Agreed. The JHS Punchline is an absolute gem and an incredibly valuable tool. Bassists who haven't yet invested in one are going to be sorry once they're sold out.
@@bchnwgn I've been seriously considering picking one up. With the built-in compressor this seems like it could replace 2-3 pedals on most pedalboards. Just add a tuner and you're good for most gigs.
Check out the Music Man darkray bass. It has a darkglass alpha/omega pedal circuit inside the bass. I personally have the Sterling by Music Man Darkray version...amazing . Bought it a year ago
Genzler deserves a mention. The Genz Benz stuff was already amazing (and it all still works and still sounds amazing), but the new Genzler amps and cabs are totally amazing to play through.
I still have my Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.2 and Uber Bass 2x12. I bought them new in probably 2011. I've played countless gigs with them and they still absolutely whomp! The Genzler stuff is extremely tempting, especially the Kinetix 800. Must resist!😂
I agree. I always get positive comments about my tone with Genzler and Genz-Benz. I absolutely love how good they sound without much tone tweaking. Great customer support as well if you have any questions or issues.
Another option to look into are the RH bass amps from TC Electronic. I've had my RH450 for over a decade and it's a champ! Rock solid, built in compressor and tuner, up to 3 presets, and it sounds killer. I have their original 2 x 10 cabs where you can stack them vertically or horizontally, and I always had compliments on how it sounded (using either a 5 string Fender J or a 5 string MTD Kingston). And if you need MOAR they make the RH750, which is the same amp with more power (750 watts instead of 450 watts). A gigging workhorse that's has all you need, and you can even just use the head and go direct into the board if you want and still get your sound.
Man I love you guys. Great chemistry on this channel. I started out with a SWR amp and a 6x10 (serial # 0163) . Thank to SBL I now run a HX Stomp into a power amp. I couldn't be happier. Thx guys
I have never had an amp make my 'Wick sound more like itself than a GK! SWR Redhead was decent, Ampg not even close, and Mesa-Boogie had the power but not the tone... if I buy a physical rig again someday, it will be the GK stack!
@Gallien-Krueger Please Please Please make IRs for your NEO cabs. GK Amp models are cool and all but they always have to be paired with non-GK cabs. Seems silly 🤷♂
I lived in San Diego, Poway to be specific. That is where CARVIN was headquartered. I knew them well. George and Flock were biz buds. I have almost all CARVIN Rigs. 410/118 w R1000 Bi-Amp, another 410 w another R1000, a BLX1500 210 combo tilt back, and a custom made 210/118 cab that is sealed at the 10's, and vented on the 18, also Bi-Ampable. I have a CARVIN RSP Pre-Amp that is the same as the R1000's but I run it into a few different poweramps from CARVIN to CROWN. They all can separate flesh from bone.
Ampeg does make a modern version of B-15. It's called the PF-50T. I own one. And if you pair it with the right cab, it's actually plenty loud for a live gig. It also has a DI out, and unlike most tube amps, it doesn't require a load. So if you have FOH support, it's a perfect gigging amp. It doesn't sound quite as good as the B-15, which in my opinion is the best sounding amp ever made, but it still sounds great. And it's only $1000. I have mine paired with 212 cab and I never turn it up louder than halfway. I find the cab makes way more of a difference to loudness than the wattage of the amp does.
I agree. I have toured my pf-50t, carted it to clubs buried in the 115pf (maybe with a bottle of bourbon in the bottom of it) and have to say, the engineers I’ve worked with almost unanimously love that post transformer DI. Both the P with flats and zingy Jazz 5 sing through it. Disclaimer, I have replaced all the stock tubes with very expensive Mesa’s and the output, character and clean tone availability with higher gain has also changed (for the better). Give tubers a chance again…. Ian, the Rumble 100 may be Fender’s best amp ever. Good shout out! Also, I have extra marital lust for that Barefaced Big24. So, i guess that’s my 2025 (c’moooooon lottery) pick.
@@jeffscott1006 Yip, have one of those. It's my main bass driver in my studio. Love it. I use it with the SVT-210AV. And sometimes, if I need something louder, for rehearsals, I'll use the PF20T as preamp into the Micro-VR as power amp. If I want clankier, grindier tones, I'll use a Darkglass Hyperlumial comp, usually SYM mode, into a Dark Glass Alpha Omega and tune the dirt in, to taste.
I've had an original Rumble 100/2x10. It's absolutely amazing. I sold it once, then luckily bought it back. The thing just sounds way better than it should for the price.
YAY for GK Gear. I recently got a GK Fusion 800S head and a 2x10" GK Neo IV cab.... absolutely LOVE IT. I Kiiiiiiiiinda wish I'd have gotten the 4x10" GK NEO IV 4-Ohm cab.....but I mainly just play at home these days. :) But hey! Having another Cab never hurt anyone! ;)
Whoever doesn't like GK is missing something. I have the legacy 1200 through a NeoIV 212 and it is THE dreamn setup. Lightweight. Powerful. Sweet sounds. Built-in footswitchable overdrive makes it sound like a tube. I play with a Warwick thumb 5 fretless and a Stingray 5 and they absolutely soar. Try it out.
@@LosingStreak-vb2du definitely get a 700rb. I have it and love it and will never sell it. It has enough head room for almost any gig and will be cheaper than the 1001rb. The new amps are amazing but the ones from the 2000s are just as fantastic and more affordable
I have a GK mb112 combo as my first ever amp - started playing 2 years ago. Every amp I try when I think of upgrading just doesn’t sound as good! Really underrepresented in the UK and I want another GK now!
I have had some amps and cabs, including an Aguilar AG800, Barefeced one10, Vanderkley 310NMT, Markbass 102p, a TC electronics head, a Darkglass 500 head, an Ampeg 115 combo, a Phil Jones combo and a Fender Rumble stage 800 but ended up selling all those. I started out with a Fender Rumble 500 but gas got hold of me and I wanted something more expensive, thinking that I would like that more. But I sold everything and bought another Fender Rumble 500. For its simplicity, weight, size and sound it is perfect for a gigging musician. It's more than loud enough for most gigs and if you need more sound than it can give the venue most lightly have a PA and you use the line out and use your Rumble as a monitor. So regardless of budget (I can afford whatever I want) I still have that Rumble on top of my list for the reasons mentioned above. Add an HX Stomp and you can pretty much get whatever sound you want.
