Bass amp advice

[huggernaut]

Hey all,

I have the opportunity to start playing bass with some like minded individuals soon, but a few years back when I moved out west I kept my old american jazz bass, but not an amp.

I'd need something that can get pretty loud and pretty heavy (though, there's always a variety of dirt pedals on my board to do some of that with) but it seems the market has changed to a lot of smaller class d amps. Are these any good?

I feel like my days of hauling an 810 around are over, so if I could get away with a lighter weight rig that would be great.

Headphone jack would be nice for practicing at home too...

[Benn Roe]

What sorts of amps are the other people in the band using? I feel like this is a tough question to tackle without some context. If you mean the same thing as me when you say "loud and heavy", I have a hard time believing you'll be happy with a 2x10 or 1x15 combo or whatever, but 6x10s and 2x15s are both a lot easier in general to haul around than 8x10s.

[Mudfuzz]

but it seems the market has changed to a lot of smaller class d amps. Are these any good?.

Some people like them... I don't.
About a year and some change ago I stopped using big tube amps in favor of a rack with a pre amp and a power amp, I'm pretty happy with this the cool part abut that is if I ever feel that lightness is more important to me than sound I can always get a d class power amp and not have my overall "tone" change.. You could even use more than one pre with a stereo power amp setup with to cabs and get a biamped thing going without extra setup time and much more bulk

[JTurbide]

If you play guitar more often than bass and don't want to spend much on a bass amp I'd recommend old SS stuff like peavey. Either a Peavey Bass or PA (260 Standard PA or PA 200 for example), they are great for bass (and guitar) and fucking loud. Pair it with a 4x10 or 2x15 and you are ready to go.

Of course they are plenty other options like Traynor, Ampeg, Acoustic Control Corp, etc .. but you can probably find a peavey setup (amp + cab) for like $200 and it will still sound great

[huggernaut]

What sorts of amps are the other people in the band using? I feel like this is a tough question to tackle without some context. If you mean the same thing as me when you say "loud and heavy", I have a hard time believing you'll be happy with a 2x10 or 1x15 combo or whatever, but 6x10s and 2x15s are both a lot easier in general to haul around than 8x10s.

Yeah, I'm definitely not interested in a 210/115 combo. Both guitarists at least half stacks, with, I believe, access to an extra 412 for each when they want them.

I was looking more for a lightweight head with maybe a 410 and 115 extension, but I might just be better off with a 610 or 215. Some of these small heads are in the 500-800w range, was curious how that would stack up.

[huggernaut]

but it seems the market has changed to a lot of smaller class d amps. Are these any good?.

Some people like them... I don't.
About a year and some change ago I stopped using big tube amps in favor of a rack with a pre amp and a power amp, I'm pretty happy with this the cool part abut that is if I ever feel that lightness is more important to me than sound I can always get a d class power amp and not have my overall "tone" change.. You could even use more than one pre with a stereo power amp setup with to cabs and get a biamped thing going without extra setup time and much more bulk

What rack gear are you using? Cabs?

If you play guitar more often than bass and don't want to spend much on a bass amp I'd recommend old SS stuff like peavey. Either a Peavey Bass or PA (260 Standard PA or PA 200 for example), they are great for bass (and guitar) and fucking loud. Pair it with a 4x10 or 2x15 and you are ready to go.

Of course they are plenty other options like Traynor, Ampeg, Acoustic Control Corp, etc .. but you can probably find a peavey setup (amp + cab) for like $200 and it will still sound great

I wouldn't mind spending a little more for something I don't want to upgrade right away...

[JTurbide]

I wouldn't mind spending a little more for something I don't want to upgrade right away...

Well I personally think they sound great and alot of people use them but if you want to pay a little more and have a lightweight amp maybe look for an orange OB1 or an acoustic 360

[huggernaut]

I wouldn't mind spending a little more for something I don't want to upgrade right away...

Well I personally think they sound great and alot of people use them but if you want to pay a little more and have a lightweight amp maybe look for an orange OB1 or an acoustic 360

Would the peavey 260 be loud enough? I have zero experience with PA as bass amp.

I heard one demo of the OB1 that sounded so good, but have heard mixed things otherwise. you got any experience with it?

[JTurbide]

I have no experience with the Orange but videos sound really good.

