First Amp / Amp history

[shizznit]

Couldn't find a topic on the forum about this, but if I have missed something...apologies!

What was your first amp and your amp history? When other players tell me what their first amp was it's usually worse than their first bass! But, it's interesting to see a players amp history to see how their ears or taste has developed over the years.

My first amp was a Carlsbro Cougar 90w combo which was given to me by a friend. The thing was played to death by the time I had it and most of the knobs have been ripped off after being dragged out of the car. I thought it was the bee's knee's at the time, but I look back at it now and think "OMG...did I actually own one of those!?"

History....
[list]
[*]Carlsbro Cougar 90
[*]Trace Elliot AH600SMX + 410 & 115
[*]Hartke 3500 + 410 & 115
[*]Hartke 7500 + 2x 410 (it was at this point of upgrade that I preferred an all 410 setup)
[*]Warwick Quad 6 x2 + 4x 410 (1st proper tour rig...wasn't fussed on those amps at all)
[*]Carlsbro Viper 500 x2 + 4x 410 (this was an endorsement rig which I would rather sooner forget!)
[*]EBS HD350 + 410 & 210
[*]EA iAmp 500 (White face...uber rare!)
[*]David Eden XLT210 cab
[*]Trace Elliot 1215 500w combo (sold that almost immediately...weighed a tonne!)
[*]Markbass LMIII
[*]EBS Reidmar 250
[/list]
Most of that no longer lives with me with the exception of the EBS gear, the iAmp and David Eden cab. More than happy with that pick of the bunch

[paul_5]

Tiny Marshall 1x12 Bas combo
Trace Elliott Series 6 AH100, 2x10 and 1153 cabs
Ampeg SVP PRO
ashdown Mag300
Trace Elliott aH130 SM
Hartke LH1000 and Hydrive 410 cab.

current rig:
Ampeg SVP1500 and Aguilar tone Hammer DI through Hartke Hydrive 410 cab

Not bad for nearly 20 years.

[jackers]

cool idea

My first amp was a Peavey 15W combo, (I think it was the old version of the Max 158). I literally played that thing to death (The volume pot eventually gave out so it only had 2 volumes, loud and 'ohmygodmyearsarebleeding' haha, which killed the speaker.)
After that I went to an Ashdown Electric Blue 180 Combo, which was good for what I needed at the time. I then added a mag410T to it, which made for a nice (but cripplingly heavy) rig.
Next I had my Hartke LH1000 and Hydrive 410, which is the first time I was genuinely happy with the sound of my rig. I have had this for 18 months and have just sold it to get my current setup, which is:
-Ashdown MiBass 550 with an Epifani UL2 212. This setup is perfect, lightweight with a monstrous tone, I love it.

[paul_5]

Somebody killed a Peavey amp? Pictures, or it didn't happen.

[jackers]

haha I think I still have it in the loft somewhere. If I can find it there will be pics of what a state it's in.

[ThomBassmonkey]

My first gigging amp was a Carlsbro Bassline 150, I used that for getting on for 10 years before replacing it with a GK700RB-II into two 210RBH cabs. That got sold and replaced with a 2001RB-II into two 410RBHs when I got my endorsement, I still have that but mainly use my MB Fusion into two NEO212 cabs.

[bertbass]

My list of gear that I remember, started in 1964. I wish I still had it now.

SUPERSOUND 5W COMBO
SUPERSOUND 20W COMBO
LINEAR 30
UNKNOWN 2 X 12
WEM ER40
WEM STARFINDER 1 X 15
SELMER T&B 100
SELMER T&B 50
2, 1X18 CABS, HOME MADE
2, SELMER 1X18 GOLIATH CABS
BALDWIN BURNS 1X18
BURNS ORBIT 50
SIMMS WATTS AP 100
IMPACT 100W
100 TOP
2, UNKNOWN 1X18 GAUSS BIN
CARLSBRO 100W BASS HEAD
MARSHALL SUPER BASS 100 ( X3)
SOUND CITY 200W BASS HEAD
SOUND CITY 4 X 12 (X6)
VOX ESCORT 50 BASS COMBO
SESSION 100W 4 X10 COMBO
2, 1X15 SCOOP BINS
McGREGOR 200W BASS HEAD
ROOST 100W AP HEAD
HIWATT DR103 100W x 2
2 VOX T60 CABS
GK 200W BASS HEAD
LANEY 4 X 10
WEM 2 X 15
VOX 4 X 12
4, VOX FOUNDATION CABS 1 X 18
2, VOX SUPER FOUNDATION CABS 2 X 18
PEAVEY FIRE BASS 700
PEAVEY 4X10
PEAVEY 1X15
2, ROAD 4X12
HH 100W BASS HEAD
BEHRINGER 250 WATT BASS HEAD (CRAP!)
2, CIRCLE SOUND 4X12 (ALSO CRAP!)
VOX 60W 2X12 COMBO
PEAVEY 15W BATTERY PRACTICE AMP
SOUNDCITY 100W
3, MARSHALL 1X18
LANEY KLIPP 100W
MARSHALL 100W P.A. AMP, LOVELY BASS AMP
CARVIN B1500
CARVIN 8X10
2, ASHDOWN MAG 4X10
TRAYNOR YBA 300
2, JACK 15
MYWATT 200

