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That classic tube sound.

#44
I would say, find an all tube vintage amp. With a little looking, they can be had for a very decent price, and be sure to save a little coin for tubes and caps when required. The smaller the amp, the harder you'll run it and the quicker you'll have to replace tubes. But it's worth it, there is no substitute! And lower power amps typically have lower priced tubes. I'd look at Ampeg B25 or V4B's. Just make sure the amps output impedance matches your cab.
 
#46
dmac1961 said:
I would say, find an all tube vintage amp. With a little looking, they can be had for a very decent price, and be sure to save a little coin for tubes and caps when required. The smaller the amp, the harder you'll run it and the quicker you'll have to replace tubes. But it's worth it, there is no substitute! And lower power amps typically have lower priced tubes. I'd look at Ampeg B25 or V4B's. Just make sure the amps output impedance matches your cab.
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Excellent advice!
 
#47
JimmyM said:
Really? Might have to try that sometime. But if you DI, where do you get it from?
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I just use the amp DI set to pre, or i put the REDDI xlr straight into a DBX 160a and line the xlr output to FOH and the 1/4" to the amp

or from the thru out of the backwards JDI you could run another DI to FOH = 3 DI boxes! :) maybe run an avalon U5 there just to annoy gearheads...
 
#48
dmac1961 said:
I would say, find an all tube vintage amp. With a little looking, they can be had for a very decent price, and be sure to save a little coin for tubes and caps when required. The smaller the amp, the harder you'll run it and the quicker you'll have to replace tubes. But it's worth it, there is no substitute! And lower power amps typically have lower priced tubes. I'd look at Ampeg B25 or V4B's. Just make sure the amps output impedance matches your cab.
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I totally agree. Over here in Europe you can find quite a bunch of Fender/Marshall clones from the 60's and 70's for very decent prices, e.g. London City, Roost, Echolette, Winston ....

Just recently I bought this little bugger:

7396011824_dc5bcf5987_c.jpg


A 50 Watt all tube Amp (2xEL34). Basically it's a JTM45 clone, made in the mid sixties. Got it in really good shape (new tubes) for 250 Euros. Sounds fantastic through one or two 12" cabs.
 
#49
Energy said:
I totally agree. Over here in Europe you can find quite a bunch of Fender/Marshall clones from the 60's and 70's for very decent prices, e.g. London City, Roost, Echolette, Winston ....

Just recently I bought this little bugger:

7396011824_dc5bcf5987_c.jpg


A 50 Watt all tube Amp (2xEL34). Basically it's a JTM45 clone, made in the mid sixties. Got it in really good shape (new tubes) for 250 Euros. Sounds fantastic through one or two 12" cabs.
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Thats cool! Nice!
 
#50
I have a peavey 60/60 power amp (blown), a Peavey windsor (needs a wee bit of work) as well as a GK MB200 with a sansamp in front.

For portability and the tone you're most likely looking for, the GK with my carvin 2x10 4 ohm and sansamp, it's a great little setup.

I guess I am confused for what you want out of the tube amp, most lovely tube sound comes from driving of the tubes, especially the power tubes like in a SVT (which the sansamp models). I find the idea of you getting a 200+ watt tube amp to play with a small acoustic set a wee bit extreme.

Old silverface bassman amps, also keep an open mind an try a guitar tube head into say a 1x15, if it's just too bright a simple preamp EQ cap change could fix it, or roll the tone on your bass, or get an EQ pedal.

Reason I say this is guitar heads like crate vintage models, peavey classic 30/50 heads, etc can be had for wayy less than the bass amp, and tend to stay at 5-120 watts compared to bass tube amps which reach into 400-500 watts where you'd be blasting massive amounts of volume to get the "tube" sound.

My windsor cost $140 I will be modding it a bit for less gain and more bass and low mids, I got a gutted TNT combo with a BW equipped free, and I have spent maybe $40 turning it into a matching cab for it. It's not exactly what you'd probably need though for an acoustic set.

I honestly think a VT should be tried or purchased, it's a DI, recording device, and great pedal, even if you still get a tube amp it's nice to have around, I got mine for $40 by trading an amp I got for $40.
 
#52
tubey high tech - bass mod wmd geiger counter into the pignose hog 30
tubey - blue tube 903 into a solid state combo
real tubey - mesa boogie d180 into an orange 115

always used 115s and tube amps for shows and band practices, for the type of music i play, i'm not a pro by any means, but i think i get a pretty good tone both fingerstyle and picking, i really like tube amps for the pronounced sound of the harmonics and dead notes in some of the more math rock noise pop stuff i do
 
#53
It's kind of an intentional wind up for anyone to say some modeling amp or cute little stompbox will make a PA power amp sound just as good as an SVT or Sunn all tube head. Likewise when the "tube amp" has one single tube and folks say "it sounds just like a real all tube head". There is a reason idiots like me keep draggin around 50 and 80 pound heads when 5 pound heads exist! It sounds much better, and the tone/texture is controllable by playing technique.
I have yet to encounter a single modeling amp or 1 tube wonder that can pull this off. IME they all sound like a tube amp played at one volume level with a very consistent bassist. They do not do that neat thing where they clean up nicely just by playing a little more lightly. Then get huge and round when you play harder. The worst ones just sound compressed to hell. And not in a good way. In a Alesis 3630 on everything way.

As far as affordable tube heads, check out the Traynor YBA1a. It only does 90 watts, but into a decent 4x10 or 2x15 that shold be plenty loud for hte kind of work your are doing. They usually go for $300-500 used.
 
#55
Exxcell said:
I'm not looking for gut busting volume. My band plays pretty quietly. We have switched from drums to a Cahone and we have 2 acoustic guitars. Other times, Im DI into the PA.

I've found a Ampeg V3 on CL for $350. I think I'm going to go check that out. Are they suitable for bass?
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I think an Ampeg Fliptop would fit perfectly w/ this mix, maybe even a B-12. Maybe out of your budget range, but there are some great-
sounding but beat-up gems out there.
 
#56
I have an early 70s Ampeg V4 and a 72 Traynor YBA-3. Either one would give you exactly what you are asking for. I got them both this year and have less than $400 in either of them.

Others that would do ya':

Traynor YBA-1 (45W) or YBA-1A (90W) (seen 'em recently for $500 and less)
Peavey Classic 400 (400W, I think) (not sure, but probably $500 - 600, if you can find one)
Ampeg SVT 2 Pro (300W) (seen 'em recently for as low as $700 - 800.
 
#57
Thing about the Traynor YBA1/YBA1a.
They have that "vintage tone" baked in. There is no way you can get a ground shaking low end or brittle piercing high end. It's just a whole ton of midrange. From mid bass to upper mid.
I will also add that when I ran a single EVM 15 in a ported cab with a YBA1a I was often told I was too loud! 90 watts....
 

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