I should mention I want strong lows, lots of headroom, and the ability to go to high volumes. The fEARfuls have no problems doing this, and I don't have the confidence that an Ampeg 210 can get me there.
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The Fender Super Bassman 300 thread
- Thread starter Tim1
- Start date
I bought it in April of 2012 so I'll be out of pocket on that if that's the case.
The NV cabs are big, but really hard to beat IMO. I have the NV412 and man, what a rig. I also recently bought two Ampeg 212AVs, which sound pretty good too. Got them because I wanted the 810 sound in a modular setup. Close, though I haven't had the chance to gig with it yet...
I was literally about to post if anybody has tried the 212avs. Any pics? Do you prefer the 212s over the 412s? I'm playing through two acoustic b115 neo cabs, but feel as though they don't do this head justice.
Can't decide whether or not to go ported/sealed or what speaker size. Can't do a 610/810 atm.
Cabs. Such a subjective issue. I believe, IMHO, that there is signal chain in, (i.e.and just an example),passive Precision with worn in flats, no pedals into Super Bassman. Now what do you want a cab to do, given that is where you live. It's more or less where I live. Blues, Hendrix SRV etc. Super Bassman kills for this format. You might be Metal or Reggae. What cab carries that out to the live performance. In my small world, the cab actually does carry my sound to the club or party. In the case of the Green Day bassist maybe a miked cab or DI or both out to huge PA array. If I were a local club and party band guy, which I am, I would simply add a Fender 6x10 or 8x10 cab, and call it done. They look good together. However I am an explorer of cool stuff for my own gratification. Therefore I have cabs that are outside the box. Cause I want to. The clubs,(dives), I play don't tell me I have to be in the sound guy's mix. There is no sound guy or back line. There are PA's but I am not required to be in them. I bring the rumble in any way I see fit. Guys like Rod and Tim and others that love this head have offered their input as regular giggin guys who have owned a lot of gear. Cabs are subjective. Some like baked in limited response cabs, that sound just like all those songs we grew up on etc. Some like new cab designs that offer full response across the spectrum without big dips at certain frequencies etc. I am in the latter category. To ask what cab sounds best with the super bassman is a partial question, and can not be honestly answered. To say something like, I want my Super Bassman to cop the best Jaco or Rocco or Jamerson or etc can give experienced people a starting point.
I'm playing more aggressive music in a 3-piece, so having the punch and articulation in the low (plenty of fast lines etc.) Make me lean towards a sealed cab of sorts. Most shows I play are minus the PA support though, and I don't want to forsake my low-end responsibilities. Decisions.Decisions.
So you should be able to access a lot of new and old. I recommend something unequivocally that you should try. But I am an old guy and an old school music guy. YMMV This head sounds great through standard stuff like fridges and NV's and I know for a fact more cutting edge stuff. I.e if you were a big time touring dude and all your sound really was sent to the audience via high end PA, then what cabs have high end PA response? One way to go. The others are fine too
Fender Bassman Neo 115 cabs x2. One for small gigs at 8 ohms. ..2 for larger gigs. 4 for Big uns... eeeek!!!!!!!
This cab really helps the Super Bassman some. I've not tried the other Neo Bassman cabs yet Sadly. But this 115 really sounds great with the SB300.
I sold some of my Berg cabs they're so good.
Not the Fender head but with my new ri-V4B, the 212AV's are great. I only play 5ers J or P and have plenty of low end w/o PA support and very nice grind when I dig in and want that tone.
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Had to have two of the 212AVs - I'm used to playing through that big old NV cab. Very similar in terms of volume and the size/depth of their sound - both fairly even low-high too from what I can tell. The Ampegs are a little less refined yet warmer. The NV is more transparent. None of these cabs are going anywhere...
Oh my gawd. So many choices.
Can anybody compare the basic sound/quality/volume of the fender Neo cabs to the Ampeg Av and the berg NV cabs? And how about the Baer 212?
