If you could build a custom bass amp head...

[Hawk256]

Thanks to everyone for their replies so far. Just to clarify, I don't have anything to sell now or possibly ever in the US market. Who knows though, stranger things have happened. This is just a post to let everyone have their voice heard on what they want to see in a modern bass amp. I was asked to be on a design team in the SE Asia region mostly because of my engineering background and being a bass player for 35 years didn't hurt either. It's a win/win the way I see it now. I get to design an amp for bass and also a guitar amp and the SE Asia team gets a US designer on the team. We are just in the beginning stages and will probably go from foot pedal preamps which are quick and easy to design and test onto a full preamp setup and lastly we will add the power circuit. Months away from seeing any product that isn't a prototype but I think it's going to be a cool experience.

 

[J33]

3 inputs that each have separate gain, master, passive/active switching and a remote control switch that hooks to a belt for quick select. Essentially all the control of a Mesa Subway Series with a separate 24 band EQ for active settings and knob control for passive with 3 to 4 separate inputs that direct line to a bass.

Right now I'm running an ABC Morley switch into two heads. My Mesa Subway for 4 string Fretless and 5 string fretted and an Aguilar Tone Hammer 550 for my EUB. My current setup has the Fretless as my main with straplocks that I switch to my back when playing Upright...and my 5 is an alternate swap. The other way I do it is that the 5 is my main and gets switched to my back when playing Upright and my fretless is in a set stand at playing height used almost specifically for solos and a couple other odds and ends.

At the very least 2 for active/passive bass select with separate gain, master and passive/active switching that each get one dedicated E.Q. all in one head.

 

[abarson]

Honestly? @agedhorse handled it for me. The TT800 has been pretty much my favorite piece of new gear I have ever bought.

I'm not trying to make light of your question. What a unique position you're in to be able to design your own amp!

But this thing really does it all.
800W, two channels, tube pre, versatile EQs, HPF on each channel. lightweight, small, tuner out, a RIDICULOUS number of inputs and outputs to handle pretty much all of your needs, aux in, headphone out, USB charger, and TONE!!!!!

View attachment 4506921

I simply can't even imagine a better amp for my purposes.

Might I add that the TT800 exists because @agedhorse posted a similar thread here early in the development stage.

 

[Jefenator]

When it sounds good, all other considerations are secondary.
Lately I've been favoring my ancient Sunn 200s because it's so very fun to play through and I never have to fiddle with settings (the way I seem to do with SO many other amps...)
Make it a bit flatter in response - but still all-tube responsive - add a couple outputs & a post-power-tube attenuator, shave the weight down to 20# and you've got my ValveTrain Brandywine.
Getting in to custom spec / unicorn territory, I would add a second channel with a 10M input & HPF so I could plug my upright bass straight in & match levels for doubling. Then maybe up the tube wattage to 100, maybe 150 or 200 if we can keep the weight under 30#. Old-school point-to-point wiring so my tech can keep it running forever. Oh, yeah, and might as well throw in a built-in DI (pre & post power).

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I would want 3 personality switches on it - B-15, SVT and something modern (Marcus Miller vein, not Darkglass). ~300W, no fan, killer DI maybe even a tube or two in the DI path. If it had a really good compressor and I didn't need any pedals, that would be even better.

 

[Killing Floor]

Yep. TT-800. Maybe add an attenuator but it sounds fine low so yeah, TT-800.

edit
Paint it orange. I like that color.

 

[MrLenny1]

One amp that got my money was the TC RH series.
Reason #1, built in tuner.
#2, footswitch for Tuner, EQ and mute.
IMHO they were the first to think out of the box
for design & features.

 

[basscooker]

Gain/master setup with musical overdrive

Adjustable hpf

2.67 ohm is fine, dunno maybe 500+ watt

5 band eq (3 overlapping sweeping mids)

Super quiet DI with pre/post switch

Bluetooth aux

Front to back fan so stuff can go on top and next to it.

That's really most of it. Besides the necessary input pad, speaker and amp protection.. IEC cord included should be like 10-12 feet not 6.

Just keep it under like 12# doesn't have to be flyweight.

I like the idea of those little "fake" rack handles as knob protection. A la MB200 and others.

Slightly "soft" feet 5/8" or taller.

