What was YOUR First amp >Compared to What you have now!

[Basshappi]

First - Univox w/1x15 cab

Now - Peavey MkIV + 410TX cab (I bought the peavey new in '83 to replace my stolen Fender Bassman 100). Ampeg BA115HP

 

[eedre]

Then...

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Now...

Although I still have the first one! It's been demoted to 2nd string practice amp.

 

[ishouldbeking]

fender bxr60

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I think my first bass amp was related to yours... probably a step or two up size-wise. It was a Fender BXR-200.

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For some reason I always hated it when I had it and assumed it was a piece of crap, but it never died on me, it lived through constant abuse, and looking back, it actually sounded pretty damn great. Nice deep 15" speaker, very usable graphic EQ (not that I knew how to use it), beautifully cheesy chorus effect... it actually sounded pretty great at gigs, though it was a beast to move around.

Next was a GK 2001RB thru a 410rbh. I had no idea how much power I was purchasing at the time I bought it. All in all a fantastic unkillable piece of gear, just more power than I could ever imagine needing.

NOW: Ashdown ABM 500 EVO II. Sounds pretty much exactly the way I want my bass to, creamy and warm, with a great tube grind from the preamp. Still using the 410rbh for the time being but I just ordered a custom tweeterless 610 in a sealed cab from Low Down Sound w/ vintage retro tolex and fender silver/turquoise grillcloth. In 4-5 weeks the new rig is complete!

My amp journey started somewhere in the middle of the spectrum (albeit the low end), then shot to one extreme and seemingly back to another... who knows where i'll be in 10 years!

 

[Joe123]

I am a new member and I would just like some feedback about my new Ampeg SVT-VR, but I am unsure as to where to start a thread. Hope you can either help me or direct me to the right place.
Thanks Joe

 

[BartmanPDX]

Kenny, that Jazz with the Darkstars makes me drool.

+1. Niiiiiice.

 

[Kindness]

I started with an impossibly worthless 5 watt, 8" bass amp. I now play through these:

 

[Passinwind]

I think I probably started out with some "bitching" DIY rig made out of an old entertainment console. My first real amp was a Univox U-65Rn, which was their entry level guitar amp in 1971. I played a bass that looked to have never had the frets installed, although the slots were there...

A couple of years later I got a beautiful Gibson EB-O and an Ampeg B-15 head without the Portaflex cab. Naturally, I hated them both and couldn't wait to get rid of 'em.

Now I play a scary DIY preamp rig with DSP speaker management that I've programmed myself, a couple of different amp options, and AccuGroove, EA, and my own cabs. And I still sound like me, for better or worse.

 

[hbarcat]

My first bass amp was an Ampeg V4 that I bought used in 1987 for $100. I really liked that amp until my guitarist's idiot friends sneaked into the practice place, "borrowed" it and blew it up.

I then bought a new Laney Linebacker 100 for $299. A cheap little 100w solid state amp with simple controls. I still have it and use it every once in a while.

 

[Vic Winters]

First:

Peavey Micro Bass (still have it)

Now:

Small Rig - GK BL600 and 4 ohm Peavey 1x12 Cab

Big Rig - GK 1001RB-II and 2 Neo 2x12 Cabs

 

[Lobaw]

My father was an electrical engineer, so I was fortunate enough to have the use of all kinds of tube gear he built. When he realized I was actually serious about playing bass, he gave me a 30 watt tube integrated amp he built (for the home Hi Fi) and a Klipsch folded horn cabinet with a 12" Radio Shack speaker. The amp was in 2 parts: the amplifier section and the power supply - just 2 metal boxes with tubes and transformers sticking out. It actually sounded pretty good and was reliable..

Of course, since I had to have a "real" bass amp, I saved-up and purchased a Vox Kensington.

Since then, I've run though a bunch of stuff and, like many of you TBers, have collected and kept a few different things, but switch between a Polytone Mini Brute (for ease) or Euphonic IAMP800/Epi 2xT-112's.

 

[Bard2dbone]

My first practice amp was actually one of those little shoebox cassette player/recorders from Sears. We cut the leads from the read head and solderd on a 1/4 " jack.

The good news? It had a distortion that was actually popular back then, although it was actually fairly awful.

The bad news? An incredible blazing Two whole watts of Rock and Roll fury!

Nowadays I have a GK MB150 for practice and an SWR Redhead into an SWR Triad for gigs.

Yeah. I've come up in the world.

 

[beaner]

i think my 66 fender bassman head was 50 watts.

 

[KJung]

First amp.. used Kustom 100 white sparkle tuck and roll!!!!! Beautiful mud, but I loved that amp back in the day!

 

[cymbop]

First: SWR Workingman's 15
Last: 1974 Ampeg SVT and 810e.

I've come a long way, baby.

 

[Wesley R]

I used to joke that it was neither a Pro amp or Bass amp. In all actuality, it did its job OK enough.

 

[steve4765630]

My first amp was a Crate BX10, yuck! Now I play a GK 1001RB/2x12 Artist Series combo, yummy!

 

[Tedddy]

My first was a Crate BX160 XL, a 1x15 combo with built in chorus. It was great, I am sad that I got rid of it.

I now have 2 Aguilar GS112s and a GK1001RB-II.

 

[Gnosticbass]

First Ampeavey Minx 35watt combo with a 10 inch speaker.Great sounding little amp I sold it within a year like an idiot.Wish I held onto it now.
Current Amp:Ampeg B2R played through an Ampeg SVT610hlf. I don't know for how much longer I will have the Ampeg as I am going to be upgrading soon.

 

[on1ne]

first: Guild Thunderbass. Nice tone, no power, big disappointment.
many amps since then.

Best I amp gear I ever had was an SVT rig bought from Todd Rundgren's warehouse in upstate NY.

Current: Markbass LMII and 2 Aguilar 112's

 

[smperry]

First - Guild Thunderbass head and matching 2x12 (or was it 2x15?) cab

Now - Phil Jones Bass P1 preamp, Stewart World 1.6 power amp (Crown Microtech 2400 is more than I need and is on the way out), Phil Jones Bass 6T and 9B cabs

Pretty different....

Marshall