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Eden WT-400 I got new ca. 1997
Peavey TB Raxx pre with a QSC PLX 1202(?)
Carvin M10 1x10 combo that's surprisingly capable beyond being a practice amp.
Peavey Max110 original version
Blackstar Fly with extension speaker
Vox Amplug
Speaker cabs are two Avatars, an SB112 and the 2x10, and an Epifani PS112
Peavey TB Raxx pre with a QSC PLX 1202(?)
Carvin M10 1x10 combo that's surprisingly capable beyond being a practice amp.
Peavey Max110 original version
Blackstar Fly with extension speaker
Vox Amplug
Speaker cabs are two Avatars, an SB112 and the 2x10, and an Epifani PS112
Three…Vanderkley Spartan (one rack’d + one gigbag’d) and Jule Monique700…
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Update:
6. TC BH250. It's fine, but I like the GK MB-200 better due to the 4-band eq. The tuner in the TC is kinda nice, though.
7. Mesa Subway D-800+. "One Amp to rule them all, One Amp to find them, One Amp to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them." Holy cow. This is the best amp I've ever owned. Very easy to find a good sound for any instrument in any room.
Plus:
8. A Fender Blues Junior guitar amp, which I got for free from a friend because "it doesn't work", and it cost $12 and a six-pack of beer to fix it.
That is all ... for now.
I have eight amps, four are/can/have been used for bass. The others are either practice amps for guitar, or the all purpose blackface Fender Showman (with a 15" JBL cab). That has been used for guitar and bass in the past and is now used for a Fender Rhodes piano. I also have two cats.
The only amp I play through. A Fender Rumble 100. It matches up with the Epi EB-0.
2 Ampegs and an Ashdown
B15, PF50T for the Ampegs, Ashdown ABM 500 EVO II that rarely gets used.
B15, PF50T for the Ampegs, Ashdown ABM 500 EVO II that rarely gets used.
Probably easier for me to say 8 cabinets and five heads (one of which is a rack system with a preamp and power amp); I kind of mix and match combinations of stuff depending on the requirements.
It's sorta seven "amps", but I have a bunch of Carvin Cabinets (six) which get used in various configurations; so kind of in wattage order:
1. Hartke A25 Kickback Combo (25 watts, 8 inch speaker) - bought this for cheap to use to work on material with my keyboard player at his house; upstairs at his grand piano.
2. Acoustic 220 head (which I bought new in 1978) with a homemade 2 x 10 cab (no tweeter) loaded with two Emminence BP102's. The speakers are 8 ohms so the cab is presenting 4 ohms to the 220 head so 125 watts into that speaker load.
3. Ampeg PBC-228 (200 watts, two 8" speakers) - bought this more as an interesting item on a blowout sale, also the Hartke is too low powered to be of much use out of the house. This amp was one of the last products Ampeg made in the US before they moved production overseas.
From their "Portabass" line, it has a Class D amp section, two channels (identical), and is very small and fairly light (31 pounds).
The jury is still out on this one because it does not sound like an Ampeg, which I knew when I bought it. It also seems kinda lacking in Sound and Punch, I mean 200 watts is not a lot but it seems like this amp barely gets over a drummer, but not a loud drummer.
Apparently Electric Upright guys liked these amps, they are very clean and non-colored so it probably works well for that application.
4. "New" (the GC house brand) Acoustic B300HD head. I have not used this other than in the basement; have tried it out through three different cabinets (all 4 ohms). Might be looking to pick up a small, lightweight cab to use with it. 300 watts at 4 ohms
5. Ampeg B2-R/Ampeg SVT-806HE cabinet
This is probably my favorite rig, the SVT-806HE is like a "mini-Fridge", but has eight 6.5" speakers in two chambers as opposed to eight 10" speakers in four chambers. The cab also has a tweeter; you can plug into an input that uses the tweeter or another input that bypasses the tweeter.
Not a ton of low end, but the transient response of the cabinet is amazing, it also sounds really really good and pairs well with the B2-R. The B2-R puts out 350 watts into four ohms so this rig is 350 watts total.
The cabinet is so rare and so unique, and so purty, I never took it out to a gig, but it makes for an excellent practice rig - which is what I used it for two with two different bands.
I often used the B2-R for small gigs through one of the Carvin 2 x 10" cabinets (these are four ohm cabinets) and it worked great for that.
