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'73 Ampeg V2

As far as bass goes, I really don't get the love for musicman. It always distorted too quick for my tastes. And the v4 was just okay.

Maybe I just had a few duds?

~50w amps with 6 or fewer tubes are my favorite. Especially Non-MV, but MV too. I could have a dozen and still want more* They blend the right amount of power and control without chewing through tubes and gear budget. To my taste, anyway. Gotta find the right speaker pairings...but that's another discussion.
The 3-tube Champ & Valco/Supro circuits are also great fun with pedals & my second favorite/low-power preference.
Single-ended output designs have their own sound...I miss having one

Both Bassman/Champ varieties are highly colored by tube selection.
The fewer parts in the circuit, the greater of influence in each individual component. I know a buncha ILFbros said they don't believe in "mojo" but retubing and recapping isn't snake oil. Some combinations just sound better, or harmonious with your other gear. It's greatly dependent on circuit...the complete circuit from instrument to speakers & everything, EVERYTHING in between. When you find the blend, cliches fail me, the planets align and you rock outta this world.

Rolling tubes and seeing how they react with fuzz I thought I knew inside-out is usually most revelatory...even humbling.

Any Univalve users? I've always wanted one.
And I still get tempted by every single 1970s SVT I see...

RW, you make a good point about going with 50 waters. It's next to impossible to get a matched quad (or more) of old-school power tubes and very expensive when you can. I'm growing to prefer simple amps (single channel, no master volume). I've never been one to mess with speakers too much as I've always figured that the builder took the time to voice the amp/speaker, but preamp tube swaps can make some pretty noticeable improvements.

One thing I've noticed is that bright-sounding amps, or rather amps with a brightness circuit, don't work well with some of my fuzzes or any pedz that add some top end. Something darker like the Pharaoh rocks through my JCM 800 2204 - either the high or the low input - but I still added a push/pull pot to be able to take the brightness cap out of the circuit.

Personally, 1970s SVT or a Peavey RoadMaster. Both have just the girthiest power sections, and really simple to use pre amps. The peavey needs pedals to be loud at all, or maybe my ears are fucked.

WeHuntKings wrote:As far as bass goes, I really don't get the love for musicman. It always distorted too quick for my tastes. And the v4 was just okay.

Maybe I just had a few duds?

I thought that too with mine at first. But I think the trick is how you use the knobs. Mine doesn't get dirty unless it gets loud

Modded Ampeg G-212, with 12" Texas Heats. Clean, from 0 to 4, and insanely super loud clean from 4 to 11.
or
Gibson G100A, not as insanely loud as the Ampeg, but very clean nonetheless.
or
QSC 1400, running at 8 ohms, stereo into two 2x12 cabs with Texas Heats.

If a pedal passes the mustard through these, then it's a keeper.