High End Bass Amps- What do you like?

[31HZ]

Thanks so much. You guys have mentioned a lot here that I haven't thought of.

I guess I should have given a little more info about my playing situation. I play strictly in church. So, weight doesn't matter. I don't move it. I need something with decent headroom because I do use a cab for presence on stage, but I need to go direct in for live streaming and for the in ear monitor system.

Glock is the one that has grabbed my interest the most, but the Bergantinos have as well. Trickfish showed up on my radar too. There are some others mentioned I'm going to have to learn.

I'm curious about the tube heads. Do they have XLR outs? That's incredibly uncommon (and useless if it was a thing) on guitar amps. But for those of you using all tube heads, how do you go through the system?

I do like Mesas and I've owned 3 (and still own one) Of their guitar amps. It has been all over the place with me and it still works like a champ.

The four tube-pre heads that I mentioned all have balanced DI outputs driven by high-end transformers (Cinemag or similar is stock on all but the Demeter, which is available with a Jensen as an option). Direct-out of any of them sounds great.

 

[Rockbobmel]

Old standby... GK1000RB. Heavy as lead, but its hard to beat big heavy transformers (not considered boutique I don't think)
.

Really? I mean Really? 22 Lbs is heavy? Maybe for a 5 year old! 1001 RB Specs — Gallien-Krueger

 

[chadds]

Monique.
Combine with Bergantino, add electricity.

 

[Lunatique]

The only truly high-end one I have played and currently own, is the Phil Jones Flightcase BG-150. When I saw a used one at a local Guitar Center, I tried it out and it blew away all the other combo amps in the store in terms of accuracy and agility (I brought my Dingwall NG-2 to do the testing). I've been a PJB convert ever since.

Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure of trying any of the other high-end brands/models yet (and I don't consider anything they normally stock at Guitar Centers high-end, as they're all too colored sounding).

 

[brianrost]

Still got a soft spot for Walter Woods

Acoustic Image

Bergantino

Demeter (the only one on the list I don't own)

Never seen Glockenklang in the flesh, I'd like to try one for sure.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Berg B|Amp and a couple of Schroeder cabs (12-12L and 12 PL)

Genzler Magellan MG800 and Epifani 310 UL for rehearsal studio.

Works for me.

 

[BassPilot]

Genz Benz Streamliner 900 and Bergantino cabs (CN112 & HDN210). My favorite for years!

 

[ahc]

I'm liking my Jule Monique 700 and Demeter VTBP-M-800D amps. Also like my Genz Benz, SWR and Markbass amps. Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer choice.

 

[Nobis17]

I have a bergantino forté and the matching 210 HDN cabinet. I'm pretty happy with them. When I was touring in the 90s, I played through a SWR hybrid head and Goliath 410. I always loved that stack. This berg set up pushes as much air (if not more) than the SWR ever did, AND it weighs about 1/4th of what the SWR did.

 

[DeepHz]

My favorite all tube amp was the Sadowsky SA 200. Designed by the guy that built Eden amps back in the day. They only made 100 originally. I guess it's "high end" as it sure was High Priced! I regretfully sold it a few years back here on TB. It was the cleanest, warmest, tube amp I ever played through. I think they tried a remake a few years back? As far as solid state I have to say my blue light Walter Woods is amazing! Power and tone like I've never experienced. I think this amp has a reputation for being a great upright amp but it is amazing for electric Bass too! This amp will not be for sale as I learned a valuable lesson when I sold the SA 200....................

 

[JimB52]

Does this count? Getting kinda old.

 

[nilorius]

I did a study for more than 6 years on different amps to find the last choice and decided to take Aguilar tone hammer 500.

 

[31HZ]

View attachment 3971350 My favorite all tube amp was the Sadowsky SA 200. Designed by the guy that built Eden amps back in the day. They only made 100 originally. I guess it's "high end" as it sure was High Priced! I regretfully sold it a few years back here on TB. It was the cleanest, warmest, tube amp I ever played through. I think they tried a remake a few years back? As far as solid state I have to say my blue light Walter Woods is amazing! Power and tone like I've never experienced. I think this amp has a reputation for being a great upright amp but it is amazing for electric Bass too! This amp will not be for sale as I learned a valuable lesson when I sold the SA 200....................

There's an SA200/SA410 rig for sale on Reverb right now.

Just don't look to see what they're asking for it.

EDIT: I think that Dolf Koch only designed the VT-300 (all-tube head) for Eden.

 

[Afc70]

I've been through many brands of amps Glockenklang, Wayne Jones, Tecamp, Euphonic audio, Gallien krueger..
There are things I like about all of those.. however these days when I need an amp, I go with my Eden WT 550 or Mesa M6 Carbine. Those 2 amps in particular, really sound amazing.

 

[BasementWarrior]

Verellen Meatsmoke is one I've always wanted to try.

 

[jojobean39]

There's an SA200/SA410 rig for sale on Reverb right now.

Just don't look to see what they're asking for it.

EDIT: I think that Dolf Koch only designed the VT-300 (all-tube head) for Eden.

Whoa. That's more high end than what I intended.

That is a sweet looking rig though... wow.

There's always the Matchless Thunderchief...

 

[bgavin]

GK 700RB-II for a head.
Tech21 rack mounts + Crest Pro-Lite 3 for the biamp rig.

 

[George Dennis]

George Dennis

(Believe it or not)

 

[Passinwind]

View attachment 3971350 My favorite all tube amp was the Sadowsky SA 200.

Word. I've yet to hear anything that comes close, given my taste. But tubes have never really been my thing for bass, although I'm taking a stab at a DIY 100 watter right now, because I love working on tube gear and some cool pieces kind of fell into my lap over the last couple of years.

 

[stretch80]

I also love Edens and have had a WT-400 and WT-500 for years.