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Thunderfunk clips...

SwamiRob

SwamiRob

Aug 23, 2007
2,151
33
Scarborough, N. Yorks, England
#1
Just been looking at Dave's updated site with a load of videos posted up on it, and they all sound pretty damn good, but they're all playing kinda quiet and pretty much all playing slap. Has anyone got/seen/heard any clips of the Thunderfunk being really rocked out with? If possible I'd like to hear it with some nice heavy deep pick playing going on, although obviously that's not really what alot of people buy it for I know there are rock players out there that adore the thing, I know the UK Thunderfunk distributor uses his for some pretty heavy stuff at least :p
 
#4
Rob,
I don't have any sound clips but I've used the TFB420 & 550 for lots of rocking gigs and they really get a great warm sound that really cuts through a loud guitar mix. I've yet to find another amp that cuts through a live mix as well as the Thunderfunk.

I can only imagine that the TFunk 750 is a few notches above those older version amps.

Hope that this helps!
 
#5
Cheers guys, there are a hell of alotta guys using it for funk and it's almost a little off putting, although the guy who plays bass with Dick Dale uses one and he goes for a classic deep rock tone so it must do it's job well with the whole rock thing. Assuming I manage to raise the money for one I'm sure I can get our band to go on a bit of a detour when we're down south next to go try it out at Rob's with my Berg NV215. I assume you couldn't resist it's charms for long when you first started getting them in?
 
#6
SwamiRob said:
Cheers guys, there are a hell of alotta guys using it for funk and it's almost a little off putting, although the guy who plays bass with Dick Dale uses one and he goes for a classic deep rock tone so it must do it's job well with the whole rock thing. Assuming I manage to raise the money for one I'm sure I can get our band to go on a bit of a detour when we're down south next to go try it out at Rob's with my Berg NV215. I assume you couldn't resist it's charms for long when you first started getting them in?
Click to expand...

I guess I'm what most consider a 'funk/pop' player, and did use a TF for a couple of years as my primary gigging head. IMO, it does a better job in the 'rock' sort of context, with a more vintage sounding cab like the NV215. It's warm, tight, but still fat and punchy sounding, versus the wider voicing with more upper treble output that many funk players like. I have not tried the 750 though, which I understand has a wider, deeper low end extension than the TF550b that I'm familiar with. Some really dig the somewhat wider voicing of the 750, while others have posted that they miss that tight low end that the TF550 is known for.

If you like it warm, tight, and relatively transparent and clean without a lot of information above 2K or so, the TF is GREAT. If you like a wider, more modern tone, or if you want any sort of 'tube-like' breakup in your tone, not so much IMO and IME.
 
#7
KJung said:
I guess I'm what most consider a 'funk/pop' player, and did use a TF for a couple of years as my primary gigging head. IMO, it does a better job in the 'rock' sort of context, with a more vintage sounding cab like the NV215. It's warm, tight, but still fat and punchy sounding, versus the wider voicing with more upper treble output that many funk players like. I have not tried the 750 though, which I understand has a wider, deeper low end extension than the TF550b that I'm familiar with. Some really dig the somewhat wider voicing of the 750, while others have posted that they miss that tight low end that the TF550 is known for.

If you like it warm, tight, and relatively transparent and clean without a lot of information above 2K or so, the TF is GREAT. If you like a wider, more modern tone, or if you want any sort of 'tube-like' breakup in your tone, not so much IMO and IME.
Click to expand...

+ 1,000 on what Ken said. I am using a Thunderunk TFB550A
(actually your old one Ken) w/ my NV215 and it is clean, tight, warm and fat. I play mostly dub and reggae but also use it in a cover band which is mostly rock and it works great. Add an Aguilar agro to it and whoooo mama:bassist:
 
#8
76Dub said:
+ 1,000 on what Ken said. I am using a Thunderunk TFB550A
(actually your old one Ken) w/ my NV215 and it is clean, tight, warm and fat. I play mostly dub and reggae but also use it in a cover band which is mostly rock and it works great. Add an Aguilar agro to it and whoooo mama:bassist:
Click to expand...

That is just a killer combination. That is a great head.. the first 550 that Dave made (I think), that still had the 420 nameplate, but had the switch, increased power output, etc. Cool!
 
#13
76Dub said:
It is now disctontinued. Get em where you can
Click to expand...

Wow! I did not know that! I know Jim discontinued them a while back and then brought the NV215 back by 'popular demand'. I guess his original decision was the right one after all. Nice cab!

Again, that's just a great 'modern meets old school' rig you have there!
 
#14
God yeah he has; Invalid Link Removed I feel very lucky. Wonder what that's about though, from the posts on here at least it seemed like people favoured the NV215 over the 610 so I would have thought there'd be more demand for it...

Anyway, I do like a heavy rock tone, but I'm a big fan of the solid state dryish, big deep and tight sounding kinda sound for rock, so a TF will probably hack it, I like the aggression to come more from my playing and a set of growly roundwounds. Don't want too much top for definition so that's not gonna be a problem, just enough to get a bit of presence.

Not a fan of tube breakup cos that ruins my dynamics a bit when I do techy stuff, wouldn't mind a tube head for some all out heavy stuff where I'm just playing hard all the time but it wouldn't get used much. A Thunderfunk will probably suit quite a bit, just kinda wanted to hear it being thrashed so I know it's definitely what I wanna aim to get.

Bit depressing to hear about the 215 though, wonder why Jim's stopped making them.
 
#15
I think the TFunk can cop a very, very good "new old school" vibe when paired with a sealed cab - I used my 750A with an Ampeg 810 for a number of shows with my southern rock band and it was awesome for that style. I can only imagine how it would sound with one of Mr Bergantino's cabs. I did try one with an HS410 and thought it was very growly and aggressive sounding. I ended up going with an Epi UL410s2 cab, which is a great pairing. Nice thick, warm tone with plenty of controllable low end - I actually love the highs as well (nice and even). We typically close out the night with a Govt Mule inspired rendition of War Pigs and I think the tone of my rig really shined there. Good for hard rock, I think.
 
#19
I know it can get loud. I have 2 of them. I disagree that it isn't much past 2 k. In general I like to roll down or not boost the 2 k as it tends to make the bass clacky. Rolling up more the 4 k to 8 k gives you more of the sweet slap tone. To my ears not the rule. Many basses seeking the fender treble usually boost the 4 k. Mostly in active mode. TF you can boost the 4 k. It isn't the amp that stresses the 7 or 8 k like the earlier marcus tone (his tone has changed that to me which has boosted the 4 to 6 k area) . But it does give a nice slap tone as seen on the bassist they call "Budda". You can see him on youtube playing the thunderfunk. Sometimes with the thunderfunk cabinet to. But hey we are talking about the TF being "Rocked Out" .... right? One of my favorite heads for that is the Aguilar 750 or 751. Love that amp as much as the Thunderfunk. A great hybrid amp with tubes. I can get a very close sound with the TF. Very close. Eventhough it is trasisters it can generate a good tube emulation. Its eq section is set up much different but that is what makes it so great. It is capable of many tones and although may not be the amp that can go to the super high end it can go high enough.
 
#20
I looked around on youtube a bit, but didn't see thunderfunk with pick, however I own a 550 'funk and think that the flexibility of tone in a bit better than Eden 550 (I own) but the heavy low end is only on Eden between the two. the 'funk a bit more hi-fi, but not necessarily bad. 'funk has two mid eq, eden only one... <sigh> thats why I own both....
 

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