What amp/cab did you think youd like, but really disliked?

[TSanders]

Ive been through a number of amps/cabs in the past couple years, and was pleasantly surprised more than I was disappointed.

That said, one amp that I never flipped for was an Ashdown ABM500 EVO II.

I liked it initially, but never dug it in a band setting.


What amp/cab did you think you like, but didint work out?

 

[Crabby]

I thought an SVT810E would be the ultimate cab for me, but after having one ofr a year, I moved on. I missed having a horn for a little sparkle and I wanted something to reproduce the deep lows a littel better. And despite many people saying its not a bad cab to transport, c'mon, it weighs 165lbs!!! The cheap covering really bugged me too as it rips so easily.

I may miss it one day, but in the end it felt like I had a really big cab instead of a really good cab.

 

[nysbob]

Acoustic 301. Man, I was glad to dump that turkey.

 

[PikeoftheLake]

I bought a used Avatar 2X10 cab a couple years ago off ebay. I suspect the tweeter was blown or disconnected becuase the level knob wouldn't work. It made my moderately crappy Peavey Mark 6 head sound super crappy due to the transparancy of the cab and the suspect lack of tweeter. I never got a chance to try my Genz Benz through it, so I suspect using the Genz through a brand new Avatar would wield better results.

I ended up trading the Avatar to a Daddy's Junky Music (plus some cash) for an awesome Mark 1 SWR Goliath. That old SWR makes my bass sing.

 

[ErnieD]

I'd been using a GK1001RBI, it kept shutting down at gigs, repairmen could not figure out why, some gigs it ran all nite others it would shut down, wait a few secs and it would crank up again. I bought a new SWR 750x to go with my 2 SWR cabs, first gig that same nite, the amp shut down in 2nd set, could not figure out why, wife had to bring my GK to me to finish gig. Next day took the SWR amp back to store, turns out there was a 2nd fuse, for speakers, we did not check. But I was dissappiointed in the amp for shutting down at first gig and I also told the salesman, you know even before it shut down, I was really disappointed at the lack of bottom this amp offered thru my cabs, I play only 5 strings, Sray 5 then. He suggested I take the Ashdown Evo 500 II RC amp, no cash refunds at this store. I loved the way this amp sounded thru my 2 SWR cabs, so much huge bottom, I loved it. A few months later the Ashdown crapped out at a gig took it back to the store, I'll never buy at a store that has no cash refunds policy again. They gave me a GBE600 while they sent my Ashdown out for repair but it took 10 months for the Ashdown to get fixed, I told em keep it Im keeping the GBE600it was a great amp. I now own a GBE750 and 2 GB neox212T cabs as my main rig. Got the GK1001 repaired right and its my backup amp, selling the GBE600. So I guess I hated 2 amps and almost 3 til I got the GK fixed. Wow, what a strange trip its been, gear wise.

 

[BlackLake]

Got talked into using a GenzBenz at a show and at first was really pumped on using it.

It was seriously crappy, and my car was parked right beside the stage with my rig in it...so close but yet so far.

 

[Venturas]

I was shopping for a new amp Last December. I had a 59 bassman 4-10 combo that I had played for the last 15 yrs and finally decided that It just wasn't cutting it any more. I had my heart set on the new Fender Rumble with the 2-10s and was also looking at the bassman 250 with the same configuration. I took my bass and went to the music store and played both side by side. Much to my dismay, the volume was just not there. I was cranking the volume up to 7 or 8 to get anything out of it at all. I walk in to my favorite repair shop and they had started carrying Behringer products. I played the BX 4500H with a 2-10 cab and was blown away with not only the volume but the tone was deeper than I have ever had in 30 yrs of playing bass. I looked in every music store in the Louisville KY area and no one had anything else other than the boutique amps with were way out of my league. So guess which one I bought?

 

[bongomania]

EA M-Line Wizzy. I frankly did not hear much of the tonal qualities that the hype here on TB had led me to expect.

 

[Passinwind]

Ampeg B-15N, my first real bass amp. Played a nicely restored one again, nearly 35 years later...still no love!

 

[Warpeg]

I really thought that I was going to like Ashdown. After tryin g-out approximately 80% of that company's offerings, I have to admit that I was not impressed. All of their combos, heads, and cabs just seemed to have no character. The tone was so very "plain." If I messed with the EQ's quite a bit, I could get a barely-passing tone.

On the flip side, I never thought that I'd like Mesa, Peavey, or GK. However, these companies' products are now aces in my book!

 

[pedro]

I traded in my Eden 300 last year on the GK 700. I was just never able to dial in a sound I liked on the Eden, albeit others sure did (do).

 

[AndrewClaycomb]

Ampeg SVT 810. I just can't get past how unclear the sound is. I borrowed one for rehearsal (didn't feel like taking my cabinets) and it really didn't do it for me. The band even noticed it didn't sound very good compared to what they were used to hearing.

It did look cool though.

 

[KJung]

Phil Jones M500... it looked good on paper to me. The only amp I've ever returned for a refund during the 3 day 'trial period'... heavy, underpowered, sterile sounding to my ear.

 

[jady]

I had a sansamp RBI that I just hated, no real character just sizzle. And an Ampeg 4x10/1x15 cab, heavy but no throw at all.

 

[SteveC]

I know I am supposed to like the "classic" Ampeg SVT/8x10 but it is to date the worst combination I have played.

(The above statement is based on my experience with the above product. Your's may differ. I have to state this after every negative Ampeg comment from now on as some Ampeg users feel the need to make personal attacks on people who say something negative about Ampeg.)

 

[cdfolds]

about a year ago i bought one of those 2x12 genz benz...ugh..sounded like it was about to come apart if you gave it any low end (and it is supposed to be a 600 watt cab!) The other big disappointment was, what about 10 years ago? when the first "reissue" of the old svts came out...."they are built JUST like the old ones" said the salesman....again, ugh, not quite.

 

[andvari7]

I've never found an amp I've actually LIKED, but special mention will go to the Ampeg SVT. Supposed to be the pinnacle of greatness. Maybe it was my playing, maybe it was just a bad head, I don't know. It did put me off Ampeg, though.

 

[joeydavidson]

Ampeg SVT-II preamp

I kinda wish I could give it another chance now though, I disliked the G&L bass I was using with it so maybe that was the problem....it's too late now though.

 

[spiritbass]

Bergantino HT-112. Bought a used one so I could hear what the 'buzz' was all about. I agree that the tweeter is very nice. My ears prefer a dedicated mid-driver. It got flipped pretty quick.

 

[ILiYo]

I used to dream about having the classic Ampeg rig. After I was finally able to drop some coin on the classic head and 8x10 cab I gotta say I was never really happy with it. I used it for a long time out of stubbornness to change but it always sounded muddy. I play a lot of festival dates and its what "everyone else" has always used. It made sense to me, at the time, to get it. Im not bashing the Ampeg rig, it is what a large portion of the population uses but its not for me. I give the Ampeg props in being able to move some serious air but most of the time it was just overkill. I paid for a loud monster and back problems and was never happy with my sound. I have since moved on to Aguilar amps and cabs. Theres a reason their 2x10 cab costs almost as much as Ampeg's 8x10. Im in love with my tone and have plenty of power.

.....Of course this is all in my ears