Gear crisis.... advice welcome!

[windowlicker]

Ok, so I'm now sending my 2nd Ampeg BA600 in a year back from whence it came... Really disappointed... Sounds so sweet by uber unreliable.... Lost quite a bit of faith in the brand so kinda hoping for a refund!

So the question is, what recommendations do you guys have for a RELIABLE replacement, either combo or head/cab? I'm no rich kid so limited to around 600 quid. I'm a straight forward player, fingers and pick with not a pop, slap or tap in sight. Looking fo something deep and rich sounding, with definition.... Preferably with an fx loop, and if a combo option for a speaker out. I have to tell you I'm intrigued by TC and Marshall at present.

Oh, and for the record, I rue the day I got rid of my Trace!

[mep]

Can't really help as I still have my Trace!, but would be interested in the TC gear if I had to change. Read some great reviews and tried one out at the Mansons guitar show.

[Prime_BASS]

£600 is plenty for something decent.

Depends how big its got to be though. The tc do a cheap(ish) combo range but there is also the rebelhead combos, new price is £1000+ however.

[xgsjx]

If you're happy with 2nd hand, then I can recommend the Markbass CMD102p combo. One of the loudest, lightest & best sounding combos I've ever played through & it's never let me down.
The amp section is a Little Mark II (or III if you go for a newer one), so adding another cab is no probs & it has an fx loop that can be pre or post (one position mixes it with your dry signal).
They usually pop in the For Sale section on here for @ £600 (they're @ £1k new).

Like Prime bass says, there's plenty of decent kit in your price range, better quality stuff if you go down the 2nd hand route.

I can understand you being interested in the TC gear, but Marshall? Unless it's their older gear, the only thing that intrigues me about them is why are they still making crap bass gear?

[aldude]

TC RH450 might be a good bet. It's quite punchy and clear yet deep, but lacks top end, so not really that good for slappers (though you can just about tease out an acceptable sound), but that might not bother you.

[windowlicker]

Cheers chaps! Food for thought indeed.... Looks like TC are a fave rave of a lot of people! Im now researching and sourcing some possibles whilst waiting for Mackie to tell me about this damn fault I have with the Ampeg! 2 amps dead in a year is no fun!

The Rs stuff looks like if new could blow my budget before I get a cab! Take on board what's been said about 2nd hand, just nervous about getting something out of warranty. Anyone got older TC stuff who could comment on long term reliabilty?

I've also looked at the bg combo..... No speaker out? And the BH which gets good write ups but no fx loop, but then I use that for a tuner, compressor and overdrive which.all seem to be on board in some way shape or form! Also intrigued by 12" drivers, never done that before! Always been 10 or 15 previously! I take it with the BH head id have to run 2 cabs to get the full output? Shame, I.seem to have just missed out on some tasty bogof deals! Hey ho!