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Most RELIABLE Bass Head ???

#125
Just wanted to put another +1 on the Hartke 3500 pile. I've had at least 5 over the years and never had a single problem. I personally love their tone (despite what my boutique predilections would have you think) and they're plenty loud with the right cab.

My drummer calls them the Honda Civic of bass amps. Is it your favorite tone? Maybe not. Will it work every single time and get you where you need to be at a VERY reasonable price? Absolutely. Cannot be beat for a primary or backup amp for the price.
 
#126
I bought my Acoustic 370 used in the late 70's,a local band had been using it to power their frontals and it already looked beat up at that point.I drug it around the country playing 6 nites a week for about 5 years after playing in several local bands w/it.Never let me down.I've still got it,the pots are quite noisy and it's too heavy for me anymore,I'm using Markbass now,but I'll always love my old 370 and all the memories it helped make!!
 
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#127
Wow, turn my head for a few minutes and the TB Crew has enough material for several days of research, Great !!! Thanks !!!! I’ll have to read this over again & take notes, lol.

At a quick glance, I’m seeing a lot of praise for a few amps (my original Hartke thoughts too), but especially the GK series ones (in particular the GK 400RB’s, looks reasonably priced & has longevity too). Too bad so many of the local Mom & Pop shops have gone under, would make a great field trip, day or two, to check out a few of the brands. There are still a very few left locally (I know “on-line” is easy, but nothing beats up close & personal). Haven’t been out shopping for one in years. Reliability is the only feature you can’t check out in the showroom.

Keep ‘em coming, LOTS of good info!!! Still a few in the running. It gets down to personal tastes in tone (hard to quantify), but your cab makes the big difference in that (as B-String gave me a good scolding about, a few months back :) ). Just trying make sure, no matter what sounds best (to me), it’ll work when I plug it in. I’ve been spoiled by my aging gear. (If the Bass ain’t groovin’, the crowd ain’t movin’).
 
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#128
+1 on the Acoustic 370. Got mine used 40 years ago, never had an issue until the caps started to go 2 years ago. The caps have been replaced now and it is everything it was before. It is damn heavy and when its in its Anvil case it is almost a 2 man job to move it (I'm gettin' old ). But I still love it for outdoor gigs. Genz-Benz, Eden and Hartke accompany me to most of the indoor gigs these days. Have yet to experience a problem with any of them.
 
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#132
static0verdrive said:
Yep, and backed by that 2-year, even-if-you-break-it, transferrable-to-others warranty speaks volumes too. Haven't had an issue with my Traynor, and my former bassist's Yorkville is still kicking after 10 years of her owning it (she bought it used too). I've heard about a couple of other companies but mostly here on TB - I have no hands-on or acquaintances with anything else I can speak for (besides one older, all-tube Ampeg, not sure of model though) that was gigged steadily and stood the test of time.
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I jam with an old Yorkville 150Bloc combo...15" 150 watts.....it is LOUD and powerful, goes low, does warm and mellow, plenty of high end tone and snap......does it all really....I can destroy a heavy handed drummer and 2 loud guitars with little effort....I used to have a 250BLoc at 250 watts, I was afraid of structural damage to my house....for fun I sometimes use the Bloc150 as a cab for either my Traynor 200 head or my Orange TB500....in some ways the the combo head has more oomph or guts, mojo, whatever .......
 
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#134
Brad T. Bass said:
I’D LIKE TO START (or renew) A DISCUSSION (probably already on this site elsewhere) about the BEST Gigging Bass Amp, in terms of just RELIABILITY. Even the Greatest sounding amp is Worthless if it’s “ Blownin’ Chunks “. I’m not so much looking to trash talk amps with issues (unless it’s to refute a blatantly wrong perception), but more to praise / endorse ones that have stood tall.

I just read this thread:

Hartke LH1000 blowing power fuses | TalkBass.com

Was thinking of trying one of these (Hartke LH1000), but now I’m second guessing after a reading a few of the related threads (NOT trying to “diss” Hartke here, cuz I DON’T know, it’s just what sparked my curiosity).

I have my preferences for RELIABILITY (as noted in my previous posts) which are my Old School Acoustic 370 & Musicman HD-130 (I love to use ‘em & I don’t abuse ‘em). ALWAYS, a Properly Matched load goes a long way towards Reliability. Both have been ROCK solid, but getting tired (going on 40 years and haven’t smoked). Why, you ask, if they are so rock solid, would I be looking at something else? Just getting the hankering to try out a new toy and getting too old to want to experiment., lol.

Let’s hear your preferences & recommendations.
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I have Six different Amp heads, for Variety & on a whim, l have earned my Arsenal. My two main Amps rate now are a "Shuttle 90" GenzBenz, and a" GK MB500". I use each 50-75 times a year, with flawless results. My other Amps are GK- RB400, GREAT AMP, SWR-Working man's 300,Great Amp, GenzBenz-Shuttle-30, fine,fine Amp Head, SWR-750X-Awesome Amp, Yorkville- Blocking Head, super Amp, latest GK- Backline- 350, Studio Amp Wonderful. Won't bore you with the Ten Cabs l own also. I use them all. KingKolon
 

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