Bass Amps - what would you pick...

artvandulet

For no particular style, just an all rounder, for jamming more so than gigging.
For around €500-600. What would you suggest?
Are you a 1x15 man (or woman!) or a 2x10 man?
Suggestions and opinions greatly appreciated.

Ostrom

I used to be a 2x10 / 4x10 man until I got my SWR LA

Lovely 15 inch, nice and light, excellent tone, wont set you back more than 300. Does everything I need.

Spend the change on something else

Rigsby

For jamming I have an Ashdown mag 2x10 300w combo. I've used it once or twice for gigging also. Not the best in the world by any means, but great value for their price IMO. There was some going on "adverts" recently. As for 2x10 v 1x15 it depends on what tone you want. 1x15 will give you more low end. Personally, I dont have a particular preference.

unclebill98

A big fan of a properly powered 4x10. If on IEM's then maybe a good 1x15 would suffice.

artvandulet

thanks for the replies.
I may just try and stretch to a head with a 2x10 and a 1x15. Thinking Ashdown.
Thanks.

ciaro

I have being using ashdown 2/10 combo plus 1/15 cab.found it great for high and deep tones.

unclebill98

ciaro wrote: »

I have being using ashdown 2/10 combo plus 1/15 cab.found it great for high and deep tones.

How handy is that....:rolleyes:

I started off with a Ashdown 2x10 & 1x15. Its a good little rig.

artvandulet

So I'm on the right track then? Cheers.
I was going to go for the 410 but if I get the 210 and the 115 i'll be down to 4ohms and the extra wattage could be useful.
Thanks.

unclebill98

There are 4ohms 4x10 for just that job.

artvandulet

Yeah, I saw there was an Ashdown 410 4ohm but its been discontinued for some reason. 412T I think it was called.

Parsley

I've got the MAG300 15" combo with an extra 2x10 cab (essentially the same as the others that posted) and it works great.

artvandulet

Parsley, is there any crossover or do all frequencies go to the 15 and the 10's?

unclebill98

artvandulet wrote: »

Parsley, is there any crossover or do all frequencies go to the 15 and the 10's?

There is no X/over on any Ashdown Amp. Maybe on the Kylston.

Passenger

Aye, people on here seem to have a greasy boner for Ashdown it appears. They seem to be a decent Amp. But I'd try before I buy if you haven't already as there is a lot of mixed opinions regarding Ashdown.

artvandulet

Passenger wrote: »

Aye, people on here seem to have a greasy boner for Ashdown it appears.

indeed they do! Not me necessarily. Debating GK too. Would love to try Epifani if someone in the country would feckin stock them. Reviews of them are incredible. Check 'em out if you haven't already.

ham_n_mustard

I had the evo 575 watt head a 4x10 and a 1x15, all ashdown abm. absolutely bullettproof stuff,if you like warm bassy tone, its probably the brand for you. if you like a more punchy,in-yer-face kind of a tone, you'll probably want to look at something else

Rigsby

Good selection to be found here.


http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/p.php?n=33

Dord

artvandulet wrote: »

indeed they do! Not me necessarily. Debating GK too. Would love to try Epifani if someone in the country would feckin stock them. Reviews of them are incredible. Check 'em out if you haven't already.

You can buy Epifani from Wood and Tronics in Italy.

Personally I don't see all the fuss over Ashdown. I've tried them and don't think they're all that and a bag of chips. I use a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 (w/2x10 cab) which I'm very happy with. Their customer service is second to none.

Rigsby

Dord wrote: »

You can buy Epifani from Wood and Tronics in Italy.

Personally I don't see all the fuss over Ashdown. I've tried them and don't think they're all that and a bag of chips. I use a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 (w/2x10 cab) which I'm very happy with. Their customer service is second to none.

