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The Combo Club
- Thread starter ChefKen
- Start date
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Aye. The 12.
I have my BA-108V2 that does far more work than can ever be reasonably expected of a 25 watt amp.
To [mis]quiote Tina, "What's need got to do with it (got to do with it)? What's need but a problematic notion?"
IF I was interested in one, I'd take my "A" bass in for a try-out.
NAD: Boss Katana 210 bass combo amp.
I bought this amp for our vacation/ski place. It has a 1W attenuator setting that makes it great for practicing without rattling everyone's dentures, and it gets stupid loud on the full setting.
Yes, it's heavy - 48 lbs. - but "heavy" is a relative concept. For instance, it's not much heavier than than the BG-400 combo that I lug everywhere. Except that now, of course, I don't need to lug that thing to the vacation/ski place anymore.
I bought this amp for our vacation/ski place. It has a 1W attenuator setting that makes it great for practicing without rattling everyone's dentures, and it gets stupid loud on the full setting.
Yes, it's heavy - 48 lbs. - but "heavy" is a relative concept. For instance, it's not much heavier than than the BG-400 combo that I lug everywhere. Except that now, of course, I don't need to lug that thing to the vacation/ski place anymore.
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Saw a Boss Katana in the local music shop last week! And yes, I did pick it up to see how heavy it is. I also picked up the Rocket Bass amps to see how heavy they are!
That 1W setting is one of the main reasons I got my 110. In my limited experience with smaller amps previously, they need to be louder to sound better. Katana sounds good at low and (moderately) high volume for me. Can keep up with my guitarists 15W tube combos and a drummer with no issue. Music playback is great through it too, must be the tweeter. The effects are okay, useful during rainy season when I don't want to take out my pedalboard to the studio. Currently running it with the BT-Dual adapter and GA-FC footswitch!
Well I got rid of all my combos, but I couldn't help myself. I just ordered a Trace Elliot Elf 1x10 combo. I played one in a local music store and fell in love. It sounded great and was so lightweight. I ordered a new one via Sweetwater. Can't wait for it to come in!
Maybe you guys can help me. So as in my previous post, I ordered the ELF 1x10 combo. It should be here monday. I saw on the Sweetwater website that they have the GK MB110 as well. I talked to my sales rep at SW and he said that the next batch of MB110s will be in Mid March. My question is should I send the ELF back and wait for the GK? Is the GK better than the ELF? Thanks!
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Wouldn’t it be more appropriate if your amp was called a Leprechaun and it was green?
Since I play in a couple of places with back lines, I prefer the separate head, but the head in a cab with 2-8s would be interesting.
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
The Elf is the first amp I owned that isn't a combo. Bought it to power a PJB C4 cab when my PJB BG-400 and I were on two different continents. I love that it can be used as a stand-alone DI.
If it were me, I'd wait until the Elf shows up, play it a bit, see how you like it and it if does not check the boxes, send it back and get the GK for the same test. Sweetwater has a pretty good return policy.
I have not played the GK MB110, but I do have a GK MB150E/112 and it's been a great amp until recently. I tested out the Elf 110 combo at Sweetwater a year ago and thought it sounded really good. I would not cancel it without a proper audition.
Thank you for the reply! Yeah I think that is what I'm going to do. I played an ELF for a few minutes in a local music store and was impressed with the short audition. I like the look of the ELF way more than the GK.If it were me, I'd wait until the Elf shows up, play it a bit, see how you like it and it if does not check the boxes, send it back and get the GK for the same test. Sweetwater has a pretty good return policy.
I have not played the GK MB110, but I do have a GK MB150E/112 and it's been a great amp until recently. I tested out the Elf 110 combo at Sweetwater a year ago and thought it sounded really good. I would not cancel it without a proper audition.
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
The Elf's tone is held by Thems Who Knows to be faithful to the original Trace Elliot amps. I am not among those who played the originals, but am willing to take their word. I paired mine with a pair of PJB Cab 27 cabs and am more than casually pleased.
That said, my PJB combo is on recording duty. Two very different amps! I do not need more amps
Certainly not one of these RB112 combos at my local shop. 
That said, my PJB combo is on recording duty. Two very different amps! I do not need more amps
Certainly not one of these RB112 combos at my local shop.
Well the ELF 1x10 combo came in today. My verdict is that it's most definitely a keeper. It's very light and LOUD. It's just as loud as my Ampeg RB-112 and Rumble 100c that I owned. The tone is great and it has tons of bottom end. It is pricey, but it is very well made. On the Ampeg, Hartke, Rumbles, Bugera, & Markbass combos that I've owned, I've always had to tighten grill, amp, or chassis screws. With the ELF, all the screws are nice and tight. This is a high quality, well built combo amp. You can hear the fan and it comes on as soon as you turn the amp on, but it doesn't bother me. With 200 watts packed into a tiny amp, I would expect there to be some cooling involved. It's nowhere near as loud as the fan on the Hartke KB15. Overall I am very impressed with the ELF combo. It looks and sounds great! Oh and the cover is a huge plus!
