Old_Ben Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 I'm looking to get a new bass amp pretty soon, just a head. My main concern is reliability. I would like something that will never break!!! Someone suggested to me that a power amp and pre amp is the most reliable route to go! I have had 2 amps fail on me in the last 2 years which was expensive... My budget is up to about £800! So yeah as the topic states, I'm looking for some amp suggestions that I can go try out! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 £800? You lucky s*d! With that much the skys the limit! EBS, David Eden, Aguilar all pretty reliable aren't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Park the budget for a moment, and start with what matters. [list] [*]What sort of music do you play? [*]What sort of band are you in? [*]What type of bass do you play? [*]What bass cab do you run your amp through? [*]Do you use any/lots of effects? [*]What is your favorite colour? [*]Etc. etc. etc. [/list] If you're a cross-dressing Korean slap-God playing a Daisy Rock bass in pink, then we need to know it before people start recommending SVTs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 (edited) I think you need that sort of budget as a lot of cheap tat from the Far East means amps fail more often. I would go for WELL engineered European or U.S made kit rather than stuff packaged from China if you want to best chance of reliability. It is no absolute garuantee, of course, but if something did go wrong..a well engr'd piece of kit will be a lot easier to repair ..and probably cheaper. Finding hand-wired amps with a very good component spec is the hard part. From that view point..and not accounting for sound which is a whole new search string... I'd look at early SWR, and Eden before they went corporate. SWR, certainly, were not the same company after the buy-out, IMO, but the early SM spec was top notch. I have less experience of the internals of Eden, but suspect they might be on the same lines as they were MAJOR competitors at the time. Also, certainly Thundefunk which caries on the same ethos today, IMV. I would hope that EBS would be on the same page as well... If I was buying 'eastern' produced..I would want a dirt cheap price and be willing to write it off... or a VERY long warranty. Maybe a bit OTT ..but the sentiment is something I'd stand by. I am not saying no one esle can produce great amps but there is a reason they are cheaper..and that is because they are made cheaper and all that entails....IMHO.. Edited July 6, 2012 by JTUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 You could grab a nice markbass head for that money? Reallg reliable and load! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Northwing has a Thunderfunk TFB550-B he was looking to sell. These are amazing amps and this one is in my top two best amps, ever. The best is the Thunderfunk TFB750. Drop him a PM. My next choice would be an Aguilar amp. There was an AG 500 DC (dual channel) in the for sale section. Or I’d be looking at a Tonehammer TH500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 As well as the things mentioned on Happy Jacks list, add portability - does it need to be lightweight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old_Ben Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 [list] [*]What sort of music do you play? - mainly hard rock, with a bluesy tone [*]What sort of band are you in? - as above! [*]What type of bass do you play? I currently have an active eq, vintage 5 string, nothing fancy does what I need! [*]What bass cab do you run your amp through? - I( have a 8ohm warwick 411 pro [*]Do you use any/lots of effects? No effects, but i would like a boost channel for when I'm shredding sh*t up! [*]does it need to be lightweight? - as long as I don't need a trolley to carry it then it should be fine [/list] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 I'd use some of your money on a day trip to a decent bass shop & try some amps out. Otherwise you're gonna get recommended what we use. +1 for Markbass, had the2x10 combo for some time more & no issues to report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 [quote name='Old_Ben' timestamp='1341572338' post='1721071'] [list] [*]What sort of music do you play? - mainly hard rock, with a bluesy tone [*]What sort of band are you in? - as above! [*]What type of bass do you play? I currently have an active eq, vintage 5 string, nothing fancy does what I need! [*]What bass cab do you run your amp through? - I( have a 8ohm warwick 411 pro [*]Do you use any/lots of effects? No effects, but i would like a boost channel for when I'm shredding sh*t up! [*]does it need to be lightweight? - as long as I don't need a trolley to carry it then it should be fine [/list] [/quote] You haven't mentioned your favorite colour, so I'll assume that it's orange. Try an Orange Terror Bass - it should tick all your boxes and leave you with plenty of change from £800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Orange Bass Terror 500 Genz Streamliner 600 or 900 Genz Shuttle 6.2 or 9.2 The TC RH750 amp is probably too much for what you are after (lots of features you might not need) Hartke LH500 Markbass LM3 with a VT Pedal Aguilar TH500 ...lots and LOTS of choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Mesa Boogie m-pulse (second hand) is worth considering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 If wanting boost channel options, check out Gallien Krueger. The MB range has two channels, so you can switch between them. Very light portable amps too - half the size of a laptop. The MB500 is typically GK - very crisp and clear. The MB Fusion, due to the pre-amp valves has a warmer sound, still easily identifiable as GK, but in the mix it has a thicker presence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Oh & Epifani do a nice amp too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 (edited) All these switch-mode and Class D suggestions are great and all that, but as the OP talks about previous breakages its worth bearing in mind that they are difficult and expensive to repair if they do go wrong, which inevitably a few will. Stick with conventional power supplies and class AB topology and any decent tech should be able to mend it relatively cheaply. I don't know what the QC is like from the factory but those Hartke LH500s that were ridiculously cheap a couple of years ago had a solid, simple and proven design. Otherwise old SWR as mentioned, or Peavey. Pains me to say it given how annoying the stereotypical rehearsal room Peavey can be, but having picked up an old raxx pre recently I am very impressed by the engineering and have revised my opinion of their gear! That one is seriously undervalued. Crown, QSC amps though maybe avoid some of the early PLX series simply because they are a lightweight and therefore more complicated topology, and secondhand ones are likely to have been driven pretty hard so might be closer to the end of their lives. Edited July 6, 2012 by LawrenceH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Decent techs will be able to fix class D and SMPS amps fine. The advantage of the discreet component stuff is half arsed cheap techs can fix them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1341620218' post='1722072'] Decent techs will be able to fix class D and SMPS amps fine. [/quote] Maybe, depending on the fault, but cheaply not so much - especially if the failure fries several components. Eg I have seen a PLX board burned out in several places to the point where the board was damaged. On a micro amp that is basically a write-off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 What two amps did the op have go down on him? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opticaleye Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 £800? Markbass TTE500. Very, very valvey character, but with great definition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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