65 Amps Apollo valve bass head

[paulflan0151]

Hi all,

I've been thinking about saving up for a valve amp abd have seen the 65 Amps Apollo bass head and cab. Has anybody tried one of these out?

Any other valve amps out there that you think would rock my world?

Thanks-Paul-

[Dad3353]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1344252648' post='1761670']...Any other valve amps out there that you think would rock my world?...[/quote]

Good afternoon, Paul...

I've never heard of these amps, and am only judging from the spec on their site; it may well be a great amp, but for that price, it blasted well should be. It's a similar spec to a Fender 50w Bassman. My Bassman cost the equivalent to £200, with it's 2 x 15 cab, a few years ago. With the cash difference one could afford to have the amp refurbished (re-cap, valve check-up..?).
Another, different, option..? I bought a 200w Hiwatt PA head, very clean, for £600, with it's flight case. Although not designed for bass, it does the job better than many (most..?) amps, if you don't want built-in graphic EQ and such (simple, like the Apollo; bass/treble, gain, master volume, end of...
Heavy, I'll admit (no, that should read 'Very heavy'...), but quality is quality. Class D it is not..! A 1/3 of the price of the Apollo.
Just my tuppence worth; hope this helps...

[paulflan0151]

Thanks,

Yeah the price range is on the high side for a 50w amp!
I don't mind that it's 50 watts though, I dont play the biggest of gigs anyways.

Thanks for the reply

[krispn]

The Apollo seems nice but looks more studio amp than gigging amp though I have seen one used by the bassist in Robert Plants performance on later...
a while back. EBS do a similar low watt valve head (60watts?)

Depends what application it's needed for. A great wee practice amp for home or full on gigging amp (if using a IEM and mic'ing the cab).

If it's very low wattage contact Matamp and have them tweak a Minimat for ya! If it's a big amp contact Matamp and have them build you a monster

Good luck

[Mr. Foxen]

+1 on Matamp. Or see link in sig for a selection of other vintage valve amps.

Looking at spec, valve rectified is fairly bad call for bass, that much sag will reduce your sound to mush. And the suggested cab being loaded with a 30w guitar driver is bit dodge too, I'm all for using guitar cabs for bass, and consider watts an irrelevance for the most part, but a 30w guitar driver for bass with an amp that is 50w clean, when you can only be hoping to drive the amp and thus exceed 50w before you get 'the tone' is worst idea ever.

[umph]

isn't the speaker in the cab that goes with it 400W? - http://www.65amps.com/apollo.html

valve recitification isn't a bad thing as long as you put some saftey measures in (new valves have a habbit of dieing and taking the PT with them). They can give a pretty nice break up. Bet the 6sl7 preamp sounds pretty tasty to

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='umph' timestamp='1344259065' post='1761792']
isn't the speaker in the cab that goes with it 400W? - [url="http://www.65amps.com/apollo.html"]http://www.65amps.com/apollo.html[/url]

valve recitification isn't a bad thing as long as you put some saftey measures in (new valves have a habbit of dieing and taking the PT with them). They can give a pretty nice break up. Bet the 6sl7 preamp sounds pretty tasty to
[/quote]

[quote][b]Pair with Elvis style cabinet:[/b]
Speakers: 1x12' [b]Celestion G12H30[/b]
Dimensions: 25" W x 10" D x 19.75' H
Weight in box: 47 lbs[/quote]

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1344254913' post='1761714']
The Apollo seems nice but looks more studio amp than gigging amp though I have seen one used by the bassist in Robert Plants performance on later...
a while back. EBS do a similar low watt valve head (60watts?)

[/quote]

Yup, RP's bass player, Byron House, plays through one of these, but only uses the preamp, the power coming from an Eden WT500 (some people have too much money )

EBS do the T90, which looks quite nice, but unless weight and size are an issue, I'd spend that bit extra on a Matamp.

[chris_b]

I've played with guitarists using esoteric amps like Soldano, Divide By 13, Dr Z and others and they all sounded about as good a the guys playing boring old Fender Twin Reverbs, so I would guess that valve bass amps would be pretty much the same.

These days I'm an SS player but if I was looking at valves again I'd check out Matamp and old Hiwatts.

Recently there were a couple of Mesa Boogie 400+ amps in the FS section. The 400+ was the last valve amp I owned and it always brought a smile to my face.

[paulflan0151]

Thanks for the reply guys,

I was supposed to go to the Matamp factory the other week but was too busy. I'll have to re arrange.
I've always tought of Matamp as more of a rock sound. i'm after more of a old school funk. Although, it should be said, I've never heard a Matamp.
Well, I'm after something old school sounding but can do somthing a little more hifi too. A guy on here is selling a Markbass valve head which looks up my alley. But again not heard much about them (classic 300).

Edit: Im not too fussed about weight. And I'll deffo have a look at the EBS valve head as I loved the old EBS SS combo I had.

Thanks again chaps.

Edited August 6, 2012 by paulflan0151

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1344265313' post='1761937']
Thanks for the reply guys,

I was supposed to go to the Matamp factory the other week but was too busy. I'll have to re arrange.
I've always tought of Matamp as more of a rock sound. i'm after more of a old school funk. Although, it should be said, I've never heard a Matamp.
Well, I'm after something old school sounding but can do somthing a little more hifi too. A guy on here is selling a Markbass valve head which looks up my alley. But again not heard much about them (classic 300).

