Hey yall, I want to know what amps you'd recommend. I'm hoping to get a stack with a head with tubes in it. As much as I would love to go broke on a vintage ampeg, I'm only working with about $400-500, which I know is kind of hard to work with tubes. I've been thinking about getting a Peavey T-max, so I can have the option of tubes and solid state (weight aside, it feels like my best option as of stuff available locally,) but I want a second opinion. Thanks!
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Need help choosing a new bass amp
- Thread starter jakobdoesathing
- Start date
When you say "I'm hoping to get a stack with a head with tubes in it", are you asking about an all-tube amplifier (tubes in both the preamp and the power amp), or are you asking about a "hybrid" amplifier, which has tubes in the preamp, but a solid-state power section?
Not to be a downer, but, in either case, hoping to get a tube head (either all-tube or hybrid) AND a cab for under $500 is going to be very challenging. All-tube bass amps are not only expensive to buy, but also expensive to re-tube. Good hybrid bass heads can be had for under $500 if you look hard enough-- I've seen some vintage SWR SM-500's for as low as $350 and some Hartke HA-3500's for as low as $250 in "Very Good" (subjective term) condition.
But I would encourage you to let go of the "tube" desire, pick a decent all-solid-state bass amp head with an Effects Loop, and use the money you saved on a better cabinet and a preamp pedal with a decent tube emulation circuit.
In the world of bass, you are far better served splurging on the cab and skimping on the head, as opposed to the vice-versa.
I guess hybrid would be a somewhat cheaper option, I'm just looking for something that will really scream, which I figure I could get out of the t-max with the tube preamp. The reason why I mentioned the t-max, is because there's someone locally selling one with a Peavey headliner 1x15 and a peavey 410 TX for $300 which feels like a stupid good deal.
The T-Max is a damn good head....I have had the same one for at least 25 years....and the good news is that you can actually get a "Tube-ish" tone with it. The separate or blendable Tube/SS preamps are very cool. It has a ton of tone shaping features, and the tube preamp has a gain control that you can actually get some tube overdrive/grind with if you crank it. The head itself has a very nice "warmth" to it as well...one of the few hybrid heads where that tube preamp actually does make a difference, but you really need to blend the preamps to find that sweet spot.
Yes, for $300 that rig is a steal! If the 210TX is in decent shape, then it should out-perform that Headliner 15...so it will probably be a decent match!! The TX line of cabs were fantastic, but much older than the Headliner series. I don't think it will "scream", as you say...but that gain knob on the Tube pre will definitely make a difference...making it scream would require some kind of overdrive pedal in the front end...and then blend in just a bit of the SS pre... but if you buy it, play around with it and see what YOU like...these are just my experiences from using one for over 20 years....the Hartke HA series heads are much the same way but not as much "grind" available in their sound, but still a very cool amp...especially for its era! The great part about the T-Max is that it is 2 ohm stable, so you can mix and match 8 ohm and 4 ohm cabs, or use two 4 ohm cabs to get the full 500 watts out of it, otherwise it is 350 watts at 4 ohms. Keep in mind, the T-Max has a LOUD fan...in a quiet practice space you will definitely notice it...LOL
Now, go buy that Peavey rig!
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buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
The tube preamp doesn't add a lot. Better to start saving seriously, so you have a legitimate budget with which to work for your goals. Otherwise, you are pissing away $400-500.
this pretty much sums it up.
there have been ways to emulate tube sounds forever, but in the last 20 years they've just gotten better and better.
I grabbed an old hartke 1000 watt solid state head a while back just to use for it's crazy power. i put a VT bass into the effects loop. outside of standing in the room for an a/b test, i don't think anyone could ever know the difference between it and and one with tubes..
decent solid state heads are everywhere for cheap. especially considering using the effects loop with something amazing, it's clearly the right choice.
all tube heads are definitely cool, and many of them sound wonderful. but they are very nearly "not worth it" for just about everyone these days.
When tube amps are going for cheap, it's usually for a reason. The reason is often because it needs maintenance. If you spend all your money on an amp of unknown condition you risk ending up with no money and no amp.
More power and efficient cabs that can handle the power will serve you a lot better than a tube amp.
Tubes amps are more expensive and too heavy. If you find a used one that is cheap, it probably has issues. I haven't owned a tube amp for 25 years and don't miss it.
D
exactly my hesitation about buying an older amp. It's not only a concern with older tube amps. Getting an old amp repaired is a PITA. Likely expensive, if you can even find anyone to work on it where you are.