As I said in my post (#3 ) : Ashdown are by no means the best amp in the world, but are good value in their price range ( no fuss there :P ). I still think that's true. Besides, the OP's price range is 500 - 600 euros. I doubt if your Genz Benz + a cab could be got for that kind of money.

artvandulet

Or Epifani! But i dare to dream:D

basshead56

I have gone through two Ashdown set ups and was not impressed. Used 2x10s, 1x15´s and a 4x10 combo-none really blew me away.
Have the Ashdown mini-stack 2x10 though-thats a great wee amp and handy for small rehaersals, small pub gigs and bedroom jamming.Got it for a song in Musicmaker two years ago.
I also used a Laney Richter stack (selling the pair of cabs on adverts.ie for 400) and LOVED it, but upgraded to Ampeg stack after a year of saving/fasting before we went touring. Even the Ampeg combos are great.
Have to say, I much prefer 8x10 (or two 4x10s) than 4x10 with a 15. Lots of people swear by 15s, but a good 10´s set up will do much better, IMO anyway. cheaper 15´s lack clarity , focus and punch especially when you are competing with two guitars, cymbals and vocals, but 10´s (driven with a good amp) really cut through, as well as providing the good low growl needed.

Dord

basshead56 wrote: »

I have gone through two Ashdown set ups and was not impressed. Used 2x10s, 1x15´s and a 4x10 combo-none really blew me away.
Have the Ashdown mini-stack 2x10 though-thats a great wee amp and handy for small rehaersals, small pub gigs and bedroom jamming.Got it for a song in Musicmaker two years ago.
I also used a Laney Richter stack (selling the pair of cabs on adverts.ie for 400) and LOVED it, but upgraded to Ampeg stack after a year of saving/fasting before we went touring. Even the Ampeg combos are great.
Have to say, I much prefer 8x10 (or two 4x10s) than 4x10 with a 15. Lots of people swear by 15s, but a good 10´s set up will do much better, IMO anyway. cheaper 15´s lack clarity , focus and punch especially when you are competing with two guitars, cymbals and vocals, but 10´s (driven with a good amp) really cut through, as well as providing the good low growl needed.

I prefer 10's also. I think some 15's sound a little flabby.

I'm thinkin' of adding a 1x12 to my setup although not sure how a 2x10 & 1x12 stack will sound.

Dord

Rigsby wrote: »

As I said in my post (#3 ) : Ashdown are by no means the best amp in the world, but are good value in their price range ( no fuss there :P ). I still think that's true. Besides, the OP's price range is 500 - 600 euros. I doubt if your Genz Benz + a cab could be got for that kind of money.

No it certainly couldn't be bought for that money. But I think in that price range I'd prefer something like Peavey over Ashdown. At least Peavey's are reliable.

Rigsby

Dord wrote: »

I'd prefer something like Peavey over Ashdown. At least Peavey's are reliable.

You could be right. I've never used Peavy. I'm just saying that I have two Asdown combos which I use regularly (one for gigs the other for practice ) and I've never had any problems with either. Maybe I'm just lucky

artvandulet

In case you are interested I saw a thread on Talkbass that had a vote on three head and cabs.
Ashdown Mag300H and 410T
GK Backline600 and 410BLX
Ampeg b2RE and 410cab

The GK won out and it was a landslide!

Dord

I wouldn't touch a Backline, I've heard that they overheat. A regular GK, yes... a backline, no.

Doctor J

There's a strong bias towards anything American on talkbass regardless of the quality of the competition :pac:

Dord

Doctor J wrote: »

There's a strong bias towards anything American on talkbass regardless of the quality of the competition :pac:

Exactly, some guy put a comment in a thread where I posted pictures of my custom shop Aria Pro II. He said it was easily the nicest bass in that thread. A lot of other people got offended at his comment.

Apparently we should be drooling at some ridiculously priced $5K American bass that has a waiting list of 5 years instead of a Japanese bass. :rolleyes:

Rigsby

Dord wrote: »

Exactly, some guy put a comment in a thread where I posted pictures of my custom shop Aria Pro II. He said it was easily the nicest bass in that thread. A lot of other people got offended at his comment.

