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Most Underrated Tube Head?
- Thread starter sammyfallen
- Start date
Peavey Alpha tube head. I liked it better than a Mesa D-180. Not as powerful, but I like the tone better. Looking for another one again! It's one of the heads I never should have sold!!
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Fender 400PS. At least on this forum, it seems the few people who have heard of them hate them. Of course, even those few haven't actually heard one. The two of us who have really like them.
Fender 400PS. At least on this forum, it seems the few people who have heard of them hate them. Of course, even those few haven't actually heard one. The two of us who have really like them.
Funny, I just saw one of those Fender 400 heads on my local CL for $700. Looked to be in pretty good shape too.
The Fender Studio Bass- I can get so many sounds from old school to new. 200W with the traditional Fender tone stack and a 5 band switchable tube driven EQ.
I care not so much that it is tube but that it has an equalizer(s) that really works for me. Most new gear I have came across has the controls in the wrong places for the sound I like (IMO).
That 400 has LOTS to offer. Just enough knobs IMO! I read that she needs GOOD tubes to boot.
I care not so much that it is tube but that it has an equalizer(s) that really works for me. Most new gear I have came across has the controls in the wrong places for the sound I like (IMO).
That 400 has LOTS to offer. Just enough knobs IMO! I read that she needs GOOD tubes to boot.
RedLeg
Supporting Member
is there such a thing as an underrated tube anything? I know guys that will leap for their wallets no matter the brand if it has tubes.
I had a rickenbacker bass amp back in the late sixties which i believe was from the early 60's. It was a combo with 4 ten inch speakers and grey tolex. Sweet sounding amp and the only one i have ever seen.
bingo. the ultimate in big tube power bass amps. and to think i could've bought one in '92 for $175.....
I know guys that will leap for their wallets no matter the brand if it has tubes.
(with tongue Firmly in cheek)
nothing wrong with that, because tubes rule and always will. i know guys that will leap for their wallets sound unheard if a bass amp weighs less than 3 pounds 2ounces. toys.
so there
(with tongue Firmly in cheek)
nothing wrong with that, because tubes rule and always will. i know guys that will leap for their wallets sound unheard if a bass amp weighs less than 3 pounds 2ounces. toys.
so there
If it's really in good shape, that's a good price. What would a 71 or so Ampeg cost? Probably twice that. The good thing is that underrated usually = cheap.
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,636
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
i agree with the 400PS. here's mine:
....and the lesser known 300PS is no slouch either. it has the same eq as a "Studio Bass":
BTW, the "Studio Bass" is definitely one of my all time favorites too.
....and here's one of my VERY underated tube bass heads that sounds awesome:
....and the lesser known 300PS is no slouch either. it has the same eq as a "Studio Bass":
BTW, the "Studio Bass" is definitely one of my all time favorites too.
....and here's one of my VERY underated tube bass heads that sounds awesome:
Hi.
Hard to believe that any vintage tube amp is underrated or unappreciated. Low on volume for modern tones and power requirements, yes, but not underrated. IMLE of course.
The new Chinese tube heads on the other hand, those are IME vastly underrated.
Take the Smarvo family for example.
Ashton and Fame have been around for 3 years now AFAIK, but only two Aussies have the Ashton and two Finns have the Fame IIRC. Eden took a really slow start with their vintage looking rebrand and effed up the marketing and CS big time and had to drop the price considerably, after which they did the "face lift" to the Ashton/Fame/Smarvo original look. Only upside down, just like the previous one
. Nearly half of the TBers who bought one (the original) got rid of theirs because of the reliability issues. That's a shame.
There's a few more "brands" coming from the orient also, but offer mostly guitar amps. Vastly underrated also.
Check them out if You can. They can have their problems but the price/watt is really hard to beat.
Regards
Sam
Hard to believe that any vintage tube amp is underrated or unappreciated. Low on volume for modern tones and power requirements, yes, but not underrated. IMLE of course.
The new Chinese tube heads on the other hand, those are IME vastly underrated.
Take the Smarvo family for example.
Ashton and Fame have been around for 3 years now AFAIK, but only two Aussies have the Ashton and two Finns have the Fame IIRC. Eden took a really slow start with their vintage looking rebrand and effed up the marketing and CS big time and had to drop the price considerably, after which they did the "face lift" to the Ashton/Fame/Smarvo original look. Only upside down, just like the previous one
. Nearly half of the TBers who bought one (the original) got rid of theirs because of the reliability issues. That's a shame.There's a few more "brands" coming from the orient also, but offer mostly guitar amps. Vastly underrated also.
Check them out if You can. They can have their problems but the price/watt is really hard to beat.
Regards
Sam
i agree with the 400PS. here's mine:
....and the lesser known 300PS is no slouch either. it has the same eq as a "Studio Bass":
BTW, the "Studio Bass" is definitely one of my all time favorites too.
....and here's one of my VERY underated tube bass heads that sounds awesome:
You, sir, have some wonderful toys. I wonder how your underrated Sound City compares to mine:
It sounds a little "plain vanilla" at reasonable volumes for me, but it roars gloriously at unreasonable volumes.
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,636
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
Thanks. Mine isn't plain vanilla at all. IMO, its thick, rich and full at any volume and built like a brick ($)hithouse.
(point to point with terminal strips)Hi.
Hard to believe that any vintage tube amp is underrated or unappreciated. Low on volume for modern tones and power requirements, yes, but not underrated. IMLE of course.
The new Chinese tube heads on the other hand, those are IME vastly underrated.
Take the Smarvo family for example.
Ashton and Fame have been around for 3 years now AFAIK, but only two Aussies have the Ashton and two Finns have the Fame IIRC. Eden took a really slow start with their vintage looking rebrand and effed up the marketing and CS big time and had to drop the price considerably, after which they did the "face lift" to the Ashton/Fame/Smarvo original look. Only upside down, just like the previous one
There's a few more "brands" coming from the orient also, but offer mostly guitar amps. Vastly underrated also.
Check them out if You can. They can have their problems but the price/watt is really hard to beat.
Regards
Sam
I'd like to know more about these. Any links? A quick google did me no good
I plugged into a Fender Bassman 300 Pro for the first time ever the other day and never knew what I had been missing! I'm a lover of OD/Fuzz on bass and I'd probably unload every pedal I've amassed over the years if I had one of these. AMAZING OVERDRIVE!!! 
