Your Bass Journey - going nowhere without an amplifier!

[Mudpup]

Takes a deep breath and tries to kick the memory into action......I've been playing for 45 years so there's been a few 🙂

 

In chronological order 

 

Some old King branded amp and a home made 18" cab started me off

Carlsboro Stingray 150 head (the black and green one)

HH Bass Baby 150 combo

OHM GA140 combo

Laney DP150 head, an Allen Gordon 4x10 cab, some unbranded 1 x 15 cab

Trace Elliott AH200 Series 6 head and cabs as above

Same Trace amp and an Ampeg SVT1510 cab

(stopped playing for about 15 years, rejoined a band and then got a job with a bit more money/toy fund and discovered what i had missed so the real amp journey began)

TC Electronic BG500 combo

Peavey BAM 500 combo

Trace Elliott 1x15 cab

Ashdown ABM500 head

Barefaced Big One cab

GK Fusion500 head and a pair of GK 2x12 neo cabs 

Genz Benz Shuttle 9.2

A pair of Barefaced Big Baby 3 cabs - still use these

Mark Bass EVO 

Ashdown ABM600 evo 4

Gallien Krueger 700RB

EBS TD650 

EBS TD660

Various Bergantino cabs 2x10's, 1x12's and a CN212- tried to find something better than the Barefaced ones. Didn't work out - very good but not better.

Thunderfunk 550b

Quilter BB800 - still use this

Mesa Subway D800

Genzler Magellan 800 

Darkglass M900

Handbox R400

Mesa Big Block 750 - my amp of choice now

Mesa MPulse 600 - a lovely amp but swapped it for a......

Mesa Big Block 750 as a spare just in case my old one died

Orange 4 Stroke - half the weight of a Mesa but not half the sound. For when my back is hurting...

 

Things I have learned along the way -

 

I really like my Big Baby 3 cabs and the guys in the band noticed the difference to the Berg cabs

Thunderfunk is the best name for an amp ever

I don't get on with class D amps in general but the Quilter doesn't behave like one so I like that one

I liked the Ashdown ABM600 amp much much more than the ABM500

The trade off between the weight of old iron amps and the convenience of little lightweight amps is worth it for me.

Ampeg is missing off my list so maybe I should try one of theirs before I'm too old to gig anymore.

The Basschat market place is a dangerous place - most of the stuff from after my break has been sourced on here or ended up on here. It's like gear rental.

 

I'm sure I've forgotten something.....

Edited March 4, 2023 by Mudpup

[backwater]

Budget practise amp (not even sure it had a brand!)

Marshall 100H guitar head into a 1x15 cab

Marshall JCM800 100W Valve head with 4x12 Cab

Peavey Mk V Bass head and 2x15 (ex simple minds)

Ashdown Superfly with Yamaha 2x10 cab

Marshall 200w IBS with 1x15

Eden Nemesis NC410

Budget rig (pa mixer amp and a 1x12)

Line 6 Lowdown Studio (current amp)

 

Rig size has definately decreased over time but nothing beats the all valve Marshall for tone.

 

Andy

 

[jazzyvee]

In order

Peavey (sold)

Trace Elliot BLX80 (gave away)

Mesa boogie walkabout, powerhouse cabs 2x10, 4x10 and 1x15 ( sold first two cabs, gave away the 1x15)

Alembic F-1x, SF-2, (QSC PLX2402 power amp, sold )

Crown XLS1502 (current)

PJB Briefcase

Barefaced bass cabs

Schertler Unico (used with EUB)

[Dan Dare]

Over 40 odd years:

 

Ohm 60w combo

Fender Bassman 135 + matching 2x15

Bassman head sold and replaced with Trace AH250 (cab kept and drivers replaced with Peavey Black Widows)

AH250 sold and replaced with BBE pre + RSE 500w power amp + SVT 2x10 and 1x15 cabs (would have kept Bassman cab but it was stolen)

Pre sold and power amp relegated to driving PA monitors. Replaced with EBS HD350

SVT cabs sold and replaced with three PJB 4Bs

PJB Flightcase bought for small jobs

EBS replaced with Carvin B1000

Bugera Veyron bought as backup amp

Flightcase and Veyron sold and AG700 bought as main amp, plus two PJB C4s (still have 4Bs and Carvin)

Berg 1x12 bought to add a bit more weight to C4s

 

Bit of a ragbag assortment, but has done the job for me. Much of it has been bought used, so have not spent massive sums.

