Tube Bass Heads?

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fenderbender4

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I know there are a ton of different guitar amp builders out there, but am not sure at all what's out there in terms of all-tube bass amps. I know when it comes to tubes, the bass and guitar crowds are very different. I know of:

Ampeg
Traynor
Marshall VBA
Divided by 13
Verellen Amps
Hendy Amps
Mesa/Boogie

What else is out there in terms of small-builder tube bass amps?
 
Orange Thunderverb 200, Reeves Custom 400. I think Wizard make one as well. These are the only ones that I can think of that you haven't listed. If I think of more I'll add to it.
 
Fender Bassman 300 Pro/Sunn 300T.

Played with some guys that had the Fender version and they were thunderous! Powered by six 6550 power tubes.
 
I picked up an Eden 300T at a blow out price. It's awesome! So warm and growly!
 
I always like Ashdown bass amps. Though I have only use Entwhistle's early klystron amps and never the tube versions, but they have quite a few tube options now. Also, Aguilar had a great hybrid bass amp called the DB. Eden is another with great sounding heads but I am not sure if they have tube versions.
 
I've got a Mesa M-2000, it's a hybrid, but sounds AMAZING!!! love it, and can be picked up relatively cheaply. I gig with mine, and have 0 issues with it. fantastic, extremely versatile, awesome sounding amp.
 
The SVT is the king of tube bass amps and still crushes to this day. As mentioned, the Mesa Boogie 400 is a modern classic in it's own right.
 
rupe":2by61dj9 said:
The SVT is the king of tube bass amps and still crushes to this day. As mentioned, the Mesa Boogie 400 is a modern classic in it's own right.
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truth.
 
rupe":2xujnzcj said:
The SVT is the king of tube bass amps and still crushes to this day. As mentioned, the Mesa Boogie 400 is a modern classic in it's own right.
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This^
 
I just started playing a SVT-2 Pro threw a Bergantino NV412 cab and its just dreamy!!!
When I'm playing bass I always end up back on a SVT of some kind.
 
Bass players have been much quicker to take to ss amps than guitarist have. I have two bass rigs, one has a tube preamp, ss power amp. The other is all ss. By comparison all my guitar amps are tube.

If I want an all tube amp for my bass, I used my Mesa mark Iva. Sounds great with my jazz bass, when I run it through my bass cabs
 
I REALLY like the VBA... Would take it over a new ampeg or Orange. Depends on styles tho..
 
blackba":30xhugi4 said:
Bass players have been much quicker to take to ss amps than guitarist have. I have two bass rigs, one has a tube preamp, ss power amp. The other is all ss. By comparison all my guitar amps are tube.

If I want an all tube amp for my bass, I used my Mesa mark Iva. Sounds great with my jazz bass, when I run it through my bass cabs
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Bass players really had no choice. Bass amps have to have massive power output to compete with mid heavy guitars and vocals, etc. So a 200 watt all tube bass head would be almost 80 to 90 pounds and a 400 watt even more. They are just (bass tube amps) too big to be lugging around. Also imagine trying to buy and replace a sextet of 6550's.... :cry:

So size and economics really are why bass players migrated to SS.

Most Bass players will tell you that have played through a kickass tube bass amp SVT, etc, that they prefer it. But they just can't lug those things around.
 
baron55":2ratj7hm said:
blackba":2ratj7hm said:
Bass players have been much quicker to take to ss amps than guitarist have. I have two bass rigs, one has a tube preamp, ss power amp. The other is all ss. By comparison all my guitar amps are tube.

If I want an all tube amp for my bass, I used my Mesa mark Iva. Sounds great with my jazz bass, when I run it through my bass cabs
Click to expand...


Bass players really had no choice. Bass amps have to have massive power output to compete with mid heavy guitars and vocals, etc. So a 200 watt all tube bass head would be almost 80 to 90 pounds and a 400 watt even more. They are just (bass tube amps) too big to be lugging around. Also imagine trying to buy and replace a sextet of 6550's.... :cry:

So size and economics really are why bass players migrated to SS.

Most Bass players will tell you that have played through a kickass tube bass amp SVT, etc, that they prefer it. But they just can't lug those things around.
Click to expand...
Right on :thumbsup: Additionally, bass tones don't traditionally rely on as much coloring from the amp...a clean reproduction of the signal is what's most desired/needed and SS does that well. The punch and clarity of some modern SS and hybrid bass amps are amazing.
 
Yeah, I know just from a weight stand point, most tube amps don't make sense. However, I know there are probably a bunch of tube bass amp makers, but I just didn't know of many out there.

Or maybe there aren't that many and the tube amp for bassists, is left up to the big companies that can afford to make them in conjunction with the comparably smaller demand than guitar tube amps.
 
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