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Why aren't you using tube amps?

#241
All about weight for me. My amp is almost invariably just my onstage monitor when I gig these days, so I bring the lightest, smallest thing I can get away with. I do however, send an always-on "tube-like" tone to the FOH, courtesy of an effect pedal.
 
#249
Used these valve or tube
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bass guitar amplifiers are few and far between!:rollno::banghead:
 
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#250
Ellery said:
I almost bought a Mesa 400+ I really wanted but didn't. In retrospect I was glad. What I'm using comes CLOSE ENOUGH to the tube sound and response I wanted that it's worth not having a unit that requires regular maintenance, is expensive (ok that hasn't stopped me before), heavy and bulky and more susceptible to impact damage. What I mean by CLOSE ENOUGH is whatever reaches the audience thru the live mix has been stripped of the tone qualities that I wanted from said tube amp anyway. Also with a solid state power stage I can keep the same tone at different volumes. But do I still WANT an all tube amp? Yes, I really do.
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This. Trying to sell a Sunn (O))) Concert Bass to fund purchase of a Mesa Buster! 1x15, which is probably as big as I can go in tubiness. What are you using that comes close enough?
 
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#251
Tonal consistency across volume levels.

With weight and size being a distant second and third, with maintenance and less perceived durability being even more distant fourth and fifth.

While I'm by no means swimming in cash, I'll happily pay a premium for durable gear if I believe it's worth it. In this case, the cons (aside from cost) just so happen to outweigh the pros for me personally.
 
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#252
Passinwind said:
Yep. I traded off my 35 watt Fender combo a while back and whatever I build next will have at least one <10 watt mode. I also am planning on doing at least one ~100 watt DIY tube bass head this year, code name Everything You Know Is Wrong. My basic concept is warm gooey-ness at low volume, moving to cleaner and cleaner as volume goes up. Yeah, I'm not much of a rocker, needless to say.
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Would that be starved to nominal power? I like this idea a lot, what's left of my hearing too.
 
#259
Son of Wobble said:
What kinda sound do you coax out of the amp? What kind of music you play?
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All kinds of stuff. I play rockabilly on an upright, jazz/blues on an upright, rock and roll on a Thunderbird. Jaco's tone was burnt orange, dry, and scratchy sounding to me. I get a bit, blue-green juicy sound. With the bright switch on, it can be pretty aggressive, but still not as parched sounding as Jaco. I must not play as hard as he did, although with my slow prehistoric hands, that's hard to believe.
 
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#260
Gaolee said:
All kinds of stuff. I play rockabilly on an upright, jazz/blues on an upright, rock and roll on a Thunderbird. Jaco's tone was burnt orange, dry, and scratchy sounding to me. I get a bit, blue-green juicy sound. With the bright switch on, it can be pretty aggressive, but still not as parched sounding as Jaco. I must not play as hard as he did, although with my slow prehistoric hands, that's hard to believe.
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I like how you describe sounds in colors. Kind of an aura thing, I guess?:wideyed:
I'm gonna post in the strings section and ask what is the best brand for blue-green juiciness !:bassist::hyper:

Anyway, sounds like you're doing some cool and varied music with your gear. Thanks for elaborating! :thumbsup:
 

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