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I hate all amplifiers

#102
Savoury Salmon said:
I’ve been playing bass for 15 years now, and I can’t say I’ve loved an amplifier. I have no complaints about my bass, strings, tuner, compressor and other effects, but amplifiers? I dislike them all.

My first amplifier was an Eden World Tour. It worked for the time, the late 90s and early 00s, but I’d sooner wear a bucket hat and oversized jeans with a chained wallet before going back to that hi-fi ton of brick.

The GK 700RB-II sounded like a sterilized scalpel falling on the tiled floor of an operation room. It stripped away all that made basses sound different from one another and made them sound all similarly clean. Loud. And growly when pushed.

The Mesa WD-800 seemed to have everything. Build quality, warranty, HPF, tube, etc. But it had that sort of gritty baked-in tone I disliked and couldn’t get rid of.

I’ve played through an Aguilar Tone Hammer 700, but I hate the drive circuit. I know you can turn it off, but I can’t get my bass loud enough without turning in some of the gain.

I’ve hated every SVTs and SVT preamp pedals I’ve played through. But I recently needed a preamp DI and after comparing the two Origin Effects BassRigs, I went home with the Super Vintage, certain it would’ve been the 64 Black Panel.

Output and blend at 6 o’clock, drive at 8, bass and mid (800) at 2, treble at noon and the switch in the ultra hi position, it’s the best tone I’ve ever had.

So, now what? Should I try playing that setup through a power amplifier or will the pedal not drive it?

Should I get the new GK and hope the pedal over-colours the GK?

I heard the Aguilar AG700 was like a clean Tone Hammer. Maybe I’d like it, and, if not, maybe the SV can over-colour it?

Any other suggestions? Help!

(I’m not trying to be a pessimist here. Thousands of people love their Mesa, GK and Aguilar. There’s nothing wrong with any of them. They’re just not for me.)
Click to expand...

Have you tried an upright?
 
#106
Bummer. I hope you find something you like.

BTW, how do you know that you like your basses, if the amplifiers are making them sound bad? What is it you want the amplifier to do, that it is not doing? Have you never heard a good amp? Maybe for you there is no such thing.
 
#107
Savoury Salmon said:
I’ve been playing bass for 15 years now, and I can’t say I’ve loved an amplifier. I have no complaints about my bass, strings, tuner, compressor and other effects, but amplifiers? I dislike them all.

My first amplifier was an Eden World Tour. It worked for the time, the late 90s and early 00s, but I’d sooner wear a bucket hat and oversized jeans with a chained wallet before going back to that hi-fi ton of brick.

The GK 700RB-II sounded like a sterilized scalpel falling on the tiled floor of an operation room. It stripped away all that made basses sound different from one another and made them sound all similarly clean. Loud. And growly when pushed.

The Mesa WD-800 seemed to have everything. Build quality, warranty, HPF, tube, etc. But it had that sort of gritty baked-in tone I disliked and couldn’t get rid of.

I’ve played through an Aguilar Tone Hammer 700, but I hate the drive circuit. I know you can turn it off, but I can’t get my bass loud enough without turning in some of the gain.

I’ve hated every SVTs and SVT preamp pedals I’ve played through. But I recently needed a preamp DI and after comparing the two Origin Effects BassRigs, I went home with the Super Vintage, certain it would’ve been the 64 Black Panel.

Output and blend at 6 o’clock, drive at 8, bass and mid (800) at 2, treble at noon and the switch in the ultra hi position, it’s the best tone I’ve ever had.

So, now what? Should I try playing that setup through a power amplifier or will the pedal not drive it?

Should I get the new GK and hope the pedal over-colours the GK?

I heard the Aguilar AG700 was like a clean Tone Hammer. Maybe I’d like it, and, if not, maybe the SV can over-colour it?

Any other suggestions? Help!

(I’m not trying to be a pessimist here. Thousands of people love their Mesa, GK and Aguilar. There’s nothing wrong with any of them. They’re just not for me.)
Click to expand...
I’m sorry, but we cannot be friends anymore.:cool:
 
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#109
TomB said:
If you can find an Audiokinesis cab it will address the “hi fi cab” piece of your equation. Can be a bit hard to find.
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What TB says. I was frusterated for decades at not being able to get the sound coming out of my studio setup out of any cabs until i bought an Audiokinesis 2x12. Now i enjoy clean but deep hifi at stage volume, at least once I eq for the room and other instruments. I dont think the head matters nearly as much, as i can get that tone with several. Quilter BB is like 4 lbs, though. They are indeed difficult to source currently, but there are certainly other quality "supercabs" out there. My search for gear is over. Barefaced big twin or some flavor of Berg, maybe?
 
#110
I’ve written about this before but at the last couple of NAMM shows, the best sounding bass rigs were made by Trickfish. They have the Mike Pope designed preamp and they sound clean yet very solid. They have several speaker options that all sounded great. If I ever need a new rig, Trickfish is the one I’m getting
 
#112
Savoury Salmon said:
I’ve been playing bass for 15 years now, and I can’t say I’ve loved an amplifier. I have no complaints about my bass, strings, tuner, compressor and other effects, but amplifiers? I dislike them all.