I use a Rumble 500 with the matching 2x10 extension. The 500 combo alone was more than sufficient for every gig I've ever played, but I found a deal on the cabinet and I couldn't resist. I run a Zoom MS-60B+ and am able to get every sound I can imagine. I still have my Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.2 and GB 2x12. It's a fantastic rig that I've had for many years. I just find myself going with the Rumble most often. Fender really hit a home run imo
May I ask what you disliked about the Phil Jones combo? I have been considering picking up one of the new BG-450, but I haven't yet pulled the trigger on it and I find it difficult to find a lot of impressions and reviews of the Phil Jones stuff.
@@nyremand I would not go so far as to say that I disliked any of my speakers/heads/combos, but for my use the Rumble fitted the bill best. And I like the sound a lot, regardless of which bass I play. The Phil Jones is very neutral, so if that is what you are after, then go right ahead. So if you were to play something like an electric upright or whatever that might be a perfect match. The Aguilar AG800 and Vanderkley was really high end also, but lacked that little bit of personality. Same as the PJ. 😊
I run a 5 string Warwick Standard Corvette through an Aguilar tone hammer 700 into a Markbass 212 ninja cab and a GK 15inch extension Cab. The tone, punch, and bottom end I get is amazing!
I still love my GK 800 RB. Back in the day (late 80s/early 90s on the Sunset Strip), when I would us an SVT backline rig, I had difficulty adjusting to it. The GK paired with an EV cab (1x15" cab w/midrange driver), felt immediate compared to SVT which felt felt slow and muddy. The guitar amps were Fender Princetons, and my GK filled the bass roll in the mix really well live. At 300 watts, it was just enough at night club levels (in-ear monitors didn't exist). That said, it is very heavy for a solid state amplifier so, I'm missing out on the feather-weight advantage that so many SS amps have going for them.
I have a Darkglass Dg212 and a Markbass Little Ninja. Weight was the deciding factors - trying to get a good tone from the lightest cab. Gigging in pubs the UK is a ballache carrying in and out - often while punters are blocking the way. Needed to be as light as possible.
GKs are awesome. I also bought Ian's HX Stomp GenZ patch which is a GK amp emulator. Sounds insane!
Месяц назад+3
I’ve got one of the limited run B-15s Ampeg did a few years back - with the ‘64 and ‘66 voicing - and it’s wonderful. Sounds great (the ‘64 voicing is my kind of thing, but the ‘66 is great for pick/plectrum tic-tac sound), and yes, it looks great too!
I still love my GK 700RB and use it all the time. But I grabbed the Darkglass e500 this year and it’s fantastic. So versatile. I still use two GK RBH cabinets, they are heavy but anything new and lighter doesn’t compare. Also solves the issue at 5:10 as they are ported on either side haha
I have been using the same Orange Terror bass 500 for about 15 years (which I love.) I decided to pick up an Ampeg Venture V7 this year to change it up a bit. I am loving it through my 8/10 Ampeg cab on the SVT side with my band and the B15 side is great for warm tones on my old Pbass just for thumping. Great episode!!
The "vents" you are mentioning are called "ports" and being recessed in that Barefaced is no small move. The size of the ports, she shape, and the depth of the ports all has a big influence on the sound the cab makes. Besides the interior size of the cab, the bracing, and any reflex surfaces, the "tuning" of the ports makes a huge difference in the sound of the cab and if you screw up the ports you will not get the same sound and/or power handling.
Oh hey, those 2x15 cabs are like the old Sunns. I own an old Sunn 215BH which is absolutely massive, has both speakers mounted on an angled baffle with a sizable gap on the right. That Ampeg B15 is an amazing amp, I’ve played through a few vintage ones that I absolutely loved. I will eventually own one of those.
I'm playing with Aynsley Dunbar right now and I'm using a GK Mb800 with 2 Phil Jones c85 cabs. Best sounding setup I've ever used. Very happy with it.
Месяц назад+2
Re. Aguilar Loft videos. Jonathan Maron demoing the Jazz and P-Bass p/ups in those videos are still some of the finest bass-related moments to be found on RUclips…
The Genzler Magellan 350 combo (with the Bass Array 10-2 series 2 cabinet) was my 2024 purchase and i couldn't be happier with it. Its incredibly flexible, tastefully useful contours, suprisingly loud cab for a 1x10, and all together less than 11kg. Like the old Shuttle combos from the Genz-Benz days, the "combo" is actually an amp attached to a cab with easily removable brackets. Genzler's customer service is also hard to beat. As for other Amps and Cabs not mentioned. Im certainly curious about Eich and GR
Barefaced cabs are incredible! I run two One10 cabs (actually a One10T and a One10). Those two tiny cabs rock. I had a Big Twin, but it was total overkill.
i have a GK mb108 for practice and its Loud as all get out. it sounds incredible and shakes stuff off the walls lol. 25 watts 1x8 idk how they do it but its louder and sounds better than my old ampeg 1x12
Thanks for the video again! I have a couple 1990's UK Trace Elliot heads (AH400SMX and AH600SMX) with 4x10 Trace cabs. I know they are not the company they used to be, but since they were a UK company originally, I thought you might have some comments in your video. I still use my Trace stuff, but to lighten the load, I am using the MarkBass Little Mark Tube 800 paired with a couple 2x10 Traveler cabs. Also would like to hear more about the SVT and 8x10 sealed cab. I know you touched on it a little, but didn't talk much about it's qualities. Keep up the great videos and thanks - Jason
Bergantino HP2 and the HG and other series cabs should be here for sure. Tested with the different drive sections, not just the preloaded one. BTW, the HG cabinets are great on smaller stages where you don't have in ear. The back pointing speaker is really nice.
I second a vote for Barefaced cabs, I have two myself, mostly use a Super Twin T which I've had for many years and is been a joy to gig with, what with being so light yet punchy AF when I run my Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 800 through it 😁
This might be a sponsored add. The stuff we actually play might not be in it. They’re trying to keep their business running… IMO: they’re excused for that. Make up your own mind. 🖖
I have a 12-year old Tonehammer 500. It crapped out ONCE(at home, thankfully!)...due to-it turned out-dust. A spritz of compressed air handled the problem. I have used it successfully with a bunch of different cabs. Thanks for another informative and entertaining discussion.
