Bass amplification selection

[InTheFire]

A friend of mine plays a five-string bass with active pickups. If he joins this alt-rock band that also does acoustic sets, what should he be looking for?

We know what's good out there but, in the name of convenience, he would like to stay with a small combo. If he's staying local and playing small venues, what's gonna be satifactory until he needs to make another step.

He seems to favor the Hartke Kickback 15 and likes it with a Black Finger compressor in front of it. He's a tube amp fan but, this is all he knows his budget will afford. All suggestions are welcome to save him from a poor choice.

 

[Farview]

See if you can find an SWR. They are good all around bass amps.

 

[Garry Sharp]

Played through a Hartke for the first time at a gig the other day - very nice, but it was a 410. He might find that a 15 on its own lacks definition - even those with a tweeter, a 210 might be clearer, especially at lower volumes during acoustic sets. Ashdown make a 210 combo that I like. You need to put it up on a keyboard stand or something to hear it best.

The SWR Working Man combo's get very well reviewed, but I haven't used one. The Gallien Kruger 115 Backline combo is worth an audition alongside the Hartke if he wants to go that route.

 

[pondscum]

As a 5 string slinger myself I bought the VOX little 60watt combo with a twelve inch speaker.It is not that much cash and sounds real clear and thick!

 

[spankenstein]

The Ampeg B115. I have an old B-1 (150W, 12 and horn) and love it. I really have never been impressed with Hartke heads. They just always come across as lifeless.

 

[Fletch-X]

I have a Roland DB500 that I love. 160 watts,nice chorus and compression on board and decent tube emulation, only 50 lbs or so. They can be had at Sam Ash for about $300. They were discontinued so you may have to look around.
SWR combos are nice but were out of my budget. Used would be your best bet for one of those.

 

[InTheFire]

Thanks so much, you guys. This is really opening some doors and educating me very much.

 

[yeahboye]

I use a Trace Elliot AHSMX350. This is their tube/transistor amp with lots of EQ and compression. Tone unlike any other amp on the market.
Mine has been around the block a few times but I just recorded an e.p. on it, and it sounds great.

 

[James Hart]

small and cheap... look at the Ashdown Mag series. I've got a pair of 1x12 "kickback" style... one lives in my trunk, other at my alt rock acoustic playing singers place. The singer uses the one I leave with him as a vocal / acoustic monitor at small shows we use our practice PA at (I use it to rehearse with when I don't feel like moving my real rig).

My "Real Rig" is pretty portable and will take on any setting. it's a Schroeder 1210 with an old Yamaha Pre and a Crown CE1000 Poweramp. The cab is under 50lbs and if mated to a light weight head (WW, EA, AI, etc) it's a monster mini rig

I play active 6 string fretless mostly, but also have a fretted 5 active