I say this because I have been waiting since mid-October (yes last year!) to find out whether my SWR Workingman 15 combo can be economically repaired.
It's so big and heavy that shipping it off for diagnosis & repair didn't seem reasonable. There is exactly one shop in my entire state that is willing to work on discontinued/mfg-no-longer-exists amps, so that's where the SWR has been the last 3 months.
@jakobdoesathing I urge you to consider a new, modern, lightweight, solid state combo amp, unless you
1) KNOW you won't be moving it or
2) have someone to help you move it when needed.
I've owned heavy amps, and it sucks if you ever need to move the thing. Doesn't matter what shape you're in. Even if you're young and strong, a big heavy amp can put dings in walls, tear up vehicle interiors, and cause accidents and injuries, so I'm avoiding them as long as possible.
The Fender Rumble 500 should be within your budget, if bought used. Preferably, from a nearby Guitar Center, so you can bring it back if there's anything wrong with it. At 37 lb., it is feather-light compared to my old SWR, yet with more power.
What you should buy also depends on how you intend to use it. Since the SWR would not be back any time soon, I bought a Markbass Black Line CMB101, and I've been very happy with it. "Only" 40W is plenty for home practice. If and when I start playing outside home, I'll look at something more powerful, if required.
We will be expecting a NAD thread TODAY with pics of the Peavey rig for $300. Go!
I'm currently running a Peavey max 110, the 100 watt tilt back one, and when playing with my band it's barely cutting through everybody else. I'm hoping for a semi permanent setup where I can leave a cab in my room for noodling, then have a bigger cab to bring out to practice and just move the head between spots. For the t-max, I don't really expect it to be my forever head, but I feel like the versatility will give me what I'm looking for as of now, but for the cabs I can take the cabs with me and use them for a long time.
One of my local shops has one in a 1x15 combo for $250 that I'm going to try out to see if i like it. If not, might as well save for a b-15
D
yup, you might need more power then.
Hope it works out with the 1x15 combo.
True, it's easier to move a head unit vs. even a smallish combo. Maybe you can get a good solid-state head unit + cab for $500 or under. I don't know, haven't shopped around much. Good luck!
Hope it works out with the 1x15 combo.
True, it's easier to move a head unit vs. even a smallish combo. Maybe you can get a good solid-state head unit + cab for $500 or under. I don't know, haven't shopped around much. Good luck!
Tubes in preamps have never really done much for me as an alternative to an all-tube head.
But seriously, technology has come a very long way in emulation via many different means. I'd look for a small, lightweight, modern SS head with a lot of tonal control (parametric and/or graphic EQ'ing) allowing you to dial in what you're after. There are also a lot of pedals that can help with the all-tube amp tone.
I liken all tube amps to old tube televisions. You can get better quality and far less size and weight with a modern HDTV.
But seriously, technology has come a very long way in emulation via many different means. I'd look for a small, lightweight, modern SS head with a lot of tonal control (parametric and/or graphic EQ'ing) allowing you to dial in what you're after. There are also a lot of pedals that can help with the all-tube amp tone.
I liken all tube amps to old tube televisions. You can get better quality and far less size and weight with a modern HDTV.
The Rumble series are nice. The 37 pound weight for a combo beats toting around an Ampeg SVT head that alone weighs 80 pounds without any speakers.
My first amp was a rumble 25 v3, bought it new when I got my first bass. After a little over a year, it died on me one night and just wouldn't turn on, and I couldn't figure out why. I got a new one from fender beause of the warranty, but I got my peavey before the new one came in. It's left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth since. :/
D
I hear you. Even if a mfg honors the warranty, it would have been better if it didn't break in the first place.
Markbass also has some competitive offerings.
I demo'd both a Fender Rumble 40 and the equivalent Markbass - their Black Line CMB 101 - and the Markbass was the one I went home with.
It was a close race discussed in detail elsewhere. The Markbass won due to a combination of price and some nuanced features.
Markbass also has some competitive offerings.
I demo'd both a Fender Rumble 40 and the equivalent Markbass - their Black Line CMB 101 - and the Markbass was the one I went home with.
It was a close race discussed in detail elsewhere. The Markbass won due to a combination of price and some nuanced features.
I will never NOT recommend a Used Genz Benz Streamliner 600 (900 if you can find at your price)
It does "vinatge tube mojo" quite well, even tho it's Hybrid.
the pre has 3 12AX7 tubes in it, and they shine.
My SL 900 was my GAS killer; I want no other amp.
There's a SL600 at reverb right now for under $500
