Thoughts on Hartke?

[TheFlashSawyer]

Just wondering what any of you have to say about Hartke amps because I'm quite possibly gonna be purchasing a basic half stack pretty soon - A Hartke HA2500 head and a 4x10 BXL cabinet to be specific.

I'm well aware there are a lot of better bass amps out there in terms of stability, tone etc. but I'm on a student budget and basically, do you guys think it'll do the job for the simple purpose of giving me power to my sound and standing up to a bands mix.
All responses and advice would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[keiththebassist]

Absolutely a good choice, many people overlook hartke simply because it doesn't have a four digit price tag. I rocked the same set up your pondering for some time and it definitely pumps out enough juice and has plenty of tonal shaping options.

 

[Dustin Teel]

Hartke makes fine gear. I have the HA5500 and it sounds great. The tube preamp section is wonderful, as are the low and high pass switches.

I say go for it. You won't regret it.

 

[Goatee220]

I've rocked a Hartke since the early 90's. Love it on stage and in the studio. My only wish is that they made a micro-version. I'm tired of lugging my heavy 3500 around.

 

[fuzzy beard]

No better customer care period!

 

[pfschim]

Hartke gear is just fine. Not boutique at all, quite the opposite, meat and potatoes kind of gear. Very well thought out, straight forward controls and options, built to last over the long haul at a great price point. Whats not to like ?

I used a LH500 as an altnerate/backup for a few months last year and found it to be a very nice amp. A bit on the heavy side compared to all the lightweight class D amps on the market these days but still very good and very affordable head.

It did cop the F-1x pre through a power amp tone very nicely IMO.

go for it!

 

[craig.p]

LH500 is definitely on my short list if I ever need another utility bass amp.

 

[schecter5string]

You really can't go wrong with Hartke.
I play A HA3500 head with a HyDrive 410, I also have a Hartke 2200 Pro as a back up cab.
You may want to look at the 2200 pro as a cab option, it really is a great 2x12 cab, it is 4ohms so it would be the only cab you could run with that head, but you would get all 250 watts into it.

Link Removed

You can also look at Guitar Centers National used list for used cabs, it is always better to spend your money on the best cab you can, good deals can be found if you take your time and look around.

 

[vin088xk1]

I've got the 2500 with 115xl and 210xl, great sound and easy to transport

 

[Hactar]

Hartke gear is great, sounds nice, is reliable.

Oh, and some of the best, most epic customer service on the planet.

There are many threads on TB detailing Larry Hartke personally helping people. Search around, Larry Hartke is the man.

 

[djshawn47]

I have never played through a Hartke that I liked the sound of. From other posts it sounds like they are durable and dependable; We all know they are inexpensive. So I think it comes down to whether YOU like the way they sound.

 

[JimmyM]

I may be an Ampeg endorser, but I have a lot of respect for Hartke and especially Larry.

 

[sad_katz]

Hartke offerings are fine working horse. Nothing boutique, just plain works. Add on top of that with Larry's personal support, Hartke is a good choice.

 

[kellyrojo]

I got my 4X10 Xl for 100$ from a pawn thinking that was what it was about worth.....the thing has well exceeded my expectations and has paid for itself 400x over. I am no cab elitist or aficionado but I always get compliments on my tone form other musicians...and part of my tone is that cab! For a student on a budget, I think you will be stoked. Good luck...

PS...dont be afraid to find a 100$ used BDDI ( or even the Berhinger 30$ equivalent student guy) to fatten up that tone. Have fun

 

[MysterMunky]

My first amp was a Hartke Kickback, which I abused for 10+ years. Last year, I picked up a Hydrive 5210c and I couldn't be happier. I've spoken to Larry on the phone and he's a great guy. I still receive free strings every once and a while from him.

 

[jaywa]

Played an early 90s "Transient Attack" 3500 and an mid-90s XL-410 for years and years. Absolutely loved that rig.

Unfortunately the head developed a recurring issue with the onboard DI and after too many trips to various repair shops I retired it. Still have the 410 cab though and I doubt I will ever part with it even though I haven't gigged it live for over a year now.

 

[john_g]

When I got back into playing with bands again about 5 years ago, I bought a HA2500 and a VX410 just to get up and running, I had some auditions I needed gear for. Playing at home I thought the tone was good, but maybe a little "vanilla". When I started jamming with other musicians, it really sounded good. Great bang for the buck. I sold that rig to another guy that was getting back into it and he was very happy with it as well.

 

[jaywa]

The XL-410 cabs are a beast to haul around at around 100 lbs... but IMO their sound is worth every pound and they are bulletproof in terms or reliability (as long as the cones aren't cold).

 

[The Lemon]

I love the sound of my Hartke, and the customer service is unbeatable. Just recently, I had a small problem with my ha2500 (short in the eq section). I came here to TB to ask about it, and the next thing I know, Larry Hartke himself is in the thread offering to repair it for me.

I got it back a few weeks ago (on my birthday, no less!) and it plays like new again. It's rare to find a company...or a guy, for that matter... like Hartke, that actually cares about their customers and reputation enough that the company owner will personally address your issue and comp a repair job on an out of warranty amp.

Between the quality of the product and my experience with the company, I just can't say enough good things about them.

 

[TinIndian]

I gig a Hartke 410 Hydrive every weekend. I love it. Great combination of sound and portability. I think it sounds great. By the way, the culture Larry has created at Hartke is awesome. Everyone I've ever talked with up there has been a real pleasure to deal with.