[BILL POSTERS]

1[sup]st[/sup] was homemade jobby using a Saxon Output board.

2[sup]nd[/sup] Was also homemade but using TV line Output valves for the output stage, Dunno how many Watts, but a lot . Lethal, but very loud
.
Next was an RSC version of a Linear cage amp (30W using 2 X EL34s) you need to be ancient like me to remember them.. into a 2X15 fitted with 2 X Fane POP60s

4[sup]th[/sup] was a Jennings Vox Supreme guitar amp which cost me about £10 faulty from a shop that couldn’t repair it. I did , and I had it for years, brilliant amp. Used it with a Marshall clone 4X12 and later with a Fender 2X15,

5[sup]th[/sup] and only for a short time, I had an Elgen Bass amp, 4X EL34s iirc.

6[sup]th[/sup] A JMP Marshall SL100, very unreliable, used to use it with a 1X18 & a 4X12 stack ( well it was the 70s) swapped it for an HH IC 100, which I still have around somewhere.

7[sup]th[/sup] A Fender Solid State one that was rubbish,

8[sup]th[/sup] Replaced it with a Fender Silverface Bassman 100, which I have also still got. With the same
Fender 2 X 15 above.

8[sup]th[/sup], and what I am using most at the mo, a Hartke 3500 4X10 Combo.

These are the ones I have kept for any length of time, there have been others, but only ever as seconds, or occasional uses.

Edited January 18, 2012 by BRANCINI

[Spike Vincent]

First amp was a Selmer Zodiac 100w with an unbranded 2 x 15.I foolishly part ex'd it for an H+H VS Musician with 2 unbranded 1x15 W bins,latterly supplemented by an enormous Marshall 1x18 (which I've still got and need to sell...),an H+H 2x15 and an H+H 60w combo of some sort.After an enforced lay off,I got a Peavey TNT 160,which was px'd for a Peavey Mk.6 with 2 1x15's.Most recently I have aquired an elderly Trace Elliot GP7 4X10 for quiet rehearsing.The studio has an Ampeg SVT 2 P preamp.

[Marvin]

The first 'amp' I played through was a loudspeaker amp for an old record player, [url="http://www.coachandhorsesbluesjam.com/images/profile_pics/oisin_harp_amp.jpg"]here[/url]. My best mate and I made up a lead so I could play my bass through it. It was a Hacker amp my Dad bought back in the 60's, only 5w apparently. How the hell I didn't blow the thing apart I don't know.

Then I bought a Gorilla practice amp, can't remember the output, rubbish. Followed by an old Warwick 60w combo with a 15inch speaker. Huge thing, looked awful, but grief was it loud. I left it my mates garage where we jammed and one of his brother's mates blew it up for me, nice. That was replaced by a Peavey Basic 60, it was alright. I gave up playing a year after buying the Peavey.

When I started again I bought an Ibanez swx35. Good little practice amp, and cracking little thing for jamming with a guitarist, get some nice tones out of it. My gigging amp is a Fender Rumble 350.

So bugger all gear really, and a lot of it rubbish

[ShergoldSnickers]

1. 1975 - Sound City 120 with home made cab with a single 18" speaker in it. To move the cab I had to take the front and back off and move it in three pieces.
2. 1977 - Changed cab for a SAI 2 x 15 cab
3. 1978 - H||H VS 115 combo
4. 1980 - Marshall Super Bass 100 and Fender Dual Showman 2 x 15 cab
5. 2007 - Eden Nemesis NC115 combo
6. 2010 - Eden WT550 and Barefaced Big One
7. 2010 - Changed Big One for a Barefaced Super12T

Keep looking at the Benz Genz Streamliner, but that will have to wait until a replacement job comes up.

[icastle]

First amp of any sort was an old valve gramaphone that I hard wired a guitar lead to the pickup wires.

