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new acoustic bass head
- Thread starter notforrobots
- Start date
Sorry but you're either misinformed or have just never plugged into something thats from the old days. I have Acoustic amps (the old ones) that dont even rate at 200w but will BURY a modern half stack. And I've done it many times!
Again, you're either misinformed or or just haven't had much experience with these bass systems. I've played through just about everything out there ( it would easier and quicker for me to name off the brands I haven't played though) and have found more times than not, matching cabs with their respective builders head makes for better overall sound/balence/compatablity. I know it shouldn't be this way but it is. Watts should be watts and speaker efficientcy ratings should translate across the board.. but alas, they dont always behave that way.
As a big Acoustic user, I've seen it time and time again that these amps LOVE their own cabs and are not big fans of other brands. I cant explain it but thats been my personal experience. I currently own 9 Acoustic cabs of verious sizes/configurations and have plugged lots of different amps into them in order to prove exactly what you're say but and dang if they dont respond better when mated with their Acoustic heads.
There are certain mis-matched set-ups that seems to work really good together. For example, the older GK stuff ( RB800 etc) seem to work with a wide array of cabs. The worst offender seems to be Ampeg mixed with Acoustic. I've just never heard it sound good.
You won't get the overdriven tube tone alot go for, but alot more punk bands have used warmer sounding solid state gear as opposed to the typical Ampeg setup alot of punk bands seem to use.
Two examples off the top of my head;
Klaus Fluoride - Acoustic Head into Acoustic 2x15 (went on to swap his Acoustic head for a Traynor Mono Block-B (another SS amp) and swapped out his acoustic speakers in his cab fior some JBL 15s of some persuasion)
Bassist from Minor Threat I should really remember the name of - All the pics I've seen of him he's using old Peavey gear, uses 2/3 8x10 peavey setups on the live VHS I've seen. Some of the older stuff is awesome if you look around, very cheap and very well built too.
Should be able to think of more but those are 2 awesome punk/hardcore tones from 2 solid state users.
Actually it's not. Head and cab matching has become quite an art. For one tonal option a Markbass LMII might sound great on an Epifani cab and sad on a Berg or a different Epi cab. We noted on another thread that folks had more success with a J bass through an original Acoustic 360 than with a P. Many old tube heads sound better with sealed enclosures. On a modern cab I've found Reeves and vintage Marshall heads produce their mids and lose it in the lows when they are quite competent with a sealed cab. Conversely my buddy had great success using an Acoustic 370 head with the 371 1x18 cab and an SVT cab. My Marshall Major 200 watt head loved Marshall 4x12 cabs but struggled to push an SVT cab. Bergantino has tuned cabs specifically for the Sadowski tube head that have more rigid cones and less throw than his regular cabs, to get the best out of that primo head.
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wildcard
Guest
Yes I have played the new GC Acoustic stuff, I DID NOT LIKE IT either, as I stated before. It sounds like a cheap amp to me . I have played the old Acoustic stuff also , & I didn't like it much either. Back in the day , I really liked Sunn a lot better, & I'm an Ampeg person. Most amps will run any cab if it's rated at 4-ohm or 8-ohm , just depends on the head , & the cabs, but apparently you already knew this. It may not work as well, as running the same brand head & cab together, but it will work. That is what I said . Also your 200 watts may be loud , but it's still only 200 watts , & also like I've said : if you're going to play in a large , medium , or outside gig. You will need PA support. That's what I said, & my comment about the heads & cabs , which I know to be true. If your happy with your Acoustic stuff, good for you. I hope it continues to workout for you , & you enjoy it. On the other hand, please don't try to sell me on the Acoustic amps & how wonderful they are. They are just not for me, & probably never will be . The USA Acoustic Control, I am interested in, to see what they come up with , maybe an all tube head. that I'd be interested in. I have never liked GCs business practices. It's always about making the buck first , & the quality second .
What would ever make you think that the new Acoustic stuff would be tube based? It wasn't in the 70's and I am pretty sure that it won't be now...
Also, the lines seemed to be drawn in the 70's between those that liked Ampeg and those that liked Acoustic. Ampeg stood for tubes and Acoustic stood for solid state. Many of the greats in bass (JPJ, Jaco, etc.) were solidly in the Acoustic corner. I can easily understand why you wouldn't like old or new Acoustic, as it seems that you are an Ampeg guy. Nothing wrong with that.
