Is There A Future For Tube Amps?

[Neon Blues]

I have noticed, both in myself and others that I am seeing less and less Tube amps around and particularly in stores.

I find that the compromising middle ground of using a Tube-like Preamp/Pedal/Hybrid and a lightweight cabinet is getting closer and closer to a Tube tone and much more acceptable for gigging bassists.

I have been gigging a Fender Stack with a Vintage Microtubes Deluxe over the weekend. Is it Tube-Like? Yes it is. Does it sound the same as a Tube Amp? Hell No it doesn't, not even close.

My current rehearsal and small gig amp weighs 20kg all up, fits in the back of the car and I can carry my bass, cabinet and a back-pack with my Bass head, pedals and cables in 1 trip and my previous rig weighed 70kg or 150 lbs and needed a Wagon to put it in without scratching the car.

It's a pretty easy decision.

Whilst there are a huge number of Bassists that will never go Solid State, which is completely understandable. It seems that the demand for Tubes is dwindling each year.

A Solid State with a Tube Pre-amp or a Tube Emulation Pedal/Overdrive is now cheaper, lighter and also cheaper to maintain than the 300w Monsters.

Is there a future for Tube Amps? How far are we from replicating the Tube amp sound flawlessly? Will it ever happen?

Discuss!

 

[fdeck]

Is there a future for Tube Amps? How far are we from replicating the Tube amp sound flawlessly? Will it ever happen?

It has already happened, and it will never happen.

What I mean is, there are people who are already satisfied with their tone when using solid state gear, even those who feel that they can satisfactorily capture the essence of tube sound.

And there are those who will never be satisfied unless it's all tubes. It's really up to the personal satisfaction of each player.

Gaining a consensus on this issue is insurmountable, but at the same time, I don't see the diversity of gear choices and opinions as harmful.

 

[bholder]

Someone in Russia disagrees with you: Tung-Sol KT 150... WHAT! | TalkBass.com

 

[lfmn16]

I was using a Gen Benz Shuttle 6.0. A very nice sounding head and super light. In my current band I use an SVT head and cabinet. Super heavy, but it sounds like no other. The hybrids can sound great but they will never sound like a tube amp. But not everyone needs or want to lug an 80 lb. head, so if I works for you, then it works.

 

[B-string]

Stores don't like to stock due to the markup being so low (unless its Bugera) on tube amps. Putting one on the shelf becomes an investment more than a potential sale. This same question came up about 30 years ago.

 

[drummer5359]

There is enough of a tube amp future that Ampeg, Fender and Mesa have all released new all tube amp lines in the past couple of years. Solid State and tube/solid state hybrids will continue to be the mass market products, but I don't see all tube amps going away completely. After all, double basses are still in production too...

 

[JimmyM]

I see more tube bass amps these days on stages than I have in probably any other time in history.

 

[pie_man_25]

I've never seen full tube amps that much, I don't see much class d either, most people buy affordable used gear and hold onto it for as long as possible as far as I can see. The people I know that do own full tube amps swear by them, and I can generally hear why. I just don't see much point at the moment in sinking svt or orange money into a band that doesn't even pay used behringer money.

 

[LiquidMidnight]

I see more tube bass amps these days on stages than I have in probably any other time in history.

+1

Other than the usual SVT with a few select local players and national acts, if my memory serves me correctly, I saw a lot less all-tube amps in the 90s and early 2000s. Eden, SWR, GK, Hartke, and solid-state Peavey and Ampeg seemed a lot more ubiquitous. While there are probably more SS/hybrid* amps out there, bass players seem to be gravitating towards tubes more than they were ten years ago. At least that's my purely anecdotal and nonscientific experience.

