Considering selling my trusted valve amp and going 'compact'

[GazWills]

hey - this is a rare voyage outside of the effects forum for me, but I need some advice on amps and cabs, and my knowledge of bass amps is still based in the 1970's

I've been using a fender bassman 135 for 10 years, and a big heavy 4x12 cab. getting fed up with the sheer bulk of this setup, plus the annual amp servicing and tube replacement costs, etc, so very tempted to sell up and change to a smaller amp and more efficient cab (plus my bass is always DI'ed at gigs anyway!)

I am tempted by the orange terror bass, and maybe an OBC115, but just found out about the matamp bass 500, and their 2x12 cab looks great. anybody have any advice? I've used an orange terror at a gig recently and whilst obviously not sounding as good as the bassman, it was pretty impressive.

I play passive precision and jazz basses, lots of overdrive and fuzz pedals too. my main fear in moving away from all valve amps is that my dirt pedals won't sound as sweet into hybrid amps - any opinions?

thanks folks

[Mr. Foxen]

Keep the amp, get a lighter cab (Barefaced). Bring the amp to mine and have a go with my Super 15. Dirt pedals won't sound as sweet into hybrids.

[GazWills]

i was looking at the barefaced cabs earlier, they look good. what's a super 15?

[Mr. Foxen]

Barefaced 2x15 that is a one handed lift. Bottom one:

[IMG]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/Incarante/Rig002.jpg[/IMG]

[chris_b]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1333109951' post='1597527']
....Keep the amp, get a lighter cab (Barefaced)....
[/quote]

+1

Why do you service the amp every year? I'd leave it until something goes wrong.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1333111329' post='1597566']
+1

Why do you service the amp every year? I'd leave it until something goes wrong.
[/quote]

If it has to be serviced/revalved every year, something is wrong.

[umph]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1333111436' post='1597570']
If it has to be serviced/revalved every year, something is wrong.
[/quote]

or your tech is making a killing on replacement valves

[GazWills]

yeah, i think i really need to find somebody in the SW who knows old fender amps inside and out... for all my talk of new little amps etc, it'd kill me to sell my bassman, it is THE sound i want/love, but i have been having problems with it for a few years now, maybe it just needs the right person to really give it a proper going over - any recommendations?

back to cabs, oli will that 2x15 on it's own be all I need - don't want to have more than 1 cab if i can help it!

[Mr. Foxen]

It will be enough alone, but to be sure, welcome to come have a try, I'm in Greenbank. Who have you been taking it to? Jesse? Subthumper on here always seems to be in Fenders when I visit him. His workshop is a few streets from me.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='umph' timestamp='1333112054' post='1597584']
or your tech is making a killing on replacement valves
[/quote]

That would be the main wrong thing I had in mind.

[GazWills]

i totally trust the person who has been servicing the amp - but he is not an amp specialist ... Oli, could you PM me info for who you recommend? once the amp is (hopefully) back up and working again, will take you up on your offer RE trying out the cab cheers

[Beer of the Bass]

I'd second the idea of keeping the valve amp but changing to a lightweight modern cab. I'm happy with a 100 watter into a modern neodymium 2x12", but maybe in a really loud band more speaker area could be useful.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Beer of the Bass