Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Prog Rock Amps
- Thread starter Maleikbassist
- Start date
Dave Hope from Kansas had an awesome prog sound. What did he use? Precision and SVT/810. It ain't the gear, bro 
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Dave Hope from Kansas had an awesome prog sound. What did he use? Precision and SVT/810. It ain't the gear, bro
While I totally agree, you just described some pretty great gear
When I think "old" (1970s) era prog, I think Rickenbacker or P bass into an Orange or Ampeg rig with an 810 cranked way up.
For "modern" prog, à la Dream Theater, I think Mesa Boogie or GK. Something tight and defined with a quick response.
For "modern" prog, à la Dream Theater, I think Mesa Boogie or GK. Something tight and defined with a quick response.
If there's one thing I cannot and WILL NOT abide...it's humor
I played in a Klezmer band for a short while!
IIRC, I used my fretless Zon Sonus 5/1.
Well yeahWhile I totally agree, you just described some pretty great gear
But still...
Discontinued, but AMS still has a few to sell, along with the 2x15, 6x10, and 8x10 cabinets, too. There's not exactly a shortage of them on the used market, either, as that model has been on the market, in one incarnation or another, since the mid-1990's until last year...
Like these guys!
Absolutely! Thanks for those, I'd never heard of these guys before. Good stuff.
A little off topic, but when I listen to the Lamb lies down on broadway live recordings from the genesis archive set, im always astonished by the amazing distortion tone that rutherford gets. Its really clean and trebly but holds the bottom end really well. Any ideas on what pedal he toured with then?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAqU-RDnYyY
This in my opinion is the supreme prog bass tone.
Picked Jazz into a driven Ampeg with some form of Octive pedal. Amazing.
This in my opinion is the supreme prog bass tone.
Picked Jazz into a driven Ampeg with some form of Octive pedal. Amazing.
I grew up learning bass in the golden era of prog--I was a HUGE prog and specifically Yes, Genesis(with Gabriel) and Crimson fan, as well as Kansas, UK, ELP, and on and on--saw them all live, some many times. I was so intent at 16 years old to replicate Squire's sound the best I could, I got a Sunn Concert Lead head(couldn't afford a Coliseum) and used an Acoustic 4x10 Guitar cab with it, and a Maestro Bass Brassmaster, and worked my ass off at part time jobs and bought a 4001 new off the rack. I also later bought a Sound City 100w head, going for what I hoped was a HiWatt/Marshall vibe. Oh, and new Rotos every Christmas and birthday! So, this thread takes me back a bit..... Funny thing was I was playing in cover bands doing Bad Company, Frampton, Doobies--but that was my rig! But, it worked fine for all of it...
Anyhow, it's much easier now--I can get a killer "classic prog sound" with all plug-ins and my jazz or P DI'd
Anyhow, it's much easier now--I can get a killer "classic prog sound" with all plug-ins and my jazz or P DI'd
Dave Hope from Kansas had an awesome prog sound. What did he use? Precision and SVT/810. It ain't the gear, bro
Sure did. It's the power in his hands making the notes definitive and clear! Some great YouTube videos of them playing songs from MASQUE live on Don Kirshner's rock concert! Damn good! Both Walsh and Livgren are sick talented!
Probably used a splitter and ran in stereo like Squier did.
If I was serious about a prog stereo setup I would go for a Carvin BX500 head into their new BRX15.3 for the thump, then a BX250 into the BRX10.2 for the grind. A Sansamp (or something like it) in-between with the unaffected signal going into the 15.3 and the affected signal going into the 10.2.
Since the 10.2 would be EQ'd for mids, don't need as much power to cut through. The 15.3 meanwhile gets the full 500w for the low end thump.
Sure did. It's the power in his hands making the notes definitive and clear! Some great YouTube videos of them playing songs from MASQUE live on Don Kirshner's rock concert! Damn good! Both Walsh and Livgren are sick talented!
I was lucky enough to see Kansas open for Queen in 1975 in DC and was sitting in about the 10th row--I had no idea who they were (I don't even think "Carry On..." was out yet, or at least I'd never heard of 'em), and I'll never forget seeing those guys come out in overalls, wooly beards, and flannel, and thinking ***? Then they proceeded to blow everybody away. I was straight in front of Hope--Pbass and SVT--just plain killer sound. I think John Deacon and Hope used the same SVT if memory serves (but that was a loooooonnnggg time ago...)
Everybody in that band were great players. And they all paid their dues by working their butts off to sound that tight. Especially with such technically challenging material.
Every Kansas fan has his/her favorite players. For me, the highlights were always Steve Walsh's vocals, and Phil Ehart's drumming.
MM
P.S. I'd been listening to them on our local AOR radio station since the first Kansas album was released (1973?), but finally saw them in concert in 1979. Just unbelievable energy - yet every single note was right in its place. I'd never before heard such incredible energy, combined with such incredible precision.
Steve Walsh was absolutely on fire that night, i.e. running around the stage - like his hair was on fire, hitting all the notes - even the high notes - with tremendous power & precision, hitting his mark back at the keyboards station right on cue, to bang out another intricate keyboards part perfectly - while simultaneously dancing some kind of furious jig! I never knew that level of ultra-kinetic performance was even possible!
MM
Everybody in that band were great players. And they all paid their dues by working their butts off to sound that tight. Especially with such technically challenging material.
Every Kansas fan has his/her favorite players. For me, the highlights were always Steve Walsh's vocals, and Phil Ehart's drumming.
MM
I have a gong drum that supposedly belonged to ehart but I have no way to confirm it. Ok I'll shut up.
I used my acoustic 370 paired with my mesa powerhouse 1000 for rehearsing and writing my prog rock instrumental album... Killer tone and the perfect blend of modern an classic. When I think of progressive I think of some zeppelin (in my time of dying, achilles last stand), rush, yes and like others said they had different gear setups. Work whatevers right for you. That said if you're going a for a particular bassist sound I'd just copy his gear right away.