Solid-state is definitely out there a lot more in the bass world than the guitar world. The really good sounding solid-state guitar amps (e.g., Quilter, Fractal Audio, Roland, etc) are greatly outnumbered by the solid-state amps that sound like poop. In the bass world, there are just as many great solid-state amps as there are tube amps. This is probably due to guitarists and bassists often having different tonal goals with amps. I can't foresee bass tube amps going away, though, as long as tubes can be relatively easily acquired. There will always be a segment of the bass playing community who will gravitate to the unique feel, sound, and interactive aspect of an all-tube amp.

*I consider something like the DB750 or SVT-4 Pro to be hybrids, not an otherwise solid-state amp with a token non-gain stage 12AX7 thrown in the signal.

 

[707GK]

I've owned & played SS, hybrid, & all tube amps. I see a lot of tube amps around here, but I see a lot of SS amps too. IMHO there is a future for all types of amps. To me, there is something about the imperfect sound reproduction of a tube amp that sounds noticeably different than a SS amp. Some would say they sound better, some would say they sound worse...that's all a matter of opinion and nobody is right.

Those who are just focused on making some money in the music industry want something that performs day in and day out with as little maintenance cost as possible. And there's nothing wrong with that. In the end, most of the people in the crowd can't tell the difference anyways as long as it doesn't break down on stage while they're watching...they definitely notice that.

There are also those who couldn't care less about making money and play in bands for their love & passion for music. The ones that don't mind carrying a matched quad of $40-$100 tubes around just in case their power section goes out on them, all for the sake of having tone that is noticeably different to their ears.

There will always be working musicians who need to keep their profit margin in mind, and there will always be hobbyists who care more about their passion than the money. So there will always be a market for both.

 

[rodl2005]

I use 3 sorts. SS TH500. Hybrid Mesa Walkabout Scout. Tube Fender Super & Ampeg V4B Reissue. I see all 3 in MY future.

 

[hdracer]

I see more tube bass amps these days on stages than I have in probably any other time in history.

+1
These are the best of times for tube amps. New models from Ampeg, Fender, Mesa and Ashdown. Small, medium and big power outputs. 100T's and V4b's flying off the shelf's with waiting periods at times.

 

[Jeff Scott]

...I don't see all tube amps going away completely. After all, double basses are still in production too...

Are there solidstate double basses in production, still, or just the tube ones?

 

[drummer5359]

My point is old school will always have a place.

Double bass is as old school as it gets.

 

[Jeff Scott]

If not for bass, there will certainly be tube guitars amps, otherwise we might have a revolution on our hands!

 

[toomanyslurpees]

I think the decline of the tube amp already came and went in the 80s... It'll never be everyone's thing but there will always be some for whom there's no other choice. Bass wise I like solid state power amps but guitar wise I could never give up my tube amps!

 

[Jeff Scott]

If not for bass, there will certainly be tube guitars amps, otherwise we might have a revolution on our hands!

I think the decline of the tube amp already came and went in the 80s... It'll never be everyone's thing but there will always be some for whom there's no other choice. Bass wise I like solid state power amps but guitar wise I could never give up my tube amps!

Thanks for confirming my comment.

I love my Swart STR-Tremolo and I did considerable research before buying it.

 

[spaz21387]

Nothing compares to the all tube tone. Yes the weight sucks but the tone makes it worth it for me. I recently plugged in my old amps and went back to the v4b almost instantly. They just lack that amazing punch and grind that comes from hot tubes.

 

[JimmyM]

Yeah, it's true that solid state and hybrid sells way more than tube for bass. It will always be thus, and you'll always see more SS amps on stages throughout our awesome world. Even I, a raging tube snob, own as much SS gear as tube, and I have been known to use it quite often on gigs. I guess that makes me a hypocritical raging tube snob, but that's between me and my shrink. But tubes definitely are in no danger of going away any time soon, there will always be musicians who value getting the tones they like over schlep and cost, and I see tons of major acts still using them, and as long as they do, a sizable percentage of the rest of us will, too.

 

[edwinhurwitz]

"Is There A Future For Tube Amps?" This question has been asked over and over since the invention of the transistor, and yet, they are still here. This question will be asked again and again. Tubes are dead, long live tubes.