Amp Decision Help!

[allighatt0r]

Yep, it's another one of these threads. Sorry folks.

I've just flogged 2/3rds of my Marshall Rig, because it's too big to load into my car all the time (it fits, but it's such a hassle!) so now all i have amp wise to gig with (if i get a gig any time soon) is a 100W combo i might be able to borrow off my brother!

Anyway, I can't make a decision on an amp solution, I like a smooth deep rock tone (think Epiphone Thunderbird) warm, but not distorted, with plenty of volume to hold it's own in a large pub with a fairly loud band (4x12 guitar amp) if necessary.

So far i've been thinking:
[list=a]
[*] A second hand combo off of here, I've had my eye on a 150W 410 Trace combo and a 150W Ampeg combo, but I'm worried about collecting them, disliking them and then finding that I can't sell them and lose money!
[*] A brand new combo: I like the look of the 300 watt Ampeg BA300 210 combos, but they don't seem loud enough from stuff I've read on here. Would be open to other suggestions but I don't like Ashdowns.
[*] An Orange Bass Terror (I like the look of these a lot, but haven't played through one yet) and a small cab (210, 212? possibly a Shroeder!) second hand on here.
[/list]

I have about £350 to spend on something second hand (£400/450 if I can flog my Marshall 115), and would take advantage of the Take It Away scheme to get something up to about £500 new, and could combine the two for option c.

So, this is an unabashed shameful plea for help. My head's in a mess, and i could do with being put in my place.

[stingrayfan]

Check out a LH500. Mine sounds great.

[allighatt0r]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='713970' date='Jan 15 2010, 04:26 PM']Check out a LH500. Mine sounds great.[/quote]

I've heard they're very bright (i'm not a fan of brightness) and what can i cab it with?

[artisan]

if you can find a second hand one check out the Roland D-bass range,or use the take it away & buy a new one.
i sold my Ampeg SVT rig,because i got sick of humping it around,& bought a D-bass 210 & mighty pleased i am with it too.
very versatile soundwise,louder than the SVT & it's compact & pretty light too.
i used it in my old blues band with my Gibson SG bass producing a lovely old school thump & i now use it with my Stingray in a funk band & it sounds awesome in that too.
i really can't rate it high enough,it is the best amp i've ever had in my 30 years of playing.

[razze06]

My personal opinion would be to get a solid, cheap and simple head, and as good a cab as you can with the money left over.
You should be able to get a reasonable second hand head from here for around £150, leaving a fair bit for a good cab.

[bigjohn]

I must admit I'm a little surprised that my Ampeg hasn't sold on here.

A B2 combo sold on ebay for £230 the other day and it's a) battered with knobs hanging off, and not as good an amp.

There's been quite a bit of interest, but people are worried it's not loud enough, which it is. There's only one drummer I've ever played with where this amp didn't keep up. He's Julian Cope's drummer and he plays a vintage John Bonham Ludwig kit and uses huge brass chinese (as in made in china) cymbals which he busts into oblivion. I had trouble with a 100W all valve Marshall JCM800 bass series not keeping up with him...

I've played though it with 3 other drummers in various rooms and venues and it's always been fine. In fact, I'm on the verge of withdrawing it to be honest as I was only selling it to raise funds to buy replacement new power amp for my Schroeder 1212L / SVT-IIP rig. Which is lovely, but I'm not sure I really need it. Esp as the SVT-IIP into the B3158 power amp in is a lovely set up too. It's a bit like a cross between a B15N and an SVT.

[Delberthot]

A lot of the fun of finding what suits you is to buy, try and sell if you don't like it. Buy something second hand so you won't lose anything if you don't like it.

Almost anything can be posted if your buyer lives too far away to collect so i wouldn't worry too much about that. I've posted everything from pickups to a 45kg trace combo.

If you want warm and the ability to push it into overdrive then either something like the trace combo I am selling or a BassTerror as they have 2 valves in them - not that you need valves. Both Gallien amps I have had were very warm amps that can be pushed into mild overdrive despite not having valves due to a special circuit in them.

I'm going to be gigging my new Hartke LH500 tonight. This is based on the Fender Bassman preamp with one valve coupled with a solid state amp so we'll see how that goes tonight.

I almost bought one of the UK made Ashdown MAG600 heads that Soundslive are doing just because they are so cheap and UK made (not sure if that is necessarily better) I was also looking at the Kustom DE300 head that Thomann does but couldn't find enough information about them to purchase

[nick]

+1 to buying secondhand.

With the sort of sound you describe, was thinking of the V-Type Combo for sale on here. I use a 300w head with a 1x15 or 4x12 cab - sounds great, but you want something more portable. That combo could be what your looking for(?)

Was tempted to that combo myself, but can't justify another amp.

[chris_b]

If you're looking for "warm, but not distorted, with plenty of volume" then I think you should be trying out Markbass (LM2?), Ampeg (SVT3PRO?) or GK. The prices for a good used amp are around your budget. That should get you gigging and then look for a 210 cab to add to the 115 at some point, with the aim of maybe ending up with a 410.

I don't think that combos are a good idea. I don't think they will keep up with loud drummers or guitarists and will cause extra problems when you want to upgrade in the future. Good luck.

Edited January 16, 2010 by chris_b

[Raggy]

[quote name='allighatt0r' post='713978' date='Jan 15 2010, 04:33 PM']I've heard they're very bright (i'm not a fan of brightness) and what can i cab it with?[/quote]

I had one and I dont think it was bright at all, lovely warm sound, if you can try one, do.