My first amplifier was an Eden World Tour. It worked for the time, the late 90s and early 00s, but I’d sooner wear a bucket hat and oversized jeans with a chained wallet before going back to that hi-fi ton of brick.

The GK 700RB-II sounded like a sterilized scalpel falling on the tiled floor of an operation room. It stripped away all that made basses sound different from one another and made them sound all similarly clean. Loud. And growly when pushed.

The Mesa WD-800 seemed to have everything. Build quality, warranty, HPF, tube, etc. But it had that sort of gritty baked-in tone I disliked and couldn’t get rid of.

I’ve played through an Aguilar Tone Hammer 700, but I hate the drive circuit. I know you can turn it off, but I can’t get my bass loud enough without turning in some of the gain.

I’ve hated every SVTs and SVT preamp pedals I’ve played through. But I recently needed a preamp DI and after comparing the two Origin Effects BassRigs, I went home with the Super Vintage, certain it would’ve been the 64 Black Panel.

Output and blend at 6 o’clock, drive at 8, bass and mid (800) at 2, treble at noon and the switch in the ultra hi position, it’s the best tone I’ve ever had.

So, now what? Should I try playing that setup through a power amplifier or will the pedal not drive it?

Should I get the new GK and hope the pedal over-colours the GK?

I heard the Aguilar AG700 was like a clean Tone Hammer. Maybe I’d like it, and, if not, maybe the SV can over-colour it?

Any other suggestions? Help!

(I’m not trying to be a pessimist here. Thousands of people love their Mesa, GK and Aguilar. There’s nothing wrong with any of them. They’re just not for me.)
Click to expand...

My Ampeg PF20T is all I need but, I am an GOF and don't gig so I don't need a lot of power. Good luck in your quest and may you find happiness.
 
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#115
You first need to understand that amps are like basses. Each one has its own unique sound. A Fender Precision is unique but can sound a little different depending on the amp and cab combination. A Jazz is the same way, etc.,etc.. Ampeg Sounds different than a GK, Hartke Different from Orange bass heads, solid state different from tubes.

You need to find your sound and quit hating on things that don't fit your personal taste. I use SWR professional bass head that are over 22 years old. All my basses sound great and I get different sounds depending on my bass, Alembics, Ken Smith, Fender, LowEnd, Modulas, etc

Good luck, it takes time to find sometimes but when you do, you will instantly know it.
 
#117
mmbongo said:
Mesa D800+. It doesn't have that baked in tone of the WD-800 and the 'voice' control lets you dial in pretty much whatever sound you want. Like you the WD-800 was not my flavor but the D800+ is perfection. Plus I came from a GK RB1001. Compared to that, the D800+ is extra thick and juicy!
Click to expand...

I hate to admit it. But an Eden WT kinda sorta blew my mind at rehearsal last night. I usually play a d800+ but I was blown away by the clarity and warmth of the this WT1205 ( think it was). I played the d800+ back to back with it and while I could somewhat approximate the Eden tone with my Mesa, but it still had a somewhat harsh and overly tight tone whereas the Eden was bigger and rounder, but still very responsive. I'm really starting to think that there is some truth to the "these new class D amps sound sterile and harsh" thing. Yes I know they use them in pretty much every PA these days. That's a different application.
 
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#118
fishdude101101 said:
I hate to admit it. But an Eden WT kinda sorta blew my mind at rehearsal last night. I usually play a d800+ but I was blown away by the clarity and warmth of the this WT1205 ( think it was). I played the d800+ back to back with it and while I could somewhat approximate the Eden tone with my Mesa, but it still had a somewhat harsh and overly tight tone whereas the Eden was bigger and rounder, but still very responsive. I'm really starting to think that there is some truth to the "these new class D amps sound sterile and harsh" thing. Yes I know they use them in pretty much every PA these days. That's a different application.
Click to expand...
Two entirely different preamps, completely different tonal goals.
 
#119
agedhorse said:
Two entirely different preamps, completely different tonal goals.
Click to expand...

I totally understand that. It isn't a shot at the d800+ or any amp in general. I've been playing The only reason I was even playing the Eden is that out drummer own a production company, including backline rentals, and he as me put this stuff through its paces before he rents it out to anyone. So I get to play quite a bit of stuff.

I just feel like nobody out there is building something that really does what I want it to do, and is built where I want to to be built if you know what I mean. They just tell me I don't know what I really want. Everyone is into the opposite of what I want these days.
 
#120
fishdude101101 said:
I hate to admit it. But an Eden WT kinda sorta blew my mind at rehearsal last night. I usually play a d800+ but I was blown away by the clarity and warmth of the this WT1205 ( think it was). I played the d800+ back to back with it and while I could somewhat approximate the Eden tone with my Mesa, but it still had a somewhat harsh and overly tight tone whereas the Eden was bigger and rounder, but still very responsive. I'm really starting to think that there is some truth to the "these new class D amps sound sterile and harsh" thing. Yes I know they use them in pretty much every PA these days. That's a different application.
Click to expand...

I realize after writing my post that maybe that’s what I was looking for. A modern-day Eden-like amp. Maybe I’ve reached the same age of those guys who dumped their SVTs for other brands in the 80s and 90s and are now looking for the SVT again.
 
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