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Mesa Boogie vs Ampeg vs Markbass vs Others

tarp21

tarp21

Jul 31, 2020
150
93
#1
Came into some Covid hazard pay and Christmas is all taken care of. Have plenty left over.
Contemplating changing my rig from Ampeg BA210 to a MB D-800+ because of all the features. Also interested in SVT-4Pro, TH700 and any other pro head.
I’m looking for the cleanest tone I can get. We play 50/50 modern country and classic rock. I don’t use dirt pedals. Compression is all I use. Use a Fender Performer P bass. The BA210 is nice, often not powerful enough if we don’t use PA support and I’m not looking to stack cabs just to get 500 watts. Looking for any advice from anyone with knowledge of the above stated amps, music genres etc. I live in the sticks and don’t get the chance to try these amps out. Any other information I can provide please tell me. Thanks in advance!
 
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#3
From what I have been reading, the TH’s will color your bass sound quite a bit, has a high mid push to it, though “tubey” sounding. Sounds like something I’m not interested in. Bass in country music is more clean, natural with a push in the low mids. I have two guitar players that can get plenty of dirt so I have no use for it. I’m also not interested in carrying a tank of a head with all tubes. Think I’m leaning towards the MB D-800+
 
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#7
If you're looking for pristine clean, I'd leave out the Aggie. They always seem to have a little "something extra" going on... it's a fantastic head if you want what it does, but I wouldn't say it's a "clean" amp.

If you stay out of the gain the 4Pro can do it, but I think that'll be a bit of overkill if you're wanting to stick to just one cabinet. I'm not sure what you're planning cabinet-wise... 410? 212? 215?

If you've got a couple grand to blow, I'd probably go D800+ and a Mesa Subway 212 or 215. Since you're wanting to stay clean, I don't think you'd need the WD800 or TT800, unless you wanted all the EQ options in the WD.

I'm transitioning to Mesa myself, from Ampeg heads and 410hlf cabs. I got the Subway 115 about 6 months ago and it is absolutely ridiculous. I will add the 210 and 112 over time, and then the TT800.

Honorable mention to Markbass, too. I got their cheapo Little Mark Blackline 250 as a practice/backup head and it really sounds good. More and more I'm finding myself leaving the eq just about flat and just using a little VPf or VLE to taste and it sounds GREAT with my P bass w Dimarzio Relentless P pickup. I wouldn't be disappointed in a more powerful version of this little guy for gigs. This is my primary amp for playing at home right now - it powers my Subway 115 for the clean side, then I have an Ampeg Scrambler pedal into a TC Electronics BQ500 head feeding an Apmeg Heritage SVT410HLF for the dirty side.

I also play a lot of 70s-90s rock, but I do make use of drive kinda like Billy Sheehan does... one clean rig and one dirty rig, and blending as necessary for each song.

Just a recommendation on retailer as well... I've been very happy with Sweetwater. I don't like returning things (I've been a small business owner and understand the expense and loss that is incurred with a return/exchange) but I just was NOT happy with the sound I was getting from a Fender Rumble 210 cab I ordered on sale. My rep was SUPER understanding and credited me immediately, and sent a call tag. I was trying to be cheap going the Fender route at first... I returned the Rumble and that's when I got the Subway 115 cab. Best decision EVER!! That cab made WAY more of a difference than any amp swap ever did, and got me so much closer to the sound I hear in my head than I ever thought a cab could do! It completely changed my mind on gear. I used to think it was all about the amp, then just pick any (relatively good quality) cab and go. Not so! I now think the cab is the most important part of the signal chain after me and the bass... and the amp least important! A truly well-designed and engineered cab is just incredible.

Best of luck on your search and let us know what you choose!
 
