umph Posted March 6, 2008 Posted March 6, 2008 would one of these heads sound alrate on bass? [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/product/Sound+City/120+Head/10/1"]http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...y/120+Head/10/1[/url] was just wonder if i got one and put some more bass orreintated tubes in it if it would get a good growly sound got a chance of maybe getting one for cheap
umph Posted March 6, 2008 Author Posted March 6, 2008 haha im an idiot wrong forum i thought this was the cabs and effects can someone move this please?
Rumple Posted March 6, 2008 Posted March 6, 2008 I played through one for a while back in the 80's and it sounded bloody excellent when played at just the right volume. R.
Thornybank Posted March 6, 2008 Posted March 6, 2008 The 6 EL34 array gives a bit of headroom, but... Get a bass one - or get your tech to strip out the goofy active preamp stuff. They did a Bass 150, to - had one back in the mists of time.... Or move up to KT88s and buy my Sound City 200 (heh heh).
Stingray Posted March 6, 2008 Posted March 6, 2008 I had one of these amps about 15 years ago and ran it through a Peavey 4 x 10 cab. It produces a warm sound with much more head room compared to a transister amp of the same power. The tone controls are a little akward because they seem to affect the frequency bands of the adjoining tone controls. These amps were the poor man's equivalent of Marshalls or Hiwatts in the 70's, but were in fact very well made. If you like a warm and slightly muddy valve sound then this is a very good amp for bass at a fraction of the cost of an Ampeg. I would recommend it.
umph Posted March 6, 2008 Author Posted March 6, 2008 so they get a kind of ampeg grind? or is it just epic clean? i just want a good valve sound really
umph Posted March 7, 2008 Author Posted March 7, 2008 is 180 a good price for one that probly needs a service? hahathis thread still needs moving
Jebo1 Posted March 7, 2008 Posted March 7, 2008 Sound City amps were designed by Dave Reeves, and so have a very similar wiring spec to Hiwatts, his next amps. The build construction is good, although the front panel often feels flimsy. I used to deal vintage valve amps, and you used to be able to pick these up for less than £100. Now, I'd say £180 is a fair price for one with no changes. A full service, a set of matched valves and a re-bias is going to set you back a few quid, so I'd say go for it! Sound wise, they're great. They've been used by a lot of the great artists, usually before jumping to Hiwatt. Mind you, if you can afford it, I'd go for a Hiwatt. But that's just me.
umph Posted March 7, 2008 Author Posted March 7, 2008 ahh thanks, yeah i can't really justify spending a grand on an amp so gonna go for next best me thinks!
Thornybank Posted March 7, 2008 Posted March 7, 2008 £180 is cheap - depending on what it needs. A filter cap job is around £75-125. depending on who does it. Transformers are £45-75, depending on source (I have some out of PA heads). Good working 120s are going for £250(street) -£350 (shop). Anyway - what valve anything do you get for less? Roost? Sola Sound? Elgin? Nolan? Carlsbro? Nothing with those fat Partidges.... A decent Selmer Treble 'n Bass is £300 anymore - and try to find a working 100w. The Stateside chap who bought my Hiwatt 400 used to run a Sound City website in the States. Worth a Google....
Jebo1 Posted March 8, 2008 Posted March 8, 2008 [quote name='Thornybank' post='153372' date='Mar 7 2008, 08:30 PM']£180 is cheap - depending on what it needs. A filter cap job is around £75-125. depending on who does it. Transformers are £45-75, depending on source (I have some out of PA heads). Good working 120s are going for £250(street) -£350 (shop). Anyway - what valve anything do you get for less? Roost? Sola Sound? Elgin? Nolan? Carlsbro? Nothing with those fat Partidges.... A decent Selmer Treble 'n Bass is £300 anymore - and try to find a working 100w. The Stateside chap who bought my Hiwatt 400 used to run a Sound City website in the States. Worth a Google....[/quote] Good advice here. I remember my valve amp dealing days, those musty old things. I used to strip them out, and make a fortune selling the bits - until they got too expensive. I advised my friend to go for a Hiwatt PA100 - same circuit as a DR103, and it sounds great in his studio... No worries. Good luck with the 120, and let us know what you think of it if you do get it...!
deBassMan Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 Hi - just to say that I had a Sound City 120 - bought back in the 70's. It was a bass model - very original - with the Partridge, mullard el34s and of course all the coloured top knobs. It was in perfect nick (well OK - slight tear in the tolex where some loon came at me with a bottle during a drunken private party gig and the amp got it!). I played six-string guitar then and the amp (with a marshall 4x 12) sounded great - despite being huge and weighing a ton. I also had a Marshall JMP50 head at that time. The amp was built like a xxxxhouse and despite a great deal of abuse never failed to perform. even got used occasionally as a PA amp - where the six (?) inputs came in v.handy. Eventually I saw the light and decided bass was for me - so I swapped the 4x12 for a wardrobe-like peavey bassmaster 2x15 and I was back in business - with enough power to get the lead guitarist looking sick. The tone was surprisingly clean with its tone circuitry offering a wide range of tones. One problem though was a lot of hiss & noise generally. It ended up carefully stored in my garage for many years and I sold it to free the space only a few years ago. I say buy it - it'a piece of history.
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