6. Bugera BVP-5500
This was Bugera's take on the SVT-3 Pro, multiple tubes (5 I believe) in the preamp coupled with a MOSFET power amp section. 550 watts into four ohms but it seems more like 450 watts. It gets plenty loud.
This one is in a four space rack, along with a Korg Tuner and an ART PSU with voltage and amperage meters.
I used this rack on gigs with a Carvin 2 x 10", at times the B2-R was kind of at the top of what it could do so the Bugera gave me a little bit more. I also used it at practice with the SVT-806HE cabinet while the B2-R was in the shop for a few weeks getting a repair for a loud hum.
7. The "Science Project" rig
This is a monster rig which I have never actually taken the full thing out and used it as a bass amp. I HAVE taken the entire thing out and used the Carvin 15" and 18" cabinets as subs and the power amp rack as PA rack.
The rig is "modular" in that I can use various configurations of it, usually not all of it:
a. The Big Gig Rig - this setup I would use the upper rack, which has a ART PSU, a Korg Tuner, a rackmount wireless, a SVP-Pro rack preamp and a QSC 1602 for power.
Each channel would go into a single Carvin 2 x 10" and a single Carvin 18" as a stack. So 500 watts into each cab (they are 4 ohm cabinets), 1000 watts total. Sometimes I would use a Carvin single 15" as the bottom cabinet but I preferred the 18" ones because it put the amp rack at eye level on stage.
Large venues, outdoors this rig just shined and I never lacked for power. It was also very easy to setup as the low end cabinet(s) have casters; I had short speaker cables in the back of the rack, so I would just pull the covers off the cabinets, stack them up, put the rack on top, hook up the speakers and the output from the wireless to the preamp and roll the rig into place. Takes like three minutes to set it up or tear it down.
b. The Insane Rig - this came out of my bi-amping thing from the late 90's into the 2000's, I still really like the sound and impact of biamping but it's a lotta trouble for most things. I never expected to actually use the insane rig out live, but if that stadium gig ever appears I am ready LOL.
Upper rack - already detailed above for the "Big Rig". This is the preamp/tuner/wireless/PSU stuff combined that also uses the power amp as a "bass monitor" behind the drummer.
Lower Rack - A QSC RMX-2450 power amp for lows, a QSC RMX-850 for highs. Crossed over with an Ashly 18 dB per octave PA crossover. Also in this rack is a Drawmer DL-241 compressor which I mainly use for the gates which are frankly pretty damn psychic. The gates are just a one knob deal, with an attack/release button that chooses slow or fast. I usually set it for fast and it never clips a note off or pumps or anything.
One channel of the 2450 feeds two Carvin single 18" cabinets (four ohms each so a total load of 2 ohms), the other channel feeds two Carvin single 15" cabinets stacked on top of the 18" cabinets. Same deal, 2 ohms total load.
The QSC RMX-850, each channel feeds a single Carvin 2 x 10" cab, each cab stacked on top of the low end cabinets so the entire rig is actually taller than me LOL (well I am barely over 5' 8" so not THAT Tall).
It's a massive wall of cool, 1980's style LOL.
So the bottom end gets 2,400 watts, the top end gets 600 watts, so a total of 3,000 watts. It gets loud enough to cause aural pain if you jack it up and is easily capable of liquefying your internal organs LOL
Oh WAIT, it GETS BETTER.....
So the QSC PLX-1602 in the top rack, I also would route the speaker outs to a 2 x 10" cabinet wired in stereo, so each channel from that amp fed a single 10", total output was 600 watts into that cabinet. This would go behind the drummer (who was always telling me to turn it down) or ) or vertically between the drummer and the guitar player and keyboard player.
So all total 3,600 watt system.
Yes it's all quite insane but I remember the days my poor little Acoustic 220 with two single 15" cabs struggled to keep up with 100 watt Marshall stacks so I vowed to never have an underpowered rig again. Might have overshot that a bit though
But as I said a lot of this stuff did double duty as low end cabinets for a PA system low end cabinets and an amp rack for a PA.
The times I used the stuff for that I wound up using a pair of the Carvin 2x 10" cabs, powered by the rack with the QSX-1602 as my bass rig. That was 1,000 watts and worked well for that scenario.