Oh yeah no doubt about it. I saw Faust (krautrock band) two weeks ago and they played through an Earth Sound Research Super Bass (peavey bass 400 series copy) it sounded great, I bet they weren't past halfway on the volume. A Peavey 260 Standard PA (which Greg Ginn of Black Flag used) will definitely be loud enough. it's about 120-140W. I've seen some band posts on instagram/facebook where they had a Peavey Standard PA as a bass head.. Josh Homme also has a Peavey Standard (guitar head, same wattage) fwiw. If you realy don't want to take a chance get a Peavey PA 400 (200W) but IMO a 260 Standard would be just fine.
You could also get a Peavey Bass Mark IV, they are apparently great, Lou Barlow (Sebadoh and Dinosaur Jr) uses one (+ an ampeg and a marshall).

[Mudfuzz]

but it seems the market has changed to a lot of smaller class d amps. Are these any good?.

Some people like them... I don't.
About a year and some change ago I stopped using big tube amps in favor of a rack with a pre amp and a power amp, I'm pretty happy with this the cool part abut that is if I ever feel that lightness is more important to me than sound I can always get a d class power amp and not have my overall "tone" change.. You could even use more than one pre with a stereo power amp setup with to cabs and get a biamped thing going without extra setup time and much more bulk

What rack gear are you using? Cabs?

SWR Grand Pix preamp
Crown XLI1500 power amp
Peavey PVH 1516 cab
Road cases rack

I also have a Trace V-Type pre and a old Demeter which are both cool, just not the sound I need with my band: I need to be able to go from dub to motorhead, sometimes in the same song

[Benn Roe]

Well I personally think they sound great and alot of people use them but if you want to pay a little more and have a lightweight amp maybe look for an orange OB1 or an acoustic 360

Acoustic 360s are just preamps, though, and those matching powered 1x18" cabs are neither small nor light.

[huggernaut]

Do you any of you guys have thoughts on cabs too. 2x15 vs 4x10 vs some combination like 1x15 and 2x10 or 2 1x15s etc?

[Mudfuzz]

Do you any of you guys have thoughts on cabs too. 2x15 vs 4x10 vs some combination like 1x15 and 2x10 or 2 1x15s etc?

That all depends on what you are doing and what sounds you like
I personally really hate 10's - [I was reminded of why 2 weeks ago when it was decided for me that I was to used the same rig as the guy in the band we were playing with.. I had to spend the whole set trying not to blow up his 2x10 cab.. my bass so wanted too though..] I use a 1x15&2x8 cab most of the time, I used a mesa 1x15 before that and a 2x12 before that... my 2nd cab has always been a 1x18 for when I need more moreness my 2x15 never leaves the house as it is a pain to fucking move... I think if I didn't care about weight and size I'd get a 4x12

[kosta]

I've used those smaller heads in rehearsal spaces and occasionally at gigs (little Mesas and whatnot), and I just never like the way I sound through them. I mostly play a P bass in a 90s'ish indie rock thing with two pretty lively guitarists and a slammin drummer. I need to get into a certain frequency range and just own it in that range. Those little heads never seem to get me there. I have an Earth Super Bass B-2000 200W tube head that I f'n LOVE. My amp tech said it wasn't stock and that it more like a really tricked out Bassman or Marshall that one of the Earth amps guys might have made for himself at the factory out on Long Island back in the day. Who knows. It's heavy as hell, but I love it. I plug into the guitar channel and then jump that into the bass channel. It's huge but focused. Sounds awesome.

Alternatively - I do love a Peavey solid state combo. Our main rehearsal spot has a grip of TNT and TKO series Peaveys, and they all sound great.

For cabs - I like stuff with 12s for the mix of punch and low end.

[huggernaut]

I've used those smaller heads in rehearsal spaces and occasionally at gigs (little Mesas and whatnot), and I just never like the way I sound through them. I mostly play a P bass in a 90s'ish indie rock thing with two pretty lively guitarists and a slammin drummer. I need to get into a certain frequency range and just own it in that range. Those little heads never seem to get me there. I have an Earth Super Bass B-2000 200W tube head that I f'n LOVE. My amp tech said it wasn't stock and that it more like a really tricked out Bassman or Marshall that one of the Earth amps guys might have made for himself at the factory out on Long Island back in the day. Who knows. It's heavy as hell, but I love it. I plug into the guitar channel and then jump that into the bass channel. It's huge but focused. Sounds awesome.

Alternatively - I do love a Peavey solid state combo. Our main rehearsal spot has a grip of TNT and TKO series Peaveys, and they all sound great.

For cabs - I like stuff with 12s for the mix of punch and low end.

Damn, Kosta, for years I played through an old TNT 1x15 combo that my old guitar teacher rehoused into a 2x10 + 1x15 combo plus a horn. I loved that amp, but left it with a friend on the East coast when we headed out here.

Was really hoping I could grab a little class D head and call it a day, but it doesn't seem like that's the case.