Can anybody compare the basic sound/quality/volume of the fender Neo cabs to the Ampeg Av and the berg NV cabs? And how about the Baer 212?
I can compare the NV610 to the Fender neo 610, Smeet. When I purchased my Fender neo 610 I still had the Bergantino NV610 so was able to directly compare them in the same conditions, side by side. I posted about it a while ago, to sum up both cabs sounded great but I was able to eq the Fender to sound pretty much identical to the Berg, plus the Fender was I thought more versatile since it was more extended at both frequency extremes if you needed it. The horn in the Fender cab is wonderfully integrated and natural, and the bottom end is surprisingly tight for a ported cab. Bottom line was I sold the Berg and have never regretted it. The Fender neo 610 sounds fabulous with the SB300 with heaps of midrange punch and they look great together too, and even though I have traded it up for the neo 810 I do miss it.
Now my Berg NV215 I will never sell.....
Now my Berg NV215 I will never sell.....
Snap, Smeet. I too have been contemplating adding a 212AV to the stable for a while now. Just haven't had the opportunity to try one yet.
As I stated above, I only play 5 string basses. With my Ampeg rig so far only my passive P or J. I've not tried my more modern, active 5ers with this rig yet. I have played large bar gigs with two loud, tubed-up gitards in a blues-rock band with and without PA support. Once with two 212AV's. Now with just a single 212AV. And I'm holding down the bottom end nice n tight with plenty volume and with only my 100 watt V4B. I bet that 300 watt Fender will kill with one or two 212AV's. I'd think preferably two of them with that head. But start with one and see if you might need more. I called in to Sweetwater and they discounted each of my 212AV's nicely. I am starting to eye that Fender or Ampeg 610 for next years summer gigs. But two 212AV's would do just fine easily. I also have a 112AV and I run 3x12's at times. Mostly just to have the amp up higher as the 212AV is a squatty, little cab.
Just on this matter. ....
I use my Super Bassman With just ONE Bassman 115 neo cab. I did but two but had a small issue with one & returned it. A SVT810 came up for sale locally for a price I couldn't refuse.... so I grabbed that.
That said. ....I use the Super Bassman mostly with just the one Neo 115 Bassman cab. It does just fine at most reasonable volume gigs. I've had nothing but compliments on my tone using this set up.
The Super Bassman does sound awesome at low volume levels too.
I'm using this rig at a restaurant gig this Sunday. It still sounds tubey and tubby and solid and punchy thru the 115 and with the active channel dialed in just right, I can add just a slight amount of grit & growl, again at low volume levels.
Using a P bass with flats the vintage channel is just lovely but I've also had superb results with my EBMM STINGRAY 5 with Elixir rounds. Getting a 'modern' (fairly) zingy time for some slap. .... when required.
Awesome amp. Great cab. I hope to keep this rig fora long time.
I use my Super Bassman With just ONE Bassman 115 neo cab. I did but two but had a small issue with one & returned it. A SVT810 came up for sale locally for a price I couldn't refuse.... so I grabbed that.
That said. ....I use the Super Bassman mostly with just the one Neo 115 Bassman cab. It does just fine at most reasonable volume gigs. I've had nothing but compliments on my tone using this set up.
The Super Bassman does sound awesome at low volume levels too.
I'm using this rig at a restaurant gig this Sunday. It still sounds tubey and tubby and solid and punchy thru the 115 and with the active channel dialed in just right, I can add just a slight amount of grit & growl, again at low volume levels.
Using a P bass with flats the vintage channel is just lovely but I've also had superb results with my EBMM STINGRAY 5 with Elixir rounds. Getting a 'modern' (fairly) zingy time for some slap. .... when required.
Awesome amp. Great cab. I hope to keep this rig fora long time.
