your progression on amps

[drummer5359]

Hmm... okay.


In the early 1970s I bought a used Silvertone SOLID STATE bass amp to go with my Tele Star (Teisco) bass. At that point I was showing more aptitude for drums, I ended up trading that "fine" bass and amp combination for an equally miserable beat to death set of "Del Ray" drums.

Fast forward to about 2010. I'd been a working drummer since the mid 70's. I stumbled upon a Jackson JS 40 bass real cheap and thought that I'd take another shot at playing bass for grins and giggles. I bought an old Peavey TNT 160 bass amp. It was solid as a rock, weighed as much as a boulder and was adequate for starting to play again. After a while I stumbled upon a Peavey 210 cabinet. It was a small upgrade, but not what I was really looking for.

I then picked up a Fender Bassman 400 head and matching Bassman 115 cabinet. I considered this my first "serious" bass amp. I have to say that it's been super reliable and has been a good solid amp. No complains.

But alas, I got to use a couple of different Ampeg amps as backline.

OH MY!

Soooooooo....

I found a good deal on an Ampeg SVT 3 Pro and SVT 212 AV.

I have to say that I'm very happy with this setup. In 3 1/2 years I've moved up from a Peavey TNT 160 to an Ampeg SVT rig. That's a huge change!

The really good news is that I've really taken my time buying used, waiting for good deals to come along before pulling the trigger. What this means is that each time that I've upgrade I've been able to sell the previous setup for what I had into it. I haven't lost any money in my quest for my perfect tone.

 

[JimmyM]

Not losing money is always good. Wish I could say that.

 

[Turkeypills]

Not losing money is always good. Wish I could say that.

Jimmy with the sage like advice. Me to brother... me to...

My turn:

Representing the Peavey Microbass love!
SWR Workingman's 15
Ampeg SVT3-Pro with an SVT 410HE
Added an Avatar B115 with BN15-400
Eden E8 Jr.
Eden WT550 with a D210XST
Fender Bassman 70

Currently using the Bassman + Avatar (with/or) D210XST

I just cannot decide on the cab.

I am gassing for a Fearful 15/6 or 1212/6

 

[Basshappi]

Started playing in 1977
Univox 30 watt head w 1x15 cab & Kay EB-3 copy
traded both + cash for Gibson RD Artist bass
Bass teacher gave me a Kalamazoo 30 amp (used this to practice & borrowed big amps for gigs) Kalamazoo eventually caught fire one day, I extiguished it with beer and threw it away
Sunn Studio Bass 50 combo
Traded the Sunn for an Acoustic 106 2x15, great cab still have it.
70's Fender Bassman 100 silverface, loved the sound of this amp but it was not quite loud enough. I'd still have it if it hadn.t been stolen.
Peavey MkIV - Still have it, used it last week at a gig.
Blew up the speakers in the 106 and there have been a progression of cabs since.
All with MkIV;
Sunn 1x15
Peavey 1x18 BW (still have)
Peavey 410TX (still have)
Genz Benz 1x15 (still have)
Genz Benz 2x15 (still have - LOVE this cab!)

10+ years ago bought an Ampeg BA115HP and have used it for everything from rehearsal to gigs of every size. Great amp, total workhorse.

Ampeg B2r - Been using this for about 2 years though it belongs to my guitarist. Has been a good sounding, reliable amp. Love it with my GB 215.

I am currently in amp aquistion mode. I am really leaning in the tube amp direction and most likely will go the Ampeg route. Only time will tell.

 

[bgavin]

Hmm...

1963 - Sears Silvertone, (4) 6L6, guitar, can't remember anything else.
1964 - Vox somethin' or other... more guitar
1968 - Hammond C3, Leslie 122, a steal while teaching keys at a music store in S.F.
1970 - Gibson Mastertone 5-string banjo
1972 - Hammond and Leslie lost to divorce
1973 - Start hibernation, 3pc suit and tie
2000 - End hibernation, SWR 750 bass head + MIM-P and Many others
2000 - Minx 110 practice amp
2000 - QSC MX3000a + IOD, biamped, house bassist
200? - QSC PLX-3002 + IOD + Rack goodies, biamped
2005 - QSC PLX-3002 + SVP-Pro, or IOD, biamped
2010 - Frontman 25R for keys
2012 - QSC PLX-3002 + RPM, biamped
2013 - QSC PLX-3002 + RPM + VTRM, biamped
2014 - GK 700RB-II just for G.A.S.

