Which amp would George Porter Jr buy?

[kobass]

Here's a clip of George rocking an 800RB back in 2000...

 

[nonohmic]

He'd prolly use the one given to him at least cost by the company from which he received the most benefit.

And still sound like him..

 

[cableguy]

Thanks for your input. Does the whole GK is just a modern sounding amp trope stand true? Or are they capable of a throaty vintage tone as well, in your opinion/experience?

Most would say that GK's are more modern sounding. I think the GK Fusion series will get closer to the Ampeg & Tonehammer sound. I played an MBFusion 800 for a bit and it was a great amp. I think the tube pre could soften the GK sound and add a little tube grit. Plus the Fusion series has a phat bottom end if that's your thing.

 

[nonohmic]

Thanks for the input all. I'm thinking of trying the PF350 first, those can be gotten rather cheap used.

The Fusions look great, but spendy af!

 

[cableguy]

Thanks for the input all. I'm thinking of trying the PF350 first, those can be gotten rather cheap used.

The Fusions look great, but spendy af!

I played a Ampeg PF-500 for a bit. If you like a big warm sound, you'll be happy with it. I was looking for more grind at the time and it couldn't quite get there. A little hair it will do, flat out grind/distortion it wouldn't. IMO

 

[nonohmic]

I played a Ampeg PF-500 for a bit. If you like a big warm sound, you'll be happy with it. I was looking for more grind at the time and it couldn't quite get there. A little hair it will do, flat out grind/distortion it wouldn't. IMO

That kind of perfectly sums up what I'm looking for. Thanks!

 

[Luckydog]

Saw him in the 80s and he was using an SVT/810 setup one time, and SWR cabs with a GK RB400 another time. I just assumed that in both instances they were the provided backline.

 

[chris_b]

I'm guessing here. . . . but GP might be using flatwound strings. IMO no matter what gear you use, you'll be half way there with a good set of flats.

 

[Luckydog]

I'm guessing here. . . . but GP might be using flatwound strings. IMO no matter what gear you use, you'll be half way there with a good set of flats.

GP was known to use nickel Daddario rounds in the past. No idea what he uses now. In the ancient days he (and most ppl) used flats.

flats wouldnt remove so much varnish from the neck of his P-bass.

 

[Martin Beer]

It sounds like he's on rounds on most live footage from the last 20 years, though fingerboard wear on a fretted bass is usually from fingers and not strings - you would have to be fretting with an unnecessary amount of pressure for the strings to make regular contact with the wood.
He also doesn't really seem to go for what we think of as an 'old school' amp sound these days - it's not a hyped 'hifi' slap tone, but it seems like he could probably get his thing from most amps, it's more about the sound of him on a P-bass. So 'what would he buy today' and 'what could I buy to sound like his 70s studio recordings' could have quite different answers.

 

[bradd]

You should ask him. He's fairly accessable on Facebook.

 

[markjazzbassist]

Pretty sure he's been endorsed by aguilar for quite some time

aguilar has only existed since the early 2000's, george has been playing since the mid 1960's.

here is the ampeg website with the SVT-2 and his endorsement

https://ampeg.com/products/pro/svt2pro/

here's a interview stating he uses ampeg

BLUES JUNCTION Productions - Twenty Questions to George Porter, Jr. By Kennan Shaw


i know he uses aguilar NOW, but for many many years he was ampeg

 

[Dynacord]

You should ask him. He's fairly accessable on Facebook.

True. I'm 'friends' with him there (met in the real world many years ago). His recent photos show him playing several different Aguilar amps/cabs.

 

[Timmah]

I’ve seen video of him playing (at different times) through an 800RB/Ampeg 810, a full SVT rig, a GK MB Series II combo, Aguilar stack, B15, and Aguilar TH/Ampeg 810. The amp doesn’t seem to matter too much for him. It’s all variations on a theme, and that theme is a wicked good player with a P bass.

For what it’s worth, a P-bass with kinda dead nickels is gonna get you 80% of the way there. Maybe the slightest bit of drive from a Barbershop or 5th Gear or something will get you another 5% of the way there. But the rest of it, the bit that really counts, is how he touches the instrument. Pluck over the pickup where he does, dig in a little, and (this part is important) be REALLY good at bass.

Nobody’s gonna nail his tone without his hands, but it sure is fun to try.

 

[thisheregiraffe]

Check out the Gear page on his website: Gear — George Porter Jr.

 

[matti777]

From 6 years ago....probably the backline.

 

[bbrooks008]

GP was known to use nickel Daddario rounds in the past. No idea what he uses now. In the ancient days he (and most ppl) used flats.

View attachment 4080498

flats wouldnt remove so much varnish from the neck of his P-bass.

I don't think he's bottoming out on the fretboard. The wear is probably just from his fingertips

 

[Luckydog]

I don't think he's bottoming out on the fretboard. The wear is probably just from his fingertips

yes perhaps. He is quite a powerful string bender though. Maybe the combination.

 

[CallMeAl]

I’ve seen many of those “produced” videos (like on SBL) where he’s using an Aguilar. And his tone is just delicious on those.

FWIW, someone recently described the Peavey Max series as “very close to the Tone hammer series” and you can consider my interest piqued. If you’re on a budget (like me!) I’d start there (on my shortlist for the “next” amp, when the time comes.)

 

[Michedelic]

In the 70’s, at least live, he was seen with Kustom.