 

 

 

 

 

[BigRedX]

1981-82 Carlsbro Wasp Combo. This was a guitar practice amp but since the band was mostly a recording one, and I spent most of my time channeling my inner Peter Hook the low power and lack of bottom end really didn't matter. One the few occasions when we played live and I couldn't use a real bass amp from one of the other bands on the bill we'd stick a mic in front of it.

 

1982-89 No name generic 100W transistor amp into home made 2x12 cab and 1x18 cab.

 

1989-1995 Roland GP8 Multi-effects > Trace Elliot GP12 Preamp bi-amped into > Home-made 2x100W power-amp > home made 2x8 cab and Carlsbro 1x15 cab.

 

1995-2002 Peavey BassFex bi-amped into > Carlsbro 2x300w power amp > home made 2x8 cab and Carlsbro 1x15 cab.

 

2002-2006 Line 6 BassPod XT Pro bi-amped into > Carlsbro 2x300w power amp > home made 2x8 cab and Carlsbro 1x15 cab.

 

2006-2017 Line 6 BassPod XT Pro Tech Soundsystems Black Cat amp > EBS 2x10 and EBS 4x10 cabs.

 

2017 to present Line 6 Helix direct into the PA. I have an RCF 745 power cab for rehearsals for one band and for on-stage monitoring when the quality of the PA foldback is known, but these days since the majority of the gigs I play are on decent sized stages with a good PA and foldback, taking a bass amp is a complete waste of time and effort. So I don't.

 

 

[Musicman666]

my first bass amp (vox t60 stack) that i used with a musicmaster .... i think it was built in 62...underpowered would be an understatement.

 

followed by hh ..then peavey tnt115 (heavy as f) ..then an ebs drome and now i also have a phil jones double four which i think might have been louder than the vox...

 

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by Musicman666

[KingBollock]

13 minutes ago, Musicman666 said:

my first bass amp that i used with a musicmaster .... i think it was built in 62...underpowered would be an understatement.

 

 

I had a Vox 2x18 cab when I was a kid. I think it may have been a Foundation, possibly. It had large wheels and a rack thing on top that worked as handles and and an attachment for the amp (which I didn’t have).
 

I got it for £20 because someone had nicked it from an illegal rave while it was being raided. I remember it coming with a 60m long cable, too! I managed to blow one of the speakers and sold what was left for £50.

[Musicman666]

1 minute ago, KingBollock said:

I had a Vox 2x18 cab when I was a kid. I think it may have been a Foundation, possibly. It had large wheels and a rack thing on top that worked as handles and and an attachment for the amp (which I didn’t have).
 

I got it for £20 because someone had nicked it from an illegal rave while it was being raided. I remember it coming with a 60m long cable, too! I managed to blow one of the speakers and sold what was left for £50.

this one was weird because it had a 1x18 or 15 at the bottom and a 1x10 at the top ...so i got rid of the top one and converted it to a 2x15 or 18 ...cant remember now so long ago....

