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The ol' "Which amp?" but with some specific/unique requirements.

negativefx

negativefx

complete hack
Feb 18, 2013
423
94
Fort Collins
#1
Howdy,

First, I'm looking at the new Fender V3 Rumble 500 and the Portaflex 500 + matching 15 HE cab. They both seem to meet me in the middle on my requirements but they're not hitting every check box. What else is out there?

- I'm using it for a Fender CS Bass VI. The pickups are voiced similar to those on the Pawn Shop VI but the neck pickup is a one-off precision-like pup.
- Budget of $1000 give or take. Yes, I'm aware the Rumble and the PF setups are well under 1k.
- It's going to be used for gigging alongside a Fender Supersonic 100 2x12 guitar combo, a Fender Twin 100 2x12 guitar combo, and my Super Bassman + 2 fearful 15/6s.
- I can mic it and run it to house if need be but I would rather not mic it for practice so 200w+ is probably necessary.
- Weight isn't an issue (those 2x12 combos we use are insanely heavy) but certainly a bonus if it is lightweight.
- Small size is preferred. The Rumble 500 and the fliptop portaflex setup are ideal size.

We're going to use the VI for a couple of purposes.
- It's going to fill in the 'bass' role when I play super low sludgy stuff (BEAD) on the bass guitar. I'll use the neck p-pup for that.
- We're going to play it as more of a rhythm guitar with fuzz/overdrive/disto when both guitars are doing leady/texture things that guitar players like to do. Plan on using the bridge P90-like pup for that.
- Delays, mods, and verbs will be used in some spots where we want the texture to come from the VI rather than the the guitars, so a FX loop is almost a requirement but I'm open to other ideas.
- The new Digitech Bass Whammy is on-hand will be used whenever necessary (oct up and down).
- Two channels (clean/OD or foot-switchable EQ) would be a huge bonus.
- No preference on head+cab or combo.
- The lowest I'll tune it is Drop Db but it will usually be tuned to full Eb.

I'd really like to find a tube setup so I don't have to worry about clipping problems when I smash the front end and power section, but I suspect I'm not going to find anything in the $1k price range. Contradicting the previous statement, versatility would also be nice. I'm not opposed to modeling amps, but I'm not at all interested in Line 6 amps. If it fits within budget, I'm also fine with recommendations on things like "get this $500 amp and this $500 FX setup..." On-board FX would go unused so amps like the TC BH250 don't do much for me.

Vintage is not desirable. I like to play them, not fix them. Used is fine! Feel free to plug your classifieds or make offers as long as it's not in violation of any T&Cs on TB. If you have a Kemper for $1000, give me a call. ;)

Thanks all!
 
#3
Amp effects loops tend to work better with rack fx units.

What's a Super Bassman? Is that the new 300w tube thing?

Your 15/6 cabs are pretty portable. I wouldn't bother with a combo. I like :bassist: 's approach with mb200 as a preamp for big PA , but if you can't get it done with 800w micro you're too loud.
 
#4
Downunderwonder said:
Amp effects loops tend to work better with rack fx units.

What's a Super Bassman? Is that the new 300w tube thing?

Your 15/6 cabs are pretty portable. I wouldn't bother with a combo. I like :bassist: 's approach with mb200 as a preamp for big PA , but if you can't get it done with 800w micro you're too loud.
Click to expand...

Yes, the new 300w thing. The cabs are plugged into the Super Bassman so not available for the baritone amp.
 
#6
I've played the VI through guitar amps and their drivers simply are not voiced for the VI. Also, I never said *I* would be playing the VI in every song... I said it would be used alongside of it. Most of the time, it will be played by the rhythm player or the vocalist. Therefore my bass amp is already in use. Need another amp for the VI.

Edit: probably put too much info in the OP. What is a good sub-1k setup for a VI that will be used for both bass and rhythm guitar purposes and has enough power to play with a full hard rock band?
 
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#9
Ok, I think I get it. You want to have a trebbly rhythm VI bass part going on with regular bass bass, as well as use the VI as a bass bass on other numbers?

How attached are you to the Fender?

No reason you couldn't go with preamps and fx and run both through a mini mixer with a power amp.
 
#14
BassmanPaul said:
I'd look at a 100W tube amp and a 4x12. I would also advise a HPF to tame the low end a bit. Both instruments going through the same amp and cabinet at the same time I think would cause phasing issues and sound poor.
Click to expand...
There's no phasing between instruments. If they duplicate lines in the same octave they'll muddy the mix but I don't think that's a proper user use of the term "phase".

So far as I'm aware it's no different to guitars stepping over bass, having it coming out of one stack will make it much more obvious on stage than usual.
 
#15
I think you're on the right track with a little Ampeg rig, but I might recommend either the PF210he or the SVT 212av for a cab. The reason is that they don't go as low in the lows as the other PF cabs. I had a couple PF115he's at one time and they do sound great, but they just go too low for me. I'm used to the lows on an 810e, and the 212av is closest to it IMHO.
 
#16
My opinion, you don't need two amps - that's just to much real estate to drag around without purpose. Guitarists use seperate rigs to get different power amp responses from their own guitars.

What would be nice would be valve head with effects loop. BEAD bass into head preamp, preamp out to mixer, back to power amp in. Bass VI through effects pedals to nice preamp/di to mixer to power amp in. Up to you what amps/preamps to use or even two preamps and a solid state power amp.

definitely no phase issues. Speakers tend to be able to handle more than one note at a time.
 
#17
Downunderwonder said:
No reason you couldn't go with preamps and fx and run both through a mini mixer with a power amp.
Click to expand...

This is what I was thinking as well. Power amps are relatively cheap - buy a $500 Hartke 1000 watts power amp and you've got headroom to spare, stick a preamp or preamp pedal in front for flavor and you're now just shopping for a cab that can handle it.
 
#19
Downunderwonder said:
There's no phasing between instruments. If they duplicate lines in the same octave they'll muddy the mix but I don't think that's a proper user use of the term "phase".

So far as I'm aware it's no different to guitars stepping over bass, having it coming out of one stack will make it much more obvious on stage than usual.
Click to expand...

And the magic word is IF. :) Believe me I do know the proper use of the word phase but sometimes you need to drop from proper terminology to try to get the opinion across to folk less technically minded. I agree with most of your post, as I often do :), I just feel that problems could arise.
 

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