I racked the Minx guts, tossed the cab.
Still play the Mastertone.
Still use all the PLX, IOD is in mothballs (output is too weak).
I picked up Tony Noriega's 700RB-II for grab 'n go or with the wife's drum kit.
No full range cabs, all biamped, will have to build a passive crossover, or get lucky and find a B2-III.

 

[TheRealKong]

Started in 1974 with an old tube radio. Nice sound, but not loud.

Real amps:
1975 - F.A.L. Kestrel, a 100 Watt combo with an 15''-speaker. Pure crap. Changed the spweker to an EV 15 B, slightly better.
1976 - Chinese built acoustic 200 clone. Used the F.A.L. Kestrel for cab. louder, but no sound
1977 - Marshall 118''-cab, red tolex. Too dark and muddy. Sold it.
1977 - Custom made 215''-cab, built like the Peavey 215''. Decent sound.
1978 - Wanted more high end. Addet a custom made 212'', built like Musicman cab.
1979 - Gallien Krueger 800 RB. My hard rock band went through the top, so I doubled my stack. 2 x GK 800 RB + 2 x 215'' and 2 x 212''
1984 - Gallien Krueger MB 200 + custom made 410'', sealed, no tweeter. Rock band splitted, sold all the heavy stuff. MB 200 + 410'' was enough for a punk band.
1988 - SWR Redhead. Together with my sealed 410'' a killer stack!
1990 - SWR Workingman 212''
1992 - Peavey TMax + 2 Peavey TVX, a 410'' and a 210''.
1999 - Marshall MB 4410''. SWR Redhead died, I needet an amp. bought the first I could find because I had a gig this verry evening and couldn't get my hands on my Peavey stack. Astonishing good amp, verry underrated.
2002 - Ampeg SVP Pro + Poweramp + Tecamp L 810''.
2007 - Markbass LM II
2009 - GenzBenz GBE 1200 + second Tecamp L 810''
2010 - Ibanez Promethean 5110

Still have the sealed 410''-cab, the SWR Workingman 212'', the two Tecamp L 810'' and both Peavey-cabs. Ampwise the LM II, Promethean, LM II, Marshall MB 4410 for my students, Peavey TMax, Ampeg SVP Pro + Poweramp and the GBE 1200 for sure.

I have three bands, two of them do a serious job, the third is with old friends just for fun. The "more serious" bands have a Tecamp L 810'' and either the Ampeg SVP Pro + Poweramp or the GenzBenz GBE 1200. The Peavey-fullstack is for fun with friends. LM II for backup, Promethean for sessions, jobs and small bar gigs. When the venues get bigger, I use the SWR 212'' + LM II.

So I have very versatile gear, the right amp and cab for any job.

 

[Bard2dbone]

Wow. I'll try. But like a few of the guys posting here, I'm going back a WAYS for some of these.

Memorably:

My first amp was homemade back in 1977. It was a Sears cassette recorder with a 1/4" jack soldered on to the wires that had gone to the read head. This created a hugely hairy solid state overdrive distortion that we didn't know well enough to despise at that point. But it only put out 2 (two) Watts. You read that right. TWO whole Watts.

Eventually I got a Peavey TNT130 to be my practice amp. But it just wasn't serious enough to gig.

For my first serious gig-worthy amp, I found a used Acoustic 360/361.

Loved that for a while. Got kind of tired of it and found a deal on an old Ampeg SVT with the 8x10 fridge. It had a awesome little distortion that I loved...until I found out that my favorite feature was actually a symptom. It was a tube stage going bad. It finally quit and replacing the 14 tubes cost more than I'd paid for the amp and cab. And when I finally got it back, it didn't sound anything like it had before when I liked it. So I sold it.

Then I was in the Navy for a few years.

After I got out, I still had that TNT130 in my parents garage. I used it at first, until I found a GK 800rb and a pair of Hartke 4x10 Transporters.

I used the GK/Hartke rig for a year or two. Then I found a used Acoustic TC210p powered 2x10 cab that made the Peavey a viable practice amp.

Then I found an amazing deal on an Acoustic B4 head at a GC grand opening...because Acoustic had just gone out of business. I put it on top of that TC210p and put that on a Randall 2x15 cab and was done for several years.

