Which amp was the biggest disappointment? Which exceeded expectations?

[fokof]

I haven't got a lot of amp in my 30 years of playing because I really check it out before buying and I usually keep them for a long time.

One that exceeded my expectation:
The RCF ART310A I'm using now.

Very small , very light , 350watts and the bass is surprising for a package of that size. I heard it as a PA before and was impressed by the definition and the low weight but didn't expect much in the low end departement since it's a single 10" and so small. Doesn't have the low end of a 4X10 mind you , but I was positively surprised , I expected a lot less.

 

[greenboy]

Jeez, I like to hear many kinds of sounds, and have rarely bought something that didn't make at least one or two that were fun and fulfilling. On the other hand, if I only have one rig at the gig, i want it to work for that gig's sonic vibe. I sure don't get all the didactic Brandism stuff or tube/antitube stuff that some people feel obligated to push here though. It's all good if you know how to make it speak.

Gear failures matter more to me, but I don't recall too many problems with the gazillions of things I've bought, many of them for other instruments, for PAs, for studios, just metric tones and metric tons in manuals alone!

 

[guy n. cognito]

So nice you had to say it twice, GB?

 

[fish slapper]

Biggest disappointment: Traynor YBA-200. Thought tubes were the be all end all at the time but never got a sound I liked out of that head.

Exeeded expectations: Markbass F-1 that is now my main gigging head in my Classic Rock bar band sitch. My Demeter HBP-1J is gathering dust because of this remarkable little head.

 

[ledyard]

When I guy can find a pleasing tone from a Roland, trying to have a reasonable discussion on tone can be a difficult thing to do.

QUOTE]

 

[JimiLL]

Biggest disappointment: Eden.

Exceeded expectations: Markbass.

Same here:

Biggest Dissapointment - Eden Wt-800. I thought it had no guts, and a real dry midrange that just couldnt be altered

Best Amp - Genz 1200. Need I say more?

 

[unclejane]

Yep, that's all your opinion. Some people like that sound that you consider antiquated and less than desirable which makes them no more right than you. They certainly aren't going to change their beliefs no matter how you persist, trust me. I find that to be one of the most frustrating things about people.

Exactly. Like I said, I just have this thing about seeing bass players being tortured and drained of all their cash. You just can't save some of em - once they're convinced the $2500 instance of the real crap is better than the $250 instance of the modern version that offers the same sound (along with a bunch more that the real garbage can't offer), all you can do is just sit back and watch.

It's like trying to rescue a drowning person who's fighting you as hard as they can.

It could be that I did a lot of my time with the real thing and still have vivid memories of the actual online experience with the stuff. And looking at the gear I have now which costs the same (relative to inflation of course) but is 100X better in every respect....

LS

 

[guy n. cognito]

It's like trying to rescue a drowning person who's fighting you as hard as they can.

Actually, its like rowing a dinghy up to a 100 foot yacht, filled with beautiful women and expensive booze, and screaming "but, I'm trying to SAVE you!"

 

[unclejane]

Actually, its like rowing a dinghy up to a 100 foot yacht, filled with beautiful women and expensive booze, and screaming "but, I'm trying to SAVE you!"

See what I mean? We used to call it the Patty Hearst Syndrome (there's even a song about it)....

LS

 

[docdeck1960]

The biggest disappointment for me was the Yorkville line of combo amps....tried and hated.
Exceeded expectations was the eden line of amps and cabinets. I ended up with the Eden WT-800 and the 810 cab. Would like to try the Eden tube amps now!

 

[GBassNorth]

Probably the biggest dissapointment from a bass amp standpoint for me was the Aguilar DB750.
Not trying to start a flame fest or anything but I had heard so much good about that amp in combination with the Aguilar GS412 that I spent considerable money to aquire both (sight unseen).
I was kind of underwhelmed when I got them. Maybe I had just set my hopes to high or maybe they didn't fit my playing style or basses well, I don't know. But I eventually sold both off for about what I paid for them.
The Aggie rig just didn't stand up well to my SVT-VR/Berg NV610 rig on the vintage tone end and didn't stand up well to my Thunderfunk/Berg HT322 rig on the modern tone either.
It was a quality high power rig, just not my cup of tea. Kinda wooly and dark on the bottom and not brite on the top end.