No one is trying to "sell you" on the Acoustic stuff, old or new. What we are trying to do is counter the misinformation that seems to be going around regarding these amps, just like you seem to be doing with the Ampeg B200R. There are SCORES of people reporting problems with the B200R, problems that render the amp unplayable. Yours works, and I am happy for you. As for the B200H, it works for me, in my applications, and was ridiculously inexpensive TO ME. Also, I can say how wonderful they are and not be talking directly to you...
Are you sure that you were listening to these with your ears and not your beliefs? I get that you didn't like them, but GC's business practices shouldn't even figure into this debate.
I'll stand by what I have said about these amps. They are a great bargain, sound good TO ME, and are as loud as I need. They won't replace my Genz stuff, but I can feel comforable leaving them at a practice space, where I didn't feel comfortable leaving $2000+ worth of amp gear in the past. Seriously, I have a BRAND NEW, WARRANTEED 2x15 with matching amp head and it cost me less than $600. Wow.
To the OP, sorry it didn't work out for you.
Are the G.C. Acoustics on the same playing field as Eden or Genz or any of the top line manufactures....No....I've not read where anyone claimed they were.
Are they the best "inexpensive" amps on the market at this time....YES!
My question is, if B200H heads were three times the price and not the price of Beringers would the detractors like them better?
Are they the best "inexpensive" amps on the market at this time....YES!
My question is, if B200H heads were three times the price and not the price of Beringers would the detractors like them better?
I received a B200 combo in a box from UPS that looked like it had been through a hurricane. I should not have accepted it, but I did. The tolex had a small rip and the amp had a loud buzz.
I took it to a GC and the guy rolled out a new one, in an undamaged box, I plugged it in, it sounded great, technically and tonally, and I was on my way.
No problem with GC and/or their exchange or customer service/satisfaction practices.
I like the Acoustic B200. It sounds great, has a multitude of tone settings with it's EQ, and is plenty loud, maybe not for outdoor shows, but outdoors is asking a lot of any amp.
I'm a satisfied GC/Acoustic customer.
I'll let you know if either one pisses me off.
Slackerprince
I took it to a GC and the guy rolled out a new one, in an undamaged box, I plugged it in, it sounded great, technically and tonally, and I was on my way.
No problem with GC and/or their exchange or customer service/satisfaction practices.
I like the Acoustic B200. It sounds great, has a multitude of tone settings with it's EQ, and is plenty loud, maybe not for outdoor shows, but outdoors is asking a lot of any amp.
I'm a satisfied GC/Acoustic customer.
I'll let you know if either one pisses me off.
Slackerprince
Um, you wouldn't have an agenda against Acoustic because of GC, would you? I used to play gigs with a V4B into an 810 with no PA and hugely loud drummers, and I never once ran out of gas. 200w may top out if you play doom, but for the vast majority of bands out there, it's actually overkill.
Believe me I'm not a fan of GC 's biz practice either ( I live in Hollywood and have seen almost ALL the mom and pop stores get swallowed up on the Sunset strip because of them and it's heartbreaking... truly. It breaks my heart) and it was a hard sell over at the Acoustic forum when Stacknobuser started posting about the new line of amps. But as he intergrated into the online community there, I/we realized that this guy understood how great the old amps are/were and gave him a chance despite the cynical outlook most of us had at GC actually producing something that wouldn't smear and destroy a name that at least deserved to be remembered as "one of the greats" of times past.
These new amps, while obviously not being of the same build quaility as the older pieces ( exemplary in design and construction) stand on their own and fit into the market very nicely. Heck, they even break a few molds as far as value/pricing is concerned.
Eden was mentioned as a comparative product. I know this brand VERY well because I'm a former endorser. I can unequivocally say that the EQ section of the new Acoustic amp is more musical than the WT 800 I used. It may not be as precise, but it has far more soul. The cabs dont stand up to a direct comparison but thats not to say the new Acoustic cabs are waaaaaay down the list either. They offer 15% less in performance at a 25% savings. I'm not very good at math but to me that says that I'm looking at an actual INCREASE in value of 10% overall! And since Eden can stand with many other brands sound wise in the modern arena, I thinks it's safe to include other comparative brands as well. As far as a comparison with Ampeg is concerned... there simply is none. Ampegs midline stuff doesn't hold even a flicker of a candle to the tone or versatility available with this "little" 200w head in my opinion. And just so I dont get labled as an "acoustic nut" let me be again be clear that I've used just about everything out there includeding vintage SVT's ( not re-issue stuff) as well as modern Ampeg stuff. I grew up with Sunn rigs ( Sorado tube head w/2-15 loaded with Altecs 421's and Colossium with BH-215 cab) and loved them but one of the worst combinations was the Colossium head with the SVT cab. It just didn't work, but put that head with it's vented 2-15 and ... man stand back!!!