I have only used GK for the last 20 years no issues I used to have the rb2000 now I just use the mb500 d class I wish I had the fusion just can’t afford. I remember A/B ING the GK heads against the tonehammer heads and was really disappointed with the agular heads I can’t remember what it was about them it was 8 years ago but they just sounded flat to me didn’t spark any joy at all .
no love for PJB? the sound of my PJB BP 800 with 2 of the 8x5" cabinets is just amazing. it maybe isnt the loudest thing on earth, but the clarity is just so nice. its basically like youre playing through studio monitors.
I remember being 45. Long time ago. You need to get Alex in for an interview! The guy is a proper engineer nerd - like me. My SC-T is 2 weeks off delivery and I Can't Wait! So my dream for more kit - apart from my incoming SC-T..... another SC! Ok - or.... er.... the new Quilter Bass Block looks interesting. And a BF amp would be nice. BTW - when you said "... its more cheese..." - I was, literally, cutting cheese! Watching this on my laptop while getting dinner prepped as I often do.
I love hybrid heads, and that Noble looks sweet! I’ve been using Mesa hybrids for about 15 years and picked up the WD800 about 5 years ago as well as a Mesa Subway 212 cab. I really love my Mesa rig, but I’d be curious to hear your Noble/Barefaced rig. Do you think you could do that in a future video?
I've been rocking a Traynor Small Block head and whatever cab I'm feeling at the moment. I absolutely love this amp. Very little, if any, baked in tone. It lets the tone of your bass and whatever you have between your bass and amp to really shine. It's small, lightweight and powerful.
Hey Ian, I just wanted to say that my thoughts and prayers are with your friend. If he moved to Asheville, I hope he can stay there or near because that particular area in NC is so beautiful and unique. Some of the best street musicians are in downtown Asheville.
Just playing Devils Advocate, but what if the FOH used both DI's on the Aguilar, and then mic'd the cab as well. Like mic'd a 15" cab, took the dry DI then had a 8x10" IR in the 2nd DI? You might be able to come up with some interesting sounds with minimal gear for live and in the studio.
i was planing on a "Markbass Traveler 102P" cab and later on a Markbass amp :P.. its not the moast expensive, but its what i can afford, and i heard they are pretty good
I recently refurbished a Yamaha B200E it has a cool retro look but the three 12” speakers break up. When I played professionally I used an acoustic 370 with 2x15” great show !
Had a B-15. Loved it and the steampunk look of it and all. But it was in bad shape and needed work that I wasn't able to pay for 😢 Sold it and took the money from it and got a Mesa WD 800 and a Subway 115. Best of both worlds, for me. Some old-school tones out of it but at gigging levels, I love it! 😊 PS I got to try for an extended period of time the JF Sisma amp. If I didn't have the Mesa, I could have had that Sisma 😊
I luv and look forward to all your “geekn out” videos! weather it’s an artist, a Killa bass or a monster bass player like Stuart Zander, Your luv for the entire Bass Community is infectious!!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽Thk u!
What? No EICH??? I got a T900 with a 1012s cabinet and is absolutely smashing!!! I owned Markbass, EBS, Eden, Fender and TC, but this stuff sends them all back to the drawing board. it has stunning clarity, incredible dynamics and huge P.O.W.E.R! I tried about everything on the market (Bergantino, Genzler, the lot...), but nothing comes even close.
I gigged out with my b15 a lot. It definitely can’t stand by itself volume wise in a full band situation but it has a preamp out to go to front of house. That said it was great without pa help in an acoustic duo situation. Especially if you aren’t looking for pristine clean bass sounds. The b15 sustain and overdrive sounds great and is always fun to play imho. Even though I ended up retiring it and going to with an Eden for weight, reliability, and better/separate control of my volume to FoH.
Shoutout to the GK combo. I love my GK MB112 2. Does a great job. Very natural and useful. Takes the HX Stomp well. My guitar sounds good through it too. Only complaint is no extension cab other than one they discontinued. It’s awesome for small shows and home practice.
Thanks for the B15 shoutout gents! Scott to your point about equating a P bass and a B15 to smoking a cigar with a nice glass of wine, you certainly don't need a smoking robe to play one! LOL!
Sleeper full tube pedal (beats the Noble with a passive Radial DI in its rear!): SID Fat Drive. It’s allover the first two John Mayer records (used with a Jazz bass by the great Délà: David LaBruyere) and on the live DVD/CD ‘Any Given Thursday’. 😉
My pick will be a budget kit that can range for both rock and jazz as I'm only starting to learn bass and want to explore different areas... only got the very basic Fender practice amp, no pedal or anything else so far. But guys, great video as usual!
Glad you mentioned the Fender Rumbles. I don't have a ton of scratch for a bass amp, and bass isn't my main instrument, but I love it! But I figured at some point I'd pick up a Fender Rumble 40, which sounds like enough to practice and maybe gig in small venues.
I had the Rumble 40 and 100 one moment. Then got Blackstar U120 (yeah, they make bass amps too). Ended up selling my Fenders (with encouragement from the missus). Probably due to lack of matching theme furniture. So many choices these days. :)
@@henrytiisma Matching the furniture is a problem! I've been granted dispensation to get a Fender tweed or a Supro amp if it's going to sit upstairs :)
At 48, I bought the rig I needed at 18, for outdoor events: GK 1X15 & GK 2X12 + 800 LEGACY. That will make stuff move sideways on your cabinets at the other end of the house.
I have made an effort to watch as many of your videos as I can, since I’ve been laid up with a broken ankle since July. I love all the videos. However…”I could lick a tweed amp” was the funniest thing I’ve heard so far. Hilarious! Also former smoker…who loved every minute of it as well. Thanks for the laughs! 👍🏼
I use a Quilter Bass Block 802 with a Bass Dock 12 cab. It's nice in the small room that I use it in. Flexible enough to play electric bass guitar, acoustic bass guitar, or double bass through it.
