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Many choices: you decide!

Which one?

  • SWR Workingpro 112

    Votes: 29 24.8%

  • Roland Cube 100

    Votes: 15 12.8%

  • Line 6 Lowdown 150

    Votes: 7 6.0%

  • GK Backline 210

    Votes: 26 22.2%

  • Other(specify)

    Votes: 9 7.7%

  • Carrots.

    Votes: 31 26.5%
  • Total voters
    117
F

fetfet

Apr 13, 2008
649
3
Toronto, ON
#1
I'm buying a new amp for my birthday, and i need some help deciding which amp is for me:

I've got:

SWR WorkingPro 112

Roland Cube 100

GK Backline 210

Line 6 Lowdown 150

Pleas ehlp me decide!

What i'm looking for is an amp that does a really good clean tone, with clarity, but also does a really vintage-y tone that is realistic, and preferably loud enough to practice in a power trio scenario.

Thanks!
 
#2
My practice amp is a Line 6 Lowdown 110 Studio 75 watts. I was really surprised by the tone. It's got a nice big sound for such a small amp. I'd say it's kinda vintage sounding...like Ampeg. One of the amp models is based on the Ampeg SVT. I bet the 150 sounds even better! It's got direct out and sounds great going into my 8 track. Sounds really nice on recordings. I really like the LowDown line of amps. The on board effects or pretty good....especially the drive and compressor. I couldn't gig with the 75 watter, but the 150 just might cut it...especially with PA. I also have a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0, so I use the LowDown for practice, and to take on trips and such since it's small and portable.
 
#9
I heard a GK backline 210 used by a heavy metal bassist, and that thing pushed some air. Not a ton of bass, but it was punchy as can be. I don't know if I'd call it vintage, but definately versatile. Add a sansamp VT or something to the signal and you might be squared away.
 
#10
Check out Peavey. Great amps and very reliable. You can dial in quite a few different tones also. Another great thing about Peavey is the price. You get a lot of power for a little price. I have an older Peavey Mark VIII Bass head that's killer. I bought it used for $150.00. You can get great deals on used Peaveys. The one I have has lasted me for 8 years of hard gigging. It's even been on my ship when I went on a 6 month deployment. It's never given me any problems at all.
 
#11
Navybass said:
Check out Peavey. Great amps and very reliable. You can dial in quite a few different tones also. Another great thing about Peavey is the price. You get a lot of power for a little price. I have an older Peavey Mark VIII Bass head that's killer. I bought it used for $150.00. You can get great deals on used Peaveys. The one I have has lasted me for 8 years of hard gigging. It's even been on my ship when I went on a 6 month deployment. It's never given me any problems at all.
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+1

The MaxBass series and their transtube technology is pretty sweet, plus it has the modern setting for more hi-fi sound like you're looking for. The 110 is nice, light (IMO) and has excellent tone. It says 20 watts, but it's louder than that if you ask me :bassist:
 
#13
fetfet said:
I've used peavey amps, and didn't really like them. However i've only used their practice amps, so maybe i've not experienced them to their fullest.
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Never judge ANY company by just their practice amps. Usually practice amps are geared towards the lower end of the spectrum. The only thing a practice amp is good for is so you can, at least, hear your bass when you're playing with a CD.
 
#15
fetfet said:
but i'm still tempted to get the SWR, which i have heard nothing about.
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How is it that you can entertain the idea to buy something you've never heard and heard nothing about and then judge Peavey as "not worthy" because you've heard their practice amps and contradicting your conclusion, other TB'rs have given them a good rating?

I say take your time and hear some more rigs. Don't just get something by your birthday just to get something.
 
#17
The bad thing about trying out rigs at a music store is that a music store really is NOT the best setting to try an amp in. Most music stores acoustics suck. You never get to hear the true sound of the amp. Plus, if you're looking at a head, you might not be able to try it with a cabinet like the one you own, unless you happen to be buying a cabinet the same day.

I have been in many good recording studios and brought the Peavey head and a 1x12 cab. 3 different music studios wanted to buy the head off me so they could use it as a studio head because they loved the tone that amp was puting out. The other studios were also quite impressed with the tone. I have gotten quite a few complements about how nice that amp sounds whether I'm running it with a 2x12, 1x10, 1x15, or a combination of those cabinets.
 
#18
I tried an awesome setup at a music store, and awas 200$ for 200watts! but the head was sold! So now i'm trying to decide this. and if what you say about Music Store acoustics is true, then i'll never know the true tone of an amp, because it would be a little expensive to rent an amp once a week/month.
 
#20
fetfet said:
I tried an awesome setup at a music store, and awas 200$ for 200watts! but the head was sold! So now i'm trying to decide this. and if what you say about Music Store acoustics is true, then i'll never know the true tone of an amp, because it would be a little expensive to rent an amp once a week/month.
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One music store near me has a sound room in which you can bring amps in there to try out. They built it purposely for that reason.

You should still be able to get a general idea about an amp. I'm just saying that most music store settings aren't the best to get the full picture of an amp's sound.
 

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