Hartke HA3500 head

[Leowasright]

I bet there are opinions out there.

After not playing for 10 years, I bought a Behringer BX4500H head to get going again.

Now, after reading this forum, and with a 1st gig in years looming, I am nervous about the damn thing letting me down, as many have said bad things about this amp.

What of the relability on a Hartke HA3500? After more looking around recently this seems to be more like what I should have bought to start with...... I remember these way back in the day (well the 1990's anyway).

NB I have never had a tranny amp fail on me.... I have blown up a (valve) Fender Bassman.

David H

[noisedude]

Others may disagree, but if it's in warranty and sounds good, you might as well keep playing it. I've seen them gigged to be honest, and though most people will upgrade after a while I'm not always sure how much you can hear the improved sound of a quality amp in a room of 5kW of PA and about a hundred people

The HA3500 is a good head from what I remember of it, although avoid the underpowered HA2500, IMO.

[Smash]

Noisedude, I had that Behringer head as a back up to my Ashdown head a couple of years back, I lent it to a friend for a year who did around 80 gigs with it I also did 20 gigs with it between saving for next amp. It really was pretty good workhorse for me and good for a backup, I know there are a lot of bad comments on here about it , but maybe I was lucky, not much in the tonal area and also that damn awful boost button but I think you should be ok, but like we all say everyone is different.

If you can afford it go for a Markbass Little Mark 2 Head they really are fantastic! I use an MB LMK which to me is so so good.

[twentyhertz]

I've been using the BX3000 for quite a while with no problems at all, and while it's never going to set the world on fire with its sounds, it's been a good performer.

That said though, I do have a certain soft spot for the Hartke 3500 head. Practice rooms I used to use always had a couple kicking about, and they made me happy. They seem to be a good bit louder than their rated output would suggest - I'd always find the 200W HA2000 would kick the arse of the 450W Ampeg SVT-450s pushing the same cabs in the other rooms. My main reason for liking the Hartkes was that they managed to put out a lot more punch in the very bottom end than a lot of other amps could manage - especially handy given that I mostly play Melvins/Kyuss/Sabbath big heavy riffs. Oh yeah, and that's before I even get round to mentioning the super-cool LED graphic EQ

[Leowasright]

I wouldn't say the Behringer was a bad sounding amp at all, through 4x12s with Fane speakers anyway.

I can certainly get a sound I like....(think Back In Black)

A Hartke head may be the next upgrade along the road.

Or maybe straight to the Marshall VBA400!

DH

[noisedude]

[quote name='Smash' post='142319' date='Feb 18 2008, 10:20 AM']Noisedude, I had that Behringer head as a back up to my Ashdown head a couple of years back, I lent it to a friend for a year who did around 80 gigs with it I also did 20 gigs with it between saving for next amp. It really was pretty good workhorse for me and good for a backup, I know there are a lot of bad comments on here about it , but maybe I was lucky, not much in the tonal area and also that damn awful boost button but I think you should be ok, but like we all say everyone is different.

If you can afford it go for a Markbass Little Mark 2 Head they really are fantastic! I use an MB LMK which to me is so so good.[/quote]
Believe me, I'm saving!

Thing is, I have a Laney RB9 head that I don't dislike, and a Hartke 410 Transporter cab that I'm slightly less keen on. So I'm sort of looking at lightweight cabs and realising how expensive it's going to be to re-do my rig!!!

I run right at my limit on the RB9 with the 4x10 cab (the limiter kicks in and I'm still begging for more volume) so I'm really not sure what needs upgrading first. Maybe I should start a thread on that!!