These new amps, while obviously not being of the same build quaility as the older pieces ( exemplary in design and construction) stand on their own and fit into the market very nicely. Heck, they even break a few molds as far as value/pricing is concerned.
Eden was mentioned as a comparative product. I know this brand VERY well because I'm a former endorser. I can unequivocally say that the EQ section of the new Acoustic amp is more musical than the WT 800 I used. It may not be as precise, but it has far more soul. The cabs dont stand up to a direct comparison but thats not to say the new Acoustic cabs are waaaaaay down the list either. They offer 15% less in performance at a 25% savings. I'm not very good at math but to me that says that I'm looking at an actual INCREASE in value of 10% overall! And since Eden can stand with many other brands sound wise in the modern arena, I thinks it's safe to include other comparative brands as well. As far as a comparison with Ampeg is concerned... there simply is none. Ampegs midline stuff doesn't hold even a flicker of a candle to the tone or versatility available with this "little" 200w head in my opinion. And just so I dont get labled as an "acoustic nut" let me be again be clear that I've used just about everything out there includeding vintage SVT's ( not re-issue stuff) as well as modern Ampeg stuff. I grew up with Sunn rigs ( Sorado tube head w/2-15 loaded with Altecs 421's and Colossium with BH-215 cab) and loved them but one of the worst combinations was the Colossium head with the SVT cab. It just didn't work, but put that head with it's vented 2-15 and ... man stand back!!!
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wildcard
Guest
I'm from NYC and have been to Hollywood plenty; the first time I visited and found Waldo's gone, I actually shed a tear!
Here's the way I look at it. I have a 3-year warranty. If something happens in 3 years, I am covered (unless I drop it or something). I paid less than $600 for the full stack (B200H and 2 B115's). That's about $200 per year, or $16.50 a month, it is under warranty. Anything goes wrong, it gets fixed. Most that have used the GC warranty with Markbass were happy, so I assume it will be a similar experience.
Yeah, I'll take that chance.
Yeah, I'll take that chance.
GC is a business, right? Of course they are about making a buck first and quality second; as long as they still make a buck, they don't care! A vast majority of GC customers are first time buyers or hobbyists, so they don't need great gear to begin with. If their quality control was so bad, people wouldn't shop there. As it is, they have a ton of stuff, most of it cheap enough, and employees who know more about gear than the average joe. That's a fantastic business plan!
PS I loved the new Acoustic 200H head, and would be rocking one if I didn't snag a mint SWR 350 redface for $275...maybe if they come out with a 2x10, I'll have to reconsider!
PS I loved the new Acoustic 200H head, and would be rocking one if I didn't snag a mint SWR 350 redface for $275...maybe if they come out with a 2x10, I'll have to reconsider!
Because it has NOTHING to do with how this amp performs, sounds, etc. NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH...
Look, I am not a fan of Guitar Center, but I really don't care who makes the amp. It's nice that someone moved production of a product overseas AND sold that product for less money, since it obviously costs less to make a product overseas than in the US. Compared to other manufacturers, I applaud that...
Agreed. If the B200H starts failing left and right, they'll be in a heap of trouble, as they have attached a 3-year warranty to these things...my guess is that they know that and are making sure that these things don't fail at an unacceptable rate (like any of the other companies do, like Ampeg, GK, Hartke, etc.)...
Hell, if it fails after the warranty, I will only be out $600 and will have gotten 3 years worth of use out of it. Seems like a good tradeoff to me.
Anyone notice the dynamic flow of this post? You've seen it here before. Starts out neutral, encourages some good questions by newish bassists, a few observations by some seasoned folks, some harsh opinions stated as facts about someone's opinions, then statements that the opinionated one doesn't like the amps anyway, followed by questions of his motives trying to bring the discussion back to the topic, some generalizations with some folks holding on like the thread is going to get better if they state facts or opinions or experiences nicely......
This is like bad sex and you're obligated to smoke a cigarette afterwords and you don't smoke or enjoy other than wholesome sex
This is like bad sex and you're obligated to smoke a cigarette afterwords and you don't smoke or enjoy other than wholesome sex