Ya know wut?
Forget all that

2 ohm capable single channel power amp 2RU high 1/2 RU wide

Sweepable HPF

750 or so watt

Switch for instrument or line level

front panel summing TRS in

Long IEC

Dual NL-4

Unity gain thru XLR out with lift switcho

Front to back fan

 

[agedhorse]

Thanks to everyone for their replies so far. Just to clarify, I don't have anything to sell now or possibly ever in the US market. Who knows though, stranger things have happened. This is just a post to let everyone have their voice heard on what they want to see in a modern bass amp. I was asked to be on a design team in the SE Asia region mostly because of my engineering background and being a bass player for 35 years didn't hurt either. It's a win/win the way I see it now. I get to design an amp for bass and also a guitar amp and the SE Asia team gets a US designer on the team. We are just in the beginning stages and will probably go from foot pedal preamps which are quick and easy to design and test onto a full preamp setup and lastly we will add the power circuit. Months away from seeing any product that isn't a prototype but I think it's going to be a cool experience.

Since you are a new user and are "on the design team" for a SE Asian company designing a product for the bass guitar industry, you need to read and follow the commercial user policy including the required disclosures in your profile.

Commercial Users

 

[basscooker]

Whoa
Ya
My impression was a one off personal thingie and you just wanted ideas you might not have thought about.

 

[6thplanet]

One input and output both labeled "Whatever you have"
One knob on the front labeled "Awesome"

 

[Passinwind]

Whoa
Ya
My impression was a one off personal thingie and you just wanted ideas you might not have thought about.

"But you could sell tens of them."

 

[bassinflorida]

Honestly? @agedhorse handled it for me. The TT800 has been pretty much my favorite piece of new gear I have ever bought.

I'm not trying to make light of your question. What a unique position you're in to be able to design your own amp!

But this thing really does it all.
800W, two channels, tube pre, versatile EQs, HPF on each channel. lightweight, small, tuner out, a RIDICULOUS number of inputs and outputs to handle pretty much all of your needs, aux in, headphone out, USB charger, and TONE!!!!!

View attachment 4506921

I simply can't even imagine a better amp for my purposes.

You said it all. Problem solved.

 

[Aidenn7]

my thunderfunk in a 5lb.. package with 1000watt and hpf

 

[lomo]

... backlit control names displayed on top of the knobs, not beneath where you cant see them.

+100-it's surprising how few bass heads have the labels above the knobs.
My wish list would also include:

4 band eq with 2 bands of mids and concentric, adjustable Q for all eq knobs (if I'm gonna dream, may as well dream big) , gain (with a tube preamp), master with linear taper, aux in with its' own volume control, mute, adjustable HPF, 2 knob compressor, tuner, phones out, DI with pre/post eq and ground lift toggles. At least 500 watts into 4 Ohms, more would be luxurious but not necessary, as would 2 Ohm capability. I do not need or want an FX loop or any type of proprietary eq control (like "deep", "bright" or whatever). I loathe any features that are wireless, involve digital menus (especially if they are nested) or firmware updates. Loathe, loathe, loathe!

edit: I meant audio taper master.

 

[RGerhart]

I think if you could combine the heft/tone of an Aguilar DB751, with the features of the Mesa TT-800, and the EQ section of the old Eden WT-400, you'd have the "perfect" amp. Yes, class D amps have come a long way, but there's something about the MOSFET power section of the DB751 that just kills in every way.

If you broke it down, though, here are the features I'd want (with the aforementioned amp models influencing them):

Mute (for tuner out)
Active/passive pad, gain (Aguilar DB751)
Bass, low (sweepable), mid (sweepable), high (sweepable), treble EQ (Eden WT-400)
HPF (Mesa)
Master volume (Aguilar)
Aux-in
Headphone out
2, 4, and 8 ohm capable with switch (Mesa)

 

[Passinwind]

+100-it's surprising how few bass heads have the labels above the knobs.
My wish list would also include:

master with linear taper

So you want all the volume change to happen by the noon setting, more or less? Mind if I ask why?

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

100 watt tube amp with whatever trickery Traynor used to get the YBA100 under 30lbs.
Master volume only, 100/50 watt switch.
No EQ, (or internal trimpots only, Fender 2-10-2 tonestack. Yes, i'm asking for flat frequency responce)
That's literally it.
(Basically, the Traynor YBA100 minus the EQ knobs. )

 

[lexington125]

This:
B150 Bass Head – Shaw Audio

 

[lomo]

So you want all the volume change to happen by the noon setting, more or less? Mind if I ask why?

I used the wrong term (my bad)...I meant audio taper....
Thx for catching my brain cramp