Quality head and cab?

D

Definitely

Inactive
Aug 6, 2011
1,120
141
Somewhere, but not here
#1
I'm looking to get out of the land of combo amps and pick up a nice head and cab.
things about me:
-I play 90% rock and hard rock
-I play a carvin b40
-I I like a growly tone that can still hit highs bright and shiny
-additional tonal controls (like overdrive) aren't a selling point at all
-no heavy gigging just jamming and maybe a couple small shows
-wide tonal range is preferred

so I would like any good suggestions you can make under $800 please and thank you all help is much appreciated
 
#2
If you included your budget, that would help. My favorite tone comes from Eden but I recently came across 3 Eden 410 cabs in 3 different states that had blown speakers and a WT800 that was in the shop for service. I have used GK for years and this would be a good choice. Great sound and quality and reasonably priced. I recently decided to go back to Ampeg because I wanted to get the vintage tube sound. I am using an SVT 6PRO with two SVT 410HE cabs, The rigs sounds great. It really depends on your budget.
 
#7
Try to grab a hartke 3500 head, I just bought one, and haven't played it yet, but I hear it's amazing. Very clear, true tone, and can do just about everything, although it excels at no particular tone. I got mine used for $200.

And I'd also look for a nice 2x12 or 4x10, or maybe even just a 2x10. I'm just basing this off of what I was advised, I really have no experience myself. But I'd grab the head used for cheap and really splurge on a nice cab, because a nice cab will make your whole rig just pop into place like nothing else, as I understand. Look used whenever possible, because you can get really REALLY nice stuff for cheap, but beware when buying Cabs used, as I'm told they can be more easily damaged through regular use than an amp head.

Again, I'm just sort of basing this off of my common sense and what others have said to me and to others. I can't speak from experience... Yet. ;)

EDIT: Or GK, I haven't tried them, really, but from what I've seen on this forum, they seem to be one of the most universally popular brands, loved by pretty much everyone and hated by no one. Maybe not the BEST for everyone, but it really does seem to pleas ALL of the people ALL of the time. Although in general, bassists are an easy crowd to please. :D

I'd go GK over Hartke, trust the people who have owned more than one rig, and actually played on it. Mine's still on its way to my house. :p
 
#9
Definitely said:
new or used? I'm fine with both
Click to expand...

It's your choice, you could either save money used, or spend the same amount and get BETTER gear used. Like I mentioned though, it's safer to get heads used, because Cabs are touchier creatures. People will tell you that you should always buy used, because there are EXTRAORDINARY deals there. I'm inclined to believe them. Don't buy new unless you want to, basically. There seems to be nothing to gain through buying new, other than a minimal increase in reliability and cosmetics. But which would you rather have, a pristine rig, or one that had seen some action?

I really feel like I shouldn't be giving out advice like this, because I literally have had NO experience in this field. Still, I've been absorbing all the information that's been going through this forum like some android thing. So I feel I've taken an effective crash course in first-time amp-buying.
 
#10
well I just read about 4 reviews on the hartke ha3500 and the gk700rbII and the gk is definitely the way to go and with a $800 budget it will definitely be used now I just need to find a nice cab. 4ohms is best right? I'm looking for a new cab but I'm afraid there won't be much quality under $400
 
#13
Definitely said:
well I just read about 4 reviews on the hartke ha3500 and the gk700rbII and the gk is definitely the way to go and with a $800 budget it will definitely be used now I just need to find a nice cab. 4ohms is best right? I'm looking for a new cab but I'm afraid there won't be much quality under $400
Click to expand...

Yay! Way to take advice from a bunch of seasoned buyers than the guy who bought his on Wednesday. :rolleyes: The GK sounds just fine for you.