Love these 1hour talks! Would like to hear you talk about the string gauges. I saw the video on different types of strings before, it will be great if you dive into the topic of gauges!
Always went solid state for a clean sound with reliability. I've never played a song with heavy distortion and use a Sansamp for getting some extra saturation to my sound when needed.
Real into Orange right now. I actually squish my bass rig and guitar rig together to run a clean tone and a fuzzed out time together for Doom metal and it sounds dope! (I use bass cabs for my guitar rig so nothing is getting hurt)
On the Aguilar, unless the front DI is also going through an A/D-D/A stage to compensate for the delay of the IR, you're still going to have phase issues blending the two.
I use the Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 a Trace Elliot 2x8 and a Carvin 115 cabs it’s a mini stack love it and less then 25lbs each on the cabs always get compliments on my tone
I totally want a Barefaced amp too! I’ve been rocking a Barefaced ‘Big One’ for years, it’s still amazing! (Got an orange terror 1K pushing it now) My old man piss fantasy amp is an Eich T-1000, I’d love to try one. By the way the GK comment got me thinking, I’m the same with Ashdown stuff, I’ve never got on with it, I’m confused as to why because my old rig was all trace Elliot which I still love. They are by the same guy right? 🤷♂️
Probably the best amp I had was a Carvin B1500, super clean, headroom for days, great eq, even looked great. Not the lightest thing, though. Went through a Genz Benz 212 which was also great!
Can you do a break-down of what makes a good DI box? Compare a few with frequency analysis so we can see what each box does to the signal. I've read some Radial ones cut the low mids, and some of the Klark ones cut the highs out. It'd be interesting to see what each does to the bass both clean and driven through pedals.
I tried the Barefaced 2 x 12" 4ohm cab...very very good build quality & tone, there 12" bass drive units are very well made that really push the air, very clean tone... Not cheap but you would'nt have to buy any other 2 x 12" + tweeter bass cab ever again...neat Trickfish bass amp with HPF & LPF...i use a Broughton HPF & LPF pedal in the effects loop,very well made transparent pedal with a gain pot as well as ...LPF 330Hz - 20Khz, HPF 25Hz - 190Hz....the Origin pedals are very good, i luv the Ampeg type one....i would luv a real Ampeg B15 with Fliptop cab & 15" bass drive unit...i can dream..lol
I agree with Ian on all tube amps. I had a Aguilar DB359 200 watt. It failed on me a few times and cranked up wasn’t the best sound. It was really heavy. The new solid state stuff is really good. Massive amounts of power and weighs nothing.
Hi Guys, great videos ! Just wondering if you've tried Darkglass 2x12 1000w cab. I had to go lightweight because of all the titanium in my spine. I've been running the DG 2X12 cab with a Quilter 802 head with my Cort Modern GB 4 and people are amazed at the sound and power at shows !
I have a Luna Pbass shorty, ridiculously light, wide shallow neck - but the pickups are underwhealming, takes a lot of dialing to get two usable tones. Pbass may be honest, but is there anything (new pups? P-bass-looking buckers?) to improve the glassy uncompressed tone? ty
![Victory Amps MK Clean & OD [With Martin Kidd & Lee Anderton]](/img/1.gif)
Ian and Scott if you see this: Please make a video like this for preamp pedals!
Agreed. The JHS Punchline is an absolute gem and an incredibly valuable tool. Bassists who haven't yet invested in one are going to be sorry once they're sold out.
@@bchnwgn I've been seriously considering picking one up. With the built-in compressor this seems like it could replace 2-3 pedals on most pedalboards. Just add a tuner and you're good for most gigs.
Been using the EBS micro bass 3. Uses the same tech as the 'fafner' bass amp. Built in compressor,tuner and drive. I love it
Just watch Janek Gwizdala’s preamp shootout
Oh yes, please!
A bass with a built-in fuzz pedal? That's the lord's work right there.
Check out the Music Man darkray bass. It has a darkglass alpha/omega pedal circuit inside the bass.
I personally have the Sterling by Music Man Darkray version...amazing . Bought it a year ago
Hell yeah!
Genzler deserves a mention. The Genz Benz stuff was already amazing (and it all still works and still sounds amazing), but the new Genzler amps and cabs are totally amazing to play through.
I use the Genzler Magellan Pre/DI. Its pretty great. First time I've got comments from the rest of the band about how good it sounds.
I still have my Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.2 and Uber Bass 2x12. I bought them new in probably 2011. I've played countless gigs with them and they still absolutely whomp! The Genzler stuff is extremely tempting, especially the Kinetix 800. Must resist!😂
I agree. I always get positive comments about my tone with Genzler and Genz-Benz. I absolutely love how good they sound without much tone tweaking. Great customer support as well if you have any questions or issues.
Another option to look into are the RH bass amps from TC Electronic. I've had my RH450 for over a decade and it's a champ! Rock solid, built in compressor and tuner, up to 3 presets, and it sounds killer. I have their original 2 x 10 cabs where you can stack them vertically or horizontally, and I always had compliments on how it sounded (using either a 5 string Fender J or a 5 string MTD Kingston). And if you need MOAR they make the RH750, which is the same amp with more power (750 watts instead of 450 watts). A gigging workhorse that's has all you need, and you can even just use the head and go direct into the board if you want and still get your sound.
I have a 450 too but I use their 2x12 cab. Love it!
Man I love you guys. Great chemistry on this channel. I started out with a SWR amp and a 6x10 (serial # 0163) . Thank to SBL I now run a HX Stomp into a power amp. I couldn't be happier. Thx guys
Which power amp do you like?
@kamdenpine1024 I am also interested in your answer :)
@@kamdenpine1024 QSC RMX 2450 ...bass - stomp - sansamp - mixer - amp - 1 x 12 monitor. But it sounds great through the SWR 6x10 too.
@@kamdenpine1024 sorry replied to myself HA
@@ardakeremoglu1 I put in the details for you
Who is it!! 😂
😀
My pick for sureeee hahah
I have never had an amp make my 'Wick sound more like itself than a GK! SWR Redhead was decent, Ampg not even close, and Mesa-Boogie had the power but not the tone... if I buy a physical rig again someday, it will be the GK stack!