Apparently we should be drooling at some ridiculously priced $5K American bass that has a waiting list of 5 years instead of a Japanese bass. :rolleyes:

Yeah, I've noticed this on Talkbass. If someone posts looking for advice on which bass to buy, 99% of the time it's American that's recommended, as if they were the only country making them.


Having said that, Ashdown seems to be reasonably popular on Talkbass.

Dord

Rigsby wrote: »

Yeah, I've noticed this on Talkbass. If someone posts looking for advice on which bass to buy, 99% of the time it's American that's recommended, as if they were the only country making them.


Having said that, Ashdown seems to be reasonably popular on Talkbass.

It's because Ashdown cost a sheet load in the U.S. due to them being a UK company. Only recently have the prices dropped now that the amps destined for the US are made in the US. They're made by a company beginning with P and ending in Y. :pac:

Doctor J

It can be a very frustrating forum, where any old piece of crap gets pages of praise but foreign, and very frequently superior, equipment barely gets a look in.

Ah well, that explains a lot of things I suppose

artvandulet

I guess we need to get some O'Reilly Combos and Murphy stacks produced.:D

I guess nothing beats trying it out yourself and trusting your own judgement.

Doctor J

artvandulet wrote: »

I guess nothing beats trying it out yourself and trusting your own judgement.

Bang on

Dord

Doctor J wrote: »

It can be a very frustrating forum, where any old piece of crap gets pages of praise but foreign, and very frequently superior, equipment barely gets a look in.

Ah well, that explains a lot of things I suppose

Yep. The only reason I post there is for the Aria's. Most of the Aria owners are pretty sound. :cool:

Rigsby

artvandulet wrote: »

I guess we need to get some O'Reilly Combos and Murphy stacks produced.:D

..... or Guinness "heads".

L.R. Weizel

I generally like the "Full" sound of an Ampeg. Great thing about bass amps is you don't even need tubes - if you find an SS you like for less, go with it. The only problem with that is that it can often be a bit brighter in the mix - tube amps generally filter everything off a bit at the top end which is why they sound nice, and why they're not necessarily for basses.

Doctor J

To be honest I'd rather go for a head which doesn't colour the sound if at all possible. I stopped using the EQ on my head a couple of years ago, it gets bypassed. Get a bass which sounds good and make it loud, hear the bass, not the amp.

Dord

Same here, I keep the EQ flat on my amp usually.

capt fantastic

hi i am looking for a bass amp for betwween 100-200 euros.

the kind of music i will be playing would be funk/metal/rock/blues.

i am no expert in amps at the moment so guidence on this would help thanks.

unclebill98

capt fantastic wrote: »

hi i am looking for a bass amp for betwween 100-200 euros.

the kind of music i will be playing would be funk/metal/rock/blues.

i am no expert in amps at the moment so guidence on this would help thanks.

Tbh the budget is a little tight. Best to get a 2nd hand combo. You may get a 2nd hand Ashdown ABM/MAG combo for that price. If not your into other stuff that I've never touched, behringer and the like.

clockend

Can anyone talk me through the do's and dont's of running a pair of cabs, saya a 2x10 with a 1x15 in terms of ohms ratings of the cabs and amp.Just for argument say a 250W head.

Dord

Personally I think 250W is a bit low. Even still, lets say that the head puts out 250W @ 4Ohms and you wish to run a 2x10 and a 1x15 with it. If you used two 8Ohm cabs then both of them together would be 4Ohms.

unclebill98

clockend wrote: »

Can anyone talk me through the do's and dont's of running a pair of cabs, saya a 2x10 with a 1x15 in terms of ohms ratings of the cabs and amp.Just for argument say a 250W head.

I'd not bother with a head that small.

For dual cabs you would want something that gives out 600w @ 4ohms. I had a set up like that before and it sounded good.

What cabs do you have in mind?