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Not quite loud enough (combo amp fun inside)

E

Explogo

Nov 25, 2009
12
1
Australia
#1
So my esteemed colleagues it has recently (within the last 3 or so years) come to my attention that the combo/practice amp I own at the moment is less than brilliant (20w DRIVE amp).
I have a birthday approaching and have decided to use what meager funds I gather to purchase a new combo. This is where I find my self at a crossroads and unable to decide, the research I have done has resulted in the following possibilities:

Marshall MB30 - $299AUD
Ashdown FIVE FIFTEEN - $449AUD
Orange Crush 35B - Can't find a local price atm but haven't looked that hard.
(Prices are from Turramurra Music Sydney)

Some background: Not in a band, won't be making/joining any in the foreseeable future so really this will serve as a bedroom amp with the occasional jam session with fellow string instrument connoisseurs. My basses are a Ibanez SR885 and a Yamaha I never play, and I don't have any particular band/genre/sound I'm trying to emulate so a good all rounder is probably the way to go.

So the question is of those what sounds like the better choice? are there any better ideas for a combo below $450AUD or perhaps a heads up on these or similar amps in the Sydney area that are cheaper than Turra?

Wow did not mean to make this post so long winded sorry guys :D
 
#2
I havent tried it but in my opinion the only one worth buying is the ashdown...The Orange is really just a practice amp, had some at my college for one on one lessons and thats all its good for, the marshall looks like its the same kind of thing.
You wont be jamming with anything more than an acoustic guitar and wont be pumping much bass with those!
I would personally save some money and buy something a bit bigger!
 
#4
From a quick google search Mesa Walkabout's are around the $3000AUD mark, which are waaaaay out of the ball park.
If I spent more than $500 on an amp at the moment the numerous family members I owe money too would probably beat me accross the head with the damn thing. :p
Such is the life of a deadbeat Uni student I guess.
 
#5
Explogo said:
From a quick google search Mesa Walkabout's are around the $3000AUD mark, which are waaaaay out of the ball park.
If I spent more than $500 on an amp at the moment the numerous family members I owe money too would probably beat me accross the head with the damn thing. :p
Such is the life of a deadbeat Uni student I guess.
Click to expand...

Well i would say save yourself the trouble of buying this amp the realizing in a few months that its not good enough!
Either save your money or pay your debts, but in my opinion buying on of those amps isnt really an improvement coming from what you have!
 
#6
+1 trading up from a small combo, to another small combo, nets you nothing. In that range of small practice combo's, you may get slightly better tone with a newer one, but for the money you'll spend, it's a big waste. WAIT, save up for a while longer. Either step up to a proper bass amp, combo or not, or just forget it. It'll be like throwing money away.
 
#12
that, and you're going to get a better sound for your money. crappy little practice amps are just that. they don't sound so good and they have a limited life, especially when used for bass.

you may even be able to find an old head that isn't bass specific and even a small PA cab that might sound better than a practice amp. Of course you want to keep it small as possible, and i wouldn't spend any more than tag sale money for stuff that wasn't bass specific but just shooting it out there for consideration.

around the 100+ watts mark and 1x12+ you will find you get a much nicer tone and an amp that will last. the only suckitude may be that the older gear may be a bit large.
 

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