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Sleeper combos on the secondary market
- Thread starter mindwell
- Start date
Does a PF 500 screwed to the 115 count as a combo? For smallish gigs I love that head, but I usually use it with an Avatar 212. The 115 is OK, but 4 ohm is best with that head INHO. I also have an older Peavey TNT 115 that sounds nice to me, but that might get over the 70 lb limit. It is heavy.
Sounds like you might prefer the PF800 then. 400w at 8 ohms. Most of the headroom of the PF500 running at 4 ohms, which does seem to make a difference in how these micro heads handle peaks at louder volumes.
Old yorkville 15 inches combo (like the Stage120) can be bought for next to nothing and have way more power than you would think (and most of them can handle extension cabs)
What about an used SWR Redhead? 2 x 10'' speakers and enough oomph to handle any 5-string. The Redhead is even better with an extension cab.
I (ab)used my Redhead together with a 410''-extension - cab for more than 16 years. Heavy giging all time, two bands and lots of freelancer gigs. As it released the magic smoke 6 years ago, it was impossible to get the spare parts from Fender, so a local tech tried to fix it 5 times. The results were poor, three times the amp was not even finishing the first song. It was even more difficult to get parts, because I live in Germany. I think I had more luck when living in the USA.
Because I like the sound of the Redhead, I gave it again to a tech who got out all the poweramp-guts and chqanged the old amphead to a preamp. He even builted a box for it, so it now looks a bit like a SWR Redface 350 in a wooden box. Sounds sweet together with a poweramp and several cabs.
I (ab)used my Redhead together with a 410''-extension - cab for more than 16 years. Heavy giging all time, two bands and lots of freelancer gigs. As it released the magic smoke 6 years ago, it was impossible to get the spare parts from Fender, so a local tech tried to fix it 5 times. The results were poor, three times the amp was not even finishing the first song. It was even more difficult to get parts, because I live in Germany. I think I had more luck when living in the USA.
Because I like the sound of the Redhead, I gave it again to a tech who got out all the poweramp-guts and chqanged the old amphead to a preamp. He even builted a box for it, so it now looks a bit like a SWR Redface 350 in a wooden box. Sounds sweet together with a poweramp and several cabs.
MrPierre wasn't there one of those older Yorkville combos with parametric EQ. Bloc 150b or something?
Ha, that's all I need right now is to get GAS for another bass amp. Those, I have plenty. I'm now looking for an early Deluxe Reverb (yes, I'm bad and starting to mess with the dark side, guitar). The Avatar is also neo speakers, so that's a real plus.
I haven't heard the PF800. Are they as nice as the 350 and 500? Love those, but not as much as my V4b's. (edited to say until I have to carry one)
i owned a fender pro 400 combo for a while. it was a very nice, very well built combo. the tone was there for sure and the power. it would do 500 watts at 2 ohms so connecting an exta cab, any extra cab was no problem. they are kinda rare.
another oddball would be a vintage piece for sure but the old sunn coliseum or beta combos. i have a beta combo that the head has been removed from. i use it as a cab. the speaker is a jbl e140. awesome tone. does just fine for volume against my drummer and 2 guitars at practice with a gk head. those combos were designed as cabs with a head on top. the speaker cab area is completely separate from the head area and the head could be easily removed and placed in a head box. i have never heard the actual sunn beta or coliseum amp but the speaker and cab are great. when i got mine the head was long gone.
another oddball would be a vintage piece for sure but the old sunn coliseum or beta combos. i have a beta combo that the head has been removed from. i use it as a cab. the speaker is a jbl e140. awesome tone. does just fine for volume against my drummer and 2 guitars at practice with a gk head. those combos were designed as cabs with a head on top. the speaker cab area is completely separate from the head area and the head could be easily removed and placed in a head box. i have never heard the actual sunn beta or coliseum amp but the speaker and cab are great. when i got mine the head was long gone.
I too like the Carvin Combos had a chance to play one and liked it. If something would happen to my Gk MB 150 I would definitely consider it highly.
If i were to pick three under your criteria they'd be the Ashdown Mag, then the Ashdown Mag... and then an Ashdown Mag... but that's just me...
Yup, I used to share some rehearsal space with a guy that had one of those (not sure about the model name) but the EQ on his was defective (he had it bypassed). It could get to "stupid-loud" with ease and he played a 5-string basse so I guess it handled the low-b without problem.
I hear you about having plenty of amps. I still haven't upgraded my PF350 because I'm quite happy with it as is. And the PF500 and PF800 have the same preamp and sound the same. The difference is in headroom, which if you're not too loud isn't an issue, but does seem to make a pleasant difference at higher volumes.
RealRandyMoss, I played one of those Sunn Beta bass combos for a while in a stage band. It was awesome : very loud 100 watts and nice tone. I also used a Sunn SB200 for about 10 years. Pounded the crap out of that thing in a 9 piece R&B group and it never hiccuped. Never seen another one but both Beta bass and SB200 are good sleepers if you ever get the chance to give them a whirl do so.
Mark bass CMD 121 combo with the New York 121 extension cab. Packs a huge punch at a micro size footprint.
Peavey Database. Tiny but gets stupid loud. People think you've brought a practice amp until they hear it then they ask you to turn down!
This is not much different from my current rig. I play into a Redhead with a Triad for an extension. It's a great rig. But it's just big enough to be awkward. It's downsized from my previous rig. But I'm thinking really hard about going a bit smaller and lighter. Those Carvin combos are intriguing, especially the MB1215 stack, a three way combo sitting on a 15 extension.