Then:
Selmer head and a 1x15 unbranded
Park 50w amp and a 2x12 WEM cab.
H||H IC100 2x12 combo
Ohm combo (can't remember model number)
Fender Bassman head and 2x15 Fender cab
Marshall head + Marshall 4x12 bass cab (absolutely hated it)
Peavey TNT150 (I think!)
Trace Elliot V6 head + 4x10 cab
Roland Cube 60
Hartke 3000 + Hartke 4x10
Peavey Tour 700 + Warwick 1x15 and 2x10 cabs.

Edited January 19, 2012 by icastle

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1326912510' post='1503709']
My list of gear that I remember, started in 1964. I wish I still had it now.

SUPERSOUND 5W COMBO
SUPERSOUND 20W COMBO
LINEAR 30
UNKNOWN 2 X 12
WEM ER40
WEM STARFINDER 1 X 15
SELMER T&B 100
SELMER T&B 50
2, 1X18 CABS, HOME MADE
2, SELMER 1X18 GOLIATH CABS
BALDWIN BURNS 1X18
BURNS ORBIT 50
SIMMS WATTS AP 100
IMPACT 100W
100 TOP
2, UNKNOWN 1X18 GAUSS BIN
CARLSBRO 100W BASS HEAD
MARSHALL SUPER BASS 100 ( X3)
SOUND CITY 200W BASS HEAD
SOUND CITY 4 X 12 (X6)
VOX ESCORT 50 BASS COMBO
SESSION 100W 4 X10 COMBO
2, 1X15 SCOOP BINS
McGREGOR 200W BASS HEAD
ROOST 100W AP HEAD
HIWATT DR103 100W x 2
2 VOX T60 CABS
GK 200W BASS HEAD
LANEY 4 X 10
WEM 2 X 15
VOX 4 X 12
4, VOX FOUNDATION CABS 1 X 18
2, VOX SUPER FOUNDATION CABS 2 X 18
PEAVEY FIRE BASS 700
PEAVEY 4X10
PEAVEY 1X15
2, ROAD 4X12
HH 100W BASS HEAD
BEHRINGER 250 WATT BASS HEAD (CRAP!)
2, CIRCLE SOUND 4X12 (ALSO CRAP!)
VOX 60W 2X12 COMBO
PEAVEY 15W BATTERY PRACTICE AMP
SOUNDCITY 100W
3, MARSHALL 1X18
LANEY KLIPP 100W
MARSHALL 100W P.A. AMP, LOVELY BASS AMP
CARVIN B1500
CARVIN 8X10
2, ASHDOWN MAG 4X10
TRAYNOR YBA 300
2, JACK 15
MYWATT 200
[/quote]

Pretty funny that I've had or have quite a lot of these. Got any of those ol valve amps still? Want any?

[njr911]

As an ex guitarist

Squire/Encor solid state jobbies
Marshall Bluesbreaker
Vox AC30
Fender Silverface Twin
Carlsbro Fatboy

and now

Rolland Mini Cube

[andydye]

Here we go...

Some tiny, unnamed, unmemorable, 'wasp in a bottle' farty 1x6 pointless fart-box combo that came with my first bass

Marshall-Park 1x15 Combo (my first half decent amp, I loved that thing until I tried to gig it at which point I needed something bigger!)

Marshall head (a real nice first big rig but a little too big for the car with the 2x15!)
Marshall DBS 2x15

[I learned a lot about how to play inbetween these two amps!]

Hartke HA3500 (Loved the sound until I heard the Eden stuff!)
Hartke 4.5XL x2

Eden WTB800-B (Loved the sound - way too big and way too heavy though, nearly smashed one of my little boys feet when the head fell on him so it had to go!)
Eden 210XLT
Eden 410XLT

Phil Jones Bass SixPack (Sounded good - bloody heavy for the size though! lacked a bit of valvey sparkle for me though)

Genz Shuttle 9.0 (Sonic Nirvana! - light too)
2x Epifani UL112

[mike257]

Blasts from the past, wow....

Started out with a Vox Venue Lead 100 guitar amp (still have it, needs fixing but lovely S/S clean tone)

Haven't had that many bass amps, went a bit like this:

Laney DP150 1x15 combo - battered old thing bought from a keyboard player at college. Served 17 year old me well for a bunch of bad pub gigs.

Trace Elliot GP12SMX 4x10 combo with 1x15 cab - my first 'proper' amp, loved it. When I joined a better band I moved on and treated myself to....

