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Vintage sounding with "modern" features

JayAmel

JayAmel

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2002
3,683
97
67
Carcassonne, France
#1
Hi folks,

In addition to my MarkBass rig, I guess I'll have to get a second rig, more "vintage" oriented. Though, I'd like it to have some more "nowadays" features (essentially an XLR balanced output).

Besides Ampeg, what has that SVT-like growl ? Though, they seem to be the most obvious choice, but before choosing I'd like some opinions.

Thinking of Aguilar DB750, Mesa Bass 400+... what else ?

(please don't suggest Ashdown, I had too bad experience with them)

Sorry if this topic has already been covered, but I found so many threads with the "SVT" tag that it's hard to find out.

Thanks in advance,
Jay
 
#2
Mesa BB750 is pretty tubey and growly sounding in a nice two space size. It's a hybrid head, but is designed to snarl and growl.

The AG500 dual channel, while all SS, can sound pretty convincing also if you don't want to haul around the big iron all the time.

Both of these have DI's etc,.
 
#8
I'm sure the amps listed are good amps, but I don't think you're going to get "SVT-like growl" form them, they have their own thing going on. If you want "SVT like" but with more modern features, you need to check out the SVT2. I don't know if the older non Pro had the DI out, but the 2-Pro has more features than you can shake a stick at, and still sounds like an Ampeg.
 
#10
in the past few months I have run my Walkabout 12 with a 4 ohm Scout 15. Mesa says this combo will run the head at around 500w. It's a very kick-butt and hybrid creamy tonal combination that is not a headache for load-in/out.

In anticipation of overheat questions .. no, i have not had any issues with thermal overload/overheating or shutdown with this combination. I was told by Mesa directly that it would be ok as long as I did not push the master too far over 12 o'clock. Can't imagine ever needing to do that.
 
#14
KJung said:
+1.... BB750 for the big old school grindy snarl, MPulse600 for modern, clean tube tone, and Walkabout for 60's warm (B15 type) tone. Nice stuff.
Click to expand...

Based on what I've read here I was somewhat under the impression that these were essentially the same heads, just with varying amounts of power, especially M-Pulse 600 vs Walkabout. Are they actually unique beasts?

I've played the M-Pulse and Walkabout, but with large lengths of time in between and through vastly different cabinets so I can't speak to personal experience.

(Not to hijack :smug: )
 
#15
TehRoflCopter said:
Based on what I've read here I was somewhat under the impression that these were essentially the same heads, just with varying amounts of power, especially M-Pulse 600 vs Walkabout. Are they actually unique beasts?

I've played the M-Pulse and Walkabout, but with large lengths of time in between and through vastly different cabinets so I can't speak to personal experience.

(Not to hijack :smug: )
Click to expand...


They are very different. I had them all in the house at the same time for a while. The MPulse600 is VERY clean, wide and tube pure sounding... very modern, but with a very big low end tube like bloom. I always describe this head as a poor mans Ag680/720 (or whatever that huge tube amp is that they used to make)... modern, clean, but totally tubey.. quite unique. Way more volume than the Walkabout. The made an MPulse360 for a while that was basically a cleaner, more modern sounding Walkabout (i.e., it had similar power to the Walkabout, but the much cleaner front end of the 600), but that was discontinued.

As you know, the Walkabout is very warm, but more like an old B15 than an SVT... much warmer and grittier than the 600, but not an out and out grind monster.

The BB750 has nothing clean about it... it grunts and growls at all volumes, and can sound like a chain saw with the overdrive engaged.... much more SVT-like. The problem with the 750 is that it only reaches it's 750 watt rating at 2ohms... so it's not much louder than the Walkabout into 4ohms, and not even close to the massive 600 watt at 4ohm output of the 600. I believe that's why they came out with that massive 1200, which looks like basically two 750's in the same box.

All of these sound very cool in their own way.
 
#16
JayAmel said:
(please don't suggest Ashdown, I had too bad experience with them)
Click to expand...


JayAmel said:
Sorry, I thought I had been specific enough when writing I don't want Ashdown, due to bad experience with them. Thanks anyway.
Click to expand...

Wow, I really wouldn't expect a Moderator to be posting this reply, you guys usually have to step in after other members get upset about replies very similar to yours...

I usually don't pick on other posters grammar, (particularly people from other countries) but using the terminology
"two bad experiences" ( instead of "too bad experience") would have been much more specific and understandable.
 
#17
anderbass said:
Wow, I really wouldn't expect a Moderator to be posting this reply, you guys usually have to step in after other members get upset about replies very similar to yours...

I usually don't pick on other posters grammar, (particularly people from other countries) but using the terminology
"two bad experiences" ( instead of "too bad experience") would have been much more specific and understandable.
Click to expand...

What difference does this make ?
By no means I implied "don't buy Ashdown". There are also lots of people here who had no issue at all with their Ashdown gear.
And by no means a moderator has to choose his words differently or in a more "subtle" way when posting under his "regular member" status, only sometimes when moderating, which was not the case here.
Now if you really dislike the way I write - and yes, I'm from a non-English language country -, you have a wonderful feature on this boards, which allows you to avoid all my posts. That would be more constructive and more relevant, IMO.
 
#18
My comment wasn't directed toward your Ashdown comments at all.

I may have misunderstood your wording and the underlying meaning to your reply to JayAmel's post, (but to me) your reply to him sounded like a politely veiled, sarcastic scolding for suggesting a brand that you had already said you didn't want and I was just a little surprised that a mod would do that.

If I somehow got the wrong meaning from your choice of words, I fully apologize for my post...:)

Peace... anderbass
 
#19
JayAmel said:
Hi folks,

In addition to my MarkBass rig, I guess I'll have to get a second rig, more "vintage" oriented. Though, I'd like it to have some more "nowadays" features (essentially an XLR balanced output).

Besides Ampeg, what has that SVT-like growl ? Though, they seem to be the most obvious choice, but before choosing I'd like some opinions.

Thinking of Aguilar DB750, Mesa Bass 400+... what else ?

(please don't suggest Ashdown, I had too bad experience with them)

Sorry if this topic has already been covered, but I found so many threads with the "SVT" tag that it's hard to find out.

Thanks in advance,
Jay
Click to expand...

Peavey Classic 400 and Orange AD 200.
 
#20
Fealach said:
I'm sure the amps listed are good amps, but I don't think you're going to get "SVT-like growl" form them, they have their own thing going on. If you want "SVT like" but with more modern features, you need to check out the SVT2. I don't know if the older non Pro had the DI out, but the 2-Pro has more features than you can shake a stick at, and still sounds like an Ampeg.
Click to expand...


I second the SVT II PRO and Non Pro. Essentially a SVT in rackmount ears. =D These go fairly cheap on ebay. Ive seen them go anywhere form 800 to 1200.
 

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