Anyone who gets a Musicians Friend / Sweetwater / etc. catalog knows that small tube guitar combos are huge. Every manufacturer seems to make one; 5 watts, $150-$200. I, for one, would buy a 15ish watt, 12" or 15" all tube bass combo for $400 or so if it was available. I'm guessing either such a combo can't be made cheaply enough to sell for $400, or there isn't enough demand. Am I missing something?
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Why aren't small tube combos being made?
- Thread starter oggdawg
- Start date
theres plenty of amps out there with a pair of el84s that'll work for bass,but i'm guessing there isn't really alot of demand for that kind've power in a bass amplifier though since it'll only really be good for home and studio use.
bongomania
Commercial User
I think that's because most bass players have never played an all tube amp, and have no idea how loud 15 tube watts are.
bongomania
Commercial User
Ogg, I honestly can't tell if you're being sincere, or trying to start something. It's true that a 35-50W tube amp like the B15N is enough for intimate gigs and relatively quiet bands, and that miking or DI'ing the speaker output of the small-wattage amp allows use of the PA for "loudness" and projection in the venue; but there's literally decades of professional bassists giving up on such amps as totally inadequate for any large or loud gig. If you are sincere in describing your experience, then that's fine--just understand that it's an exception that many thousands of bassists have already tried and rejected, and that almost the entire generation of small-amp users demanded larger, louder amps--which led to the development of those bigger amps. It's not like the bass amplifier manufacturers started making more powerful amps with no existing customer demand.
Even 100 watts of all tube bass amp can be limiting. It was for me. I think 200 watts is where it all begins, as far as tube bass amps go. Not that I wouldn't love to have a 50 watt all tube bass combo. But, it would be for home and studio use only.
I'm not trying to start something. My question was sincere. I have played shows with a Fender Bassman 20 (18 watts, all tube) 1x15, with the volume at 4 or 5. Plenty of volume. I have a 100 watt all tube power amp that makes my eardrums want to burst if I turn it past 5. It's fine if you need more watts, just don't question the fact that I don't need them. There must be others...
Again, it's fine if you think 15 tube watts is nothing, good for you. But by responding to this thread like that, it's really you who are trying to start something, I'd argue.
Again, it's fine if you think 15 tube watts is nothing, good for you. But by responding to this thread like that, it's really you who are trying to start something, I'd argue.
I realize its not a combo, but it sounds like Ashdown is listening. http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?section=valve&ID=229
I'd like to see a small tube amp (i.e. tube pre and tube power stage) with a dummy speaker load and a big SS final power stage, all in one box. Anyone know of such a beast?
bongomania
Commercial User
I don't know of one all in one box, but there are several 1RU or half-rack preamps that contain a 5W (or so) power tube section and a dummy load, and those can be paired with any power amp.
I actually had a Krank Rev Jr Pro for a while (20 watt all tube guitar amp). The clean channel on that was an AMAZING little bass amp. Warm, punchy, and thick, but very articulate. Not at all what I would have expected since it was really designed as a very high gain guitar amp and most viewed the clean channel as an afterthought. Would have made a fantastic studio amp, was great for at home practice, and I think could have done great for coffee shop gigs and such.
-John
-John
Missing in the responses is the overwhelming trouble with vibration on tubes in a small combo used for bass. Not looking for any arguements, that's just a simple fact for a combo that would actually perform on par with what today's bassists are looking for. 
There is
1. Small
2. Power
3. Tubes
You can have ANY two of those in any combination... but you cant have the third. At least not yet.
1. Small
2. Power
3. Tubes
You can have ANY two of those in any combination... but you cant have the third. At least not yet.
there's no way to shock mount it to minimize it?Missing in the responses is the overwhelming trouble with vibration on tubes in a small combo used for bass. Not looking for any arguements, that's just a simple fact for a combo that would actually perform on par with what today's bassists are looking for.
