Looking for a clean, lightweight amp/cab

[monsterthompson]

I suppose I could save a few bucks and go with the Seymour amp and put the extra $ on the Super Mini T, but that's still a lot of money for a 1x12...

And a big leap of faith since you can’t play them first. I had an SM and it was a great sounding cab (I still occasionally think about getting one again). I don’t know if I never trusted it enough to push it, but I felt like my jams with friends (rock with some occasional punk tendencies) got louder than the cab could handle comfortably. The SC and the BB with the bigger cabinet dimensions handled the same loud situations more easily even though all three use the same driver. The low end on the SM wasn’t quite big enough for me. The low end on the BB is plenty big.

Yes. I did own all three in my quest for a light/loud cab (as well as their Two10). It opened my ears to how the cabinet volume and design was a significant factor beyond the driver size. I realize it’s tough to give advice about this stuff in a forum without coming off as a fan or a hater. Hopefully something I’ve posted has been more helpful than confusing. There are plenty of great amps and cabs out there.

 

[Lefty Joe]

Surprised Markbass isn't top of the list. But then, maybe my ears aren't as refined as others here ... I simply grabbed the first 1x15 combo on the sales floor that had decent power. I do occasionally pair it with a solid-state guitar amp, but in all honesty I could probably achieve the same sound with the MB Player alone.

Side benefit: I also sometimes use it as low-end augmentation to my Spacestation keyboard amp, which is much smaller but actually weighs more. So whenever a fellow band member offers to help load in/out, they invariably grab the smaller amp and grunt (even after I tell them the bigger one is lighter), while I one-hand the Markbass and still have another hand free to carry something else ... makes me look mighty, them not so much.

 

[Just Wrong]

Surprised Markbass isn't top of the list. But then, maybe my ears aren't as refined as others here ... I simply grabbed the first 1x15 combo on the sales floor that had decent power. I do occasionally pair it with a solid-state guitar amp, but in all honesty I could probably achieve the same sound with the MB Player alone.

Side benefit: I also sometimes use it as low-end augmentation to my Spacestation keyboard amp, which is much smaller but actually weighs more. So whenever a fellow band member offers to help load in/out, they invariably grab the smaller amp and grunt (even after I tell them the bigger one is lighter), while I one-hand the Markbass and still have another hand free to carry something else ... makes me look mighty, them not so much.

I plan to check out the CASA 58R, maybe the Little Tube and Little Mark, but honestly, the only reason I'm not really interested is that they literally have more options than Mesa, GK, Aguilar, Ampeg, etc. combined. Where the crap do I start?

Aguilar and GK are the clear winners in the marking department. Aguilar: You want modern? AG. You want vintage-inspired? Tone Hammer.

GK: You want modern? Legacy. You want tube warmth (vintage-ish) Fusion S. You're a boomer who watches Rick Beato and refuses to listen to anything recorded after the 1999? RB Legacy.

 

[Just Wrong]

I've tallied all the heads available nearby that are in my budget, have my power requirements and are lightweight. I was hoping people more familiar with these heads could help me trim it down to which ones would fit the clean, modern bill.

Also, is it fair to make a general assumption that a tube preamp will unlikely give me a clean, modern tone? I mean, probably not. My Eden had a tube pre amp but wasn't vintage sounding at all.

Aguilar Tone Hammer - probably not, but maybe worth trying
Ampeg Venture - probably not, but maybe worth trying as per @Paul New 's suggestion
Ashdown RM-500 - not familiar with ashdown at all
Darkglass Alpha Omega 500 - most likely not
Darkglass Microtubes 500 - most likely not
GK Legacy - sure
Hartke LX8500 -not familiar with Hartke. My understanding is they are clean, but it has a tube. Double the weight of others, though.
Markbass Little Mark CASA 58R - yes
Markbass Little Mark IV - yes
Markbass Little Mark Tube 800 - maybe? copy says it can be both "clean" and "tube vintage," but it might just be markething.
Trace Elliot TE1200 - haven't tried this Trace model, but was never really a trace fan. this one is a bit heavy too.

Thanks!

 

[monsterthompson]

Darkglass Alpha Omega 500 - most likely not
Darkglass Microtubes 500 - most likely not

I had a microtubes 900 head and while they are known for the dirty sounds, the clean side was quite clean. I think you might like what they have to offer, so if there’s one nearby you can test it might be worth a test.

 

[recmont]

I've tallied all the heads available nearby that are in my budget, have my power requirements and are lightweight. I was hoping people more familiar with these heads could help me trim it down to which ones would fit the clean, modern bill.

Suggestion that may fit what you are looking for and should be easy-peasy to find around you: Traynor SB-500H.

Ref this for the flattest sound using it (albeit stated for its smaller sibling):

Post in thread 'Yorkville/Traynor Club?! Part 2'

May 8, 2023

Still on the SB200h, has anyone measured (or spice'd it, in case of @Passinwind, perhaps... ) what are the knob positions for true flat response? I suppose the Low Expander should be zero'd, but with the rest at noon is it really flat? Thanks again!

Expander full dow, bass 11:00 o’clock, low mids 11:45 o’clock, approximately. Wihin +/- 1dB or better through the passband, -3dB points at 33Hz and 15kHz, approximately. Again, just a quick and dirty model though.

• Passinwind

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