• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

I need a LIGHTWEIGHT TUBE amp

H

HoosierBassist

Dec 18, 2010
132
1
#1
Hey,

I've been contemplating buying an Ampeg SVT CL and a 410 Cabinet for a while now, and have worked since the beginning of summer saving every penny I can. I have over 1800$ now. (minimum wage job 7.25$ an hour, in high school right now)

I gig, but only occasionally. Usually smallish gigs too. I want the grit and warmth provided by a tube amp, but I don't really wanna transport a 80 pound head. My other option is a Class D head with a tube in the preamp section or something... Please help. I wanna upgrade from my 75W fender Rumble combo solid state. The lighter the better, that includes the amp, and the cabinet I should pair it with. I drive a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro, so I have ZERO space in back. Although family does have a lot of trunk space in the minivan.

What about a Mesa Walkabout Scout Combo? expensive for a combo though.

Factors here

Cost-Although i'm still saving, I don't wanna blow all my $$ at once if at all possible
Weight-I don't gig much, but when I have band practice/jams, I wanna be able to transport this between my place and buddies houses easily
I want it to have more than enough power and sound good playing with fingers or pick. I play a lot of music, from punk rock to blues.

I want grit when I need it.

please help.
 
#5
you have a few nice options. There's the Peavey VB-3 all tube head that's very lightweight, something like 40 lbs. Lightweight for all tubes, that is.

For hybrids, consider the Genz Benz Streamliner 900 which has 3 tubes in the preamp section. Or maybe one of the Shuttles, specifically the 6.x and 9.x which have one tube in the preamp section. I've used the 9.2 and liked it. GB makes excellent gear.

Another good choice is the Gallien Krueger MB Fusion, again, all tubes in the preamp section. I've used it and really like it but then I'm a bit of a GK fan boy.

All these amps range from around 500 to 900 watts, so no shortage of power and tone.

Look at some of the neo cabs from these makes, too. A 2-12 or two 1-12s would be great and cover most of your gigging needs.

There are other good makes out there making hybrids but I'll defer to those more familiar with them as I've used only the GB and GK.
 
#6
Strat Hater said:
This is not what you want to hear, but I hate tube amps for bass. I think you would do much better with say a 500 watt GK head and NEO 4X10 cab. Then for your grit get a sansamp to overdrive.
Click to expand...
Nobody cares ;)

To me, if a tube amp isn't heavy, it's not a tube amp. The heaviness is there as a statement of intent.
 
#8
Well done with the savings. The world is your oyster for used gear with money still in the bank. The Camaro is not a bassist's car, sorry.

I would go with two 2x10 cabs so you can take one to rehearsals and use both for gigs. They will fit in a single passenger seat, possibly even fit both in Camaro back seats.
 
#10
JimmyM said:
Nobody cares ;)

To me, if a tube amp isn't heavy, it's not a tube amp. The heaviness is there as a statement of intent.
Click to expand...

I mentioned what I did because he only does some smallish gigs and don't break his back transporting the thing. I have also thought that tube amps were more geared for 6 string guitars rather than bass. Of course I only ever had one tube amp, an old 400 watt Fender with 1/2 of the tubes gone.:crying:

But yeah I do agree there is nothing like a SVT paired up with a 8X10 and over driven
 
#11
the Mesa Bass 400 (non plus) is only about 40 lbs. I carry it with one hand when it's not in a case. I even took it to the amp guy on the back of my bicycle once!
Traynor YBA1a is a good loud 90 watts and does not weigh too much.
The Traynor YBA3 is 130 watts and doesnt weigh a million pounds.
Heck, if you take the Peavey Classic 400, SVT and a few british amps off the table, most tube heads are around 50lbs or less.
It's only the SVT and a couple others that are SO heavy you sometimes wish you had gone solidstate (hey I said sometimes).
We haul around 50 and 70lb cabinets, what does it matter if the head weighs a bit?
 
#12
The Pignose B100 is very light for a 100 watt all tube amp.

I've gotten warm tubey tone from a tube mic pre into a PA power amp, but I don't know if that'll get you what you want tone wise.

And the cab is more important than the head. No matter how great the tone from the head, if the cab can't reproduce that tone it's kind of pointless. Look at Audiokinesis, fEARful, fEARless, and Barefaced if you're in the UK. Big E is also looking very promising. And fdeck's HPF to maximize performance and maybe a good para EQ (should your head lack it) for tone shaping on a relatively flat cab.

Were it me, I'd get one of the boutique super cabs and one of the lightweight power amps (ideally with DSP and good input sensitivity). From there, get your hands on as many pre amps and pedals as you can til you get your tone. Buy used and you can sell for what you paid generally.
 
#16
Mb500 and a ParaDriver will cover a lot of bases. The Genz Streamliner 600 is note worthy. There are few actual good tube amps that will get to strong gig volume. Most of them weight 90 lbs and have the Ampeg emblem.

The Genz and a fEarful 12.6 is killer and portable and loud. Character goes from vintagy to rather modern. Through a moderate sized 2x15 it has a real old school thing going on but is way too big for you to contemplate at this point size wise.
 
#17
The Fender Bassman 100T weighs about 45 lbs., has some cool features and in my limited experience sounds quite good. It's getting a lot of love on TB thus far.

On the hybrid front, assuming you want something that comes close to tube tone, my top choices would be the Mesa Walkabout and the GB Streamliner.

GK makes good stuff for sure, and perhaps one of their amps will suit your needs--but none of them sound very tubey to me at all, whether they stick a tube in the pre or not.

I'd feel better about the Peavey VB-3 if more than maybe three people in the entire world actually owned one and wrote a review.;)
 
#20
HoosierBassist said:
Hey,

I've been contemplating buying an Ampeg SVT CL and a 410 Cabinet for a while now, and have worked since the beginning of summer saving every penny I can. I have over 1800$ now. (minimum wage job 7.25$ an hour, in high school right now)

I gig, but only occasionally. Usually smallish gigs too. I want the grit and warmth provided by a tube amp, but I don't really wanna transport a 80 pound head. My other option is a Class D head with a tube in the preamp section or something... Please help. I wanna upgrade from my 75W fender Rumble combo solid state. The lighter the better, that includes the amp, and the cabinet I should pair it with. I drive a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro, so I have ZERO space in back. Although family does have a lot of trunk space in the minivan.

What about a Mesa Walkabout Scout Combo? expensive for a combo though.

Factors here

Cost-Although i'm still saving, I don't wanna blow all my $$ at once if at all possible
Weight-I don't gig much, but when I have band practice/jams, I wanna be able to transport this between my place and buddies houses easily
I want it to have more than enough power and sound good playing with fingers or pick. I play a lot of music, from punk rock to blues.

I want grit when I need it.

please help.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a tc electronic rh series bass amp would suit your needs perfectly. It has no tubes in it but but will give any hybrid a run for it's money. It is designed to emulate a tube amp through a sealed cab and does a great job. Warmth and grit on tap. Great di plus loads of other feature which are very handy
I can pick mine up with my little finger.:smug:
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back