£200-350 Combo - What's Best?

[merello]

Right guys, in the middle o f the complete bassification of my life. Currently using someone else's 65W Laney - looks about 15 years old - and am now looking for the best budet amp. Up for consideration after looking on here, Bass Direct and Bass Merchant are:
1. Eden N12 £299
2. SWR LA12 or 15 (about £200)
3. Ampeg B100R (£349)
4. Warwick Take 12 £199


Anyone have experience of these or similar? Much appreciated.

[iconic]

I notriced Hartke aren't on your list, there maybe a reason for this? But the Kickback 15 is in your budget, Hartke gets a very good rep most of the time.

...I have a B-900 and I'm very, very pleased with it, lovely build, silky controls, good docs, lovely tone ticks all the boxes for me

[Cat Burrito]

I don't know how it compares to the others but that Ampeg B100R is great fun & looks the part too

[Delberthot]

I am confident that this will be lots better than any of these

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=75301"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=75301[/url]

The ones you have listed are all low wattage budget combos and while there is nothing wrong with them, you are likely to get a lot more for your money by going second hand and have something that you can go out and gig with as well.



Well, that's that shameless plug over

[merello]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='729552' date='Jan 30 2010, 11:57 AM']I am confident that this will be lots better than any of these

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=75301"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=75301[/url]

The ones you have listed are all low wattage budget combos and while there is nothing wrong with them, you are likely to get a lot more for your money by going second hand and have something that you can go out and gig with as well.



Well, that's that [u]shameless[/u] plug over [/quote]

[JackLondon]

I haven't tried the Warwick Take 12 but I had the Warwick Sweet 15.2 and few years ago I had Sweet 15.1 and judging by my experience with them the Take12 wouldn't cut it mate!

[bigjohn]

Out of those I'd go for the B100R. (or the V-Type)

I've got an immaculate B3158 which I would part with for £300. Which is better than the B100R.

[pete.young]

+1 to going secondhand. RayAgainstTheMachine has an Eden Nemesis 250 in the For Sale forums which will be a much better gigging proposition than an of these.

Edited January 31, 2010 by pete.young

[Jack]

Out of that list definitely take the B100R. But don't buy from that list, buy something secondhand (from here if you'd like) and let someone else take the depreciation. There's nothing for that kind of money that could comfortably cut it as a live amp. I've used and loved the B100R before but only with full PA support. I'd hate to rely on something like that to carry the room as well.


EDIT - That's abloody awesome price for the B100R by the way. It really is leagues ahead of the other amps on that list. Though I'll admit to not having played the Eden.

Edited February 1, 2010 by Jack

[merello]

What about:

EBS Session 60

[bigjohn]

I've played a couple of places (pubs) with a b100R reasonably comfortably. No PA support required.

A lot of gain and a lot of mid. For a good nick US made one, £350 is a steal.

My B3158 certainly requires no PA support. The only time I've found it underpowered is in a small rehearsal rooms with stupidly loud drummers with heavy cymbals.

100W into a 15" tuned cab (which is what a b100r is) is more than fine for playing pub gigs. They're not quite as loud as some of the 300W or so combos that are out there, but they sound brilliant and are loud enough.

Edited February 1, 2010 by bigjohn

[spike]

[quote name='merello' post='732228' date='Feb 1 2010, 09:10 PM']What about:

EBS Session 60[/quote]

I bought one of these two weeks ago from Bass Direct and I'm liking it very much. My objective was to buy a small combo for practice at home and for taking to rehearsals instead of my full rig and it does the job well. I've used it to rehearse with a jazz band, 3 woodwind, 2 brass, 2 guitars and a piano to contend with and there's still plenty of headroom. I was originally looking at the Eden N10 but when I played them side by side this had a smoother tone. The Eden was too trebly for my taste. Not sure how it would be for gigging with but it does have a DI out.

[merello]

[quote name='spike' post='733154' date='Feb 2 2010, 04:50 PM']I bought one of these two weeks ago from Bass Direct and I'm liking it very much. My objective was to buy a small combo for practice at home and for taking to rehearsals instead of my full rig and it does the job well. I've used it to rehearse with a jazz band, 3 woodwind, 2 brass, 2 guitars and a piano to contend with and there's still plenty of headroom. I was originally looking at the Eden N10 but when I played them side by side this had a smoother tone. The Eden was too trebly for my taste. Not sure how it would be for gigging with but it does have a DI out.[/quote]
They claim it is good with a guitar too?

[bigjohn]

[quote name='merello' post='733398' date='Feb 2 2010, 08:06 PM']They claim it is good with a guitar too?[/quote]


If you want a bass combo that's good with guitar, look no further than my B3158.

Josh Homme uses one. Despite that, it's still an excellent guitar amp - but it's a bass amp...

