Thoughts on Hartke?

[bassickman]

hartke 4x10 xl alluminium cones and HA3500

[neepheid]

The HA3500 is a fantastic head. I'm really bad a describing sound, but it always seemed really "precise" in the sense that you feel that you're getting out what you put in. Modern sounding but without being soulless. I don't know how much good that single valve preamp does over purely solid state, but I always used mine 75% valve, 25% SS without really questioning why. The only reason I don't use mine any more is that I've downsized and upscaled at the same time (smaller, lighter unit, but more power) as a consequence of buying what started out as a purchase for a particular type of gig rapidly turning into something approaching a panacea (combo with removable head). But I won't have a bad word said against the HA3500 - the sound with all the controls flat is great (something its usurper can't claim!) and it doesn't take much twiddling to get what you want. If you present it with a 4 ohm cab (or cabs adding up to 4 ohms) then you'll have plenty grunt for a good while.

Can't tell you anything about the cabs though, never tried one.

[Lozz196]

XL cabs are great. Not had the 410, but had a 210 & 115 combination, using an HA4000. Was a great rig, very versatile, awesome sound. Only downside, the 410 is a tad heavy, but stick some castors on it, will be fine.

Edit - Just seen the For Sale post, and all looks good, the cab being the 4.5, which means a tweeter in it as well. Nice price for a rig which will be enough for virtually any venue you play - as venues where it wouldn`t be enough on its own will have house PA anyway.

Edited June 17, 2012 by Lozz196

[D.I. Joe]

From my experience using a HA3500, you need to twiddle with the EQ quite a bit for the best sound (all subjective of course). Although this one was the resident rig as a jam night, some nights it sounded fantastic and full and others it sounded thin and twangy. I find it a tad on the plonky side too, but I think again this is down to EQ. I'd buy one in a heartbeat for the right price though!

[JTUK]

it is ok-ish from a quality POV... and if you like the sound and price, then all good.

[Count Bassie]

Love the XL cabs- I had an old Guild/Hartke with a rumpled cone, and it was great! Tight, warm, nice pleasant 'punch'.

Saw Throwing Muses in '96 here in Providence RI, and their bassist played a Fender Precision through a GK 800RB and Hartke 410/115 stack. Beeeeautiful sound.

I also had a Hartke 1155 combo for a while- a 3500 head and 115 alum and 5" alum mid-driver in the cab. Sweet little combo, made a Hofner Beatle Bass come through true and present. Great stuff all around, I think.

[pietruszka]

My first amp was a B90 combo, loved it, and still have to. The one that followed was a HA2500 head and a Transporter 410 cab, that was great and I loved the sound of it to bits. I really rate Hartke, for what they cost they are outstanding value for money. I have to spend almost 5 times what the HA2500 cost to get something that sounded better to me. The cabs aren't the lightest but they are still manageable and I lived in an upstairs flat at the time.

Try 'em! I don't think you'll be disappointed.






Dan

[brensabre79]

Hartke HA3500's are an excellent amp. I never had to fiddle with the EQ too much on mine and it was plenty loud enough for most gigs. I found that it was very clean and crisp with the SS pre, adding a bit of the valve gives a huge warmth so it's a pretty versatile head.
Not too sure about their cabs, I tried the aluminum coned ones a while back and thought they sounded weak, but like most things they have probably changed since then!

[paul_5]

Never tried the 'all aluminium' cones, but I've used a couple of HA3500 heads and thought they alway sounded great. I have tried (and bought) one of their Hydrive 410s and that's superb - lots of low end warmth but a lovely, punchy top to it.

[jumbo]

I'm currently using a HA7000 (basically two 3500's in one) and an XL410. I got the XL410 on advice from this very forum (lozz in particular,thanks). I absolutely love this setup. Whilst I'm not great at describing its various sounds, I do agree with the various descriptions above. One thing I would add to the above comments is that no matter how hard you push the valve pre (even up full) it will not break up/distort. At the minute, and this changes a lot, I'm really liking the valve pre at one o'clock and the SS pre at eleven.
Hope this helps

[brensabre79]

Change the valve in the pre if you want some dirt (breakup) I put a NOS Mullard in mine and it sounds awesome

[51m0n]

These chaps turn up a lot in practice rooms round this way, and to be brutally honest I find them really hugely underpowered and underwhelming, to the point of struggling to keep up with a drummer not using knitting needles and a guitarist with rawk in mind.