 

[KJung]

It's always amazing to me trying to rescue poor bass players from blowing their fortunes on some Ampeg something or other in their desperate bids to sound like the old crap - it's like trying to free Patty Hearst from her kidnappers......

See, the thing is, we got this here newfangled thing called "technology" that circumvents all these problems . Modern SS electronics are now so good, including good at imitating the tone of the old junk if you need it, that there's no longer any need to drain one's pocketbook and soul fighting ones way through a gig with a _real_ copy of the old junk.

That includes modern versions of the old junk, hybrids and all tube stuff alike. it's just not necessary to shell out the money to get the sound.

The 12AX7/12AU7 tubes being used in the modern hybrids are still 12AX7/12AU7 tubes. You're still dealing with slightly post-WWII technology no matter how it's packaged or what's stamped on the glass envelope. And they're still are going to give you the same problems - heat cycling of the circuitry around the tube, scratchy tube sockets, deteriorating performance over time requiring periodic replacement of the tube, high power consumption, and don't dare even think about man-handing or dropping the thing.....

Meanwhile, tho, you can get a SS amp from any number of different vendors with amp simulations in it that will give you the very same sound if you want it for a lot less money and a lot more reliability. Like I said, my little Roland has 4 or 5 tube amp sims in it, such as the Acoustic 360, that sound _exactly_ like the real thing. The sims will even overload like the real thing by turning up the "Gain" knob. But with this, I paid $250 for _all_ of them, which I can switch between just by turning a knob. I can sound just like John Paul Jones all I want by plugging my G&L in and selecting "bass360" on my cube. All for the princely sum of $250 .

But again, that's just me... YMMV

LS

Hey, if you are happy with those sims, god bless you

 

[ledyard]

Exactly. Like I said, I just have this thing about seeing bass players being tortured and drained of all their cash. You just can't save some of em - once they're convinced the $2500 instance of the real crap is better than the $250 instance of the modern version that offers the same sound (along with a bunch more that the real garbage can't offer), all you can do is just sit back and watch.

It's like trying to rescue a drowning person who's fighting you as hard as they can.

It could be that I did a lot of my time with the real thing and still have vivid memories of the actual online experience with the stuff. And looking at the gear I have now which costs the same (relative to inflation of course) but is 100X better in every respect....

LS

I love nothing more than an argument that cant be won....
So new solid state amps sound just as good or better than SVT, Mesa, Hiwatt, Marshall or Sunn lead sleds? In regards to playing the same music these heads were made famous playing? I seriously think not. Can some come close? Yeah. Are they "100 times better"? Not even close. Playing other kinds of music where you might want a quicker attack, tighter sound....yeah sure. For $250? Even used? What do you get for $250 in the used amp world that isnt garbage? Maybe get lucky and score a 800RB or a Peavey Tour bass head? Maybe. I'de like to know what I can tour with and play large venues with at excessive stage volumes and still be able to hear and feel my rig that costs $250 and doesnt sound like a piece of crap ? (other than scoring a B1500 for $250) Please enlighten me.
I sold my SVT II last week because I'm tired of carrying a front heavy 80 lb rack without roadies. But the fact that I went SS power amp with an ampeg tube pre must mean i'm only half in the stone age now.

 

[christw]

Exactly. Like I said, I just have this thing about seeing bass players being tortured and drained of all their cash. You just can't save some of em - once they're convinced the $2500 instance of the real crap is better than the $250 instance of the modern version that offers the same sound (along with a bunch more that the real garbage can't offer), all you can do is just sit back and watch.

It's like trying to rescue a drowning person who's fighting you as hard as they can.

It could be that I did a lot of my time with the real thing and still have vivid memories of the actual online experience with the stuff. And looking at the gear I have now which costs the same (relative to inflation of course) but is 100X better in every respect....

