Best amp head (500W to 1000W) you've ever owned? (Or should definitely avoid!)

[krispn]

I’ve played through an m3 and the m6, two great sounding amps. I can’t really go into the minutiae of differences between the two but most folk will hear them for their similarities- quick and immediate power section good eq (with or without the voice control) and while it’s designed to play well with Mesa guitar amps of the era they were designed they’re just good all round amps. One thing I can’t really speak of is the drive or how much dirt you can get from the gain as it wasn’t a sound I was really aiming for. 

My main gigging amp from the Fender TB series has a similarly impressive power section but it’s voiced more classic fender however that power section is great and explains why the amp is 14kg! 

[thodrik]

19 minutes ago, krispn said:

I’ve played through an m3 and the m6, two great sounding amps. I can’t really go into the minutiae of differences between the two but most folk will hear them for their similarities- quick and immediate power section good eq (with or without the voice control) and while it’s designed to play well with Mesa guitar amps of the era they were designed they’re just good all round amps. One thing I can’t really speak of is the drive or how much dirt you can get from the gain as it wasn’t a sound I was really aiming for. 

My main gigging amp from the Fender TB series has a similarly impressive power section but it’s voiced more classic fender however that power section is great and explains why the amp is 14kg! 

From my experience with the M6, there was no real way of getting any valve warmth or dirt via the Gain control without running the risk of permanent hearing loss. It was very much a ‘clean machine’. Stick a drive pedal in front of it and it is brilliant though.

If you want a Mesa with preamp gain then I would look at the Walkabout or a Big Block. I love the Big Block.

[krispn]

Yeah I was gonna say I never had either of them loud enough to hear dirt (and that was at rehearsal and gig volumes) but I don't think that was the goal of the preamp. My TB has a separate drive section which does a great range of dirt and is very usable on the gig - I've been very happy with it. If I could just find a foot switch for it!!! I've seen the 800Pro, which is the solid state version, recently on a facebook group for £250 which considering the semi parametric EQ and the power section (same as the TB amps and power amps) is a cracking deal if one can handle the weight  - Talkbass guys seem to comapre them to the ThunderFunk amps. High praise indeed!

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by krispn

[Defo]

Have owned a lot, I have had the Tecamp Puma 900 longest which I guess says a lot.

[thodrik]

44 minutes ago, krispn said:

Yeah I was gonna say I never had either of them loud enough to hear dirt (and that was at rehearsal and gig volumes) but I don't think that was the goal of the preamp. My TB has a separate drive section which does a great range of dirt and is very usable on the gig - I've been very happy with it. If I could just find a foot switch for it!!! I've seen the 800Pro, which is the solid state version, recently on a facebook group for £250 which considering the semi parametric EQ and the power section (same as the TB amps and power amps) is a cracking deal if one can handle the weight  - Talkbass guys seem to comapre them to the ThunderFunk amps. High praise indeed!

 

To be honest I had always wanted one of the Fender TB series amps but I could never find a shop that actually stocked them!

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, thodrik said:

To be honest I had always wanted one of the Fender TB series amps but I could never find a shop that actually stocked them!

There's one in the FS right now on for a really good price! 

[thodrik]

7 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

There's one in the FS right now on for a really good price! 

Bad time for me. We just had a baby last month and the roof of my garage/amp room is going on today. 

At least it isn’t a Matamp or Trace Elliot V8 or I would be in trouble!

[Al Krow]

33 minutes ago, thodrik said:

To be honest I had always wanted one of the Fender TB series amps but I could never find a shop that actually stocked them! actually not that much and certainly less than a Matamp or TE V8

Fixed 😂

[thodrik]

11 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Fixed 😂

I want ALL the amps!

[Al Krow]

2 minutes ago, thodrik said:

I want ALL the amps!

You clearly wanted a child and a roof over head more. I'm disappointed at your priorities 😁

[krispn]

The Fender amps following the revisions they made back around the 800Pro's and TB series are really good and I recall the promo/NAMM stuff alluded to the fct that Fender were losing ground in the bass amp realm. They put in some serious R&D and made some really good heads, didn't go with the class d and stuck to their guns. I got my TB600 for £300 ish plus a bit for P&P. I'd say it's one of the best amp bargains I've ever got. The Pro800 on FB is cheaper still at £250. There is one on here but its £375 I think - a good price but £250 is better.

The TB range have a classic fender tone stack with the 2-10-2 flat setting. Pull boost on the bass and treble. There is a drive channel which has gain and volume plus a blend between the and drive side. There is a semi para eq with a range from 80Hz-1kHz and a room balce to tweak the amp without having to re eq for a dark or bright room. Very versatile head.

[Soledad]

This one. Surely a strong contender. Beyond the OPs range at 1200W but it's well inside at 8 Ohms so it qualifies.

 

[Guest oZZma]

Ho ho ho!! Impressions coming soon 😍

 

[Guest oZZma]

I think this head was a great deal in the end!! 

The open E and the higher frets on the G sounded really crappy with my previous amp, this one is so full and rich and definite on every note 😍 

Also harsh and clear with distortions, as I hoped.

I'm still adjusting the EQ to find what works better with the other amp on! But I have already decided that I like it!

 

Edited August 22, 2019 by oZZma

[Al Krow]

@oZZma great result! But we defo need a better picture of your rig as clear and rich as the higher fret G notes you're now playing! 😀

[Guest oZZma]

36 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

@oZZma great result! But we defo need a better picture of your rig as clear and rich as the higher fret G notes you're now playing! 😀

 

Unfortunately I dropped my phone and I had to wrap it with tape to keep all the pieces together and now the camera is all muffled like that awful E string I had before 

[JMarkD]

For me it would be the Aguilar DB750.  I was always trying different amps and they were all great but once I got my DB750 it was game over.  I have lusted for nothing else since.  I have used it since 2003 with out any problems.  As of late I am using a Tonehammer head as the weight and power of the 750 can be a bit much.  As good as the Tonehammer is, I still consider the DB750 the best amp I have ever owned and one of the best bass amps ever made.