Then shortly after my old band stopped gigging, I let that rig go in favor of a smaller, lighter, high quality rig...again, by a company that has since gone away. I bought an SWR Redhead and an SWR Triad. And then SWR got bought by Fender.

I still have the SWR rig. But I'm already conspiring to replace it with something lighter and smaller because I'm old.

There were Fender products along the way. Notably I had a PS400 into a Bassman 2x15 cab for a while. And I had a BXR Dual Bass 400 into those same two Hartkes. But neither they nor any of the 'had-it-for-a-month-and-sold-it-back' Bassmans were ever my main rig. So I didn't count them.

 

[RodneyMac]

Peavey Century 120 w/115 cab
Kustom 100 w/Kustom 118 folded horn cab
Ampeg V4B w/215 JBL cab
Ampeg SVT ('70's) w/810's
3) SVT heads w/4) SVT 810's and 2) V9B bottoms (yes, at the same time)
Back to 1) SVT and 1) 810 (back problems)
Randall 100W w/215 bottom
Ampeg SVT-3 w/ 410 HLF bottom
Aguilar TH500 w/ Bag End S15X-B & S15-B (current)
Bag End Q10BX-D w/1000W plate amp built in, w/ S18DE-D w/ plate amp and Infra sub processor

After the SVT phase, and back problems, I have no idea why I purchased a big rig...go figure.

 

[southshoreconor]

Ibanez 10w combo
Trace Elliot BLX-80
TE > Crate 2x15
Crate Bx-200 > Crate 2x15
GK 400rb > Crate 2x15
GK 400rb > Ampeg 8x10e
Mesa 400+ > Ampeg 8x10e
Mesa 400+ > Mesa 4x10/1x15 roadready stack
Mesa 400+ > two Ampeg 8x10e cabs
Marshall JMP & Mesa 400+ > two Ampeg 8x10e cabs (My bass amp pinacle)
Mesa 400 (non plus) > 71 Ampeg 8x10
Mesa 400 > ampeg 8x10HPC Ultra - My current rig.

 

[jbd5015]

Gorilla (?) 10w 8'' Combo...worst ever.
Crate 50w combo
Nemesis NC210 (high school graduation)
Ashdown ABM EVO III + Carvin 410 (rubbish cab)
Ashdown 210 Cab
Ashdown 180 Blue Combo (12'', good rehearsal amp)
Ampeg V4B + B40 (410)
Kustom K200
Bag End Q10BXD (swapped speakers into B40 making a 2OHM 410 of sealed cab death)
Ampeg B15NC (the rare 2x15 column version)

The only things i didnt keep were the first 2 and i sold the Q10BXD empty cab to a buddy. The K200 is a back up for the Ampegs. I actually really dislike the Ashdown ABM EVO for the band that i am in. Not sure what its good for really.

 

[MegaSwing]

Amps that I've owned that I actually played gigs with, since about 1996:

Ampeg SVTIII Pro
Mesa-Boogie Basis M2000
SWR SM400
Eden WT400
Hartke 3500
AMP BH420
Markbass LM2
GK MB2-500
GK MB200
Peavey BAM210 Combo
Ampeg BA210SP

There have been others that came and went quickly or were not gigged. I still own the last four.

In truth, if I had just stayed with the first one and been happy (which I should have done in a GAS-free world), I'd be way further in the game.

 

[harpdude]

These are in order from when I started playing in 1982:

1. Peavey TNT100
2. Gallien Krueger RB400 (w/Hartke 1X15 cab)
3. Trace Elliott GP7SM250 (w/custom made 2X10 Eminence cab. Gigged with this one the longest...approx. 20 years)
4. Ampeg B1RE (w/Ampeg SVT115 cab)
5. Markbass CMD102P

 

[thunderbird66]

Sunn SB60 combo

Sunn Coliseum ll stack
(not a day goes by that I don't kick myself in the @$$ for losing this one)

Kustom 60watt combo

Crate 300watt stack

Ampeg pro 3 410 cab

Ashdown mag 300 evo ll combo

I've hated or had issue's with everything but the Sunn stuff.
Kinda scratching my head about where to go next.....I'm thinkin orange.

 

[gregmon79]

A crate guitar head, then a GK 1001RB. That's it.

I can relate to this.