Had a guitarist friend over and he played his Strat through my SB300 and 12/6/1. Incredible warm jazzy sound on the clean channel. Huge on the distortion channel. Then we both plugged into the SB300 and played through some jazz standards (clean channel w/ Bass: 3, Mid 8.5, treble 7.5). Double wow! Both guitar and bass sounded so good, full and defined, I couldn't believe it.
I had a first rehearsal with a Satriani/Vai kind of outfit, it was supposed to be a low-volume meetup. It wasn't. At all. My poor B100R was mostly inaudible even though it was maxed out and distorting. I HATE being underpowered. Next time SB300. They will hear me, I swear it.
So I think I really want to buy either the Fender Neo 115 or the Ampeg 212av. I'll probably go play through both of them tomorrow, but being a specs kind of guy, I really want to do an on-paper comparison. Fender is remarkably unforthcoming on details. No sensitivity, frequency response, or Max SPL???
Looking online, I see:
Neo 115:
Power Handling: 700 watts program (350 watts continuous)
Frequency Response (-3dB): ???
Usable Low Frequency (-10 dB): ???
Sensitivity: ???
Maximum SPL: ???
Total Impedence: 8 ohms
Dimensions (W x H x D inches): 26 x 20.75 x 16.25
Weight: 45 Pounds
212av:
RMS Power Handling: 600 Watts
Frequency Response (-3dB): 71 Hz -18 kHz
Usable Low Frequency (-10 dB): 40 Hz
Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms
Sensitivity: 99 dB
Maximum SPL: 127 dB
Dimensions (W x H x D inches): 24 x 25 x 16
Weight: 66 Pounds
What I see:
Power handling is similar.
The 212av is a bit taller and 20 pounds heavier. Is the sound worth the difference?
The low end rolls off pretty high, but maybe the sound is deeper than the numbers look.
8 ohms vs 4 ohms. Not so important with the SB300, but my other heads won't do 2 ohms, so if I end up getting 2, the 212av might be less flexible.
Any idea where I can find Fender's missing specs?
Which will sound BIGGER? Deeper? Aggressive-er? I'll try them out tomorrow and report back on my initial impressions.
I had a first rehearsal with a Satriani/Vai kind of outfit, it was supposed to be a low-volume meetup. It wasn't. At all. My poor B100R was mostly inaudible even though it was maxed out and distorting. I HATE being underpowered. Next time SB300. They will hear me, I swear it.
So I think I really want to buy either the Fender Neo 115 or the Ampeg 212av. I'll probably go play through both of them tomorrow, but being a specs kind of guy, I really want to do an on-paper comparison. Fender is remarkably unforthcoming on details. No sensitivity, frequency response, or Max SPL???
Looking online, I see:
Neo 115:
Power Handling: 700 watts program (350 watts continuous)
Frequency Response (-3dB): ???
Usable Low Frequency (-10 dB): ???
Sensitivity: ???
Maximum SPL: ???
Total Impedence: 8 ohms
Dimensions (W x H x D inches): 26 x 20.75 x 16.25
Weight: 45 Pounds
212av:
RMS Power Handling: 600 Watts
Frequency Response (-3dB): 71 Hz -18 kHz
Usable Low Frequency (-10 dB): 40 Hz
Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms
Sensitivity: 99 dB
Maximum SPL: 127 dB
Dimensions (W x H x D inches): 24 x 25 x 16
Weight: 66 Pounds
What I see:
Power handling is similar.
The 212av is a bit taller and 20 pounds heavier. Is the sound worth the difference?
The low end rolls off pretty high, but maybe the sound is deeper than the numbers look.
8 ohms vs 4 ohms. Not so important with the SB300, but my other heads won't do 2 ohms, so if I end up getting 2, the 212av might be less flexible.
Any idea where I can find Fender's missing specs?
Which will sound BIGGER? Deeper? Aggressive-er? I'll try them out tomorrow and report back on my initial impressions.
Also check that the Fender Bassman Neo 115 IS ACTUALLY 45LBS one I returned weighed nearly 60lbs
