Amp Recommendations

[Matt R.]

Hey guys I'm mulling over the idea of buying another head. So far I have an Ampeg SVT CL and an Orange Terror Bass 500.

I'm considering an Ampeg SVT 7 Pro, so that should give you an idea of what I'm in the mood for. What are you guys using?

[andrew]

The SVT 7 is a cool amp but there's chatter online about them breaking down early/often for days.

I use an Aguilar DB750 and a Mesa M9 as my main amps, both slay. But if I was going to go lighter today I'd probably get a G-K MB800. Do you mind a 30lbs range amp, or is lighter the goal?

[Matt R.]

Portability is good, but not absolutely critical

[Matt R.]

Hmm, that GK hybrid 800 watt thing seems pretty awesome. Can you give me a quasi-review of it? Have you played one?

[AzWhoFan]

I am not familiar with the GK, but I would recommend a Fender Super Bassman 300. There's a couple of them for sale at real good prices on TB.

[jayceofbass]

+1 on the Fender Super Bassman.

[andrew]

Hmm, that GK hybrid 800 watt thing seems pretty awesome. Can you give me a quasi-review of it? Have you played one?

I tried it in the store and was pleasantly surprised by it's tone. I'm a Mesa M6/M9 fan and I read online that the MB800 is a good alternative to them tone wise. I tried both the hybrid and all solid state versions and ended up liking the all solid state version better. I've always thought G-K gets midrange, they voice their amps with a real musical, ear pleasing voicing and with mids that cut the mix without making the tone dark or cloudy. Of course you can scoop them out if that's your tone, but for me I think they're great amps for rock with a nice grind in the mids.

[bigevilrobot]

I've been steered away from the MB800 by friends at L&M, they have "issues".
As far as I know, the current SVT7 model is dependable. Most of the issues you hear about are from earlier releases.

I've fully given up on the whole class D light weight thing, they just don't have the right kind of OOMPH for me.
I recently made the switch back to Hartke and picked up and LH500 for it's simplicity and awesome tone. Kinda wishing I'd opted for the LH1000 for the minor price difference.

[Pete Gossett]

I have a Harke LH500 as well as an HA5500. I don't personally care for the LH500 because it has a very transparent tone - I actually prefer the sound of my amp/rig over the sound of straight bass, but I'm pretty weird.

Both amps have plenty of power(I run through a 2x10/1x18 rig, and have a 2nd set of cabinets as well. I've been able to power them all from just 1 amp). However I did have some problems from the LH500. I bought it new in the box, but from an individual. Not long after I started using it, it seemed the time before the speaker protection would kick off(allowing sound) kept increasing..upwards of 10-minutes some times! A couple weeks later, and on 2 different occasions the amp kicked off in overload-protection mode. My amp guy did some research and it's apparently not an uncommon problem, and is caused by the cooling fans being controlled by a thermal-switch that doesn't always turn on. He's rewiring it so the fans are always on, but I'm not sure I'll keep it as I just don't like the (lack of) tone from it.

[LHBASSIST]

I have a rare, killer Pearce B2p head, and it's now retired... because I LOVE my 4 lb. Genz-Benz Shuttle 9.0 head.
My next amp will be either a Carvin BX 1500, or 1600 bi-amp head. A friend that has some serious bass gear, like two Euphonic Audio-Iamps- a 500 and an 800, which I love, uses a Carvin BX 500 head, and a Schroeder 1-15 PL cab, and a small Fender 2x8 for his club gigs. That rig sounds amazing. I recently bought a Carvin BRX 10.2 neo cabinet- after hearing yet another BX 500 head through one. Astonishing little rig. NO farting woofing or bottoming out, even with my 5 string! It is a better gigging cabinet than my Euphonic VL-210, and 30 pounds lighter. Never did I ever think that I would lust after a piece of Carvin gear. Their new line are GREAT amps. 500 bucks for a 1500 watt amp, that'll run 2 ohms a side!