For years I never had the money to get a really nice amp. I started on a Fender twin reverb guitar amp. Just quietly practiced with it. My next amp was an Ampeg B50R, that I still have and love very much, that was like my first real bass amp. But then I started playing with bands and the B50R wasnt cutting it volume wise. So I after some years of struggling with being heard in the mix, I finally got an amp and cab. A Yorkie Bassmaster 400 and a Yorkie 210. I used this amp and cab for a few years until I blew the cab. Then I found a used Fender Bassman 410 at GC, grabbed that and used it with the Yorkie for a few years. Really loved that cab. I still have the Bassman 410 and the Yorkie but last year I picked up my baby, a GK 1001RB and a GK Neo410 and I LOVE my rig. Its the nicest Ive ever had and I am very happy with it. I havent felt the need to get anything else. That doesnt mean that I dont GAS for other amps and cabs, but the GK stuff is killin it for me so far. If I added anything at this point it would be another 410 or 212. GK fanboy here now. I also tried the SWR 750x when I was shopping for the an amp, that was eventually the GK, and I had brought it home with me for a week and liked it but I needed more clean power. The 1001 had the SWR beat in spades so I went with it. I dont regret my choice for a second. I still play the Bassman 410 for practice and I really dig that cab, but its crossover is messed up at this time so I dont bump it. But my GK stuff is my bread and butter, Ill probably be a GK guy for life.

 

[experimental bassist]

Silvertone guitar amp.

Gorilla bass amp (parents bought is as gift, I was like 13 or something) ha ha.

Crate B150 head w/ 15" cab.

Sunn PA head (SS, but don't remember details)

Crate B80XL (still have this combo, makes a great practice amp and really not bad tone for what it is).

Peavey F800B head w/ vintage Peavey 115 cab (still have the head, simply LOVE that big titan).

Ampeg BA210 combo (USA made SLM era model, my current do all - really like everything about it except for the 76 lbs ).


Future wish list: (Peavey VB-2 over a nice 115, some sort of micro stack -got my eye on the upcoming Peavey Mini Max, and just for pleasure would love to find a nice vintage Ampeg Portaflex)

 

[beans-on-toast]

If you can remember all your amps, you weren't really there.

I started off with a radio with a 15" speaker that I modified and then built an amp based on a radio circuit. My first store bought amp was a Silvertone. It wasn't uncommon at the time that a mic, guitar and bass all went into a single amp. We also used a pre-mixer for vocals that was fed into one amp. I plugged into many different amps over the years. Sometimes into PA systems. Some were on loan or supplied, sort or long term. Sometimes the venue supplied the amps. This was before back line rental was common.

Went on to an assortment of Fender, Marshall, Vox, Peavey, Mesa Boogie, Ampeg, Garnet, McIntosh, Hammond, and Leslie. There were others that I built, those that I know I used but can't for the life of me remember the details, there were also some great sounding obscure makes.

 

[bassmanrocke]

Started with an inherited Peavey TNT-130 early '80s,
Bought an Ampeg V-4 B with the v-4 B folded horn 2-15. Never used this much because it was way too big to carry around in my Volkswagen and I wasn't exactly playing venues big enough for its throw. Eventually traded for an early American Jazz V.(probably the worst trade I ever made)

Traded the Peavey for a Fender BXR-300C which my nephew still uses at his practice sight. Gigged this for years along with a Laney 210(loaned to a friend at work and never returned,(note-don't loan out equipment to friends at work). Bought a peavey minx for apartment practice, traded for a roland supercube 60 kept until about 5 years ago when I gave it to an aspiring bass-player.

Experimented with a Bass Attack pedal, 250 watt poweramp and a heavily used Guild-Hartke 410, then a beat PV 410 but found this a futile plan. blew up the hartke, put in generic replacement speakers and it is now also at my nephew's place. Gave away the PV 410 to a high school student.

Bought a used GK 410 from GC cheap because they had miss-marked it as a Backline, and couldn't raise the price without answering questions at corporate. Found an Eden WT-400 Traveler for $250 at a pawn shop. This has been my go to rig for the last 8-9 years. I have added another Eden wt-300 Traveler that is my backup, along with a GK210 and 115 cab combo, a Genz Benz bb115, and an Avatar 212 neo(I'm not very good at passing by pawn shop steals).