LS

I haven't found anything that will sound just like an SVT. Close but no cigar. Until we can craft a perfect imitation (never) we will continually be drawn to this gear that some of our idols used.

Think of these amps like muscle cars. There are many better handling equally fast cars out there now but in people's minds there is no replacement for Detroit iron. Nothing will be the same as cruising in a GTO with an engine that could tow a semi trailer. As well, I can't find a modeling amp that will give me that same feel (literally feel of the sound on me) that a lot of speakers and a lot of power will.

I'm agreeing with you in the sense that it's all opinion but I won't say anyone is right (not me, not you, not anyone else!) because it's all opinion. Just stop attacking what other people do because you're pushing for an argument about opinions which is just dumb. Let it drop.

 

[greenboy]

Hey, if you are happy with those sims, god bless you

To paraphrase Frank Zappa, Don't fool yourself - EVERYTHING is a sim.

They are just different generations of sims. Just as the modern studio has changed and diversified, and as has SR practices using DSP in mixers and whatnot, even bass gear threatens to enter an age where modern electronics are in mature use. Which is to say it comes down to users how good it can sound, regardless of technical developments.

 

[KJung]

To paraphrase Frank Zappa, Don't fool yourself - EVERYTHING is a sim.

They are just different generations of sims. Just as the modern studio has changed and diversified, and as has SR practices using DSP in mixers and whatnot, even bass gear threatens to enter an age where modern electronics are in mature use. Which is to say it comes down to users how good it can sound, regardless of technical developments.

I agree, with enough money, you can do quite well. The lower cost stuff, horrible.

It really isn't that complicated. A good sounding piece to any individual player is a good sounding piece of gear for that player... period. It is only when some takes the tact of 'well, you have to be an idiot to not realize that what sounds good to me might not sound good to you (and actually, might not even sound good to most), that gets the discussion going in a useless direction.

 

[unclejane]

Hey, if you are happy with those sims, god bless you

Well as you can see, they're already lining up to fight for their own financial/tonal demise (and broken backs too!) - Like I said, once they get past a certain point, they're convinced and you can't save 'em

But no, I wouldn't trade lightweight, relatively inexpensive, reliable SS electronics for the world. Having fought the good fight with tubes for all those years back in the gigging days I gladly sacrifice that .01% variance from authenticity and keep the rest of the money for other more useful things. I'm also too old to tote my lead sleds around anymore anyway.

The bang/buck of my GK gig rig and my Roland just doesn't permit me to go back to the Good Old Days

LS

 

[KJung]

Well as you can see, they're already lining up to fight for their own financial/tonal demise (and broken backs too!) - Like I said, once they get past a certain point, they're convinced and you can't save 'em

But no, I wouldn't trade lightweight, relatively inexpensive, reliable SS electronics for the world. Having fought the good fight with tubes for all those years back in the gigging days I gladly sacrifice that .01% variance from authenticity and keep the rest of the money for other more useful things. I'm also too old to tote my lead sleds around anymore anyway.

The bang/buck of my GK gig rig and my Roland just doesn't permit me to go back to the Good Old Days

LS

Hey, my largest rig (head and cab) weighs under 70 pounds. I agree with you mostly. However, if you want to really push an SVT and 810, I totally get that, and I haven't heard anything that sounds like that in a live setting (especially a live setting with limited PA support). I'm with you though in spirit... if I had to go back to playing a V4B through some horrible sealed cab, I'd kill myself.

However, I understand those who still dig that vibe.

 

[ledyard]

Just stop attacking what other people do because you're pushing for an argument about opinions which is just dumb. Let it drop.

^^^ This

Not to mention when your in the vast gasping for air drowning minority to begin with. If $250 sim amps were this good I think we all would be using them. Those that swear by sim amps arent using the $250 ones.

 

[Jonyak]

I fought against buying a tube amp for years and tried a ton of different solid state and hybrid amps. They all left me wanting more.

and then I bought my first SVT. it blew me away and turned out to be exactly what I was always wanting. now I have an SVT II pro, a 74 SVT and a 69 b15N. love them all.