@Gallien-Krueger Please Please Please make IRs for your NEO cabs. GK Amp models are cool and all but they always have to be paired with non-GK cabs. Seems silly 🤷♂
I really want to know too
I lived in San Diego, Poway to be specific. That is where CARVIN was headquartered. I knew them well. George and Flock were biz buds. I have almost all CARVIN Rigs. 410/118 w R1000 Bi-Amp, another 410 w another R1000, a BLX1500 210 combo tilt back, and a custom made 210/118 cab that is sealed at the 10's, and vented on the 18, also Bi-Ampable. I have a CARVIN RSP Pre-Amp that is the same as the R1000's but I run it into a few different poweramps from CARVIN to CROWN. They all can separate flesh from bone.
Ampeg does make a modern version of B-15. It's called the PF-50T. I own one. And if you pair it with the right cab, it's actually plenty loud for a live gig. It also has a DI out, and unlike most tube amps, it doesn't require a load. So if you have FOH support, it's a perfect gigging amp. It doesn't sound quite as good as the B-15, which in my opinion is the best sounding amp ever made, but it still sounds great. And it's only $1000. I have mine paired with 212 cab and I never turn it up louder than halfway. I find the cab makes way more of a difference to loudness than the wattage of the amp does.
I have one also. I pair with a port flex 15 cab and 210 cab
I agree. I have toured my pf-50t, carted it to clubs buried in the 115pf (maybe with a bottle of bourbon in the bottom of it) and have to say, the engineers I’ve worked with almost unanimously love that post transformer DI. Both the P with flats and zingy Jazz 5 sing through it. Disclaimer, I have replaced all the stock tubes with very expensive Mesa’s and the output, character and clean tone availability with higher gain has also changed (for the better). Give tubers a chance again….
Ian, the Rumble 100 may be Fender’s best amp ever. Good shout out!
Also, I have extra marital lust for that Barefaced Big24. So, i guess that’s my 2025 (c’moooooon lottery) pick.
Pf20t into a pf112hlf. Bliss
@@jeffscott1006 Yip, have one of those. It's my main bass driver in my studio. Love it. I use it with the SVT-210AV. And sometimes, if I need something louder, for rehearsals, I'll use the PF20T as preamp into the Micro-VR as power amp. If I want clankier, grindier tones, I'll use a Darkglass Hyperlumial comp, usually SYM mode, into a Dark Glass Alpha Omega and tune the dirt in, to taste.
Fender Rumble 500, best amp I've ever owned. Hundreds and hundreds of gigs on mine and never going back
I've had an original Rumble 100/2x10. It's absolutely amazing. I sold it once, then luckily bought it back. The thing just sounds way better than it should for the price.
The 100, 500 are both really quite nice. Would probably be my combo of choice for a rehearsal room. The sound, size, weight all work really well.
I love my GK, had it since 1998.
YAY for GK Gear. I recently got a GK Fusion 800S head and a 2x10" GK Neo IV cab.... absolutely LOVE IT. I Kiiiiiiiiinda wish I'd have gotten the 4x10" GK NEO IV 4-Ohm cab.....but I mainly just play at home these days. :) But hey! Having another Cab never hurt anyone! ;)
Whoever doesn't like GK is missing something. I have the legacy 1200 through a NeoIV 212 and it is THE dreamn setup. Lightweight. Powerful. Sweet sounds. Built-in footswitchable overdrive makes it sound like a tube. I play with a Warwick thumb 5 fretless and a Stingray 5 and they absolutely soar. Try it out.
🤘🤘🤘
I’m trying to find a classic GK rb amp, I’m addicted to their sound but can’t afford a new one!
@@LosingStreak-vb2du definitely get a 700rb. I have it and love it and will never sell it. It has enough head room for almost any gig and will be cheaper than the 1001rb. The new amps are amazing but the ones from the 2000s are just as fantastic and more affordable
I have a GK mb112 combo as my first ever amp - started playing 2 years ago. Every amp I try when I think of upgrading just doesn’t sound as good! Really underrepresented in the UK and I want another GK now!
I have had some amps and cabs, including an Aguilar AG800, Barefeced one10, Vanderkley 310NMT, Markbass 102p, a TC electronics head, a Darkglass 500 head, an Ampeg 115 combo, a Phil Jones combo and a Fender Rumble stage 800 but ended up selling all those. I started out with a Fender Rumble 500 but gas got hold of me and I wanted something more expensive, thinking that I would like that more. But I sold everything and bought another Fender Rumble 500. For its simplicity, weight, size and sound it is perfect for a gigging musician. It's more than loud enough for most gigs and if you need more sound than it can give the venue most lightly have a PA and you use the line out and use your Rumble as a monitor. So regardless of budget (I can afford whatever I want) I still have that Rumble on top of my list for the reasons mentioned above. Add an HX Stomp and you can pretty much get whatever sound you want.
I use a Rumble 500 with the matching 2x10 extension. The 500 combo alone was more than sufficient for every gig I've ever played, but I found a deal on the cabinet and I couldn't resist. I run a Zoom MS-60B+ and am able to get every sound I can imagine. I still have my Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.2 and GB 2x12. It's a fantastic rig that I've had for many years. I just find myself going with the Rumble most often. Fender really hit a home run imo
nice i put the rumble 500 on top of a GK 2x10 when i needed to be louder but the combo alone sounds great, loud, and easy to dial tones
May I ask what you disliked about the Phil Jones combo? I have been considering picking up one of the new BG-450, but I haven't yet pulled the trigger on it and I find it difficult to find a lot of impressions and reviews of the Phil Jones stuff.
@@nyremand I would not go so far as to say that I disliked any of my speakers/heads/combos, but for my use the Rumble fitted the bill best. And I like the sound a lot, regardless of which bass I play. The Phil Jones is very neutral, so if that is what you are after, then go right ahead. So if you were to play something like an electric upright or whatever that might be a perfect match. The Aguilar AG800 and Vanderkley was really high end also, but lacked that little bit of personality. Same as the PJ. 😊
@@EirikHasselberg Thank you very much for the answer! The Phil Jones sounds very much like something I would like from your description :)
It's really amazing how you all put out a video on whatever gear I've been looking at within a day of me starting to shop.
Hahaha. Due to SBL I now have an HX stomp and IEM's.