[chris_b]

1960's

Nashville 60 watt
Crook 412
Vox Foundation 50 watt + Vox 118
Marshall Super Lead 100 + Marshall 412

1970's
Fender Dual Showman + DS215
Hiwatt 100 DR103 + Hiwatt 412 (x2)
Ampeg B25B 215
HH 412BL

1980's
Fender Bassman 410 combo
MM HD130R
Peavey 115 BW
MM HD150 + MM 212 EV
Dynacord BS412 EV
Peavey 215D
Fender Dual Showman 215

1990's
Mesa Boogie 400+

Mesa Boogie RR 210 EV

Mesa Boogie RR 115 EV

Ampeg SVT3-PRO
Ampeg SVT-410 HE
Ampeg SVT-115E
Ampeg SVT-210 HE

2000's
Markbass LM2
Aguilar GS112 (x2)
Markbass F1
Thunderfunk TFB550
Epifani UL410 S1
Bergantino AE112 (x3)
Bergantino AE410
Bergantino AE210 (x2)

2010's
TC Staccato
TC RH750

Thunderfunk TFB750-A (B2 upgrades) **

Aguilar TH500

Aguilar TH500 **
Bergantino CN212
Genz Benz STL 9.2
Barefaced BB2
Barefaced Super Compact
Barefaced Super Compact **
Barefaced One10 **
Aguilar AG700 **
Barefaced One10 **
Barefaced Two10

Barefaced Two10

Barefaced Super Midget **

Mesa Boogie Subway D800

Quilter BB800

Barefaced BB2 **

 

 

2020's

Bergantino Forte HP

 

 

 

** still own

 

You probably noticed that I discovered the internet in the early 2000's!!

[neepheid]

Not trying to pick an argument, just trying to understand other points of view.

 

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

[paul_5]

Marshall practice amp 

TE AH150 with 4x10, then added a 1x15

very briefly an Ashdown thing

a couple of SWR SM400 and 220 heads for a while

Ampeg svp Pro and Laney Power amp in to various cabs, currently a 1x12 and 2x 10

Edited March 4, 2023 by paul_5

[chris_b]

42 minutes ago, neepheid said:

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

 

A few amps and cabs lasted for 10 years or more, the rest only for a couple of weeks/months.

 

I am always looking for an upgrade, something that sounds better, and lately something that weighs less, so I'll buy an amp or cab that could be a potential #1 and check it out. Mostly they don't knock my current amp/cab off the #1 spot, and are sold. So while it looks like  I've owned a lot of gear (I have) I've only gigged a small number.

Edited March 4, 2023 by chris_b

[Mudpup]

30 minutes ago, neepheid said:

Not trying to pick an argument, just trying to understand other points of view.

 

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

 

In my case, the never ending search for an amp that will make me sound 'better'. I have finally come to the conclusion that the money would have been better spent on some lessons and earplugs 😂 

 

What was I looking for? Well, when I discovered class D existed after my break away from playing it was mainly having something the weight of a biscuit tin to carry about. But I eventually figured out that there was something missing to my ears after I had been through all the usual suspects on my list. Most things sounded fine at home but when I tried them with the band there would be something not quite there for me. So that covers most of the changes i think.

 

There are a few in there that plain didn't work for me like the Thunderfunk and others that in hindsight I would cheerfully have again such as the Ashdown ABM600 or EBS TD650

 

And I think the other motivation for the changes is that it's my hobby. I don't really do much else apart from work and raise my family. I don't drink or smoke or spend on myself in any other ways and was fortunate enough to have a job that paid enough for me to treat myself now and again. Most of the stuff was bought second hand and then moved on without too much of a loss and the money put back into my toy fund until something else interesting popped up on here mainly. Also my wife is an enabler - she comes from the 'if it makes you happy, do it' school of thought so I suppose I don't have a braking system either.

 

[MacDaddy]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

Not trying to pick an argument, just trying to understand other points of view.

 

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

 

Sometimes I was looking for a particular sound and/or volume level, other times I was looking for something that would fit in the (new) car. 

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

Not trying to pick an argument, just trying to understand other points of view.

 

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

For myself it was that quest for the perfect sound. In many cases it was having heard others use something and thinking it sounded great, then finding it did once I bought it.
 

My quest stopped when I used an Ashdown full rig at a gig, it was the nearest in sound & feel to a full Ampeg SVT rig than any other brand I’d used, but in a set-up I could carry.