Edit: Im not too fussed about weight. And I'll deffo have a look at the EBS valve head as I loved the old EBS SS combo I had.

Thanks again chaps.
[/quote]

Matamp are pretty clean unless you want them to dirt up. The big fuzzy thing they have an internet rep for was down to an American dealer putting 6550 into a EL34 guitar amp and selling them as 'bass amps' at a premium, meaning they distorted loads from running the wrong valves, then blew up.

[chris_b]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1344265313' post='1761937']
....i'm after more of a old school funk....
[/quote]

The "old school funk" guys usually played Acoustic or Ampeg. What about the SVT or SVT2?

[umph]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1344265313' post='1761937']
Thanks for the reply guys,

I was supposed to go to the Matamp factory the other week but was too busy. I'll have to re arrange.
I've always tought of Matamp as more of a rock sound. i'm after more of a old school funk. Although, it should be said, I've never heard a Matamp.
Well, I'm after something old school sounding but can do somthing a little more hifi too. A guy on here is selling a Markbass valve head which looks up my alley. But again not heard much about them (classic 300).

Edit: Im not too fussed about weight. And I'll deffo have a look at the EBS valve head as I loved the old EBS SS combo I had.

Thanks again chaps.
[/quote]

Matamp have been used by a fair few people in past who didn't do the rock thing (fleetwood mac, bb king etc)

[paulflan0151]

Ampeg. Why didn't I think of that?
They have some pretty ampeg stacks I'm pmt in Manchester. Might go down and have a little look.
Although, I've heard there made in India or somewhere now and I'd begrudge paying top dollar for a cheaply made product.
I'd like to buy UK if possible.

And there's the price! I'll have to get one of those proper jobs to afford one :-S
One of those soul crushing, mundane jobs rather than making guitars for a living!

Oh well.

Thanks for the posts fellas. Been a real help.

[Pentode]

Have a look at the old Ampeg B25 - 60w and tone, tone, tone...!

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1344283314' post='1762307']
Ampeg. Why didn't I think of that?
They have some pretty ampeg stacks I'm pmt in Manchester. Might go down and have a little look.
Although, I've heard there made in India or somewhere now and I'd begrudge paying top dollar for a cheaply made product.
I'd like to buy UK if possible.

And there's the price! I'll have to get one of those proper jobs to afford one :-S
One of those soul crushing, mundane jobs rather than making guitars for a living!

Oh well.

Thanks for the posts fellas. Been a real help.
[/quote]

Find a custom amp builder, offer to build them a guitar. Only ones I know can also make guitars though, but there'll be others. The eastern man Ampegs are comparable in build quality to US made ones, so yeah, cheap.

[paulflan0151]

Wonder if matamp can make guitars?
Sure hope not, wouldn't mind swaping a guitar or 2 for a stack. I'll be sure to ask when I go down.
Good idea! Thanks man.

I've always wondered about the quality of the modern ampegs, seems like they've been living off their past reputation for a while now. In saying that I've never played a top valve ampeg.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1344287643' post='1762386']
I've always wondered about the quality of the modern ampegs, seems like they've been living off their past reputation for a while now. In saying that I've never played a top valve ampeg.
[/quote]

I've poked around in a holy grail type original 69 blue line SVT, and quality wise it really isn't anything special, they weren't quality items they were good enough and cheap enough that lots of people bought them. There are a lot more Fords about than Rolls Royces, doesn't relate to quality level.

[HazBeen]

Ebs T90? Weber Mywatt 100? I like the Webers a lot....

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1344283314' post='1762307']
They have some pretty ampeg stacks I'm pmt in Manchester. Might go down and have a little look.
Although, I've heard there made in India or somewhere now and I'd begrudge paying top dollar for a cheaply made product.
I'd like to buy UK if possible.
[/quote]

FYI the EBS T90 is made in China

[3below]

There is a Webber Mywatt 200 FS somewhere on here in last week or so. Unless it has gone, what more could a bass player need (apart from mass reduction).

[b'boom]

[url="http://www.alessandro-products.com/amp-basset.html"]http://www.alessandro-products.com/amp-basset.html[/url]

My Basset Hound has definitively the most beautiful tone that I have never listened to.

[url="http://www.jacksonampworks.com/products/amplifiers/behemoth/"]http://www.jacksonampworks.com/products/amplifiers/behemoth/[/url]

[url="http://chillbass.fr/fr/produits/amplis/item/b-200-fr?category_id=3"]http://chillbass.fr/fr/produits/amplis/item/b-200-fr?category_id=3[/url]

[fretmeister]

65 Amps are very well respected in 6 string guitar land.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='b'boom' timestamp='1346074062' post='1784857']
[url="http://www.alessandro-products.com/amp-basset.html"]http://www.alessandr...amp-basset.html[/url]
[/quote]

[quote][size="2"]This is, without a doubt, the first [i]true[/i] high-end amplifier voiced specifically for the bass guitar. [/size][/quote]

I have a doubt.

[paulflan0151]

Thanks for the posts guys,
Really like the look of the Jackson Ampworks.
Thats exactly the type of thing I'm after.

Been loking at this

[url="http://www.tecamp.de/en/products/amlification/25-raptor.html#overview"]http://www.tecamp.de/en/products/amlification/25-raptor.html#overview[/url]

Pipedream like cause it's about 5000 EUR!!!!!!
For the amp and cab. The cab is a monster too, think it's a 1x15, 1x12,2x10 with a tweeter or something crazy.

Thanks again guys-paul-