The thing is, compared to a lot of the other stuff I have, bass gear can be rather cheap (well unless you get into the boutique bass thing) compared to recording gear, vintage synth stuff, etc. Since I rarely get rid of stuff over the years it has just collected.
Other than the Acoustic B300HD (which cost me all of $208 with tax) I have not bought any bass gear in close to 9 years.
Analogeezer
It's sorta seven "amps", but I have a bunch of Carvin Cabinets (six) which get used in various configurations; so kind of in wattage order:
1. Hartke A25 Kickback Combo (25 watts, 8 inch speaker) - bought this for cheap to use to work on material with my keyboard player at his house; upstairs at his grand piano.
2. Acoustic 220 head (which I bought new in 1978) with a homemade 2 x 10 cab (no tweeter) loaded with two Emminence BP102's. The speakers are 8 ohms so the cab is presenting 4 ohms to the 220 head so 125 watts into that speaker load.
3. Ampeg PBC-228 (200 watts, two 8" speakers) - bought this more as an interesting item on a blowout sale, also the Hartke is too low powered to be of much use out of the house. This amp was one of the last products Ampeg made in the US before they moved production overseas.
From their "Portabass" line, it has a Class D amp section, two channels (identical), and is very small and fairly light (31 pounds).
The jury is still out on this one because it does not sound like an Ampeg, which I knew when I bought it. It also seems kinda lacking in Sound and Punch, I mean 200 watts is not a lot but it seems like this amp barely gets over a drummer, but not a loud drummer.
Apparently Electric Upright guys liked these amps, they are very clean and non-colored so it probably works well for that application.
4. "New" (the GC house brand) Acoustic B300HD head. I have not used this other than in the basement; have tried it out through three different cabinets (all 4 ohms). Might be looking to pick up a small, lightweight cab to use with it. 300 watts at 4 ohms
5. Ampeg B2-R/Ampeg SVT-806HE cabinet
This is probably my favorite rig, the SVT-806HE is like a "mini-Fridge", but has eight 6.5" speakers in two chambers as opposed to eight 10" speakers in four chambers. The cab also has a tweeter; you can plug into an input that uses the tweeter or another input that bypasses the tweeter.
Not a ton of low end, but the transient response of the cabinet is amazing, it also sounds really really good and pairs well with the B2-R. The B2-R puts out 350 watts into four ohms so this rig is 350 watts total.
The cabinet is so rare and so unique, and so purty, I never took it out to a gig, but it makes for an excellent practice rig - which is what I used it for two with two different bands.
I often used the B2-R for small gigs through one of the Carvin 2 x 10" cabinets (these are four ohm cabinets) and it worked great for that.
6. Bugera BVP-5500
This was Bugera's take on the SVT-3 Pro, multiple tubes (5 I believe) in the preamp coupled with a MOSFET power amp section. 550 watts into four ohms but it seems more like 450 watts. It gets plenty loud.
This one is in a four space rack, along with a Korg Tuner and an ART PSU with voltage and amperage meters.
I used this rack on gigs with a Carvin 2 x 10", at times the B2-R was kind of at the top of what it could do so the Bugera gave me a little bit more. I also used it at practice with the SVT-806HE cabinet while the B2-R was in the shop for a few weeks getting a repair for a loud hum.
7. The "Science Project" rig
This is a monster rig which I have never actually taken the full thing out and used it as a bass amp. I HAVE taken the entire thing out and used the Carvin 15" and 18" cabinets as subs and the power amp rack as PA rack.
The rig is "modular" in that I can use various configurations of it, usually not all of it:
a. The Big Gig Rig - this setup I would use the upper rack, which has a ART PSU, a Korg Tuner, a rackmount wireless, a SVP-Pro rack preamp and a QSC 1602 for power.
Each channel would go into a single Carvin 2 x 10" and a single Carvin 18" as a stack. So 500 watts into each cab (they are 4 ohm cabinets), 1000 watts total. Sometimes I would use a Carvin single 15" as the bottom cabinet but I preferred the 18" ones because it put the amp rack at eye level on stage.
Large venues, outdoors this rig just shined and I never lacked for power. It was also very easy to setup as the low end cabinet(s) have casters; I had short speaker cables in the back of the rack, so I would just pull the covers off the cabinets, stack them up, put the rack on top, hook up the speakers and the output from the wireless to the preamp and roll the rig into place. Takes like three minutes to set it up or tear it down.
b. The Insane Rig - this came out of my bi-amping thing from the late 90's into the 2000's, I still really like the sound and impact of biamping but it's a lotta trouble for most things. I never expected to actually use the insane rig out live, but if that stadium gig ever appears I am ready LOL.
