Most iconic hard rock/metal amp & speaker?

[chaosMK]

Mesa 400/400+ on top of old school Road ready Diesel 2x15 with the EV's. Pretty sure nothin tops that. For newer metalz, same setup on the PH 8x10.

 

[smeet]

The answer is a 70s Peavey 115 combo. What could be more metal than that?

Actually I’ve been wondering about this myself, as I’m starting to play some heavier stuff. I think bassists generally just want a good sounding rig, and any signature sound will tend to come from the player and effects pedals. This is why we see the SVT in every genre.

 

[Systolic]

Everybody I look/ed up to was either using SVT gear or GK gear. Just two different kinds of aggressive tone IMHO.

 

[Charlzm]

I'm trying to get my head around this subject a little better since this isn't a genre I have a lot of on the road experience with. Of course the SVT would be a no-brainer, what other amps and speakers might qualify?

I always liked the sound of Trace Elliot amps and 4 X 10 TE cabs from the 80's for a hard rock/metal sound.
Didn't Michael Anthony endorse Mesa gear in the 80's?
GK was mentioned in the thread as well, especially when paired with the aluminum coned 10" Hartke cabs from the 80's.

 

[Wicked G]

Hmm, being a fan of hard rock/heavy metal since a kid in the 70's I don't think you are going to get a definitive answer. I've never considered any brand Iconic as I have seen many different bands back then using Ampeg, Orange, Hartke, Acoustic, Sunn, and a little later on Trace Elliott and GK.

More recently I have seen:
Black Sabbath-Hartke and now Ashdown
Saxon- Markbass
Volbeat-TC Electronic
Aerosmith-GK
Avenged Sevenfold-Ashdown.

I still see a lot of Ampeg, but that is mostly supplied backline for bands flying in like RATT and Dokken. Sorry if this is of no help, but I really don't think there is such a thing as the most iconic brand. Curious to see how this thread is going to go.

 

[burgerdj]

I’ve seen some dudes crush it using Orange amps and cabs, but mostly SVTs in my limited eye witness experience.

 

[j0616bass]

My experience from the local scene has been a lot of Ampeg, GK, and Hartke... maybe some Trace Elliot if thinking back to the 90s.

I personally use the solid state channel on my Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.2 with a LDS sealed 6x10 cab with my metal band. Then I flip it over to the tube channel for my Americana or cover band (or use my Streamliner). Whoever designed THOSE amps must be pretty awesome.

 

[fjbass78]

Mitch Mitchell played through Sunn amps and cabs
JPJ played an Acoustic 360 and 215 I believe
Entwistle played Hiwatt back in the day
Roger Glover got great tone from a Marshall bass head on the Machine Head album
Those would be my guesses.

This

 

[Wicked G]

It’s a shot from the rear but it’s
Mesa Boogie 400+
Mesa Boogie 610 Roadready (2)
That’s my iconic rock rig idea
View attachment 3339853

Hey I opened up for Skillet a few years back. I don't remember the Mesa rig, but the stage had banners on both sides covering the view of the equipment and pyros. But I wouldn't be surprised if they used the supplied Ampeg rig that I used that day as it was an outdoor show. I think Egypt Central also played that day and used the same rig. Anyway, carry on.

 

[Lowbrow]

For iconic hard rock it's Ampeg SVT or Acoustic 360

 

[Sixgunn]

For Hard Rock and Metal, I'd have to go with GK 800RB. After the SVT, of course...

WAAAAAAYYYYYYY before the SVT for me. Loud and clean like I like it! .....aaaand.... you can carry it with one hand!!

 

[Kevin Wolfe]

Mitch Mitchell played through Sunn amps and cabs
JPJ played an Acoustic 360 and 215 I believe
Entwistle played Hiwatt back in the day
Roger Glover got great tone from a Marshall bass head on the Machine Head album
Those would be my guesses.

FWIW I played through a 74 SVT and NV610 and it is still my gold standard. If size and weight weren't an issue I would still be using it.

Those would be my top 3 iconic setups. Cris Squire played through Sunn amps, biamped with the Ric-O-Sound rig. Lots of Acoustic 360’s out there back in the day.
Now days I’d have to give the nod to GK or Mesa if for no other reason than their tendency to be nearly indestructible.

 

[Razman]

I'll echo the non-specific sentiments of the other posters, Agedhorse. Think about it - how many times do you see a lengthy shot of the bassist in most popular videos? Every time I see a live show on TV or wherever I try to catch a glimpse of what the bassist is using (cuz i'm a gear junkie) and the clips/shots are so short I can't hardly figure it out!

That said, the classic - SVT atop a fridge - stands out; GK, Hartke speakers, Mesa 400, and the like (which have been mentioned). My feeling is that bassists, when provided a backline, have to make it work - regardless of what it is. Bass is definitely not in the same zone as guitar stuff (Marshall, Fender, etc.).

Raz

 

[basscooker]

GK 800RB and Hartke aluminum 410's

Mesa 400 and 215

SVT/810

B25B/215

Peavey of all kinds
Throw in a lot of Crate and Ashdown

My experience. I'm a fan of metal, and I was always playing Peavey. Combo 300 and a 3620 is pretty massive.

 

[micguy]

Hard rock guitar: Marshall
Metal guitar: Mesa Rectifier

Bass - anything that's loud enough to keep up with the above. I don't think bassists are as brand specific/loyal as guitarists.

 

[MattZilla]

For 212 and 410 cabs they have to be the bloodyteethface biledrivers designed in California by Brandnewbrand and who cares where they're manufactured- just look at that model name! They've just got to be articulately brutal and tightly massive sounding! For 810 cabs, they don't care because they know by now that the sound guy is going to AJFA them out of the mix anyways.

Kudos to you for trying to pick up on an often neglected market niche. They buy on price vs durability-via-word-of-mouth-at-the-skatepark.

 

[GBBSbassist]

GK 800RB and Hartke aluminum 410's

Mesa 400 and 215

SVT/810

B25B/215

Peavey of all kinds
Throw in a lot of Crate and Ashdown

My experience. I'm a fan of metal, and I was always playing Peavey. Combo 300 and a 3620 is pretty massive.

I've always appreciated Peavey equipment, but I'm not sure many people were using Crate gear for any reason other than the affordability of it.

Sorry if that's offensive to all the people gigging their BX100 combos out there.

 

[Dave W]

GK RB or an SVT

 

[leonard]

Mitch Mitchell played through Sunn amps and cabs

Do you mean Noel Redding perhaps?

 

[basscooker]

I saw lots of Crate bass gear at metal shows. Early 90s it seems like all us broke players had the heads and those EV loaded 215 fartboxes they made. Maybe a local anomaly.