I run a 5 string Warwick Standard Corvette through an Aguilar tone hammer 700 into a Markbass 212 ninja cab and a GK 15inch extension Cab. The tone, punch, and bottom end I get is amazing!
I still love my GK 800 RB. Back in the day (late 80s/early 90s on the Sunset Strip), when I would us an SVT backline rig, I had difficulty adjusting to it. The GK paired with an EV cab (1x15" cab w/midrange driver), felt immediate compared to SVT which felt felt slow and muddy. The guitar amps were Fender Princetons, and my GK filled the bass roll in the mix really well live. At 300 watts, it was just enough at night club levels (in-ear monitors didn't exist). That said, it is very heavy for a solid state amplifier so, I'm missing out on the feather-weight advantage that so many SS amps have going for them.
I think GK is missing out on not re-issueing an 800RB. Maybe some anniversary edition. I know people would love that!
Serek Basses is now in Brevard, NC. Brevard, along with all of Asheville and western NC, was hit hard.
I have a Darkglass Dg212 and a Markbass Little Ninja. Weight was the deciding factors - trying to get a good tone from the lightest cab. Gigging in pubs the UK is a ballache carrying in and out - often while punters are blocking the way. Needed to be as light as possible.
I love GK! Been using it for close to 20 years!
GKs are awesome. I also bought Ian's HX Stomp GenZ patch which is a GK amp emulator. Sounds insane!
I’ve got one of the limited run B-15s Ampeg did a few years back - with the ‘64 and ‘66 voicing - and it’s wonderful. Sounds great (the ‘64 voicing is my kind of thing, but the ‘66 is great for pick/plectrum tic-tac sound), and yes, it looks great too!
I still love my GK 700RB and use it all the time. But I grabbed the Darkglass e500 this year and it’s fantastic. So versatile.
I still use two GK RBH cabinets, they are heavy but anything new and lighter doesn’t compare. Also solves the issue at 5:10 as they are ported on either side haha
I have two fender rumbles... the 500w and 200w... nice for gigging, light weight, goes nice with my stomp xl...
I have been using the same Orange Terror bass 500 for about 15 years (which I love.) I decided to pick up an Ampeg Venture V7 this year to change it up a bit. I am loving it through my 8/10 Ampeg cab on the SVT side with my band and the B15 side is great for warm tones on my old Pbass just for thumping.
Great episode!!
The "vents" you are mentioning are called "ports" and being recessed in that Barefaced is no small move. The size of the ports, she shape, and the depth of the ports all has a big influence on the sound the cab makes. Besides the interior size of the cab, the bracing, and any reflex surfaces, the "tuning" of the ports makes a huge difference in the sound of the cab and if you screw up the ports you will not get the same sound and/or power handling.
Oh hey, those 2x15 cabs are like the old Sunns. I own an old Sunn 215BH which is absolutely massive, has both speakers mounted on an angled baffle with a sizable gap on the right.
That Ampeg B15 is an amazing amp, I’ve played through a few vintage ones that I absolutely loved. I will eventually own one of those.
GK is amazing, I run a stereo rig Legacy 800 & 90s 800RB into a pair of Acme or Aguilar 4x10s.... Need some GK cabs someday.
I'm playing with Aynsley Dunbar right now and I'm using a GK Mb800 with 2 Phil Jones c85 cabs. Best sounding setup I've ever used. Very happy with it.
Re. Aguilar Loft videos. Jonathan Maron demoing the Jazz and P-Bass p/ups in those videos are still some of the finest bass-related moments to be found on RUclips…
The Genzler Magellan 350 combo (with the Bass Array 10-2 series 2 cabinet)
was my 2024 purchase and i couldn't be happier with it.
Its incredibly flexible, tastefully useful contours, suprisingly loud cab for a 1x10, and all together less than 11kg.
Like the old Shuttle combos from the Genz-Benz days, the "combo" is actually an amp attached to a cab with easily removable brackets.
Genzler's customer service is also hard to beat.
As for other Amps and Cabs not mentioned. Im certainly curious about Eich and GR
Barefaced cabs are incredible! I run two One10 cabs (actually a One10T and a One10). Those two tiny cabs rock. I had a Big Twin, but it was total overkill.
Thanks Chad!
i have a GK mb108 for practice and its Loud as all get out. it sounds incredible and shakes stuff off the walls lol. 25 watts 1x8 idk how they do it but its louder and sounds better than my old ampeg 1x12
I've owned three b-15's (63, 68, and 76) and the mid-70's one was my favorite by a mile, especially in studio.
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My great amp combo in 2024: Markbass Mini CMD 121P V - small, lightweight, great sound, flexible tone shaping.
Awesome when paired with the 12” extension cab
Funny that this podcast comes right on the heels of "Is the bass amp finally dead?"... one. Both were fun to listen to. Keep them coming!
Thanks for the video again! I have a couple 1990's UK Trace Elliot heads (AH400SMX and AH600SMX) with 4x10 Trace cabs. I know they are not the company they used to be, but since they were a UK company originally, I thought you might have some comments in your video. I still use my Trace stuff, but to lighten the load, I am using the MarkBass Little Mark Tube 800 paired with a couple 2x10 Traveler cabs. Also would like to hear more about the SVT and 8x10 sealed cab. I know you touched on it a little, but didn't talk much about it's qualities. Keep up the great videos and thanks - Jason
Bergantino HP2 and the HG and other series cabs should be here for sure. Tested with the different drive sections, not just the preloaded one. BTW, the HG cabinets are great on smaller stages where you don't have in ear. The back pointing speaker is really nice.
I second a vote for Barefaced cabs, I have two myself, mostly use a Super Twin T which I've had for many years and is been a joy to gig with, what with being so light yet punchy AF when I run my Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 800 through it 😁
💪 thanks Dave!
No Mesa Boogie WD 800 or TT 800? Two of the best for years.
This might be a sponsored add. The stuff we actually play might not be in it.
They’re trying to keep their business running…
IMO: they’re excused for that. Make up your own mind.
🖖
I love my ‘59 tweed Bassman for bass and guitar.