Upper rack - already detailed above for the "Big Rig". This is the preamp/tuner/wireless/PSU stuff combined that also uses the power amp as a "bass monitor" behind the drummer.
Lower Rack - A QSC RMX-2450 power amp for lows, a QSC RMX-850 for highs. Crossed over with an Ashly 18 dB per octave PA crossover. Also in this rack is a Drawmer DL-241 compressor which I mainly use for the gates which are frankly pretty damn psychic. The gates are just a one knob deal, with an attack/release button that chooses slow or fast. I usually set it for fast and it never clips a note off or pumps or anything.
One channel of the 2450 feeds two Carvin single 18" cabinets (four ohms each so a total load of 2 ohms), the other channel feeds two Carvin single 15" cabinets stacked on top of the 18" cabinets. Same deal, 2 ohms total load.
The QSC RMX-850, each channel feeds a single Carvin 2 x 10" cab, each cab stacked on top of the low end cabinets so the entire rig is actually taller than me LOL (well I am barely over 5' 8" so not THAT Tall).
It's a massive wall of cool, 1980's style LOL.
So the bottom end gets 2,400 watts, the top end gets 600 watts, so a total of 3,000 watts. It gets loud enough to cause aural pain if you jack it up and is easily capable of liquefying your internal organs LOL
Oh WAIT, it GETS BETTER.....
So the QSC PLX-1602 in the top rack, I also would route the speaker outs to a 2 x 10" cabinet wired in stereo, so each channel from that amp fed a single 10", total output was 600 watts into that cabinet. This would go behind the drummer (who was always telling me to turn it down) or ) or vertically between the drummer and the guitar player and keyboard player.
So all total 3,600 watt system.
Yes it's all quite insane but I remember the days my poor little Acoustic 220 with two single 15" cabs struggled to keep up with 100 watt Marshall stacks so I vowed to never have an underpowered rig again. Might have overshot that a bit though
But as I said a lot of this stuff did double duty as low end cabinets for a PA system low end cabinets and an amp rack for a PA.
The times I used the stuff for that I wound up using a pair of the Carvin 2x 10" cabs, powered by the rack with the QSX-1602 as my bass rig. That was 1,000 watts and worked well for that scenario.
The thing is, compared to a lot of the other stuff I have, bass gear can be rather cheap (well unless you get into the boutique bass thing) compared to recording gear, vintage synth stuff, etc. Since I rarely get rid of stuff over the years it has just collected.
Other than the Acoustic B300HD (which cost me all of $208 with tax) I have not bought any bass gear in close to 9 years.
Analogeezer
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I have a total of four:
1. Peavey 110 combo - a small amp for the family room that slides under a table so that it isn't in the way. Yet it is quick to engage for any inspired moments that may come along. I actually gigged a small stage with it once (Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA). Sounds bigger than it should. Tone is great!
2. TC BH250 - Picked this up in a bundled trade. I've had my ups and downs with it, but it has lived at a secondary practice location powering a somewhat weak-sounding and very small Eden CX110 cab (wizzy cone driver). It has been okay to burp out some tone but doesn't have much of a soul. I find myself tweaking the knobs more than I play it.
3. Mesa D-800+ - This was purchased to go with the Mesa Subway 212 that I had thought I wanted my Ampeg head (next) to drive. There was some rehearsal space shifting and when my borrowed Ampeg 610 had to leave I needed a new cabinet. I decided to make this amp my primary because of the flexibility and portability. Pulling it out of the band trailer is so much easier than a 70 lb head and 100 lb cab. I just hated having to spend so much on cabs to go with it (SW212 and SW112).
4. Ampeg SVT-II - This has been my number one for close to 25 years. I've treated it with nothing but love, respect and care and it has never let me down, ever. The 300 tube watts have always been more than enough, and it has always been easy to find the perfect tone with all the knobs pointed straight up. It's been an amp of pride and my kids are going to fight over it when I'm gone.
1. Peavey 110 combo - a small amp for the family room that slides under a table so that it isn't in the way. Yet it is quick to engage for any inspired moments that may come along. I actually gigged a small stage with it once (Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA). Sounds bigger than it should. Tone is great!
