have to play through these offerings yourself to get a good idea of the tone you hear in your head.

Everyone will give you opinions of what their ears like, not yours.

Hi Amajew,

Thanks for your reply.

I also considered the Berg, but wanted to cull the list down to the most popular. Also, in researching the subject, these seemed the "most-used" for my genres. Or maybe not. Also, very hard to find some of these brands to try. Trickfish for example.

In the end, I'll buy one, and possibly another brand for backup. Then I may start a journey of swapping.

"It's the best part of the trip, the trip itself..." - Jim Morrison.

All The Best,
Ed

 

[Tonecaster]

I own both a Tone Hammer and a Mesa D-800 (have never owned or played a Rumble). I use a pair of Hartke HD 1x12's. Both the Mesa and the Aguilar are really great amps. I don't think that you can go wrong with either of these amps. I personally prefer the Tone Hammer. Seems like I am always twisting knobs and chasing, but never quite finding, a really great sound with the Mesa. The Aguilar sounds great and "feels" great to me on just about any setting. But preference to sound is a subjective thing and only YOUR ears can be the judge.

Hi Liam,

Thanks for your reply.
Owning both the AG and the Mesa seems popular around these parts. Also the comment about it being difficult to dial in a tone with the Mesa. The number of knobs seems daunting.

In the end, I may go the same route as you. The Mesa can be a backup if nothing else. I never gig without a backup...

Any reason you chose the Hartke cabs of the AG's or other?

All The best,
Ed

 

[Tonecaster]

First off, welcome back to playing bass!

That said, Mesa TT800 six days a week and twice on Sunday. Why? Two channels. I never realized how much I would switch channels until I had two. It is a RIDICULOUSLY well-thought-out amp. It is NOT as complicated to operate as the number of knobs and switches would make it appear to be.

I'll throw you another curveball on the cabs. Get a Mesa Subway 112 and 115. I know, mixed drivers have been frowned upon in the past. But these have been designed to work together or separately. The 115 is NOT a big or heavy cab. It also isn't muddy at all. By all accounts the two of them together are fantastic.

You would have the most versatile rig you can buy reasonably.

I don't own a 112. But I do have the TT800 and 115. Everything you describe is in that rig. Tube tone if you want it. Clarity. Portability. Versatility. It's all there. But the tone and volume of that rig are really what set it apart.

Hi Twofingers,

Thanks for your reply.

Getting to be a tough, but narrowed choice.

Can you tell how/when you're using the two channels? It's never occurred to me to try/want.

All The Best,
Ed

 

[Tonecaster]

15 year hiatus before diving back in a few years ago. Didn't get it right the first rig, just upgraded to Mesa and am beyond happy now.

Came from being a 12's guy, but am all in on the Mesa 15 cabs. Pretty crazy clarity and sound dispersion with these, and the 1x15s are under 40lbs.

Hi Verb,

Thanks for your reply.

OK, so it seems the choice with the Mesa is the 15. I was concerned about muddiness, which has been my experience with SWR and Fender 15's I've played through. Also Mesa 15 if AG.

Thanks! This helps narrow it down.

All The Best,
Ed

 

[Tonecaster]

TB threads like this always end in failure, becoming a mere listing of what every poster owns. What started as four options ends up with fifty.

OP, get out there and try some of this stuff. It's the only way. You cannot choose an amp that you'll like by reading reviews.

Hi Arbiterusa,

Thanks for your reply.

I've been unable to demo the AG/Mesa/TF in anything approaching a real setting.

In researching this here, it seems most folks playing the same genres, are using one of these.

But, in the end, as you suggest, I'll purchase one and take it from there...

All The Best,
Ed

 

[Tonecaster]

View attachment 4317711My main amp for the last 5 years. In that time I've been in a motown tribute band ,blues,r and b and rock bands. Hasn't let me down!

Hi Mexicant,

Thanks for your reply.

Looks like what I'm thinking, but with two cabs to break up weight.

All The Best,
Ed

 

[Tonecaster]

Mesa over the Aguilar. Both are great, but the ToneHammer has more of a "baked in" tone that leans in the rock direction, and I found it harder to clean up. The Mesa does clean better, and with the voicing knob, can get a variety of tones. But I also find the eq points on the D800 to be in exactly the right place for my needs, so that's important. I find it easy to dial in my tone, no matter the room or which cabs I use. I love it.

And both over the Rumble.

The other thing to note is the Mesa service. They are awesome to deal with, are fast, high quality, and reasonably priced if you happen to need service because you are a klutz and are hard gear…

Hi Instrumentlevel,

Thanks for your reply.

The two seem so close that I will probably buy both and use one as the backup. There seems to be no "bad" choice between the two. And even though I'm delicate with my gear, service is always important. Great to that Mesa is right here in CA.