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, Mudpup said:

. . . .  Also my wife is an enabler - she comes from the 'if it makes you happy, do it' school of thought

 

Same. My wife's stock reply is, "If you think it's that good, buy it".

[Ed_S]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

Not trying to pick an argument, just trying to understand other points of view.

 

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

 

Originally I was just looking for louder and smaller, and I found that fairly early with my Markbass LM2 and 104HR. These days, within sense and reason, I don't mind getting drawn into buying stuff that people are madly enthusing about on here just to see whether I think it's worth all the fuss they're creating. Some stuff has worked out really well (e.g. Barefaced cabs, Rumble 500 combo), whilst other bits have been less successful but still kinda fun to experience for a while.

[Steve Browning]

Hmm. This'll be a test of the memory!

 

Top 50 head + Impact 2x15 cab

Marshall Lead and Bass 50 + 2 x Sound City 4x12s (I had started to build John Deacons Acoustic and Hiwatt rig - somewhat on a budget)

Marshall Lead and Bass 50 + home made 1x15 Altec cab (only ever used this when I played bass at a trad jazz jam session on a Sunday lunchtime)

Sound City 120 + 1 x SC 4x12 = Goodmans 18 in home made reflex cab (I remember a gig using the 2 4x12s and the 1x18 and fairly sure I used two Sound city heads) - getting there on the John Deacon front!

Intermusic Bass 150 + HH 2x15

Intermusic Bass 150 + Ampeg V4 2x15 (this was when I realised that 15s were my sound)

Peterson 150 + Ampeg V4 2x15

Acoustic 220 + Peavey 1810 cab (not for long the 1810 was awful - huge bottom end, clear top but I may as well have stopped playing the notes in between!

Acoustic 220 or Orange 120 + Mesa Diesel 2x15 (I owned the 400 at this stage but struggled to make sense of the eq initially, so used the Oranges (I had 3 120s) - this would be about 1985, I reckon. The Mesa Boogie journey has started!!

2 X Orange 120 + 2 x Mesa Diesel 2x15 (about 3 months while I got to grips with the eq)

Mesa Bass 400 + 2 x Mesa Diesel 2x15 (Mesa Walkabout bought during this rig - still have one)

Mesa Bass 400 + Mesa Bass 400+ + 1 x Mesa Diesel 2x15 + Mesa Road Ready 2x18

Mesa M-Pulse 600 + Mesa Diesel 2x15 (very briefly used 2 x Barefaced Compact 1x15s)

2 x Mesa M-Pulse 600 + 2 x Mesa Subway 1x15

2 x Mesa TT800 + 2 x Mesa Subway 1x15

For complete clarity (as we're talking about gigging amps) I have done a semi acoustic ska gig with my GK MB150E but that was very much for convenience.

[Merton]

3 hours ago, neepheid said:

Not trying to pick an argument, just trying to understand other points of view.

 

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

Because I could/wanted something else/thought it would make me sound better/thought it would look cool*
 

*delete as applicable 

[asingardenof]

OK, in chronological order...

 

Hohner Rockwood (came with my Hohner Rockwood Pro bass as a package)

Laney combo of some description (it was a while ago, I forget)

Trace Elliott Boxer 65

Marshall Super Bass

Marshall JCM800 4x12

Ashdown AVM EVO (on semi-permanent loan from @Merton)

SWR Workingman's 2x10T

Ashdown MAG 4x10

Barefaced Two10S

Edited March 7, 2023 by asingardenof

[drTStingray]

Mine starts in the early 70s

 

Marshall 50 watt; home made 2 x 12 Goodmans cab.

Marshall replaced by home made (by someone else - I had a mate who was a wizard at electronics and enjoyed creating stuff) 100 watt solid state amp.

HH IC 100 solid state amp plus Carlsboro 1 x 15 cab

 

Acoustic 370 plus 301 1x18 reflex cab - for large gigs used the Carlsboro cab as well - small gigs the Acoustic amp and Carlsboro. Never had any volume problems after acquiring these.

 

Would have gone down the Trace Elliott with 4 x 10s if I’d continued through the later 80s. 

