Help me pick a bass amp (to play with my 4003)

[ivan]

Hello.

I need a bass amp, for both rehersals and small to medium gigs. Unfortunately, I am limited to a $470 CAD budget, and (again unfortunately), not all the brands are available here in the North Pole. So I have my initial list narrowed down to these four amps:

1) AMPEG BA115 ($418,95 CAD)

RMS Power Output: 100-Watts
LF Driver: 1 x 15" Custom Ampeg Speaker
HF Driver: Piezo Tweeter
Preamp: Solid-State
Power Amp: Solid-State
Tone Controls: 3-Band EQ
Mid Tone Control: Style
Balanced Line Out: Yes
CD/MP3 Input: Yes
Headphone Output: Yes
Dimensions (W x H x D inches): 21 x 21 x 16
Weight: 62 Pounds

2) FENDER RUMBLE 100 ($385,00 CAD)

Model Name Rumble™ 100/115 Combo
Type Solid State Bass Amplifier Combo
Output 100 Watts into 4 ohms
Ohms 4 ohms
Speakers 1-15" Fender® Special Design 4 ohm, 150 watt Speaker,
1-High Frequency Piezo Horn
Channels 1 Channel
Features 4-Band EQ,
"Mid Scoop" Button,
Auxilliary Input for CD, Tape or Drum Machine,
Delta Comp Adaptive Compression Circuitry,
Effects Loop,
Headphone Jack,
XLR Line Out Jack with Level and Ground Lift,
Ported Cabinet,
Black Carpet Covering,
Rugged Black Metal Grille,
Oversized Plastic Corners
Controls Passive/Active Switch,
Mid Scoop Button,
Volume
EQ (Low, Low/Mid, High/Mid, High)
CD Input,

Effects Loop:
Preamp Out,
Power Amp In,

Headphone Jack,
Line Level Control,
XLR Line Out,
Ground Lift Switch
Covering Black Carpet with Black Metal Grille
Weight 60 lbs. (27.21 kg)
Dimensions Height: 25" (63.5 cm),
Width: 21" (53.34 cm),
Depth: 13" (33.02 cm)

3) FENDER RUMBLE 100/210 ($440,00 CAD)

Model Name Rumble™ 100/210 Combo
Type Solid State Bass Amplifier Combo
Output 100 Watts into 4 ohms
Ohms 4 ohms
Speakers 2-10" Fender® Special Design 8 ohm, 75 watt Speakers,
1-High Frequency Piezo Horn
Channels 1 Channel
Features 4-Band EQ,
"Mid Scoop" Button,
Auxilliary Input for CD, Tape or Drum Machine,
Delta Comp Adaptive Compression Circuitry,
Effects Loop,
Headphone Jack,
XLR Line Out Jack with Level and Ground Lift,
Ported Cabinet,
Black Carpet Covering,
Rugged Black Metal Grille,
Oversized Plastic Corners
Controls Passive/Active Switch,
Mid Scoop Button,
Volume
EQ (Low, Low/Mid, High/Mid, High)
CD Input,

Effects Loop:
Preamp Out,
Power Amp In,

Headphone Jack,
Line Level Control,
XLR Line Out,
Ground Lift Switch
Covering Black Carpet with Black Metal Grille
Weight 62 lbs. (28.12 kg)
Dimensions Height: 21" (53.3 cm),
Width: 24" (60.9 cm),
Depth: 14.5" (36.8 cm)

4) FENDER BASSMAN 100 ($440,00 CAD)

Bassman® 100 Combo
Type Solid State Bass Amplifier Combo
Output 100 Watts
Ohms 4 ohms
Speakers 1-10" Fender® Special Design Eminence® USA PRO 4 ohm, 100 watt Speaker, P/N 0065515000,
1 High Frequency Horn P/N 0067255000
Channels 1 Channel
Features Tilt Back Cabinet,
-6dB Input Pad (for High Output Basses)
XLR Line Out Jack for Recording or PA Feed,
High Frequency Horn with 3-Position Attenuator Switch (FULL / -6 dB / OFF)
RCA Auxilliary Input Jacks for Playing Along with Tape or CD,
Mute Switch,
Tuner Output,
Effects Loop,
Headphone Jack,
Plywood Cabinet (No Particle Board)
Controls Front Panel Controls:
-Input Jack
-6dB input pad (for high output basses)
-Mute switch (with LED to indicate Mute ON)
-Volume (with CLIP light indicating clipping in either PRE or POWER sections)
-Contour (a variable scoop applied to the MID section for slap style playing)
-Bass,
-Semi-Parametric Mid (Freq / Level),
Treble
-XLR output with Level control, PRE/POST switch and Ground Lift switch (live, recording)

Rear Panel Controls:
-Speaker Out (4 Ohm min, full power internal, unplug internal cable for use with external cabinet)
-Headphone input (for silent practice)
-AUX in (RCA style input jacks for use with CD player or similar)
-Effects Loop (send and return)
-Tuner Out (still functions when the amplifier is MUTED)
-Removable IEC style cable
Covering Black Carpet with Black Metal Grille and Brushed Aluminum Control Panel
Weight 25 lbs. (11.4 kg)
Dimensions Height: 17" (43.2 cm),
Width: 15" (38.1 cm),
Depth: 14.5" (36.83 cm)

So, what's your take? As I told above, I need one amp for rehersals and small-medium gigs. I'm going to be using both a Rickenbacker 4003 and a Hofner 500/1v62, both strung with flatwounds. I'm going to play primairly 60s and 70s tunes.