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#10
tarp21 said:
Came into some Covid hazard pay and Christmas is all taken care of. Have plenty left over.
Contemplating changing my rig from Ampeg BA210 to a MB D-800+ because of all the features. Also interested in SVT-4Pro, TH700 and any other pro head.
I’m looking for the cleanest tone I can get. We play 50/50 modern country and classic rock. I don’t use dirt pedals. Compression is all I use. Use a Fender Performer P bass. The BA210 is nice, often not powerful enough if we don’t use PA support and I’m not looking to stack cabs just to get 500 watts. Looking for any advice from anyone with knowledge of the above stated amps, music genres etc. I live in the sticks and don’t get the chance to try these amps out. Any other information I can provide please tell me. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I have a D800+ and I think it sounds fantastic for classic rock and funk (I don't play country so I can't comment on that).
I also have a TT800, and I think the D800+ has more lows/low mids and less mids/high mids, a quicker response and a better slap tone, if that matters to you.

BTW, If you are looking for a clean tone, you should also check out the Eich T1000.
 
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#12
musicman556 said:
Just saw your second comment about your 410. The GK will probably love the D800+!
Click to expand...

My thinking too! It’s a neo cab, very lightweight. I also have a GK 15” cab I can add for large venues and outdoor shows. Sounds like I just need to add the amp. I used these with a crown power amp and Ampeg SCR-DI but felt like I wasn’t getting enough power pushed to the speakers. Probably because the crown power amp wasn’t rated low enough to use with the DI most likely. Using the BA210 was just as powerful and easier to setup and tear down than my previous setup. Will probably go back to separate cabs, just need an actual amp
 
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#13
Mesa.jpg
 
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#15
bajaandy said:
Mesa sounds like what you're looking for. I am digging the s#!t out of my WD-800. Very clean and loud, yet can get a mean growl with a bit of pre dialed in. Even more versatile with the foot switch to bypass the parametric eq.
Click to expand...

I was gonna suggest the WD-800, too. You can run it squeaky clean, and still have that nice tube flavor in the envelope of the notes. Push the input gain, and the grit comes in gradually. A very versatile and powerful amp. And the three semi-para EQ bands gives you complete control over the character of the mids.

The 800+ is great, too.
 
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#16
If your really into the signature "Ampeg" tone, than I would stick with that brand. However I think the Mesa line is in another class than Ampeg and may not be a fair direct comparison. Mesa is defiantly top shelf and you'll hear that as well 30 sec's after you plug in and set the eq flat. I have the same issue with not always having PA support, I have a D800 and subway 212 and find a 212 really helps fill the room, while not being to big.
 
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#17
tarp21 said:
Came into some Covid hazard pay and Christmas is all taken care of. Have plenty left over.
Contemplating changing my rig from Ampeg BA210 to a MB D-800+ because of all the features. Also interested in SVT-4Pro, TH700 and any other pro head.
I’m looking for the cleanest tone I can get. We play 50/50 modern country and classic rock. I don’t use dirt pedals. Compression is all I use. Use a Fender Performer P bass. The BA210 is nice, often not powerful enough if we don’t use PA support and I’m not looking to stack cabs just to get 500 watts. Looking for any advice from anyone with knowledge of the above stated amps, music genres etc. I live in the sticks and don’t get the chance to try these amps out. Any other information I can provide please tell me. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

You might want to check out EBS Reidmar as well. The biggest one (750) has many nice features that can be controlled via a four switch remote.
About as clean as Markbass Ninja 1000, but the eq points are not spread as wide as on the Markbass amps. Nice compressor and sweepable mids.
Made in China though, whereas the Markbass Ninja, LM800 andLMIII are made in Indonesia.

The above amps have flatter (and wider) frequency curve and less distortion than many of the other brands. They will reproduce the sound of your instrument.
Tonehammer heads are sort of the opposite, as it has a baked in voicing, and will not really do "pristine". Rumble and some Ampegs are also having their own tone as well.

By the way, no affiliation with any brand. I however find it annoying when people ie recommend the TH heads to people like you. There is no upside to such bad advises.
 
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