Ampeg SVT3-Pro with SVT410HE/SVT115 - the first rig I bought brand new! Eventually sold the cabs and bought...

Ampeg SVT610HLF - love this cab, it just sounds huge

Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 - treated myself a couple of years ago, still can't believe how light it is (and how good it sounds!)

Think I'm sorted for bass amps for now! One of the heads is going to have to go to fund a new guitar rig, so I'll need to buy another spare bass head at some point, and I'm always keeping an eye on what Alex at Barefaced is bringing out next, but I think I'm pretty GAS-free for bass gear!

[mikeh]

Im not sure how many I'll be able to remember, but here we go.

I too started off playing through a home made lead into a Stereo, worked ok at very, very low volume lol
Carlsbro Viper 100 watt 1x15" combo
Then I had an unknown 100 watt 1x15" combo, that was truely awful
Laney RBG 300 watt 1x15" combo, the quietest 300 watts ever. Had a Marshall 1x15" cab as an extension which made it loud enough for rehearsals.
Then had a GK700 RBII 1x15" combo, paired that with a unkown 2x10" cab.
Swapped that for a series 6 Trace 200 head and 2x10" and 1x15" rig,
Sold the head and bought an Hartke HA4000, loved that head.
Swapped the trace cabs and bought a Marshall VBC 4x12", with the Hartke Head that was a thunderous rig
I then had a Ashdown Mag head, which blew up so bought a TC Electric head which had a fault and had no volume, swapped that for a GK1001RB Head.
Sold the Marshall and bought a (I think) TC Electronic 4x12" cab, had 2 speakers angled to the side. For a 4x12" only weighed 60lb.
Then sold the 4x12" cab and bought my first pair of Aguilar GS 1x12". Which I then swapped for an Epifani UL310
Sold the GK head and bought an Aguilar AG500SC head.
Then swapped that rig for a 2x10" Markbass Combo. Then sold up everything.

Came back to playing last year and bought an SWR Working Pro 700 head and Triad Cab.
Sold the cab and then bought an Epifani UL410, which Ive just sold and bought my second pair of Aguilar GS1x12"s

Somewhere in there Ive forgotten to ad in a Trace Elliot 1510 cab and a Behringer 2x10" cab and I also had an Ashdown EB 130 watt combo.

Edited January 19, 2012 by mikeh

[chrismuzz]

My amp history is a very short one considering I've been playing for 8 years!

Started with a borrowed Hartke kickback 1x12 combo which to be honest I can't remember how it sounded!

First owned amp was a Laney R5, 2x10 300w combo. Awesome amp really, served me well for about 4 years! Would never have gotten rid of it if it wasnt for my next purchase...

My beloved markbass f1 and 104HF setup! Almost considered swapping out the cabs before, but since I can get ANY sound with my current rig it must be purely for cosmetic reasons!

[Skybone]

First Bass Amp: Marshall Bass 20 combo
Second: MacGregor 100w 1x15 combo
Third & Last: Ampeg SVT15T 1x15 combo.

Very short list! Traded the Ampeg in quite a few years back for something I can't remember, I wasn't using it, and had switched to guitar.

Had a good few guitar amps over the years, but you're not interested in them!

[nottswarwick]

Well....

Hartke ha3500 into ashdown mini15 and mini48. Once I upgraded the pre valve it was very nice indeed.

Was then tempted to change, for the sake of it really. Got an early heavy silver markbass ta501. Really nice amp, before they went all lightweight. This went into 2 markbass std 102hf cabs, then later a 102 and 115hf

Then got a lm2 into same cabs.

Then down sized to mb 112p combo and one 210hf.

Then got another lm2. And 2 111gs aggys.

The sold that and got a mb 210 combo.

Then sold that and got mbf1 used into a Tecamp 210.

Then ashdown abm500 into abm410.

Then tried barefaced with the ashdown.

Finally we arrive at my current rig - EBS hd350 into EBS neo212, with gk mb200 as backup and for smaller gigs.

Looking at that I'm a bir ashamed. There was no need for all that.

[nottswarwick]

Forgot about a mb 410 too!

Rigs I most enjoyed - lm2 into mb410 with sans amp Bddi.
First one hartke into mini cabs.
Current EBS good, but devastatingly aggressive compared to the others.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

My first amp was a little 'Prime' combo probably a 10" speaker. Did the job for learning the bass, sadly I don't have it anymore as a guitarist friend borrowed and it and proceeded to vanish off the face of the Earth.

