Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Best solid state head you've had


la bam

Recommended Posts

Well, not a head, but the amp in my Trace Elliot GP7SM, 130W, combo.

Sounded no short of amazing, awesomely full and rich, yet still very clear and punchy, and with just the build in single 15" speaker unit it was loud enough to keep up with a drummer and guitarist in a loud stoner rock/metal -esque band at rehearsals without issues, in fact the master volume was only set to about 10/11 o'clock or so at all times. 

Edited by Baloney Balderdash
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a Thunderfunk 550 and it makes me smile very time I use it.

Other amps have come and gone, but the Thunderfunk has stayed.  I don't really know what it is about the tone and the feel of the notes when playing, but it is sublime.

Played through my Barefaced BB2 it is a heavenly sound. :)

Frank.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, machinehead said:

I have a Thunderfunk 550 and it makes me smile very time I use it.

Other amps have come and gone, but the Thunderfunk has stayed.  I don't really know what it is about the tone and the feel of the notes when playing, but it is sublime.

Played through my Barefaced BB2 it is a heavenly sound. :)

Frank.

+1. I bought a Thunderfunk TF550 in 2007 which was replaced 5 years later by a TF750. These amps make a fantastic sound.

The Dynacord BS412 combo is right up there challenging the TF for best sounding SS amp.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Well, not a head, but the amp in my Trace Elliot GP7SM, 130W, combo.

Sounded no short of amazing, awesomely full and rich, yet still very clear and punchy, and with just the build in single 15" speaker unit it was loud enough to keep up with a drummer and guitarist in a loud stoner rock/metal -esque band at rehearsals without issues, in fact the master volume was only set to about 10/11 o'clock or so at all times. 

I believe that is the same amp/preamp combo that was in my BLX130 and I can only agree with you.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not the most original answer - the Markbass LMIII is a favourite of mine. Such great value as you can grab them for £300 used. I love the clean tone and like how they work with pre-amps/pedals. 

I certainly am of the opinion that you have have to spend a lot more cash to get anything significantly better (I know this could be said of a lot of sub £500 equipment though)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The World Tour Eden’s get a lot love from me - favourite being a WT800 closely followed by the WT550. Love the Orange Terrors too and I think the good old Hartke 3500 are worthy of a mention for their longevity and popularity. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/10/2020 at 18:32, itu said:

Glockenklang Soul.

Switchable eq, that I hardly need, very functional if needed. The basic sound is very good. A keeper, have been playing with it since it became available, or close.

Had one, sold it....really shouldn't have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread has reminded me of the number of amps I’d still like to try. GK Fusion 550, Ashdown ABM600, Thunderfunk, and after collecting my Warwick Streamer from 2elliot and having a short blast through his Mesa M9 Carbine, that can also go on the list! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/10/2020 at 10:15, BassBunny said:

Eden WT550. Just plug in a play. The natural tone with everything flat is fantastic.

Military engineering that is utterly bomb proof. There used to be some pictures on Eden's website of a WT550 that was in a studio fire. It looked ready for the bin. All the control knobs had melted but they switched it on and it still worked.

I’ve got an early (‘91?} Eden VT.40 head that’s been dropped, fallen out of cars, and been abused by support bands “borrowing “ it.   Still going strong, and with its Demeter valve preamp gives the loveliest DI tone of any amp I’ve owned.

But going back to the letter of the OP (ie SS only and no hybrids) - definitely my Ashdown MK500.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/10/2020 at 15:21, warwickhunt said:

The best amp that had no valves and was 'Solid State' old school has to be the GK 800RB

 

I’d have to agree with you - still got mine and it’s only been beaten by my SVT rig in ‘the best amp I’ve ever owned’ stakes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Casting my mind back over the bass amps I’ve owned, I realise I’ve only had two Class AB solid state heads. I used the same Ashdown combo for 10 years, then discovered Basschat and spent another 10 years chopping and changing!

Fwiw the two were an Ampeg SVT3 Pro (not bad, but displaced by my Demeter - as close as I’ll get to a keeper) and my current fave, the EBS HD360 30th Anniversary. So the latter is my nomination.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/10/2020 at 18:38, Japhet said:

Years ago it would have been my Peavey MkVI. Absolutely bomb proof. 

That's the exact words I had in mind for mine while reading through the thread. I did hundred's of gigs with it. It got bounced around in the back of a van for years & never put a foot wrong.

 

14 hours ago, skychaserhigh said:

Orange 4 Stroke 500 , built like a tank and has a remarkable amount of power and tone.

I would like to say this but I can't.....yet!

I bought one at the beginning of March (good timing eh??) & I have never had the chance to use it 😒

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Pow_22 said:

Whilst not strictly 'Solid State' (although SS power sections) ive always like the Ashdown Spyder series (both the 330 and 550) and the Warwick Tubepath 5.1

The Tubepath 5.1 is a really underrated amp, not sure if people avoided it because of the reliability issues the 10.1 was plagued with 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...