TC BQ500

[FearNoEvil65]

I bought this as a backup, to run with my Fender Rumble 115 cab.
This little head sounds pretty good with this cab. It's pretty loud with just the 115 cab! It would scream with another 8ohm cab hooked up. The Speakon cable is a brute.
Sounds decent using headphones from the amp.
It's a nice practice setup and has enough volume to play louder also. All in all pretty happy with this not expensive little amp.

 

[Daniel B5]

I have one as a backup to my Traynor SB500H. It was so inexpensive, it was worth it just to try. And I was pleasantly surprised!

 

[five7]

I am happy with mine so far. It has some juice.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I bought one as a backup/leave-it-at-the-rehearsal-studio amp ~5 or 6 years ago, and it certainly excelled at that.

But lately I've been dragging it along as my main amp, and so far (knock on wood) it hasn't let me down.

Tomorrow night I'm gonna try it at an outdoor show with no PA support, driving a pair of 8 ohm cabinets.

Hope my impression of the amp remains as high after that gig!

 

[FearNoEvil65]

I bought one as a backup/leave-it-at-the-rehearsal-studio amp ~5 or 6 years ago, and it certainly excelled at that.

But lately I've been dragging it along as my main amp, and so far (knock on wood) it hasn't let me down.

Tomorrow night I'm gonna try it at an outdoor show with no PA support, driving a pair of 8 ohm cabinets.

Hope my impression of the amp remains as high after that gig!

I'd like to hook my BQ500 up to a 4ohm load, and hear the difference. I think it'd be pretty powerful, at least for me. Good luck!

 

[Bob_Ross]

Tomorrow night I'm gonna try it at an outdoor show with no PA support, driving a pair of 8 ohm cabinets.

Hope my impression of the amp remains as high after that gig!

Indeed, my impression of the BQ500 remains high as ever after tonight's gig. It performed like a champ: Driving two Flite Sound cabinets -- one loaded with a 15" Eminence Delta 15LFA, the other with a 12" Altec-Lansing 601 -- it was plenty loud enough onstage and out in the audience. Tons of clean headroom (and presumably even more; I only had the Gain at 9 o'clock and the Master at 10 o'clock), and the tone sounded just like what I expect from my bass. This amp is probably gonna see a lot of use!

 

[DWBass]

These are hit or miss. I bought one and the tone controls didn't work. I promptly unloaded it.

 

[FearNoEvil65]

These are hit or miss. I bought one and the tone controls didn't work. I promptly unloaded it.

I think the tone controls are at weird preset areas, this isn't the best amp out there that's for sure but for the $$ it's decent.
I have a Fender Rumble combo, that sounds a bit better to me. But this is a nice little backup, in case the old combo dies I'll have something in the meantime.

 

[nonohmic]

I have one as a backup to my Traynor SB500H. It was so inexpensive, it was worth it just to try. And I was pleasantly surprised!

What's your thoughts on the traynor vs the bq500? Is the traynor worth the $$

 

[Daniel B5]

What's your thoughts on the traynor vs the bq500? Is the traynor worth the $$

I haven't used the BQ500 for more than a few practice sessions. It held its own in a small room with drums and an electric guitar but I haven't pushed it. Tonewise, it seems pretty flat; if you want character, look to your pedals.

I have gigged with the Traynor, pushing two 2x10 cabs. No lack of power there. Like the BQ500, it's pretty flat, which is fine with me. Unlike the BQ500, it has an FX loop and dual Speakon outputs--and it's actually one pound lighter. The one place it falls short is that it lacks an AUX input. Traynor's support for their products is legendary (and close at hand for Canadians in any town with a Long & McQuades shop).

At CAD $225 for the BQ500 vs. $700 for the SB500, though, I would be hard pressed to justify paying the extra $$$ based on my own (limited) experience. The BQ500 seems to be on backorder continually, and I haven't seen any used ones for sale, so I suspect most people that get their hands on one are pretty happy with it.

 

[nonohmic]

I haven't used the BQ500 for more than a few practice sessions. It held its own in a small room with drums and an electric guitar but I haven't pushed it. Tonewise, it seems pretty flat; if you want character, look to your pedals.

I have gigged with the Traynor, pushing two 2x10 cabs. No lack of power there. Like the BQ500, it's pretty flat, which is fine with me. Unlike the BQ500, it has an FX loop and dual Speakon outputs--and it's actually one pound lighter. The one place it falls short is that it lacks an AUX input. Traynor's support for their products is legendary (and close at hand for Canadians in any town with a Long & McQuades shop).

At CAD $225 for the BQ500 vs. $700 for the SB500, though, I would be hard pressed to justify paying the extra $$$ based on my own (limited) experience. The BQ500 seems to be on backorder continually, and I haven't seen any used ones for sale, so I suspect most people that get their hands on one are pretty happy with it.

Awesome thanks, that's a good review/feedback.