• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

NEW: What amp do you use and why?

Which amp do you use and why?

  • Total voters
    789
Green Lantern

Green Lantern

Nov 3, 2011
608
498
PA
#1
I forgot to include Ampeg on my other thread. :eek:

I now use Aguilar since I wanted a light amp that had a nice rich sound. I did not want a super clean amp that was too bright or harsh. I used to have a Mesa Boggie 400+ and then Boogie Buster amp. 400 was too heavy and expensive to replace tubes on. Microphonic issues on a tube amp is a pain and time consuming to locate which tube is causing the problem. But I love the Boogie sound so much.
 
#3
i use a mesa boogie strategy 500 and a peavey tb raxx preamp, works great for what i play with plenty of power just using one cab and one side of the amp, but when both are being used with both cabs its just stunning, ill post a video as i havent seen many of bass players using this amp for bass guitar
 
#6
Had a gk mb500 which I liked a lot for a couple months till I began finding it extremely sterile. Got my first all tube amp, a '74 ampeg v4b, which I play through a mesa diesel 1x15. Although not light, it is loud and punchy as hell. I dont see myself going back to solid state amps anytime soon (possibly for a backup head), the feel of tubes is something else. Gorgeous breakup on the v4b, and the diesel 115's sing. Mmm.
 
#10
TussinBot. said:
Had a gk mb500 which I liked a lot for a couple months till I began finding it extremely sterile. Got my first all tube amp, a '74 ampeg v4b
Click to expand...

You gotta run the boost channel up north of noon to get some sizzle out of it! But compared to a vintage ampeg tube head, yeah, not the same. When I want retro, I step on a pedal. What do you do when you want uber-clean?
 
#11
Mesa M3 Carbine Combo after going thru more than a few heads,cabs and combos I was discouraged and I fiqured I would never find that tone that was in my head until I got the Mesa Combo from a fellow TBer from the very first note I was hooked deep beautiful bass and enough tweeter adjustments to make it also very articulate finally it was what I was looking for.
 
#13
Hartke Kilo - Amazing range of tones and stellar sound for an amp weighing half of what the big boy all tube heads weigh.

Genz Benz Stremliner 900 - Amazing tone in a such a small package. I still can't my head around this little tiny head driving my Dually with such sweet tone.
 
#15
Peavey VB-2, for an excellent, American made, all-tube amp...and it only set me back $400!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3540.JPG
    IMG_3540.JPG
    43.7 KB · Views: 175
  • ForumRunner_20121217_144812.png
    ForumRunner_20121217_144812.png
    798 KB · Views: 186
#17
AMP:

Gallien-Krueger 15" combo...

WHY:

My friend had one he was looking to sell, and I needed an amp ASAP for a gig... seriously, that's the only reason I own it. It is a good amp, I should say - I'm slowly learning how to dial in a tone I like out of it, and it's surprisingly loud... but to be honest, if I had some time to shop around I probably wouldn't have gotten it, and when I finally get a bigger rig, I probably won't go GK... no hatred for the co., again, I like the amp - there are just other bass manufacturers I prefer over GK (i.e. Hartke, Epifani, Trace Elliot, Genz Benz).
 
#18
Other/ none of the above.

I design and build my own preamps and cabs. Why? Because I can.

Any properly functioning rack mounted power amp works fine for me, they are just commodity items at this point. I prefer light and no fan. I may build one eventually just for the heck of it, I guess.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back