I have a 12-year old Tonehammer 500. It crapped out ONCE(at home, thankfully!)...due to-it turned out-dust. A spritz of compressed air handled the problem. I have used it successfully with a bunch of different cabs. Thanks for another informative and entertaining discussion.
Alembic F1X tube preamp. Highly recommend.
Those are killer pieces of gear!!
Absolutely..!!! I will never get rid of mines ( matched with a Crest CA9 Power Amp )
I have only used GK for the last 20 years no issues
I used to have the rb2000 now I just use the mb500 d class I wish I had the fusion just can’t afford.
I remember A/B ING the GK heads against the tonehammer heads and was really disappointed with the agular heads I can’t remember what it was about them it was 8 years ago but they just sounded flat to me didn’t spark any joy at all .
no love for PJB? the sound of my PJB BP 800 with 2 of the 8x5" cabinets is just amazing. it maybe isnt the loudest thing on earth, but the clarity is just so nice. its basically like youre playing through studio monitors.
My 2024 dream gear is GK Fusion S amp and GK 410 Neo cab 😎 Hope make it till year end))
I love these gear discussions they let me know what is out there. And your experiences with it Thank you guys for always coming through
I literally have recurrent dreams about a Ken Smith BT custom I had in the 90’s. Should never have sold that…. Such an incredible instrument.
I love 64 Black Rig, so warm. EDS octave sounds really rich, I use AG 700.
I remember being 45. Long time ago. You need to get Alex in for an interview! The guy is a proper engineer nerd - like me. My SC-T is 2 weeks off delivery and I Can't Wait! So my dream for more kit - apart from my incoming SC-T..... another SC! Ok - or.... er.... the new Quilter Bass Block looks interesting. And a BF amp would be nice. BTW - when you said "... its more cheese..." - I was, literally, cutting cheese! Watching this on my laptop while getting dinner prepped as I often do.
I love hybrid heads, and that Noble looks sweet! I’ve been using Mesa hybrids for about 15 years and picked up the WD800 about 5 years ago as well as a Mesa Subway 212 cab. I really love my Mesa rig, but I’d be curious to hear your Noble/Barefaced rig. Do you think you could do that in a future video?
We could potentially pull that together in a future video! We'll see!
I've been rocking a Traynor Small Block head and whatever cab I'm feeling at the moment. I absolutely love this amp. Very little, if any, baked in tone. It lets the tone of your bass and whatever you have between your bass and amp to really shine. It's small, lightweight and powerful.
I have a fantastic Hartke HD500 I play with grand piano (hard classical), and it is just the thing.
Agreed, the Origin Effects Black Panel is amazing; something about the fender sound does it for me.
I use one-two great,
Hey Ian, I just wanted to say that my thoughts and prayers are with your friend. If he moved to Asheville, I hope he can stay there or near because that particular area in NC is so beautiful and unique. Some of the best street musicians are in downtown Asheville.
I have a Traynor 2x10 cab and their 500 amp class D head. Epic tone!
What about Quilter's new Bass Block V803, Ashen amps, Schroeder cabs and new JR1000 amp, and Accugroove cabs and amps?
Line 6 HX stomp with those IMA presets! Bought a 99' Manne bass this year. Honoring both of my favorite bass gurus! Thanks for the inspiration gents!
I have only used GK for the last 20 years no issues
I used to have the rb2000 now I just use the mb500 d class I wish I had the fusion
Oh snap just in time I was about to order a barefaced now I have to listen to this podcast
Just playing Devils Advocate, but what if the FOH used both DI's on the Aguilar, and then mic'd the cab as well. Like mic'd a 15" cab, took the dry DI then had a 8x10" IR in the 2nd DI? You might be able to come up with some interesting sounds with minimal gear for live and in the studio.
i was planing on a "Markbass Traveler 102P" cab and later on a Markbass amp :P.. its not the moast expensive, but its what i can afford, and i heard they are pretty good
👍👍👍
I recently refurbished a Yamaha B200E it has a cool retro look but the three 12” speakers break up. When I played professionally I used an acoustic 370 with 2x15”
great show !
Had a B-15. Loved it and the steampunk look of it and all. But it was in bad shape and needed work that I wasn't able to pay for 😢
Sold it and took the money from it and got a Mesa WD 800 and a Subway 115. Best of both worlds, for me. Some old-school tones out of it but at gigging levels, I love it! 😊
PS I got to try for an extended period of time the JF Sisma amp. If I didn't have the Mesa, I could have had that Sisma 😊
I luv and look forward to all your “geekn out” videos!
weather it’s an artist, a Killa bass or a monster bass player like Stuart Zander,
Your luv for the entire Bass Community is infectious!!!
🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽Thk u!
What? No EICH??? I got a T900 with a 1012s cabinet and is absolutely smashing!!! I owned Markbass, EBS, Eden, Fender and TC, but this stuff sends them all back to the drawing board. it has stunning clarity, incredible dynamics and huge P.O.W.E.R! I tried about everything on the market (Bergantino, Genzler, the lot...), but nothing comes even close.
I also play a Markbass, a K-1 combo Alain Caron signature amp with added 123 Traveler matching cab. Once you go 1000w, you'll not go back!
I gigged out with my b15 a lot. It definitely can’t stand by itself volume wise in a full band situation but it has a preamp out to go to front of house. That said it was great without pa help in an acoustic duo situation. Especially if you aren’t looking for pristine clean bass sounds. The b15 sustain and overdrive sounds great and is always fun to play imho. Even though I ended up retiring it and going to with an Eden for weight, reliability, and better/separate control of my volume to FoH.
Shoutout to the GK combo. I love my GK MB112 2. Does a great job. Very natural and useful. Takes the HX Stomp well. My guitar sounds good through it too. Only complaint is no extension cab other than one they discontinued. It’s awesome for small shows and home practice.
Thanks for the B15 shoutout gents! Scott to your point about equating a P bass and a B15 to smoking a cigar with a nice glass of wine, you certainly don't need a smoking robe to play one! LOL!
ian wich one do u prefer of Aguilar Amps? tone hammer 500 or AG 500? greetings pal
Ashdown made a FlipTop B15 type amp. The DropHead 30. Its incredible.
Sleeper full tube pedal (beats the Noble with a passive Radial DI in its rear!): SID Fat Drive.
