Best solid state head you've had

[itu]

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.

[Japhet]

Years ago it would have been my Peavey MkVI. Absolutely bomb proof. Later on I had a Trace SMX 350 which was lovely. Now I have an Eden WT800 which is also lovely. Unfortunately, no gigs or any liklihood so all a bit academic really.

[Bobthedog]

For build quality but perhaps a little reserved in tone; my now sold Glockenklang Blue Rock was unbelievably good. For a more lively sound that more suits where I am now, my current Bergantino Forte HP. 

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 9, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Baloney Balderdash]

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 October 11, 2020 by Baloney Balderdash

[Nebadon2000]

SWR 400S but I like my Italian class 'D' Markbass

[machinehead]

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.

[chris_b]

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.  

[Kirky]

My GK Fusion 550 is perfect. Every now and then I get a tube amp itch but while selling the GK to fund is the only option, it will remain unscratched.

[Chienmortbb]

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.

[Tim1]

Aguilar DB751. Huge sense of power in reserve and wonderful bottom end. Only non- power tube amp I have played that has come anywhere close to the feeling of headroom and grunt that you get from an svt.

[Grav]

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)

[Steve Browning]

Acoustic 220. Lovely amp.

[Raslee]

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. 

[TheGreek]

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.

[ern500evo]

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! 

[Shaggy]

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.

[skychaserhigh]

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

[casapete]

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.

[Graham]

EBS HD350 - no valves needed

Punch, depth, warmth, sparkly clarity, Just a wonderful amplifier.

[Pow_22]

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

[JapanAxe]

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.

[el borracho]

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 😒

[Count Bassy]

Not a vast range of experience of different amps (at least not owned by me), but so far

'Traditional' solid state (well class H): undoubtedly the Marshall DBS400.

Light weight solid state. Markbass LM3.

[ern500evo]

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