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Iconic bass amps

B

BadHairDay

Jan 3, 2016
21
8
47
#1
Hi,

So I was just looking at a 1974 Fender Bassman 100 amp. I can afford several hundred or so to spend on an amp/speaker for where I work. I'm a science teacher. I could get any normal practice amp. But I wanted to get something cool. I have an SVT (v9) amp and 8x10 cabinet at home. If I ever get a gig again, I can bring that out. To my mind, that amp is iconic for bass amps. To my limited knowledge, the only other bass amp that is also iconic would be the B-5. Since it is quieter, that would be a good fit for my current need. However, they are usually well over a thousand. They also strike me as a bit more fragile, but that's just a guess on my part.

I was only ever in a chicago based blues cover band, as a weekend warrior. My knowledge is sporadic, especially compared to the professional musicians I still keep in contact with.

I know a fair bit about Fender precision basses. And strats and tele guitars. And then guitar amps. I know that all the Fender tweed Bassman amps I've ever seen were carried by guitar players. I don't know if any of the Fender bass amps are iconic among bass players.

So I thought I'd just ask here: what are the iconic and/or cool amps for bassists? Next I will start googling "top ten" and "bass amps"...

Thanks.
 
#3
BadHairDay said:
Hi,

So I was just looking at a 1974 Fender Bassman 100 amp. I can afford several hundred or so to spend on an amp/speaker for where I work. I'm a science teacher. I could get any normal practice amp. But I wanted to get something cool. I have an SVT (v9) amp and 8x10 cabinet at home. If I ever get a gig again, I can bring that out. To my mind, that amp is iconic for bass amps. To my limited knowledge, the only other bass amp that is also iconic would be the B-5. Since it is quieter, that would be a good fit for my current need. However, they are usually well over a thousand. They also strike me as a bit more fragile, but that's just a guess on my part.

I was only ever in a chicago based blues cover band, as a weekend warrior. My knowledge is sporadic, especially compared to the professional musicians I still keep in contact with.

I know a fair bit about Fender precision basses. And strats and tele guitars. And then guitar amps. I know that all the Fender tweed Bassman amps I've ever seen were carried by guitar players. I don't know if any of the Fender bass amps are iconic among bass players.

So I thought I'd just ask here: what are the iconic and/or cool amps for bassists? Next I will start googling "top ten" and "bass amps"...

Thanks.
Click to expand...


You might enjoy this thread What is a “standard “ bass amp?

Post #28, especially, is relevant to your question.
BogeyBass said:
The goober standard as seen regularly.

Or the cool kids on labels that girls actually look forward to seeing them play lol

Or we talking classic standards

Like high power solid state amps that back lined Woodstock before SVTs existed like a ACC 361

Or the usual B15, SVT , V4B, Sunn 200s, Sunn 3000s, Fender Showman, Dual Showman, Bassman 100, Sunn Model T, Sunn Coliseum, Sunn Concert, Peavey MKIV, Eden World Tour, SWR WorkingMan, GK 400/800RB

Kinda stuff

I'd say classic standard cabinet spawns from the classic Sunn or Fender 2x15

2x15 drivers JBL D-130 ,D-140 , K-140
Altec 421 Electro Voice 15B , 15L

Otherwise the other standard is the 810 or 410

Most spawned and put Eminence Speakers on the Map for the stamped steel 32 ohm 10" driver developed for the Ampeg SVT.
And the cast frame 10" Eden drivers and SWR drivers

When 10s took over the Planet I'd consider the sealed Ampeg 810e or 410he or ported 410HLF

Likewise ported Eden D410XLT or SWR 410Goliath
Click to expand...
 
#4
I'd aim towards the B-15. If there was ever a bass amp which ended up on thousands of records it was the B-15.
Classic Bassman is fine. If youre talking about the open back Bassman combo then yes that's more of a guitar amp in my opinion.
 
#6
BadHairDay said:
Hi,

So I was just looking at a 1974 Fender Bassman 100 amp. I can afford several hundred or so to spend on an amp/speaker for where I work. I'm a science teacher. I could get any normal practice amp. But I wanted to get something cool. I have an SVT (v9) amp and 8x10 cabinet at home. If I ever get a gig again, I can bring that out. To my mind, that amp is iconic for bass amps. To my limited knowledge, the only other bass amp that is also iconic would be the B-5. Since it is quieter, that would be a good fit for my current need. However, they are usually well over a thousand. They also strike me as a bit more fragile, but that's just a guess on my part.

I was only ever in a chicago based blues cover band, as a weekend warrior. My knowledge is sporadic, especially compared to the professional musicians I still keep in contact with.

I know a fair bit about Fender precision basses. And strats and tele guitars. And then guitar amps. I know that all the Fender tweed Bassman amps I've ever seen were carried by guitar players. I don't know if any of the Fender bass amps are iconic among bass players.

So I thought I'd just ask here: what are the iconic and/or cool amps for bassists? Next I will start googling "top ten" and "bass amps"...

Thanks.
Click to expand...
So, you are a Science Teacher; in High School? JHS? How does a bass amp fit in with being a Science Teacher?
 
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#7
BadHairDay said:
I can afford several hundred or so to spend on an amp/speaker for where I work.
Click to expand...
For a few hundred, if you're looking for an iconic brand amp with a 15" driver: https://ampeg.com/products/bassamp/ba-115/
Tubes are going to get expensive very quickly. For instance, the PF-20T (Ampeg's smallest tube amp) and a matching 15" cab for it will cost $1000 new ($600 for the amp, $00 for the cabinet).
 
#9
I think that your application will decide which is the best amp, iconic or not.
You already have The King so that's taken care of.
Is this for home use or will you play out again?
 
#11
71_cat-bassman_super.jpg
71_cat-dual_showman_reverb.jpg
 
#15
For those of you that the above Fender, Sunn, and Acoustic amps are 'vintage' pieces, when guys my age were starting out these were the things to have in the late 60's, 70's. Just LOOK at how big and heavy these things were to get to 200w (spare me the 'peak power' claims). It was not uncommon to have more to move than the guy playing B3. That's why these 1000w cigar-box-sized amps and neo cabs are like something out of science fiction alongside of what I started out with, rigs like those. The SVT's are the only survivors from this paleo-period of bass amps.

On the other hand, the Cabarets were fabulous cabs. JBL could sell more of them tomorrow. Gone to the mists of time . . . . ., just like THAT era JBL.
 
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#16
JW56789 said:
On the other hand, the Cabarets were fabulous cabs. JBL could sell more of them tomorrow. Gone to the mists of time . . . . ., just like THAT era JBL.
Click to expand...
Except for the weight, pretty stupid-heavy. There were also versions with plywood and versions with particle board. Same thing with the Yamaha 4115's... the particle board cabinets were stupid-heavy too.
 

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