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Thinking about making the jump to Tubes... input needed!

#22
Jonyak said:
I just bought an SVT2 pro, my first bass amp.

I will never go back to a hybrid/solidstate amp again.I played a gig with it last weekends and I was getting compliments on tone from the crowd.

it is heavy, like really heavy.
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you know, musicians are fond of saying that the audience can't tell a difference, but when i went back to my svt/810 for the first time last year, a TON of people in the audience noticed the difference, even at the ridiculously low volumes i play at. people don't believe me so i don't say it anymore, but since you threw yourself on the grenade already, i figured i'd jump on it 10 seconds after it goes off ;)
 
#23
The Traynor is/was basically a Hiwatt, only made in Canada. I remember looking inside the YBA Custom Bassmaster I had for the first time. Beautiful point to point layout, Really great tone. It really depends on the sound you desire. You can't go wrong with any of the amps you mentioned! Have fun, and be sure to find a good amp tech.
 
#24
Also a newly converted tube guy, funny, I just got a SVT 2 Pro as well. Pretty blown away by it. I was always messing with my SS trying to get any kind of passable tone out of it, sometimes it would send good, sometimes it wouldn't. Pretty much everything on the 2 pro sounds good, it's just a matter of dialing in what I like in my tone. If you like to tweak, a 2 pro or the Fender 300t are good choices. The V4B gets you that overdriven SVT sound, but not much else, since you need to crank it. SVT classic is pretty much a one trick pony as well, but gives you some wiggle room in both directions.

The only SS head I'd ever want again would probably by the 800rb since that is pretty infallible as well, yet , very different.
 
#25
wetzelman1 said:
............... SVT classic is pretty much a one trick pony as well, but gives you some wiggle room in both directions.
.
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IME, i don't find it to be a 'one trick pony', but if it is to you, IMO, it does that 'one trick' alot better than most amp's 'multiple tricks' combined. ;)
 
#26
SUNN 300T ftw! These can be found used around $700. Love mine. If you ever need more amp than this, you should be running DI anyway.

If you can't find used, no sweat. It lives on as the Fender 300 PRO:

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Just don't forget the accessories--namely, the 300-pound Samoan to help you carry it. :D
 
#27
wetzelman1 said:
Also a newly converted tube guy, funny, I just got a SVT 2 Pro as well. Pretty blown away by it. I was always messing with my SS trying to get any kind of passable tone out of it, sometimes it would send good, sometimes it wouldn't. Pretty much everything on the 2 pro sounds good, it's just a matter of dialing in what I like in my tone. If you like to tweak, a 2 pro or the Fender 300t are good choices. The V4B gets you that overdriven SVT sound, but not much else, since you need to crank it. SVT classic is pretty much a one trick pony as well, but gives you some wiggle room in both directions.
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where does this one-trick pony nonsense emanate from? i've used both an svt and a v4b on all different types of music...rock, pop, funk, disco, jazz, even did an arabic gig once. not once did the ampegs sound out of place or give me only a rock sound.

versatility comes from within, not from your amp. you can use any type of amp on any type of music.
 
#28
JimmyM said:
where does this one-trick pony nonsense emanate from? i've used both an svt and a v4b on all different types of music...rock, pop, funk, disco, jazz, even did an arabic gig once. not once did the ampegs sound out of place or give me only a rock sound.

versatility comes from within, not from your amp. you can use any type of amp on any type of music.
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IMHO... if it was a "one trick pony", then why do so many bassist use it, and have used it since 1970?

I don't own one, and likely won't, but i sure do respect it. :)
 
#29
BassmanPaul said:
For me i'll not use a full tube amp again on stage. You could try a full tube pre to drive a good SS power amp. If this route works for you it'll save you the trouble and expense of going full tube.

Paul
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care to elaborate?
I have used tube and solidstate bass and guitar heads and find neither to be especially more reliable or less reliable. If anything solidstate heads seem to have more of an issue with heat. not all of them, but some.
 
#30
wetzelman1 said:
Also a newly converted tube guy

The V4B gets you that overdriven SVT sound, but not much else, since you need to crank it. SVT classic is pretty much a one trick pony as well, but gives you some wiggle room in both directions.
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Man, I think that you've got a lot of pleasant surprises ahead of you since you just got into the tube thing. I envy you!:)

I haven't been using a full tube rig for awhile.....but every time I plug into my luthier friends Ampeg VT-22 Combo in his shop, I wonder why. It's pretty much a V4 in a 212 cab, designed and marketed for guitar. Heavy in more ways than one.;) Tone, punch, clarity, the right kind of touch response. If 4 7027 power tubes don't give ya'all enough stage volume, then I wouldn't want to be anywherez near the stage.
 
#34
Munjibunga said:
What does your back think of this idea?
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i know what YOUR back thinks of the idea, but your heart is telling you "i need an svt/810!"

you'll have one before the year's out ;)

obviously some of us are way more manly than you :bassist: although i certainly won't rule out getting a great tone from a hybrid or solid state amp. especially now that everyone seems to have figured out how to make solid state amps sound more tubey. but having said that, i still find there's no substitute for the real thing. oh sure, i've done it, but i don't get as much enjoyment out of it.
 
#36
What? SVT's don't come with a lifetime supply of buffed transportation minions from the factory?:D

Of course tube amps are heavier in general. I guess that's why we've got all these sansamp vt pedals now, to simulate the tube sounds. But until they simplify the operation of those to be like one specific amp, I'm staying away.
 
#37
RobEmpire said:
theres never a need for 8x10 really unless you playing MSG...an ampeg 6x10 will do just fine.
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i don't like the ampeg 610. i like the ampeg 810. besides, i do a lot of really big shows, including a bunch of arena shows every year ;) at today's gig there will probably be 5000 people. unless of course it rains as expected. so my svt will sit at home and i'll bring my modded british pedal as a di and my crate power block. rock.
 
#38
JimmyM said:
for once, i agree with you ;)
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I think tube amps get an unfair rap as being unreliable or delicate. I've toure with vintage traynors, ampegs and slightly more modern Mesa Boogies. (Is the bass 400 vintage yet?). Otoh tube amps ARE less foolproof. That whole output transformer thing has bitten quite a lot of us. You know, turn on, nothing comes out. Turn up still nothing. Oops no speaker cable! Pop goes the ot!
 

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