Toobz vs SS - Bass Amps

[bigchiefbc]

i skipped this entire thread to post this:

unless you are overdriving (clipping) and of the stages in a tube amp (preamp, phase splitter, power section) then it doesnt make a difference if its solid state or tube. same goes for guitar amps.

this is assuming that the solid state am in question was designed well.

I think a lot of us basically agree with you. I mean, some tube amps still get a little saggy and compressed, even when they are "clean", but that's really splitting hairs. I always played solid state until I decided I wanted amp overdrive. Now I go all tube and overdrive it 60-70 percent of the time.

[coldbrightsunlight]

i skipped this entire thread to post this:

unless you are overdriving (clipping) and of the stages in a tube amp (preamp, phase splitter, power section) then it doesnt make a difference if its solid state or tube. same goes for guitar amps.

this is assuming that the solid state am in question was designed well.

Totally! That's why I've got a 30W tube amp; I can really open it up at small gig levels without deafening myself or anyone else. I'm no tube purist or anything though, I just like having a small amp I can get a good overdrive sound from by simply turning it up, and at the time I was just looking for any gigging amp and happened to find this one for the right price.

[ChetMagongalo]

I personally just use whatever sounds best. So far my HD 130 sounds better than any amp I've owned and really isn't that heavy or anything. I can't turn it up too loud though or it will crush my balls

[echodeluxe]

My personal opinion: if it sounds good to you, play it.

My main amp right now is a vox pathfinder solid state guy. Love that thing. Even cranked up its got this raunchy overdrive. And it was free. So. Yeah.

[nightterrors]

That depends on the amp, sir.

Traynor Monoblock II
I love it to death.
I'm in the process of tracking down another one to round out my setup.

Come to my area, there's literally a thousand of them for sale all the time.
Traynor gear is always for sale in my area.
I might pick up a 70's Big B 810, $150... insane!

[skullservant]

I've been going back and forth between my modded Jet City Verellen tube head and my solid state Traynor TS200. The Jet City is only 20 watts, and the Traynor is 200 watts. I noticed that with a lot of my boost pedals I could REALLY get the Verellen to just get crazy loud whereas with the Traynor it just seems to hit the preamp. More than likely it's because the Traynor is such a higher wattage than the Verellen, but still I get crazy drive sounds from the Traynor hitting it with a boost without as much added volume. That being said, in a face off I had to crank the Verellen (without a clean boost) to match the Traynor's volume around 3-4. Still really neat to go between the two and biamp with them though

[Bassboar]

That depends on the amp, sir.

Traynor Monoblock II
I love it to death.
I'm in the process of tracking down another one to round out my setup.

Come to my area, there's literally a thousand of them for sale all the time.
Traynor gear is always for sale in my area.
I might pick up a 70's Big B 810, $150... insane!

Awesome stuff man.
Just watch out for those cabs, not a whole lot of bass.

[nightterrors]

I'm definitely iffy.... they're only 200 watts, 25 watts a speaker. Low wattage.

I might as well hold out for another Ampeg 810.

I bet they sound decent though, I have dug the 70's traynor stuff I've had in the past.

[Bassboar]

Only 200 eh?
Weird, mine was good for 300.
They sound great, don't get me wrong, but for what you're doing, an Ampeg 810 is definitely better.

[nad]

I'm bumping this thread because I did a stupid thing and sold my Trace Elliot V4 but then later purchased an Ampeg V4BH even though I don't need it but it was a good price so why the hell not unfortunately then I put it up for sale about 10 minutes later because it was too quiet I mean really my Mesa 400 can barely keep up in some band situations so 100W just isn't quite what I need until I realized hey two cabinets will probably make a big difference and WHOA BABY it sure did so I think for the time being I'll keep it fun fact in over 20 years as a bassist this is my first Ampeg purchase can you believe that shit I couldn't maybe it isn't even true at all and I just made that up but I don't think so I mean would I lie?

[bigchiefbc]

I'm bumping this thread because I did a stupid thing and sold my Trace Elliot V4 but then later purchased an Ampeg V4BH even though I don't need it but it was a good price so why the hell not unfortunately then I put it up for sale about 10 minutes later because it was too quiet I mean really my Mesa 400 can barely keep up in some band situations so 100W just isn't quite what I need until I realized hey two cabinets will probably make a big difference and WHOA BABY it sure did so I think for the time being I'll keep it fun fact in over 20 years as a bassist this is my first Ampeg purchase can you believe that shit I couldn't maybe it isn't even true at all and I just made that up but I don't think so I mean would I lie?

I couldn't imagine a 400 being able to barely keep up in a band situation, those things are crazy loud. Definitely more speakers is the issue.

I've never owned an ampeg, and I honestly can't imagine that I ever will.

[nad]

I couldn't imagine a 400 being able to barely keep up in a band situation, those things are crazy loud. Definitely more speakers is the issue.

It really depends on the night and band. In my metal band the 400 is plenty, with the 400+ being far more than plenty, even with "just" pair of 1x12 Bag Ends. But in my doom band, man, my guitarist is one of those old dudes who plays loud. Fucking LOUD. He runs a pair of Fender Devilles at nearly full tilt. Yes, two of them. Dadrock to him means Melvins. I like that dude.

Granted, I haven't cranked the 400 (and certainly not the 400+) in that situation, but there have been times when it gets close. And that's even when I'm using the Berg NV412, that sumbitch pushes a buttload of air. I don't think the V4BH will stand a chance in the doom band, but hey, I'll find out later this week, and I can tell it's definitely more than enough for the metal thang, even with my small Bag End stack.

We'll see if I dig the whole Ampeg thing in a band mix, never have in the past, but I'm trying to keep an open mind. Or merely justify owning a 3rd tube amp, I dunno.

[theavondon]

I mean, as long as you keep a 1:1 ratio of tube to solid state, it's fine. I have three of both.

[nad]

I'm 3:1 currently. Mesa 400, Mesa 400+, Ampeg V4BH, and a GK MB200. That little fucker is one hell of an amp, considering all the "numbers" bits (price, weight, wattage). I bring it to gigs as a backup, but I've used it at rehearsal before and it has far more volume than a lot of megawatt amps I've tried.

I've also changed my mind about said V4BH. I think it will keep up just fine in my loud band. I'm sure it'll be dirty as fuck, but I have high hopes after dicking around with the EQ a bit. And now to annoy my sleeping wife with its punishing-yet-pleasant volume levels...

[nightterrors]

Been playing my buddies 70's Acoustic 450 through the 810 with the Guild B301 and an OCD V4 and man... It's awesome. So deadly.
SS stuff definitely brings the power.
The DR201 is out of commission for a bit, one tube keeps turning on and turning off randomly... I believe there's just dust underneath or something but I'm not 100%. Haven't heard back from my amp tech dude to bring it over.