Dirt simple bass amp?

Stereordinary · Post by **Stereordinary** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 4:54 pm

Anybody have any recommendations for a really simple bass amp that is very loud and reliable? Needs to be able to power a 2x15" cab and get loud enough to play with a drummer and heavy guitar (this is for my post metal band project). I don't care if it's solid state or tube.

NoiseNoiseNoise · Post by **NoiseNoiseNoise** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 5:06 pm

What power do you need? TC Electronics seem to have a good reputation.

Stereordinary · Post by **Stereordinary** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 7:47 pm

I don’t have a number in mind when it comes to power, because I’ve heard 400 watt bass amps that slayed 600 watt amps before. It seems like one of those quality over quantity sort of things.

brucer · Post by **brucer** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 8:32 pm

Is this simple enough? http://traynoramps.com/bass/small_block/product/sb500h/ I'm not much of a bass player, but it's what I have and it's plenty powerful and easy to dial in.

FightingPlankton · Post by **FightingPlankton** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 8:44 pm

I think peavey has all the competition beat as far as wattage per dollar is concerned. Look into the minimax, or get an old used firebass 700 or delta bass may be enough watts

s_mcsleazy · Post by **s_mcsleazy** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:21 pm

ludobag1 · Post by **ludobag1** » Wed Nov 29, 2017 8:23 am

will go to the 100 W bassman or maybe the 135 w ,a friend have one (135 )and he said too me this thing sound really good and have enought power to not disappear in mix (more over this amp are pedal friendly)

westarttodrift · Post by **westarttodrift** » Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:22 pm

See if you can pick up an older GK 400RB or 800RB, absolutely killer jack of all trades amps that will outlast humanity.

jagstang · Post by **jagstang** » Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:58 am

I play a tc electronic bh250 in a really loud band. Two guitars and a VERY loud drummer. The tc rocks it all!

rumfoord · Post by **rumfoord** » Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:45 am

Probably just whatever comes along in your used market...

But here are the cheap bass heads I've had experience with:

GK 400B - an ancestor of the 800rb, sounded pretty great with bass, and I see why people like the GK sound, but it sounded like a solid state amp, and with guitar it especially sounded like a regular plain and bland solid state amp. I got it in a trade, and didn't keep it long. But I liked it. I would have kept it and been very happy. But I realized my 100w Danelectro DS-100 sounded spectacular with bass.

Ashdown head (don't remember which one, sorry) - sounded also great with bass, much more "ampeg" kind of tone than the GK, which I found I liked. I probably would have kept it over the GK. But this came along for the ride with a 2x15 Mesa Diesel cab (for the Dano), so I sold this one basically right away.

Peavey MX - This is from the 80s VTX series. I came across it for only $50, and I had in mind that it might be sort of like a friend's amazing sounding Music Man HD130 (that she used for bass). It's not really tuned up, and I have only played it through a proper bass cab once (I have the combo version), but I think the comparison isn't crazy although not necessarily an exact match. It does sound really good with bass though. I'd rank it way better than solid state. With guitar it sounds nasally in a way that I imagine is "very Peavey". But my experience with a distortion pedal through it makes me think an eq pedal or preamp would totally solve this problem (well it's only a problem if you don't like the Peavey nasally sound). It even sounds pretty great on bass even with the stock 12" black widow speaker that is on its last legs. I've thought about turning it into a head, but I haven't decided. Before I bought it I thought a 1x12 amp might be a little more portable, but it's heavier than everything.

If it's relevant to whatever bigger versions you might find used, I was also a caretaker for my friends 90s 1x10 Bassman 60 for a couple years and it sounded terrrrrible. I also had a 60w 1x15 80s Randall RB-60 that sounded really great.

sears · Post by **sears** » Fri Dec 01, 2017 6:12 am

Fender Rumble 500 and the Peavey Mini Max. There seem to be demo and refurbs available of both. I recently got a used Kustom KXB500. Simple, sounds good, loud. The current standard is a 6 lb micro head doing 500w at 4 ohms for $250-500 used. They're all fairly similar. The Kustom and Peavey have fairly loud fans which would only be an issue at a very low volume.

Embenny · Post by **Embenny** » Fri Dec 01, 2017 6:44 am

The GK MB 500 is a little powerhouse. Great-sounding, compact, powerful, easy to use and super light. If I was in the market for another bass amp, it's exactly what I'd go for. Very reasonably priced as well.

higgsblossom · Post by **higgsblossom** » Fri Dec 01, 2017 7:28 am

rumfoord wrote: ↑
Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:45 am
Ashdown head (don't remember which one, sorry)

Probably the Ashdown Toneman 300? https://www.thomann.de/de/ashdown_tonem ... vo_iii.htm

rumfoord · Post by **rumfoord** » Fri Dec 01, 2017 8:41 am

Yeahhhhhhh, basically exactly.

it took a second to even remember where I sold it, but yeah it was this one:
http://ashdownmusic.com/products/1/B/18 ... -III-Head/

which I think is the same, but that one was exclusively through Thomann it looks like?

higgsblossom · Post by **higgsblossom** » Fri Dec 01, 2017 11:55 am

Probably not much of a difference. I guess it’s just marketing... but that thing has a pretty classic sound and enough power.

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