Thanks,

Ivan

[jps]

From your choices I would go with the Bassman 100. I think the Rumble is just that, too boomy and boxy with no real definition to it's tone; the Ampegs, I would avoid on principle!

[johnthebassist]

Wow Jeff, something we haven't agreed on! I have a rumble 100 with the 15 that I use for smaller dates and some studio work that I can't say enough good things about the tone. Plenty of bottom, mid and top, easy to control, easy on the back. I use a Tech 21 stomp box to add some warmth though. That may make the difference.

John

[rickenbrother]

I agree with Jeffrey about Ampeg.

[jps]

Wow Jeff, something we haven't agreed on! I have a rumble 100 with the 15 that I use for smaller dates and some studio work that I can't say enough good things about the tone. Plenty of bottom, mid and top, easy to control, easy on the back. I use a Tech 21 stomp box to add some warmth though. That may make the difference.

John

I had only tried the 12" version, so I will reserve judgement until I can try it; regardless, tone is in the ear of the...

[ivan]

Anybody got something to say about this one?

[iamthebassman]

I'm not sure but isn't that one out of your price range?
I used to own an Ampeg BA115, was a fine amp.
I own and gig with the Ampeg RocketBass 100 and love it.
I tried out the Fender Rumble 100 w/15", sounded good and had a decent volume level. Might've bought it but (1) I didn't need it, and (2) it had this SILLY red light in the bottom that lit up according to volume level, and while it had a switch to turn it off, the fact that it was there in the first place meant I couldn't take this amp serious. Too bad.
Here's my Ampeg:

[ivan]

Ronn,

The bassman is indeed a little over my price range, but I can make an effort to buy it, should it be the best option.

I love the look of the Ampeg, and some fellow BGCners made a good review of it, but I've been reading many bad things about the newer Asia-made ones. Is yours from the US?

[cheyenne]

Make your own combo:

This is a GK 700RB II with an Avatar 210 NEO cab. I made my own rack rails to secure the head to the cab so I could use a "tiltback" stand. It was a nice little afternoon project.

[thx1955]

Ampeg B-15S

[iamthebassman]

I love the look of the Ampeg, and some fellow BGCners made a good review of it, but I've been reading many bad things about the newer Asia-made ones. Is yours from the US?

I've had it several years now, so probably.
I don't know where they're made, probably the Far East, but I tried a new Acoustic bass combo at GC and it sounded good.

[loves4003]

The BA115 is a great amp, I've had mine for two years now and it's really good. I like the sound, pure solid state Ampeg (although I prefer tubes). If you like the sound of an Ampeg, get this combo. I guess mine is US made, but I really don't care where it's from. A good amp is a good amp. A couple of weeks ago I disconnected the tweeter and now it sounds even better, should have done that right away. It really makes a Ric sound like a Ric. And a P really sounds like a P with this thing (I like Precisions a lot).
It has a bit of a problem though, but that might be personal. It's not loud enough for a rock band and it's a bit large and heavy for use in the (mostly) acoustic song trio I play in. I sometimes think about selling it and buy a 70's Ampeg combo (B100 I think they're called).

[deblase4001]

This is a GK 700RB II with an Avatar 210 NEO cab. I made my own rack rails to secure the head to the cab so I could use a "tiltback" stand. It was a nice little afternoon project.

Scott - how do you like the avatar 210 neo? I was thinking about getting one of those.


I have the ampeg B100R also (usa made) and I love it.

[smem]

I owned one of the BA 115 Ampegs and it was extremely noisy, horn all the way down didn't help. If I turned the treble ALL the way down it was tolerable, but then it sounded like it was downstairs in the garage. I took it back to the store. They had two others of the same combo, all three had the same issue. All three were manufactured overseas. I traded it in for a GK head and haven't looked back. I did try one of the ampeg rocket combos when they came out and was very impressed, but I wouldn't touch the current version of the BA-115 with a ten foot pole!

[cassius987]

If I were you I'd go Ashdown MAG 2x10 cab with around 400 watts of juice, making sure it can run another cab for down the road. http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com ... sku=485033

I think Ashdown + RIC = tone of the gods. Also, stopping at 100 watts is not a good idea if you want to sound good at medium-sized gigs. Depending on the room you may need more than that to sound clean and proper, not distorted and farty. I used to run an amp at something like 125 watts for medium/large gigs and I pegged it constantly. Sounded horrible. Plus... guitarists LOVE to get out their juicey tube amps and drown us out of the mix. That's why we need those extra watts, to cut through and still sound good.

99% of the time I think Ampegs sound too forcefully rockish; I owned a BA115 and really disliked it. I don't know if it was the speaker or the head aspect. I have an Ashdown 1x15 now and I take it with me everywhere, so I know it's not a disposition against 15s.