Why do people hate Hartke??

[neepheid]

My first "proper" amp was a Hartke HA3500 and I thought it sounded great. The only reason I got rid was weight and the fact that my RedSub combo has a removable lightweight head with more power than the old Hartke, so I couldn't really justify it sitting around.

Tempted to give a Hydrive 2x1x12 stack a go in place of my current 4x10 as well.

[shizznit]

I used Hartke for many years and I do miss having those shiny aluminium speakers behind me. Vanity aside, I loved my rig. I used two HA7500 amps (also HA3500 before I upgraded) into four 410 Transporter cabs. I did have the XL 4.5 cabs, but I kept on blowing the tweeters by using high gain fuzz and synth pedals, so I switched to the Transporters.

I am an EBS guy now, but if those amps disappeared off the face of the earth overnight I would pick up my Hartke flag immediately. Great brand...great amps. I love amps that give a quick, flat response and Hartke are one of the best for that.

[Delberthot]

Tried many different amps but I was mainly a Gallien Krueger user for the best part of 20 years, initially as a Flea fan (had an 800RB) then I realised that they did actually sound very good.

Couple of years ago decided that my 1001RB II wasn't giving me what i wanted so sold it and bought an LH1000 (via a very brief spell with an Ampeg PF500 which cut out on me at a gig)

Really heavy, lives in a 2u shallow case, been all over the country and gives me the sound I want without a lot of controls that it doesn't need IMHO

Edited October 18, 2014 by Delberthot

[BassManGraham]

I love the Hartke sound, keep thinking of buying an HA3500 or even an HA2500, such great value, but they just weigh so much! Great for younger fitter players!!

I generally hate using provided backline at gigs, but a little while ago I turned up at a theatre that had an HA3500 head thru an SWR 4x10 cab. It was one of the best on stage sounds I've had over many years of using top line gear.

I had a preowned Hartke A100 Combo (Kickback style) I picked up for €75 unbelievable bargain. I loved the punchy sound (as did our band), but again just too heavy compared to my Mark Bass, Genz Benz, Vanderkley, etc (which all cost several fold what a good Hartke rig would set you back!)

In summary I love Hartke and if they made a HA3500 preamp with a Class D lightweight power amp section I'd first in the queue!

[UglyDog]

I read somewhere once that HARTKE stands for Horrid American Rubbish That Keeps Exploding. I find this highly amusing as it is quite the opposite of the truth IMO/IME. I like Hartke gear a lot.

[Bigjas]

I've just bought a second hand HA5500 from a fellow Basschat member and I am very happy with the sound. I'm playing it through a pair of BFM Jack 12 cabs and it is awesome. It's not the lightest amp, but for the money it is worth lugging around.

Jas

[Lozz196]

I had a great Hartke set-up, HA4000 with XL210 & XL115. Killer sound, very versatile, only sold it to get an easier to cart about set-up.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1413743234' post='2581479']
Horrid American Rubbish That Keeps Exploding. I find this highly amusing as it is quite the opposite of the truth IMO/IME.
[/quote]

Highly amusing indeed, and quite the opposite of the truth IMO.
It explodes only once.


(Couldn't resist, but am [b]just[/b] kidding.)

[mike257]

I think I grew up thinking they were rubbish because they always popped up as the (battered, abused to within an inch of their life) supplied backline at rehearsal rooms. They're not a 'sexy' brand and don't have the same history or attachments as the likes of Ampeg but it's workhorse gear that gives a good sound with little fuss. I'd happily play through one - Vic Wooten sounded just fine through his at the shows I saw this year, and I think he'd have little trouble securing an endorsement from whoever the hell he wanted to.

[40hz]

Never ever tried anything Hartke up until last month, practice room I use has a ha2500 (is that right) and it seriously impressed me. Outrageously punchy and musical sounding amp. Even through an Ashdown 4x10! Not replacing my GP12 smx anytime soon but, for the money, I can't see how it gets better than the Hartke.

Edited October 21, 2014 by 40hz

[Dood]

I've had Hartke gear for well over 15 years - various models from the range throughout my musical career and hand on heart have never had any quality related problems. I love the aluminium cones that have a low end punch and top end zing to them. Not brash or brittle they cut through the mix and the HA amps have always been a firm favourite. For the LH heads to come along and be such great heads too is surely testament to a brand that doesn't just churn out variants of the same ole same ole.

It's sad to have to say on such a day as this but the Hydrive speakers (half paper, half aluminium cone) were actually an epiphany that Larry and team had whilst watching Jack Bruce on stage who, at Madison Square Gardens favoured a bass rig that contained both paper coned Hartke cabinets and Aluminium counterparts.

Great brand and absolutely A1 support in the Uk by the Hartke distributor.

[paulbass]

I used a Hartke for 15 years and it was a fantastic amp. Very reliable and powerful. It was the HA2000 model and i brought it new in 1992ish. Excellent value for money and a great workhorse.

[The Badderer]

Another hartke user and fan here. Got a HA5500 and it is just mega LOUD when you need it to be, got a really great sound to it. Run it through 2 Warwick Neo-Pro cabs and those are just quality cabs, really warm and full and lightweight (for their size). For the price you can't get more power or a better quality sound, however Hartke heads are heavy! This is probably what makes them such good value for money as people are prepared to spend quite a lot more on Genz Benz / Eden / GK / Markbass etc. that you can get a great sound from and lift with 1 finger. If i was regularly having to transport my gear to a gig, i'd be getting a lightweight head (really like the look of the Euphonic Audio mikro as it has a blend feature http://bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/EA_Amps.html ), but as i only have to do practices at the moment, my Hartke Head stays in my room and i get to enjoy it.

I agree with some of the posts earlier, if Hartke made a head with a class D power unit that was 2-5KG then i'd be after that assuming the price was right.

If you're after a decent head at about half the used price of some of the more lightweight modern heads and you're strong enough to move a 12-20kg head if you need to, then Hartke are great!!

[Sean]

What are the handles like? Maybe it's those that people hate

Edited October 26, 2014 by Sean

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1414342534' post='2588431']
What are the handles like? Maybe it's those that people hate ;-)
[/quote]

[JamesFlashG]

i played on a lot of there recent models regularly and my experience is that the combos are not good. the LH amps sounds good, the HA are not so bad as well but take abit longer to get an appropriate 'sound' i think. not tried the KILO. I have tried these with the Hydrive, AK and XL cabs. out of the the 3 the AK was the best for me, i felt they have a much warmer sound when compared with the same LH or HA head rather the bite that the hydride cab gave (on flat settings & with same bass also on flat settigns)

[dmccombe7]

They have a lot of famous users from Jack Bruce to Mr Sheehan etc but my own experience with the Kilo was a disaster. Faulty when delivered and Hartke service just wasn't there in my opinion. Needless to say amp was returned with full refund and i wouldn't look at them again.
Shame really as they seem to have a lot going for them.

Dave

[hellride]

Hello! New here: Recently bought a Hartke Kilo and I love it. It's great.

[Dood]

I started using Hartke gear well over 15 years ago and have gigged and recorded with it extensively over the years. The only time it ever missed a beat (once) was my fault. That's a lot of shows and gigs!

[RJB280]

Have no experience of the amps but credit where its due, i toured a couple of 410 XL cabs for a couple of years with a trace valve head and later on a Classic head and i loved em. Very punchy, tight sound in fact i still have a 210 XL cab at home for practising with and when its hooked up to the old Quatravalve it sounds half decent !
I did trial a couple of Hi Drives and although they are not quite as heavy to lug around i found they were a little more 'polite' sounding than the XLs.
Horses for course i guess