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Quality warm fretless amp - Cafe/studio

B

Brass Nut

Dec 31, 2006
206
2
SoCo Rhode Island USA
#1
Interested in ideas for a smaller Cafe/Studio type amp with quality warm sounds for fretless (w/ low B). Mostly for use with passive systems but also doable with an active bass (a rarely used back-up).
Looking for that good strong bottom end with really warm tones.
Like to keep the price around $5-600 or less.
Will be used more for the after dinner crowd, smaller cafes, and home practice.
A lot of volume is not a real requirement, but "pushing air" is always a plus.
Did I mention a strong warm bottom?
Normally, I'll run rather clean with a touch of compression and little else.

I've been considering;
Ashdown's Mag C-410T-300
Line 6's Lowdown LD150
But not too sure if I need all the power and that perhaps there are better/other options that I've missed.
It seems that to get quality one needs to go more full blown in the power dept. (hope there are alternatives to this)
As mentioned, Quality, warm bottom, low B end, and for mostly a passive fretless 5 string system.
Any suggestions?
 
#2
For quality combos in that price range, I would highly recommend checking out what Carvin has to offer.

I saw a band in a small jazz club recently with the bassist using this: http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=BRX212&CID=BRX
Yes, it is a little more than you specified, but a really great combo amp none the less.

For the rest of carvins combos, check these out:

http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=BRX112NEO&CID=BRX

http://www.carvin.com/products/group.php?CID=BR

I highly recommend the BRX combos over the BR combos, but both are great.
 
#4
i've had the best of luck w/ older solid state jazz guitar player oriented amps like evans, or polytone. you dont get alot of volume, but they make up for it in fat, warm, thick tones. and their incredibly lightweight to boot.

you'd be really surprised at how terrific they sound for bass, and yes, fretlesses, too. my last bass teacher used a very cool evans amp that i've been still scouring ebay for.
 
#5
jokerjkny said:
i've had the best of luck w/ older solid state jazz guitar player oriented amps like evans, or polytone. you dont get alot of volume, but they make up for it in fat, warm, thick tones. and their incredibly lightweight to boot.

you'd be really surprised at how terrific they sound for bass, and yes, fretlesses, too. my last bass teacher used a very cool evans amp that i've been still scouring ebay for.
Click to expand...

Not aurally familiar with the Evans, but the Polytones really had the right set of compromises for their time.

Today there are a few decent choices depending on what type of sound you think will do you... the newer Carvin combos look good, the Roland Cube100 or D-Bass combos, or maybe something custom designed at LDS.
 
#7
A 4ohm Acme B210 or 8ohm Acme B110 (if you don't need to be loud) with an AI Clarus is an amazing sounding fretless amp. This rig is warm, deep, woody and organic sounding. It will move a semi-acoustic piezo equiped fretless like the Rob Allen closer to DB territory, and will take the 'edge' off of a magnetic pickup fretless... lot's of mwaw and growl without sounding too aggressive... and deep bass when you need it.

Depending on the volume you need... some combination of Focus or Clarus with a B110 or B210 would be awesome. The Acme's are not efficient (they like power), so match up the cab impedance with the head (for example, if you need moderate volume and know you are only going to use one cab, then a Clarus into a 4ohm B210 will save you some cash).

IMO as always.

K
 
#8
KJung said:
A 4ohm Acme B210 or 8ohm Acme B110 (if you don't need to be loud) with an AI Clarus is an amazing sounding fretless amp. This rig is warm, deep, woody and organic sounding. It will move a semi-acoustic piezo equiped fretless like the Rob Allen closer to DB territory, and will take the 'edge' off of a magnetic pickup fretless... lot's of mwaw and growl without sounding too aggressive... and deep bass when you need it.

Depending on the volume you need... some combination of Focus or Clarus with a B110 or B210 would be awesome. The Acme's are not efficient (they like power), so match up the cab impedance with the head (for example, if you need moderate volume and know you are only going to use one cab, then a Clarus into a 4ohm B210 will save you some cash).

IMO as always.

K
Click to expand...


Those are great suggestions Ken, but the op said he wanted to keep the price between $500-$600 or less.
 
#10
Almost all the gigs I play are low volume singer/songwriter gigs with just a singer / guitarist and me, or sometimes a mandolin or something added. I play fretless pretty much exclusively, unless I'm playing upright.