Somewhere in the last couple of years I also picked up an Ampeg b500dr that I traded along with a japanese squier precision for a Markbass cm112 combo that I use for open mics or auditions.

I probably have missed a few along the way, but this is my path as I remember it.

 

[mancefine]

All in the past 10 years, from age 16-26
Had the Crate combo pack my mom bought me with Crate P-bass and practice amp
Bought Ampeg B-15 from a friend
My mom bought me a Peavey 8x10 and Peavey Head, whatever model was new in 2005
Eventually traded Peavey 8x10 in and got Ampeg 810
Sold Peavey head for Ampeg SVT 3 pro
Sold SVT 3 pro for SVT 4 pro
SVT 4 pro burnt out, got the big SWR head that had built in effects with a footswitch (don't remember model)
Sold for SVT classic
Sold everything after bad band break-up
Started back, bought GK 700 RB and (I forgot the model) the weird looking Victor Wooten Ampeg cab that had an 18 inverted in the bottom, 2 10's and I think 2 8's in it.
Didn't like the cab, sold for an SWR 4x10 and a GK 4x10
Needed more power, sold rig and got GK 1001 rb and Ampeg 810 again
Bad band break up agian, needed cash, sold everything
New band, bought another Ampeg 8x10 and GK 1001 rb
Sold GK for Ampeg SVT classic
Moved to big city and was jobless, traded SVT classic for SWR head and cash, traded 810 for a 215 Peavey cab and cash. Wasn't playing in a serious band at the time.
Traded 215 peavey cab for peavey 4x10
Sold everything
Fender rumble 100 2x10 that I played through while I got my crap together and wasn't playing in bands. Finished college, got good job, starting playing again.
Traynor tube 210 with 210 extention cab
Sold traynor, bought Ampeg SVT 350 h and Ampeg 210 and 115 cabs.
Sold crappy Ampeg rig and bought SVT classic and Ampeg 810. Kept rig for a while as I started gigging heavily again.
Sold Ampeg SVT classic and bought Orange Terror bass 1000
Band got Orange endorsement so I sold Ampeg 810 and got Orange OBC 410 and 115 cabinets and that's my current (and best sounding) rig. won't sell this rig, just add to it. Am buying Orange AD200B next week and the OBC 8x10 in a few months, then maybe the OB-1K that was just announced. Either way, Orange >everything else, and no I'm not just saying that because we are endorsed.

I needed to do this just to remind myself how wasteful I've been. It's nice having a good job AND playing music, because now I don't have to sell or trade down my rig just to eat. The list of basses I went through in this period is probably worse.

 

[Eminor3rd]

Rogue 30W 1x8 Combo
Rogue 120W 1x15 Combo
Behringer 300W Head + Hartke VX410
(added) Hartke VX1508A
(replaced head with) Ampeg B2R
(replaced cabs with) SWR Goliath III
(replaced head with) Eden WT550B
(replaced cab with) Schroeder 1212L
(replaced head with) Aguilar AG500

 

[Bufalo]

This is a cool thread. I'd imagine there are guys who have had pretty substantial turnover in the time since this zombie was last put to rest.

I started with a Peavey TNT115 combo - mid 90's with the green stripes on the amp and the silver stripes on the cab with the Black Widow. Nasty and not quite loud. Still got me through high school and college

In '99 I bought a nearly-new SWR Goliath III (black powder coat grille) and "powered" it with the head section of the TNT. I had this until 2012

Added a Peavey Sessionbass head in 2000 and loved life for a while.

Joined a loud band in 2004 and found I needed more juice. Bought an SWR 350X and added a Son of Bertha cabinet. Thought the 4x10 + 115 thing was cool. Wasn't on Talkbass.

Didn't really like the SOB and sold it in mid 2010.

Traded for an SWR Super Redhead in late 2010. Was and still is a dream to own and play.

Decided I needed more power, less weight and more NEW stuff in late 2011, bought a GK MB500 and a NEO112-II, and sold the SWR 350X.

Early 2012 - Wanted an extra practice cabinet, bought an Acoustic NEO115B.

Late 2012, traded my Goliath III for an SWR 12-Pack in Oxblood that had been around TB a few times.

July 2013, sold the 12-pack and bought an SWR Henry the 8x8.



Gives me a current stable of the 8x8, the MB500, the NEO112, the NEO115B and the Super Redhead.