Page 1 of 3
Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:34 am
by theshoegazer
I'm in the market and don't know where to start. I've always had a liking of the Orange AD series heads and I've never really been into the SVT sound.
Budget is $1000-$2000 new or used. What should I be looking at?
Current rig: Fender 60's Jazz Bass RI -> Pedulz -> SWR 350 -> Ampeg 410HLF
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:41 am
by Eric!
Mesa!
The 400+ is all-tube (and a fuckin BEAST (MEGA WANTTT)), a lot of the modern ones (I think all) have all tube pre-amps, and tube-driven MOSFETs.
Of course there's Ampeg.
I'm subscribing to this too, because I'm also very interested in finding more options (want tube! upgrade from a GK halfstack..)
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:59 am
by theshoegazer
Someone on here has one of those Mesa 400+'s. Maybe they can offer input? That is certainly an option. What about the older Fender Bassman heads? The 100 watt deals. They go for pretty cheap too. I love super deep, heavy bass toanz. I seriously could never get into the SVT sound though personally. The only time I've ever really liked how one has sounded is in this song:
At 2:10ish
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBn9oNxatdg[/youtube]
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:12 am
by Eric!
Oh yeah! I played an old-ass Bassman in a youth group (I'm agnostic, but they didn't know that). I think it was alright, but it's been a whiiiiile now. And its "stack" was two old Carvin stage monitors turned up sideways. I remember bringing a fuzz pedal once just to fuck with them. Good times..
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:52 am
by devnulljp
Traynor YBA-1
Thank me later.

Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:48 am
by Abanoise
Jazz bass and Ampeg cab? Mmm, you can try a Sound City L or B 120, an old Sunn head, a Marshall JCM800 Superbass (great great underrated head for bass, better than new Ampeg amps).
I wasn't lucky enough to try a Traynor YBA-1, so I can't tell you about it.
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:56 am
by Mudfuzz
theshoegazer wrote:Someone on here has one of those Mesa 400+'s. Maybe they can offer input?
That would be me. What would you like to know.
You really have to decide though on how powerful a amp you need/want. If you are looking at the around 100 range then Traynor, Sunn 2000s, Musicman HD130 [actually SS pre though] ect. If you need more power, Mesa, Ampeg, Orange [maybe out of budget] Marshall, Markbass, and if you are SUPER lucky Trace.
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:54 am
by McSpunckle
devnulljp wrote:Traynor YBA-1
Thank me later.

I've been meaning to grab one of these (or clone one). They're sooo cheap on eBay sometimes. And seem to sound awesome.
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 12:37 pm
by foomanfat
I use a Mesa Buster Bass 200. She's rad.
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:15 pm
by aen
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyj2wqSbWF0[/youtube]
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:41 pm
by Derelict78

- 4555-300.jpg (48.96 KiB) Viewed 771 times
Im in love with my Bassman 300. the only negatives I can come up with is that its HEAVEY (85lb) its a speaker killer, and you can get SOOOOOO many different tones out of it its hard to stop fiddling with knobs and just play.
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:24 pm
by theavondon
aen wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyj2wqSbWF0[/youtube]
OH HEY.

Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:04 pm
by Jero
McSpunckle wrote:(or clone one). They're sooo cheap on eBay sometimes. And seem to sound awesome.
Let me know when/if this happens
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:26 pm
by whiskey_face
verellen meat smoke
69 - 70 sunn 2000s (kt-88s)
used electric (good luck but it could happen)
badcat annonced they had a bass amp commin out no idea on price.
weber mother of all bass amps the kit is 750$ and all you need is a tech to put it together
mesa 400+ (not my fav)
Re: Tube Bass Heads?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:01 pm
by spacelordmother
theavondon wrote:aen wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyj2wqSbWF0[/youtube]
OH HEY.

TAKE AN AWESOME ONE FOR THE TEAM!