Edited February 2, 2010 by bigjohn

[NickH]

[url="http://marshallamps.com/product.asp?productCode=MB4210"]http://marshallamps.com/product.asp?productCode=MB4210[/url]

Obtainable new £300, even cheaper second hand. Absolutely kicks ass.

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='NickH' post='733442' date='Feb 2 2010, 08:36 PM'][url="http://marshallamps.com/product.asp?productCode=MB4210"]http://marshallamps.com/product.asp?productCode=MB4210[/url]

Obtainable new £300, even cheaper second hand. Absolutely kicks ass.[/quote]

I have the MB4410. Like Nick said, great combo! Little too heavy for me though, Thats the only reason im selling mine. If your back can handle it, youll love it. Served me brilliantly over the last year for all my gigs

[Jack]

[quote name='bigjohn' post='732379' date='Feb 1 2010, 11:04 PM']I've played a couple of places (pubs) with a b100R reasonably comfortably. No PA support required.

A lot of gain and a lot of mid. For a good nick US made one, £350 is a steal.

My B3158 certainly requires no PA support. The only time I've found it underpowered is in a small rehearsal rooms with stupidly loud drummers with heavy cymbals.

100W into a 15" tuned cab (which is what a b100r is) is more than fine for playing pub gigs. They're not quite as loud as some of the 300W or so combos that are out there, but they sound brilliant and are loud enough.[/quote]

I guess we'll just have to disagree. It wasn't enough for me, it works for you. I'd love a gig where I could use a small combo like that regularly. I try to take as little gear as possible and when that is a smaller rig or even my MXR M80 I find that the gig runs smoother.

[firmo]

I use an Ampeg BA115 for practise/small and mid sized gigs and have no complaints at all. What are the big differences in sound between one of them and the B100R? Twice the price...

[sk8]

[quote name='spike' post='733154' date='Feb 2 2010, 05:50 PM']I bought one of these two weeks ago from Bass Direct and I'm liking it very much. My objective was to buy a small combo for practice at home and for taking to rehearsals instead of my full rig and it does the job well. I've used it to rehearse with a jazz band, 3 woodwind, 2 brass, 2 guitars and a piano to contend with and there's still plenty of headroom. I was originally looking at the Eden N10 but when I played them side by side this had a smoother tone. The Eden was too trebly for my taste. Not sure how it would be for gigging with but it does have a DI out.[/quote]glad you are liking yours. Thinking of getting one of these for practice and the church gigs i do as the LM3 and AE210 is a bit overkill!!!!

[Low End Bee]

My Trace 715X is still in the for sale section for £350

That's a lot of serious combo for the money......

[JTUK]

check this out

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=75123&st=40&start=40"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...40&start=40[/url]

[Pkomor]

[quote name='iconic' post='729424' date='Jan 30 2010, 08:03 AM']I notriced Hartke aren't on your list[/quote]


+1

Also second is the way to go!
Why not take a look at my Hartke combo for sale at £230 (or near offer) there's a link in my signature!

*the threads second shameless plug*

[sk8]

I'm after a small combo no heavier than one of my AE210's (40lbs) other wise i might as well just take the half stack

[27 frets]

[quote name='iconic' post='729424' date='Jan 30 2010, 08:03 AM']I notriced Hartke aren't on your list, there maybe a reason for this? But the Kickback 15 is in your budget, Hartke gets a very good rep most of the time.[/quote]
I've just bought a Hartke Hydrive 112C from Academy of Sound - just £355 online purchase (new), which is at the top end of your budget range.
I think Bass Merchant have the Hydrive 115C for about £100 more (probably out of your price range), but there's a used one on eBay too at present.
Good power output at 250watts through the internal speaker (no option of an extra cab though). Even the 112C seems to sound fairly crisp with the low B of a 5-string at moderate volume -I haven't tried it flat out though.
Tone shaping possibilities are pretty impressive, but I found just using the treble and bass contour controls enough to get a good sound quickly.
Solid build, so not particularly light to carry around - side carrying handles would have been better than one on the top.
Moderately compact though - at the current prices they seem really good value. Apparently there was a change in UK distributor and Academy of Sound bought up some of the old stock, before Korg took over distribution.
With the 'kickback' feature (like some of the other small Hartke combos) you can have the sound projected upwards, which can be useful in hearing yourself.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' post='733471' date='Feb 2 2010, 09:53 PM']I have the MB4410. Like Nick said, great combo! Little too heavy for me though, Thats the only reason im selling mine. If your back can handle it, youll love it. Served me brilliantly over the last year for all my gigs[/quote]

I have the 210 model in the for sale section, at £175 plus courier price or collection, that's cheap as chips, especially how it's around 300 new, plus it's loud enough to be gigged features coming out it's ears, plus a headphone socket for silent practice, or even low level practice with some volume tweeks.

Besides that check the for sale section and always check the usd Market before you buy anything new.