Next up, a Trace Elliot Commando combo, 100w I think. Used for jamming in garages. Just about audible on full whack over the drummer. I always liked this amp, I could get a great distortion tone with the gain up. Alas this was it's undoing as the speaker blew. Very heavy amp.

Next, a Trace Elliot amp and matching 1x15 cab. Not sure of the model name of the head but it had the UV light, graphic EQ and everything. Purchased second hand from my local music shop for £350. I always hated this setup, it was as far away from the sound in my head as could be. As I knew sod all about amps at the time, I have a feeling the head and cab weren't ideal partners as if I was playing at gig volume I had to go easy on the bass and low mids or else the speaker would make a nasty popping sound. I later added a Trace 4x10 which helped a lot. Still hated the sound though. Ridiculously heavy.

I found an old Marshall Superbass 100w and had a couple of 4x12s built by Matamp, in quest of sounding like Roger Glover. This was an absolute disaster, in order to get anything approaching gig volume the amp had to be pushed into Lemmy territory. This setup lasted for two gigs and was soon sold to a very happy guitarist in a doom band. Very heavy amp.

Trace Stack sold, I next went for a Peavey Firebass 700 and matching 4x10. Indestructable and comically loud and powerful, but again, I found the tone too sterile and clean, and had to rely on a variety of pedals and devices for drive and warmth. Incredibly heavy.

I next went into a very productive and fruitful relationship with Ashdown and played them for years - always an ABM500 head but with a variety of cabs, my favourite was the 8x10. For a time, the perfect sound for me.

Since leaving that band I sold all my Ashdown stuff, partly because I have nowhere to keep it but mainly because I want to explore new sonic avenues. Currently i play through a Line 6 Lowdown 110 at home and it's a wonderful little amp - my Rickenbacker 4003 throught the Marshall setting is just heaven.

Once I have a few pennies saved I will be investing in a new rig. I'm pretty set on going down the lightweight route, looking at TC Electronic, GK, Ibanez and so on.

[charic]

Line6 BassPodXt

then

Ashdown Perfect10

Then multiple others lol

[Ghost_Bass]

I see i'm a lot younger (30yo) than most of the users around here but here's my story:

1999 - Trace Elliot Boxer 15W (i still have it, great amp!)
2002 - Behringer Ultrabass BX1200
2007 - Trace Elliot 1215 GP12-X
2008 - Trace Elliot 7210H GP7 SM (bought it to use the 1215 head in it and place on top of the 15" combo, i think i've never used the head live...)
2010 - Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 + Genz Benz Shuttle 12T
2011:
Bought a Promethean P110C cabinet to use with the Genz rig, a few months later i sold the GB cab and bought the Promethean P5110 combo. Later on i ended up selling both the Promethean combo and cab and bought two Fender rumble 112 cabs to use with my Shuttle 9.0. So 2011 will something like this:
- Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 + Genz Benz Shuttle 12T
- Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 + Genz Benz Shuttle 12T + Promethean P110C
- Promethean P5110 + Promethean P110C
- Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 + (x2) Fender Rumble 112

For 2012 i hope to get hold of a Barefaced Super12T and probable keep one of the fender cabs with me for those small gigs.

P.S. - In case you didn't noticed by my listing i joined my first bass forum in 2007! I rest my case...

[iconic]

Good thread:-

1st was an Orange Crush 20 watt bought new, I so wanted to love this little amp, I thought being Orange it would be super cool, well built and sound OK for a practice amp, I was so wrong on every count! After 30 mins playing the speaker would cut in and out, for a while I thought it was my Yamaha RBX-374 batteries going flat, then I had the amp replaced, the replacement still did the exact same thing but after 40 mins, then I was told "they all do that sir".....! Buzzed like a wasp's nest in a biscuit tin after a heavy dose of Rentokil Wasp Killer.

2nd Hartke B900, bought new, really good little amp, bit too clean sounding for me so sold it on after playing a Fender Bassman, but a nice bit of kit none the less...wish I'd kept it to be honest.

Ashdown EVO-12-180, bought second-hand, sound old amp, good, rich, cuddly warm sound...currently 'down the site'

Peavey TNT-115BW, 1 previous owner from new, still looks unused, does everything I want, amazing build, not a crackle nor a squeak to be heard and it's now getting on for 14 years old I think, simply excellent...currently 'in the office'.

Fender Rumble 15 watt beater amp, OK for what it is....better than my Orange Crush (did I say that Orange was crap), sound's really good with my phone going thru it, good feature the DI playalong input....currently 'under my desk'.

Trace GP7-SM300-7210H, I let you know.

Edited January 19, 2012 by iconic