I currently use an Eden CXC110. I really love the versatility of this combo, and the great tones that it produces. It can be heavier than the specs say, due to Eden sometimes running out of their preferred plywood and having to use wood that's 1/8" thicker, or so it's been explained to me when I asked. For instance, while the published weight is 39 pounds, mine weighs 51. Another guy I know, though, has one that weighs 42. I am about to switch the head from the WT330 (13 lbs) that's in there to a WTX260 (3 lbs), which will cut the weight. This thing really does get great tones, and handles my upright and my fretless 5 strings very well. With an extension cab, it handles them at higher volumes as well.

Outside of Eden gear, I have an old Polytone Teeny Brute that was rebuilt (new driver and capacitors) by Condor Electronics in Seattle, and it is amazing. I just used it on a live concert recording with one of the guys I play with. I didn't have the CXC110 at the time of the recording, or I honestly would have used that, but the Polytone did great service and impressed the recording engineers quite a bit.

I also really like the older SWR Workingman's 10 ... I played one of those with my Roscoe LG3005 fretless for years, mostly with the tweeter off, and got great tones from it. Finally, if you find a used one in your price range, an EA Wizzy combo would do you great service. I sort of doubt you can find one in that price range, though.

So, my choices in order would be:

1) Eden CXC110
2) Older SWR WM10
3) Polytone
4) Wizzy

Of course, this is just combos ... there are tons of other options if you're interested in a head + cab approach!

Good Luck,
Liam
 
#11
I have an SWR Redhead (original 240w version) that produces a killer tone. It isn't enough for playing metal (which is why I just stepped up to Ampeg SVT goods), but it is plenty loud for Cafe/Studio work. Since I picked up the Ampeg stuff I have thought about selling it, but I like it too much and I still use it.
 
#12
Here's the Roland Cube100 pdf manual. Check that out and see a few mentions of specific fretless-designed sounds - including a good one that starts at Jaco and can be taken darker and fatter or whatever... I've played this combo and I'm a fretless-five and -six only guy, and I don't think I've heard anything else that really trumps some of the older combos that have been favored for the profile you gave. Indeed, this one won't lose the plot when played at higher levels but sounds rich and even at lower volumes.

http://lib.roland.co.jp/manual/en/dl_04-00863/CB-100_e2.pdf
 
#14
WOW! Lots of food for thought here guys (thank you).
Had an old Polytone before I could appreciate it (kicking myself in the butt).
Volume isn't so important as pushin' air. That "feel it in the chest" without being loud is what I'm after.
gonna see what else is offered, and hope a few of you don't mind a PM in reguards to this post.
I've some "shopping' to do - thanks.
Keep em coming.
BN
 
#17
X Wolf said:
+1.....I had a Polytone Mini-Brute way back when, I should have kept it but I understand they can be a problem to have repaired if needed.

George
Click to expand...

Hijack alert ... sorry!

I can't speak highly enough if Condor Electronics in Seattle, http://www.condor-electronics.com/. I bought an old Polytone Teeny Brute 15 years ago, and it got used hard, then basically sat in the garage for years. It was messed up when I bought it, and didn't get any better sitting in the cold garage. I got it out a couple of years ago and tried it, and it was just awful. Radio stations were being received and amplified, the speaker was blown, and the amp was extremely noisy and weak. Condor put an Eminence 10" speaker in, and got a whole set of new capacitors from Polytone, and re-capped it. The thing is amazing now. I loaned it to a drummer friend who plays bass along with his students to get them a feel of being in a rhythm section. He played it for several hours a day 4 to 5 days a week, with the volume cranked to the max and both bass and treble boosted. He did this for 6 or 7 months straight before I needed it back. When I saw the settings on the amp, I was thinking "Man this thing is going to be toast again." Wrong. It's still perfect, even after rendering service that no Polytone should be asked to do!

So, I think this speaks well for both the Polytone and for the work that Condor did. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them for work on these old amps, or just about anything else. A Polytone isn't too expensive to ship to them, either, if you don't live in the area.

Cheers,
Liam
 
#19
btw, Here's a pic of my modified Eden CXC110, with a WTX260 head instead of the WT330 (much lighter):

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It handles the low B of my fretless Stingray just fine. The stock WT330 handles things great also ... heavier but cheaper. :)

cxcwtx260sr5.gif


Cheers,
Liam
 
#20
Im partial to the tone of an Acoustic Image focus paired with a Bergantino HT112 or Accugroove Tri110 (i alternate between them). Gorgeous clarity and attack.

When I dont need the volume, Im crazy for my Phil Jones Briefcase. It loves fretless.

veilletteMk4withPJB.jpg
 

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