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Worst amp you played through

#121
Hate to say it, but it was my first amp: a blackface 60's Bassman with a 2x12 cab. This would have been around 1968. It just sounded like crap and couldn't even come close to keeping up with a band. I was much happier when 3 years later I moved up to a Sound City 100 amp with 8x12s! That baby did the job!

Oddly enough, these days I use a Bassman 100 and I love it!
 
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#125
Nev375 said:
Some nameless thing that spawned from the pages of a 1960's era Mongomery Wards catalog.
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Mine was some nameless thing that spawned from the pages of an early 80's Sears catalog - I've blocked out the brand name, but it wasn't anything you'd recognize. Bass was crappy, amp much more so. 15 watts, 12" driver, open back, and would fart out with the volume turned to about 3. It was really tricky getting that POS to work for my first theater gig. I still have the bass though, and keep wondering whether I should leave it as-is for its sentimental value or get a new bridge, tuners, etc. to try to make it somewhat playable.
 
#127
Robert B said:
Hate to say it, but it was my first amp: a blackface 60's Bassman with a 2x12 cab. This would have been around 1968. It just sounded like crap and couldn't even come close to keeping up with a band. I was much happier when 3 years later I moved up to a Sound City 100 amp with 8x12s! That baby did the job!

Oddly enough, these days I use a Bassman 100 and I love it!
Click to expand...

I had a Sound City in the late 70's. I got it 'cause I was just a kid in high school and couldn't afford what I REALLY wanted - a HiWatt(like Wetton;). But man, that Sound City kicked ass!
Your first Fender rig is something I'd use these days in a heartbeat for recording!
 
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#131
I used to play this BBQ roadhouse back in the day that insisted on the band using their Standel amps * and drums, that was the most Gawd awful, ragged out, worn to the nub equipment I ever played thru. On the upside pay was pretty good, there was a great B3 organ, food was great, plenty to drink and an easy load in out. The other down side is one of the last times i played there I got stabbed by a jealous "boyfriend".
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Fwiw back in the day 60-70s Standel was a premium alternative used by a lot of great players including BB King and George Benson, honestly it was likely not the amps that were so bad but all the mileage and abuse that was put on those amps.
 
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#132
bassbrad said:
I used to play this BBQ roadhouse back in the day that insisted on the band using their Standel amps * and drums, that was the most Gawd awful, ragged out, worn to the nub equipment I ever played thru. On the upside pay was pretty good, there was a great B3 organ, food was great, plenty to drink and an easy load in out. The other down side is one of the last times i played there I got stabbed by a jealous "boyfriend".
*Invalid Link Removed
Fwiw back in the day 60-70s Standel was a premium alternative used by a lot of great players including BB King and George Benson, honestly it was likely not the amps that were so bad but all the mileage and abuse that was put on those amps.
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I want to hear about the stabbing incident.
 
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#133
my worst was my first - a late 70s peavey 400 bass amp, with not one but two peavey 2x15 cabinets. what a dog. i was lucky enough to have a rickenbacker 4001 as my first bass, but through the peavey it sounded like elderly walruses trapped inside a wet cardboard box. caused me serious misery for years, wondering why i couldn't get a sound like geddy lee and chris squire. i was a beginner and didn't know any better when i bought it; i trusted the owner of the little music store where i bought it. FU, neil caiazzo.
 
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#135
MrCash said:
As the title says what is the worst amp or combo you have actually played through and why?

Worst head
I have a Ampeg b2r and I'm nominating it for the worst amp I've played through.
I do like its tone although nothing special its not bad at all, that's where the love ends.
As many members note the output is pathetic and especially if you use the pad switch even with a powerful active bass. I'm sure I've heard 25w amps that are louder and even with the pad switch out at 8ohms I'm sure it only just about equals 100w.
It has no right to be as heavy/big or as expensive as it was originally, especially as the build quality is so so too.
Not the worst amp but too me it's the worst I've played through and own.

Worst combo
Now far enough this was only a tiny practice amp but still I had the misfortune of owning a peavey micro bass the later foreign made ones and it sounded honestly like a glorified alarm clock and then it went with a fart and blew up! Which is a shame as in general I've think peavey stuff is alright.
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I had that Ampeg head I know it gets a bad rep, but understanding the gain structure and EQ can take your out put levels further. What kind of music were you playing with it? A Behringer BDI-21 is like $30-40 bucks and can change that amp.
 
#136
One like this was my first and the worst:

s-l1600b.jpg
 
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#140
Acoustic B200mk2

It was my first amp, didn't know better. I found it on GC website heavily marked down and thought for half-price for scratch-dent. I figured it couldn't be that bad. I was excited when I picked it up that I couldn't find a scratch or mark anywhere. Not having a lot of experience, I kept fiddling with it for a couple of months trying to get a good tone out of several different basses. It never happened, and I missed the return period. I was able to get 90% of my money back on Craigslist, and haven't considered another Acoustic since.
 

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