From the early 2000s

 

Ashdown MAG 300 and 4 x 10 cab

Ashdown ABM Evo 3, ABM 1 x 15 and ABM 2 x 10

 

Markbass LM3; Markbass 2 x 10 deep; Markbass 2 x 10 Traveller.

 

The only AAS gas I’ve had in recent years was created when another bassist invited me to pick up his Barefaced cab - v light, v compact, v loud!!!! 
 

Basses have been Musicman (but a lot of them) since circa 1980. 

[Lfalex v1.1]

5 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

 

Sometimes I was looking for a particular sound and/or volume level, other times I was looking for something that would fit in the (new) car. 

 

Interesting, that!

 

"Can I fit the stack in a .... "

 

Was always the primary purchasing criterion when selecting a replacement vehicle!

 

And for me, the required volume level was usually > the last one! 

[msb]

8 hours ago, neepheid said:

Not trying to pick an argument, just trying to understand other points of view.

 

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

 
 

The first time I was really happy with my bass sound was when I started using a GK RB 400. And I continued using it for years. I finally decided to try other things  and bought a used GenzBenz Streamliner. Tube preamp , it was versatile and had some serious slam. When I was using the GK heads it was pretty much set and forget. I had found a happy place . But with the Liner I started tweaking the amp more , and was trying to get a better handle on tone. And I was discovering that different amps could be quite different. And that I could quickly access various voicing with the Liner. 
I bought some Bergantino cabs and was floored by them. Loved the cabs enough to buy a Forte amp , a simple modern transparent hifi amp , and loved it. With the Forte I’d simply dial it in and forget it again. Simplicity. A great sounding amp.
And then managed to pick up a Monique preamp. I had been reading about them for years and wanted to give one a try. I had hoped to find one last year , one finally came to me this year. I use the effect in and bypass the Forte’s tone stack , and I’ve gone from clean , transparent , modern hifi to thick , warm , old school tube goodness , with some slam.

I absolutely love what it does. 
So my changes have been mostly searching for tone. I have a curious mind. And I love checking out amps. At the moment I’m in a happy place with my stage sound. And I realize it could all change tomorrow. I might pick up a dedicated back end for Monique like the Demeter Minnie , but the Forte works well. I might pick up an Aguilar TH 500 for home use , I do love their SL 112 cabs. It would be a handsome looking thing , but I’m pretty well equipped as it is. I’m kind of nerdy about amps. In fact I signed up here to hear about amps and cabs that are common in the UK and Europe , but rarely found here in Canada. 

 

edit 

 

I mostly play mid sized rooms in town , so I load the car , set it up , play , tear it down and drive it home. No big star , just a working , blue collar musician. I have a nice , modern , lightweight , modular rig.  Back in the day I used an Ampeg fridge. And although I loved that I’ve got no desire to haul one of those things around again. I like the advances they’ve made in amp and cab design.

 
 

Edited March 5, 2023 by msb

[Steve Browning]

15 hours ago, neepheid said:

Not trying to pick an argument, just trying to understand other points of view.

 

To those who have a list of amps as long as your arm - what were you looking for? What was the motivation for the various changes?

In my case, I started off with the stuff I could afford. The next stage was to emulate John Deacon's rig (it looked so impressive).

 

I then discovered that I preferred the sound of 2x15 cabinets.

 

The switch to Mesa gear came as I turned pro. I read a review of the Bass 400 and 2x15 in a magazine. It said it was the Rolls Royce of bass amplication. I wanted the best and this was it. Bought it on the basis of those 5 words.

 

Never looked back.

[clauster]

Very few compared to some -

 

Park practise amp

Peaver TKO

Trace Elliot BLX

Ashdown EB180

Barefaced Compact 15"

Hartke LH500

Ashdown ABM 600 Evi IV

Fender Rumble 40LT

 

I'm thinking of moving on everything I've got and going back to a combo like the Ashdown Studio 12 for jamming, rehearsals and small gigs.