May just be me though.....

[D.I. Joe]

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1340193917' post='1700723']
These chaps turn up a lot in practice rooms round this way, and to be brutally honest I find them really hugely underpowered and underwhelming, to the point of struggling to keep up with a drummer not using knitting needles and a guitarist with rawk in mind.

May just be me though.....
[/quote]

Probably a practice-room-amp thing. I always found similar with the Trace Elliot's at college. Public rehearsal rooms are gear graveyards!

[brensabre79]

Yeah I know a guy who wired the 4x10 bass cabs up in series to 32 ohms at his rehearsal rooms to keep the volume down and prevent drivers getting blown. They would fart all day long, but he said it was better than replacing drivers on a weekly basis.

[jumbo]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1340193269' post='1700705']
Change the valve in the pre if you want some dirt (breakup) I put a NOS Mullard in mine and it sounds awesome
[/quote]

That's exactly what I did. I've tried some No name made in China jobbie, a Groove Tube Mullard clone and three original Mullards which I hijacked from my ancient old WEM Dominator. Although the old Mullards sound great the amp will still not distort even with the pre up full. Not really a problem though as I just use a pedal to get a dirtier tone with great results.

[JTUK]

[quote name='D.I. Joe' timestamp='1340197906' post='1700832']
Probably a practice-room-amp thing. I always found similar with the Trace Elliot's at college. Public rehearsal rooms are gear graveyards!
[/quote]

Sure..but that is why they end up there as they aren't good for too much else...

[discreet]

Used a VX3500 combo at rehearsal rooms a while back... didn't like it. Not punchy enough.
Was always very relieved when we were in the room which had a Markbass rig.

[D.I. Joe]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1340220208' post='1701385']


Sure..but that is why they end up there as they aren't good for too much else...
[/quote]

Yep, Trace Elliots suck.

[police squad]

I used a HA3500 for 10 years, with an original USA made transporter 4x10 (aluminium speakers) and it was great. I finally worked out about leaving the EQ flat when I had my Musicman bass.
My original amp developed a fault after about 7 years, so I bought another new one.
Now I'm using an ampeg pf500 (in my Police tribute) but the bass player in my pub rock band (which I play guitar) in still using the hartke (it's my wife on the bass in this band)

but I still have a lot of love for the hartke

[JTUK]

No love for the Marbass cabs then..??

[pietruszka]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1340440028' post='1704398']
No love for the Marbass cabs then..??
[/quote]

Hahaha!! Im using them now, the only reason I don't use Hartke now is because I can afford better (to my ears anyway). To any bassist on a budget I always recommend Hartke.




Dan

[scalpy]

In the for sale section old American XL 410s crop up for about £100. If you can get one they are stunning cabs, back in the day loads of name players used them, and I've even seen one in Flea's recording rig! I used to run mine with a 140W Hartke head (5 knobs and the truth) and there will never be a day that runs out of juice, my markbass head isn't much louder through it, my students thrash it to an inch of it's life, and have done for ten years and it holds up no problems. It's a workout carrying it up the stairs but they are a fantastic introduction to the class above 100W combos.

[police squad]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1340440028' post='1704398']
No love for the Marbass cabs then..??
[/quote]

oh yes, they're great. Sold all the hartke cabs now. (Too heavy)
My wife loves the Hartke head (cos it hasn't gone wrong)

[daz]

My Hartke [b]LH500[/b] is the bees knees, and louder than an earthquake. I play it through a Behringer 500 watt cab with Aluminum cones which is basically a Harke 2x100 rip off. It gives a pretty neutral sound.

Edited July 6, 2012 by daz

[Conan]

[quote name='daz' timestamp='1341582978' post='1721349']
My Hartke [b]LH500[/b] is the bees knees, and louder than an earthquake. [/quote]

Another plus vote for the LH500 here! Loud as a bugger but lovely and clean (which is what I like). Could possibly be a bit stronger in the mid-range, but it is a lovely simple amp to use and you will struggle to get an unusable tone from it IMO.

If you want grit/dirt/overdrive - get a cheap Behringer Samsamp rip-off. I tend to leave that distorted stuff to the guitars.