I'm looking for some suggestions as to good heads/cabs for getting the bright modern punk tone. It would need to be loud enough to play to around 250-400 people.
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Punk Bass Rig
- Thread starter Better_Sense
- Start date
Yeah, the SVT/810 route is rad but for brighter tone, I'd go for a GK 800RB.
Examples?
You're gonna get a ton of 'what IS punk' and a mess of other snark from such a broad genre specific question.
To try and be helpful:
I play punk. However, i like more bass in it. I'm a fan of 'feeling bass' over 'hearing bass'.
I use a Traynor YBA-3 head that has a trebble boost that i'll kick in to cut through more... but i mainly boost mids and a bit of lows. I also use a GK400rb as backup or when space doesn't permit the tube head.
That's through a 70's Ampeg B25-b 2x15 or an Acoustic 4x10 on top of a Peavey 1x15. For smaller gigs, i'll usually just rock the 410 alone.
For 'punk tones' you're going to get a ton of the following answers:
-Ampeg SVT-CL
-Ampeg SVT VR
-Ampeg V4
-Ampeg V4b
-GK 800rb
-GK 700rb
-GK 1001rb
-Traynor YBA-200
-Peavey tube-amp-whose-name-i-can't-remember
You may like the modern Mesa Boogie tone. Mike from Green Day used Mesa stuff, at least, on older recordings, including Insomniac, which... in my opinion... has THEE best pop punk bass tone. I forget which model he used, but it was a rack-mounted deal. I'm on the hunt for a Mesa Buster Bass head... and you can't go wrong with a 400+ if you have the money.
Good luck.
You're gonna get a ton of 'what IS punk' and a mess of other snark from such a broad genre specific question.
To try and be helpful:
I play punk. However, i like more bass in it. I'm a fan of 'feeling bass' over 'hearing bass'.
I use a Traynor YBA-3 head that has a trebble boost that i'll kick in to cut through more... but i mainly boost mids and a bit of lows. I also use a GK400rb as backup or when space doesn't permit the tube head.
That's through a 70's Ampeg B25-b 2x15 or an Acoustic 4x10 on top of a Peavey 1x15. For smaller gigs, i'll usually just rock the 410 alone.
For 'punk tones' you're going to get a ton of the following answers:
-Ampeg SVT-CL
-Ampeg SVT VR
-Ampeg V4
-Ampeg V4b
-GK 800rb
-GK 700rb
-GK 1001rb
-Traynor YBA-200
-Peavey tube-amp-whose-name-i-can't-remember
You may like the modern Mesa Boogie tone. Mike from Green Day used Mesa stuff, at least, on older recordings, including Insomniac, which... in my opinion... has THEE best pop punk bass tone. I forget which model he used, but it was a rack-mounted deal. I'm on the hunt for a Mesa Buster Bass head... and you can't go wrong with a 400+ if you have the money.
Good luck.
Both Dirnt and Freeman are on the Fender payroll now though. Trouble with Fender is that's it's so damn pricey... Like pricier than Mesa.
Thanks for the suggestions. I have to agree on Insomniac, I absolutely love the bass tone on that album.
If you're looking for loud and cheap, go GK. You could probably get a 700 RB-II and a decent cab for $ 600.00 or less. You could go the Backline route and get a BL600 and a decent cab for $ 400.00 or less. If money's no object, then sure, Mesa/Ampeg/Orange/whathaveyou.
why do people say a svt is always the best for everything
call me strange but ive never liked em
call me strange but ive never liked em
You're strange
i know its sacriligious (sp) but ive never liked the tone. hence why i brought a bassman
I've tried REALLY hard to hate them... but i just can't!
I legit think the SVT CL sounds crappy... but the SVT VR and ANY 70s SVT i've played sound AAAAAAAAAAAAAmazing.
As far as ampeg goes though, i like the V4b/V4/V6 tones better.
I have been playing Punk rock music since the 90's and I have used several different set ups.
Hear are just a few suggestions for you to check out:
Heads:
GK 800
GK 700 rb
Eden WT 800
Mesa 400+ (My favorite by far)
Ampeg SVT (Love em if you can find one used great)
Cabs:
Ampeg 810
Harke
Eden
Mesa
Hear are just a few suggestions for you to check out:
Heads:
GK 800
GK 700 rb
Eden WT 800
Mesa 400+ (My favorite by far)
Ampeg SVT (Love em if you can find one used great)
Cabs:
Ampeg 810
Harke
Eden
Mesa
Klaus Fluoride of Dead Kennedys fame used to use an Accoustic 150B amp and an Accoustic 402 cab according to Wikipedia, now they dont get better than him as a punk bassist
Ahhhhh!!!! The same shop that had the 700rb for $150 also had a VERY good condition vintage Acoustic 150B for $200!!
Stupid money-sink holiday
I had a Bassman 135/215 & it wasn't loud enough so I bought an SVT/810.
Different strokes, right?! 
In all honesty, I loved the tone of my Bassman & preferred it to the Ampeg but it just wasn't loud enough.
