Hartke A100 Bass Combo Review

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

I'm probably not the best person to review this as I am a noob and only been playing a few months however, I'll give it a shot and other people can add their views below.

I bought by A100 off another forum member in almost new condition so I can't say how the unit was packaged or what the manufacturer included but I gave it a run for its money the other night!

For completeness you may want to know that I was using my Ibanez SR300 active bass.

First impressions:8/10

Good:
Great looking smart and modern design with clean brushed aluminium style control panel and an impressive number of knobs, switches and dials. You can clearly see the 15" aluminium speaker cone through the grill which adds to its distinctive look. The kick back feature is also a boon for anyone who will be wanting to use these as foldback speakers during a gig (why more cabinets don't do this I will never know!).

Bad:
Nothing really - the only thing I would mention and this is probably based on taste and my lack of experience - I would probably prefer the cab to be finished in vinyl or a tough leather look plastic. It is finished in a fuzzy felt material which is probably fine. It just looks as if it might be more prone to tearing than vinyl but feel free to correct me on this!

Sound: 9/10
The sound of this cab in all its trouser-flapping glory is amazing. It is a very clear and punchy sound thanks to the aluminium cone and the 7 band graphic equaliser. You also have a variable limiter dial so if slap bass is your thing, you can keep control of your pops and slaps without them being overly loud compared with the rest of your playing. My Dad plays bass and he has the equivalent 100 watt Ampeg BA-115 offering with the kick-back feature. It may be to do with the fact that my bass is active and his Warwick is passive but (and I hope he doesn't read this coz he won't like it) his set up sounds a bit muddy and tame compared with the punch and clarity offered by my Hartke.

Summary: 9/10
All in all it is a well built, quality unit which I look forward to using whenever I think about it! It is easily loud enough for pub gigs, band practices and other situations that wouldn't require a full set up. I love it and it seems to go particularly well with my Ibanez SR300 but that just might be my own bias!


I hope you enjoyed my review in all my limited experience. Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to hearing what others of you have to say on the Hartke A100!

Edited February 4, 2013 by Jonnyboy Rotten