All The Best,
Ed

 

[marchone]

This is a great thread. I've read everything I can get my eyes on here and videos galore elsewhere. Because I'm going to this blind without auditioning anything a Mesa SW115 cabinet is my current choice.

An amp however is another dilemma. I've been trying to find a store that has the full Mesa Boogie amp line and the cabinets. It's been frustrating. And I'm in NYC. Not some small town.

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[Treblefree]

I've listened to many of these. I really love Aguilar stuff and even put their pickups in one of my basses, but right now for me, the TT-800 and the Subway 115 are what I would be going with. In fact, that is what I am going to buy next. Then after the 115, I will later add a Subway 210 to that. The 2 channels of the TT-800 just put it over the top and a no brainer for me.

 

[Liam Wald]

Hi Liam,

Thanks for your reply.
Owning both the AG and the Mesa seems popular around these parts. Also the comment about it being difficult to dial in a tone with the Mesa. The number of knobs seems daunting.

In the end, I may go the same route as you. The Mesa can be a backup if nothing else. I never gig without a backup...

Any reason you chose the Hartke cabs of the AG's or other?

All The best,
Ed

I have owned the Mesa for quite a long time and played lots of gigs with it. It always did the job but never really dazzled me. It's not that it has too many knobs. It is more a matter of just not having the sound I hear in my head and always searched for. The Mesa is a little to Hi-Fi for my liking. I bought the Aguilar to try something different and in the first ten minutes of playing it found what I was always looking for. It has the ability to deliver a bit more of an old-school-tube sound. I play Blues/Funk/R&B/Jazz and the Mesa is too clean for my taste (like a great taco without the hot sauce).
I don't usually take a back-up amp to gigs. IMHO both the Mesa and the Aguilar are extremely well built. I wouldn't worry about failure of either one of them. That said, I like the Mesa but will probably sell it some day.
As far as cabs. I chose the Hartke's because I like the sound and punch of the hybrid speakers (half aluminum/half Kevlar) and the dual impedance switching (can select 4 Ohm or 8 Ohm). They are very well made and are half the price of the AG's or Mesa's. I have been playing these cabs hard for three years and no problems.

 

[marchone]

Thanks for that. Hi-Fi is not what I want.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I use mainly a TH500 with either a Bergantino CN212 or an Accugroove TRI210L and love the result with both of them. So TH500 for me.

 

[two fingers]

Hi Twofingers,

Thanks for your reply.

Getting to be a tough, but narrowed choice.

Can you tell how/when you're using the two channels? It's never occurred to me to try/want.

All The Best,
Ed

Honestly, it depends on the gig.

I have set it up for one slightly dirty and one squeaky clean.

I have also set it up for one specific tone on the asubway channel while the Boogie channel is everything else. My main player has a bridge dual coil pickup. When soloed it is way too thin. But if I get a bit extreme with the Subway EQ I can get it right up into Stingray territory. I cam also dial in that great mid-focused-yet-beefy tone Ross Valory got on those smash hit Journey recordings.

I got the Mesa footswitch and I'm a happy, versatile tone machine. That rig has it all. And, again, don't pet all tje knobs amd switches intimidate you. It's super easy to dial in and adjust on the fly if needed.

 

[chris_b]

. . . . Any particular reason for not choosing the AG cabs?. . . .

I did have a pair of GS112's but the were way too heavy (42lbs each) for me. I replaced them with 2 Berg AE112's (better at 30lbs each) which were great sounding cabs. They were replaced by 2 Barefaced 112's (an easy on my back 21lbs each), which are louder than a loud thing (2 SC cabs easily replaced 3 AE112's) and sound very, very good. If I moved from BF it would be for more Berg 112's. They are a little heavier, but they just sound so good.

 

[mexicant]

Hi Mexicant,

Thanks for your reply.

Looks like what I'm thinking, but with two cabs to break up weight.

All The Best,
Ed

I add a 1x12 cab for larger gigs. Or pair the d800 with a GK neo 4x10 for outdoor shows.

 

[Liam Wald]

I use mainly a TH500 with either a Bergantino CN212 or an Accugroove TRI210L and love the result with both of them. So TH500 for me.

Wow, a TH500 with a Berg CN212 would be a stellar rig!

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Wow, a TH500 with a Berg CN212 would be a stellar rig!

It is... sounds amazing for sure.

 

[SLPimp]

All very different amps. The Fender is the one I wouldn't consider, but only because I know and trust those other two heads so well.
I like the way the Aggie is a chameleon and can be clean, flat, raucous, fuzzed out, you name it.

But the MB is probably the best "clean" only amp on the market, IMHO.

Can't go wrong with either, but depends on what you want and like.