It’s allover the first two John Mayer records (used with a Jazz bass by the great Délà: David LaBruyere) and on the live DVD/CD ‘Any Given Thursday’.
😉
My pick will be a budget kit that can range for both rock and jazz as I'm only starting to learn bass and want to explore different areas... only got the very basic Fender practice amp, no pedal or anything else so far. But guys, great video as usual!
Glad you mentioned the Fender Rumbles. I don't have a ton of scratch for a bass amp, and bass isn't my main instrument, but I love it! But I figured at some point I'd pick up a Fender Rumble 40, which sounds like enough to practice and maybe gig in small venues.
I had the Rumble 40 and 100 one moment. Then got Blackstar U120 (yeah, they make bass amps too). Ended up selling my Fenders (with encouragement from the missus). Probably due to lack of matching theme furniture. So many choices these days. :)
@@henrytiisma Matching the furniture is a problem! I've been granted dispensation to get a Fender tweed or a Supro amp if it's going to sit upstairs :)
The Rumble Studio 40 is great and gives you a lot of pro level options for less than $400 US.
Great video! Excited to hear you say nice things about Fender Rumbles! I invested in one a while back and still have it.
At 48, I bought the rig I needed at 18, for outdoor events: GK 1X15 & GK 2X12 + 800 LEGACY.
That will make stuff move sideways on your cabinets at the other end of the house.
i have a Barefaced 210, which I love, especially with my Jazz bass, but I am thinking about a Big Baby instead to get more lows. I LOVE Barfaced!
I have made an effort to watch as many of your videos as I can, since I’ve been laid up with a broken ankle since July. I love all the videos. However…”I could lick a tweed amp” was the funniest thing I’ve heard so far. Hilarious! Also former smoker…who loved every minute of it as well. Thanks for the laughs! 👍🏼
I use a Quilter Bass Block 802 with a Bass Dock 12 cab. It's nice in the small room that I use it in. Flexible enough to play electric bass guitar, acoustic bass guitar, or double bass through it.
Love these 1hour talks! Would like to hear you talk about the string gauges. I saw the video on different types of strings before, it will be great if you dive into the topic of gauges!
Just bought my second rumble 500 today so I don't have to move my other one from state to state. Use a 15 can on both.
Always went solid state for a clean sound with reliability. I've never played a song with heavy distortion and use a Sansamp for getting some extra saturation to my sound when needed.
Real into Orange right now. I actually squish my bass rig and guitar rig together to run a clean tone and a fuzzed out time together for Doom metal and it sounds dope!
(I use bass cabs for my guitar rig so nothing is getting hurt)
On the Aguilar, unless the front DI is also going through an A/D-D/A stage to compensate for the delay of the IR, you're still going to have phase issues blending the two.
You need a Bergantino Forte HP in that mix. What an amazing amp. All in one perfection!
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Ian Could you install a completely flat IR and use the back XLR on the Tone Hammer?
I use the Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 a Trace Elliot 2x8 and a Carvin 115 cabs it’s a mini stack love it and less then 25lbs each on the cabs always get compliments on my tone
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I totally want a Barefaced amp too!
I’ve been rocking a Barefaced ‘Big One’ for years, it’s still amazing!
(Got an orange terror 1K pushing it now)
My old man piss fantasy amp is an Eich T-1000, I’d love to try one.
By the way the GK comment got me thinking, I’m the same with Ashdown stuff, I’ve never got on with it, I’m confused as to why because my old rig was all trace Elliot which I still love.
They are by the same guy right?
🤷♂️
Glad to hear the Big One is still holding up after all these years!
@@BarefacedAudioso glad I got on board with you guys.
❤
Probably the best amp I had was a Carvin B1500, super clean, headroom for days, great eq, even looked great. Not the lightest thing, though. Went through a Genz Benz 212 which was also great!
Can you do a break-down of what makes a good DI box? Compare a few with frequency analysis so we can see what each box does to the signal. I've read some Radial ones cut the low mids, and some of the Klark ones cut the highs out. It'd be interesting to see what each does to the bass both clean and driven through pedals.
Good idea, thanks for the suggestion!
Honorable mention for my list: The Quilter Labs Bass Block V803 amp. I think this might be my next amp!
You should try Jad Freer Sisma, it was released before Volta and it's a 700W class G (not D) with a tube preamp, it sounds killer.
I had a Gk800RB. Loved it. Yorkville makes great small ampd. Eden are good. But all the ones you mention. I never liked trace elliotts.
What? - maybe you just had to have a good play with them. Love GK. I have an Ashdown HOD into two GK2x12s
Any thoughts about the 64 Black Panel compared to the Capo? Or apples and oranges?
For '25 i would love any EBS 200 Head. With 2×10 cab
I tried the Barefaced 2 x 12" 4ohm cab...very very good build quality & tone, there 12" bass drive units are very well made that really push the air, very clean tone...
Not cheap but you would'nt have to buy any other 2 x 12" + tweeter bass cab ever again...neat Trickfish bass amp with HPF & LPF...i use a Broughton HPF & LPF pedal in the effects loop,very well made transparent pedal with a gain pot as well as ...LPF 330Hz - 20Khz, HPF 25Hz - 190Hz....the Origin pedals are very good, i luv the Ampeg type one....i would luv a real Ampeg B15 with Fliptop cab & 15" bass drive unit...i can dream..lol
Alex at barefaced has TONS of videos on cabinet design on the company channel, he seems like a cool person.
I agree with Ian on all tube amps. I had a Aguilar DB359 200 watt. It failed on me a few times and cranked up wasn’t the best sound. It was really heavy. The new solid state stuff is really good. Massive amounts of power and weighs nothing.
Hi Guys, great videos ! Just wondering if you've tried Darkglass 2x12 1000w cab. I had to go lightweight because of all the titanium in my spine. I've been running the DG 2X12 cab with a Quilter 802 head with my Cort Modern GB 4 and people are amazed at the sound and power at shows !
I have a Luna Pbass shorty, ridiculously light, wide shallow neck - but the pickups are underwhealming, takes a lot of dialing to get two usable tones. Pbass may be honest, but is there anything (new pups? P-bass-looking buckers?) to improve the glassy uncompressed tone? ty