which bass head ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter FALKEN
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FALKEN

FALKEN

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hey all,

Im gonna plunk down some cash on a bass head. I already have a 4x10 cab (sunn) - its 8 ohms. The sound I am looking for is a full, round, deep bottom. I am currently considering two routes for a head but I am open to more suggestions...

option 1 - hartke 3500. I like the idea of a tube preamp with a solid state power amp..as I love the sound of musicman guitar amps. Its about the right power requirements (somewhere around 200 watts at 8 ohms). Seems like a good value and I've had bass payers that played hartke's that sounded really good.

option 2 - vintage fender head...something like a 150 watt bandmaster. I know this is unconventional but an ampeg head has 12 freakin tubes in it and costs an arm and a leg. I could get a vintage fender for maybe $500, have fewer tubes to deal with and get it right in around the power requirements I am looking for.

lemmeknowwhatuthinkk?
 
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Ampeg SVT.


It's all you'll ever need.




Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
something like a 150 watt bandmaster.
Click to expand...

sorry, bro, but this doesnt exist. bandmaster was 40 watts and not very useful for (or voiced for) bass. there was a 135 watt bassman, as well as the 100 (i have one) and the 50 (have owned two). all of the above produce max power into 4 ohms--- power is reduced with improperly matched impedances. a showman produces full power into 8 ohms (85 watts), but a dual showman wants 4 ohms. showman is probably as good of a choice as bassman--- bassman voicing is kind of hard to cope with using only the onboard tone controls. and if your drummer uses sticks bigger than 7A's or your guitarist has much more than a deluxe reverb, none of them are going to provide enough headroom to keep up, even overdriven. then again, for recording, they can work out great.

also, please dont buy an amp based on how many tubes it has.

the hartke is a solid (if vanilla) choice. also consider the ampeg svt 450, and the swr workingman head. there are other options, sure, but these are widely available and among the best in your particular price range.

i think the fender would be a mistake.

a
 
agreed that SVT is killer, but a new one is $1500+, and even they arent as sweet as a pre-SLM (crate) one.

if you do find an old one, make sure you get the crazy speaker cable.

but, you aint going to find one for $500.

a
 
Those are your only two options????

I recommend an old peavey head if you're really starting out with a Head/Cab rig for the first time. I have a rediculous blendable channel tube/SS Mesa Boogie head and a sick Genz Benz Neodymium 212. I still plug into my Peavey and play quite contented with the tone and power. Semi parametric mids are your friend...

That old Sunn cab is probably not rated for very high wattage. I reccommend a head that has a bit more power than the cab rating (say double for starters-- we are talking bass here and headroom is king), but run it with some compression and don't crank it.
 
I've been completely happy with my Marshall Superbass MkII for over 20 years.
For an extra BIG sound, I use an Etone 200watt single cone cab.
I do have an attenuator so I can get a fat sound at low vol when needed.
I don't know what it'd cost these days.
To be particular, what bass would you play through your selection?
Here's a cute one - same model etc.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/1978-Marshal...ryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
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jha! I bet that superbass does sound good!

Ampeg SVT IS all I would ever need but costs more than I want to spend given that bass isn't my main instrument.

The Sunn cab is actually newer, fender made. I think it can handle 300 watts. I got it locally really cheap and I can't help collecting cool stuff thats in good condition so thats what I've got.

The fender comments might be spot on....might not work. U r right about the bandmaster/bassman/showman stuff.... I guess I meant whatever moidel I could find for a reasonable price for the requirements I was looking for, they're not that different. drummer actually uses 5As...I play a 50 watt guitar head with a 4x12 cab. U really think a showman would suck? I saw a guy using one live once and it sounded great, but there could be so many variables that went into that... I actually own a 50 watt blackface bassman which sounds great for bass but as expected it is way too quiet for a band situation.

I found a musicman head that runs 4 el34s @ 130 watts (same config. as the superbass), and also a sunn head that has 2 pwr tubes but claims to run at 140 watts (not sure how this is possible). what about these options?

Bass is a fender jazz bass so tonally flexible.
 
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Peavey MarkIV Musician is a great kick-butt head - and then a second vintage 100 watt or better tube amp (I use a 1960's Guild 100watt). Split your cable and plug in to both (you be sounding like Chris Squire in no time).

Works for me - I may change pedals and girlfriends VERY often - but my basses and amp rigs will be with me till I'm dead!

Ampegs are nice too, but for me my setup works for soooo many styles of music.
 
check into the Ashdown Superfly; Awesome little Head and is all you will need for gigging or studio use very compact and lightweight.

the new Ashdown Little Giant series heads are also some interesting prospects you may want to check out.

lots of other good suggestions from the other forumites though just depends on how much green you are ready to put on the table.

My other suggestion Would be Mesa Walkabout Scout or a 400 +
 
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