2. TC BH250 - Picked this up in a bundled trade. I've had my ups and downs with it, but it has lived at a secondary practice location powering a somewhat weak-sounding and very small Eden CX110 cab (wizzy cone driver). It has been okay to burp out some tone but doesn't have much of a soul. I find myself tweaking the knobs more than I play it.
3. Mesa D-800+ - This was purchased to go with the Mesa Subway 212 that I had thought I wanted my Ampeg head (next) to drive. There was some rehearsal space shifting and when my borrowed Ampeg 610 had to leave I needed a new cabinet. I decided to make this amp my primary because of the flexibility and portability. Pulling it out of the band trailer is so much easier than a 70 lb head and 100 lb cab. I just hated having to spend so much on cabs to go with it (SW212 and SW112).
4. Ampeg SVT-II - This has been my number one for close to 25 years. I've treated it with nothing but love, respect and care and it has never let me down, ever. The 300 tube watts have always been more than enough, and it has always been easy to find the perfect tone with all the knobs pointed straight up. It's been an amp of pride and my kids are going to fight over it when I'm gone.
Here's My List... Really just play the Mesa gear now.
Mesa TT800 My #1 (SW215)
Mesa WD800 (SW112 & SW115)
Mesa D800+ (SW115)
Ampeg PF500
Ampeg SVT 3 Pro
Ampeg SVT 7 Pro
Ampeg V4B RI (2) SVT 212AV's (use these with 3 & 7 Pro)
Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 (Take as backup to gigs)
Carvin BX700
Fender Rumble 500 (Head) Don't really like it.
Hartke HA2500 (maybe 12 hours of playing time on it)
Peavey Headliner 1000 (maybe 10 hours playing time on it)
Mesa TT800 My #1 (SW215)
Mesa WD800 (SW112 & SW115)
Mesa D800+ (SW115)
Ampeg PF500
Ampeg SVT 3 Pro
Ampeg SVT 7 Pro
Ampeg V4B RI (2) SVT 212AV's (use these with 3 & 7 Pro)
Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 (Take as backup to gigs)
Carvin BX700
Fender Rumble 500 (Head) Don't really like it.
Hartke HA2500 (maybe 12 hours of playing time on it)
Peavey Headliner 1000 (maybe 10 hours playing time on it)
Three: Ampeg SVT-7PRO, Ampeg PF800, Peavey Max 208; if I count my JBL EON610 powered monitor as an amp, then four.
1. Quilter Interbass
2. Quilter 802
3. Wayne Jones 1000
4. DNA 1350
purposes:
1. Spur of the moment, footpedal type amp.
2. With 210 Bassline at practice room. Also goes to smaller, mostly indoor gigs.
3. Loud/Cleaner, fEarLess cab
4. More “Edenesque type, used with 115/210 DNA cabs to suit.
Both bigger amps also wired with RBI Sansamp units to eq/drive harder
Different basses work better w amps, if that’s a question.
I’m lucky to have the choices. In the 80’s I used a 10 space rack bi-amped, w 215 and 410, but that just doesn’t work
35 years later (!) , nor am I playing the same venues or music, so horses for courses. Frankly, neither of the “ big” amps nor cabs make it out of my house much, but I’m a gear wh**e and I got them for decent prices, so …
2. Quilter 802
3. Wayne Jones 1000
4. DNA 1350
purposes:
1. Spur of the moment, footpedal type amp.
2. With 210 Bassline at practice room. Also goes to smaller, mostly indoor gigs.
3. Loud/Cleaner, fEarLess cab
4. More “Edenesque type, used with 115/210 DNA cabs to suit.
Both bigger amps also wired with RBI Sansamp units to eq/drive harder
Different basses work better w amps, if that’s a question.
I’m lucky to have the choices. In the 80’s I used a 10 space rack bi-amped, w 215 and 410, but that just doesn’t work
35 years later (!) , nor am I playing the same venues or music, so horses for courses. Frankly, neither of the “ big” amps nor cabs make it out of my house much, but I’m a gear wh**e and I got them for decent prices, so …
Favorite to least favorite:
Mesa Subway WD800
Eden Nemesis RS-400
Markbass Vintage D2
Markbass Tube 800
Mesa Subway WD800
Eden Nemesis RS-400
Markbass Vintage D2
Markbass Tube 800
