Hey where you been Bear?
I resisted the urge to go on an SVT rant, well almost. bobampeg
Valve Amps
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
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gray
Interesting thread. I'm thinking more and more about just cutting to the chase and going all tube. I've been very disappointed with my current rig, but I just don't know what to pursue, and finding any to play is next to impossible around here.
I am confident that somewhere, somehow, I can get the tone I want at the volume I need so I won't have to stand right in front of my amp in order to not have to struggle to play, if that makes any sense.
I am confident that somewhere, somehow, I can get the tone I want at the volume I need so I won't have to stand right in front of my amp in order to not have to struggle to play, if that makes any sense.
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soundmasterg
- RRF Consultant
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Yah, the Hiwatts have always been expensive, but they are cool amps. For me, the choice has been a vintage Ampeg SVT and/or a vintage Sunn tube bass amp, depending on the volume needs. If I'm recording, then I use the aforementioned amps and a DI and blend the two. You could try this approach live too....get yourself a good DI box and use a dual mono setup and tweak to taste. One line to the amp and the other to the DI and PA.
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gray
I used to have a Sunn Model T, which makes for either a bass or a guitar amp, and it was such a pain to find a cabinet for it, that I just sold it. Besides, it was only 150 watts max (really more like 120 with the tubes I had in it, JJ KT88s) and so wasn't nearly loud enough for what I need. However, it was a great-sounding amp, and as a guitar amp, it absolutely screamed, one of the best tones I've ever heard. It sounded fantastic through an old Bassman cab.
What I want to know is what makes the Hiwatt that much better than the Marshall VBA 400?
What I want to know is what makes the Hiwatt that much better than the Marshall VBA 400?
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soundmasterg
- RRF Consultant
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- Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 1:06 pm
I like the quiet one myself.....those are killer amps, but too small to gig with unless you just use it for stage volume and mic through the PA.
The Sunn's don't have enough volume to gig with on bigger gigs unless you are using a couple of the original 215 JBL equipped cabinets that they came with, and then they're pretty loud, but that is too much to carry around. A Sunn 200S bass amp on 5 with the Sunn 2x15 JBL D140 cabinet will keep up at a blues jam with a couple Deluxe Reverbs that are up around 7-8, and it has plenty of punch and just enough dirtiness to color things, yet still being clean.
The Sunn's don't have enough volume to gig with on bigger gigs unless you are using a couple of the original 215 JBL equipped cabinets that they came with, and then they're pretty loud, but that is too much to carry around. A Sunn 200S bass amp on 5 with the Sunn 2x15 JBL D140 cabinet will keep up at a blues jam with a couple Deluxe Reverbs that are up around 7-8, and it has plenty of punch and just enough dirtiness to color things, yet still being clean.
There are not many fans of the Traynor YBA 200 here, but I have had one going on 3 years now and I love it. Plenty loud, and swapping the Sovtek 12AX7's for some other preamp tubes cuts the gain on this amp, and sounds sweeter IMHO.
Can't wait to hear my new Mesa 2X10 through it
Use to have a 67 B15N portaflex, not loud enough, and too delicate to handle.
I would love to try the Mesa 400, or Fender Bassman Pro 300 series.
Can't wait to hear my new Mesa 2X10 through it
Use to have a 67 B15N portaflex, not loud enough, and too delicate to handle.
I would love to try the Mesa 400, or Fender Bassman Pro 300 series.
Buy it before someone else does.
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jingle_jangle
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