About the ohms, the question is whether or not you'd want to add another at some point. I don't know what that GK head is rated at 8 ohms, but I know the hartke is 350 at 4 ohms and 240 at 8 ohms, and although the wattage is close to halved, the volume really isn't reduced all that much. And if you're not going to be doing much gigging, for a while at least, I'd say to go with an 8 ohm cab. Then, later on you can get another 8 ohm cab and get way more volume than you could out of a single 4 ohm cab of the same size.

As for brand, I don't know, as you might have guessed, but I got an Acoustic B410, and although it's not top of the line by any means (It's a GC house brand now), I've been told that it's FAR better than any other amp in its price range (for the 4x10, $300)

How much is the amp costing you? Is it really half of your funds if you're buying new? I'd ask around some more on the cab, get some more recommendations. It really seems that buying that head used you'd have more than $400 to spend on a cab, but maybe that head is significantly more expensive than the Hartke. :meh:
 
#14
Ezmar said:
Yay! Way to take advice from a bunch of seasoned buyers than the guy who bought his on Wednesday. :rolleyes: The GK sounds just fine for you.

About the ohms, the question is whether or not you'd want to add another at some point. I don't know what that GK head is rated at 8 ohms, but I know the hartke is 350 at 4 ohms and 240 at 8 ohms, and although the wattage is close to halved, the volume really isn't reduced all that much. And if you're not going to be doing much gigging, for a while at least, I'd say to go with an 8 ohm cab. Then, later on you can get another 8 ohm cab and get way more volume than you could out of a single 4 ohm cab of the same size.

As for brand, I don't know, as you might have guessed, but I got an Acoustic B410, and although it's not top of the line by any means (It's a GC house brand now), I've been told that it's FAR better than any other amp in its price range (for the 4x10, $300)

How much is the amp costing you? Is it really half of your funds if you're buying new? I'd ask around some more on the cab, get some more recommendations. It really seems that buying that head used you'd have more than $400 to spend on a cab, but maybe that head is significantly more expensive than the Hartke. :meh:
Click to expand...

sorry man, I think I actually will go with the hartke so I can have a lot left for the cab, the one thing that somewhat turned me away from the hartke is it's a bit jack of all trades master of none. as for the gk it's around $550-$600 used so it eats up quite a bit of the budget. as I said earlier I can get a local ampeg pr410hlf for $500 so that's definitely worth a look

and do I sense a bit of sarcasm at the beginning of this post?
 
#15
No, you weren't supposed to, at least. I really wouldn't take my advice too much to heart. I really am a newb when it comes to this, and I'm pretty eager right now. If you could, I'd try them both, and see if it's worth it to you. I really am not as sure of what I'm talking about as I probably sound, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. If the GK is that much more, then there's probably a good reason for that, so don't write it off yet. I couldn't tell you if having a good cab is important enough to spend less on the amp for, especially if you're looking for a type of power and edge to your tone that the less expensive amp might not be able to provide.

Talk to someone else, too, I'm way too excited about my new rig that I haven't even played yet to be a reliable source of information. I bought mine for $500, so if you've got an extra $300, make sure you make the best of it.
 
#17
sorry im off the subject my fellow TBers i need help please someone if you have joe barden J-5 pickups pm me rather buy used and in mint condition new price is just to high for me right now but i played my boys fender with the bardens installed amazing so PM me if any offer bartolini j bass pups are a cool upgrade to thanx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Square
4 ohm or 8 ohm cab?
Replies
44
Views
799
Amps and Cabs [BG]
agedhorse
agedhorse
smurfco
Power amps with bass cabs... anything to worry about?
Replies
20
Views
443
Amps and Cabs [BG]
agedhorse
agedhorse
Jay Corwin
Talk to be about the effects of pickup height
Replies
20
Views
295
Pickups & Electronics [BG]
Eric Mull
Eric Mull
ShawnSheepy
a question about amp heads & cabs
Replies
15
Views
311
Amps and Cabs [BG]
LiptonJigglers
LiptonJigglers
D
Quad Cortex and my P-bass - wow!
Replies
40
Views
786
Amps and Cabs [BG]
Don Box
D

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back