Twincam

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1461580051' post='3035756'] To be honest I think you're overthinking the whole thing & obsessing on it. You've gone through more amps in two years than I did in 37 years. That said, I've never had much interest in amplification - I tend to sound pretty much the same no matter what I play through so as long as I can hear myself I'm happy. [/quote] Well now I don't have bass gas I have serious amp gas haha. You could be right tho, my keenest sense is my hearing and I hear everything. Then obsess over it. I honestly think the amp is in a way too good for me. I was happy with the Ashdown abm I just didn't like some of its performance in the mids or treble at times but now I'm thinking I liked the simplicity of its tone. Also going from flats to rotosound rounds is a bit of a leap. I do think the cab is a weak link it's speaker is being upgraded next week but really I need a new one sooner the better.

It looks very much like a peavey cirrus! Still a nice looking bass.

Tbh I hate talkbass. Unlike here most of there members are not the most friendly of people. And if you make a mistake you will be jumped on.

Indeed it's probably to many the number one most important factor. I believe there was a poll on this recently, on which you would prefer playability or great tone.

A well stocked shop? Don't think there is any in the north east! Seriously. Guitar would be different but bass forget about it.

[quote name='taunton-hobbit' timestamp='1461527115' post='3035469'] I had a couple of Vortexion monoblock 100watt amps in about 1968 - they were transistor & billed as indestructible. Much to Vortexions embarrassment, one blew up on its first gig...oops....they fixed it, took the boast off their publicity and I still had them in a workshop (& working) in 2003....... probably one of the first solid state high power amps. [/quote] Did it have heft?

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1461525285' post='3035450'] Exactly my point.....we're spoilt nowadays.....back then you had no choice [/quote] Back then??? That was last month for the te and 2013 for the carlsbro haha

[quote name='r16ktx' timestamp='1461524070' post='3035425'] Wouldn't the 1st gen use valves as solid state means 'no moving parts'? Do I get points for being geeky AND pedantic? ;-) [/quote] No! Although the first gen transistor based amps were apparently slightly tweaked valve amp designs. They didn't work so well.

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1461522686' post='3035398'] Aah i remember the days when most people just had a Carlsbro combo for the mere mortals and a Trace for those that imagined themselves immortals..... [/quote] I've had both and the carlsbro was boring as hell with a horrible drone the TE was just horrid but loud and would probably cut through anything. In a way the more my equipment gets better the more time I spend worrying about how I sound rather than playing!

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1461523027' post='3035404'] I`ve found TE cabs very brittle sounding when I`ve used them, voiced in an area of treble that got on my nerves if honest. Given what I`ve read about the AG amps also having a bit of a mid-forward sound, the pairing could most likely be what is causing this. Plus, from experience with my Tonehammers, Aguilar amps take a lot of tweaking to find "your" sound. They`re not like some amps where everything flat sounds good, they are amps that are made to be tweaked. Takes a while, but once there, well you find it was worth it. I`d echo Chris on this one, look at playing it through a different cab first (as oppose to buying one) and see if that eliminates anything. [/quote] This makes sense. I will try the head with a few cabs first. The amp is a bit mid forward but in an interesting way. Also turned the gain down a hint seems to of improved things. My bass is actually fairly tame I've never had an amp with such a sensitive gain. Which is a good thing.

I'm just wondering what the first generation of solid state amps like? Same question about the first gen of class D amps. No reason to ask other than I'm a bit geeky.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1461515750' post='3035313'] I'd put it all through a good cab first. [/quote] I think it's inherent to the amp it's not a tone adjustment a good cab would make , if that makes sense. In fact I dare say a good cab would really bring out the Factors I'm struggling with even more. I dunno you could certainly be right though.

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1461514619' post='3035306'] I know what you mean about the transparency of the Aguilar. I use the AG500 (the 2 channel version) and it has a great tone but for me it needed a little something extra. I'm now running through an Aphex Aural Xciter and a Tech21 into the AG500 and it sounds immense. Maybe trying a pre-amp pedal in front of the Aguilar could be something to try as a less expensive option than replacing the whole amp? [/quote] Yes I thought about this, it should take pedal very well. Not a big peddle person but possibly worth a go.

Right I'm lost a bit on what to do. My current setup is pretty simple. Jim fleeting custom 4 string. A nice bass is active and passive fitted with nordstrand big singles, John east pre amp. Rotosound roundwounds. It's a fairly well rounded bass. Amp is a Aguilar ag500sc Cab is an old te combo with head removed, some sort of celestion speaker is in there. It's sealed and reacts very different to various amps so it doesn't colour the sound. Nothing spectacular but it works. I play simple stuff nothing flash at all. Looking for a well rounded tone, slightly dark, rock oriented. But with soul and clear in the mids, treble. Last week I had an Ashdown abm evo iii 500 and I had fender flats fitted. I was happy with the rounded tone, but I thought the treble, mids lacked something not woolly as some say but not defined and it was to me for some songs lacking, rock stuff it was great for. Before that I was using an Ampeg b2r which was ok but zero soul, very sterile and not that powerful. And before the a Trace Elliot gp7 300, very loud! But hate the trace sound. Now I have the Aguilar and it sounds great, has soul, volume and the heft, but I there something in the tone I'm not keen on, its a bit too transparent maybe, it makes my bass sound like it does unamped. I'm not keen on flats unamped so I switched to rounds. And now it sounds exactly like my old trace Elliot and USA P bass which was a good sound I guess but not what I'm looking for. I'm pretty sure there's something in the mids that I'm not getting on with. Growls nice enough. Pre amp is sensitive to playing hard and not in a way I like. In some ways the sound is too complex for me and would suit a better player who can get the most out of it. Make sense? I've played around with the eq on amp and bass it changes the tone but I can't get away from the base tone as it were. This is my 3rd amp in 4,5 or so weeks. I think I like the Ashdown for rock, punk etc and the Aguilar for other stuff and amazingly on occasion the Ampeg b2r was so sterile it sounded alright you couldn't like it but couldn't hate it lol. Sometimes it seems less hassle to have a boring tone. I like musical valve amps too expensive for me at the min, not keen on the weight either or the slight worry of reliability. The bugera infinity is possibly in reach or something used. Surely there's a solid state amp out there for me tho. Totally lost with how to find what I'm looking for.

Bought an Aguilar amp from Mark. Good communication, Straight forward transaction and amp works fine as stated. And he brought it for me to see and test at a gig he was playing locally.

Not as bad as the naked skinny guy?? Holding a mustang bass. Urgh!

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1461438732' post='3034693'] Here is my offering this month... I was going to do a bit of slap, then a walking bass type thing, then a riff style ditty, but in the end I ended up doing this little simple melody I came up with earlier in the month. It's actually part of a bigger piece with several layers, but I decided against the looper... [url="https://soundcloud.com/robhartley-1/noodle-03wav"]https://soundcloud.com/robhartley-1/noodle-03wav[/url] Moollon P bass with TI Flats, finger style with tone set about a quarter from the bass side, straight into a Boss BR-80 with no EQ or effects. [/quote] What a charming little piece. Not much more to say really, though I'm pleased no looper but I can see it working also nicely with layers.

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1461331860' post='3033780'] Ok gents, bit rushed this month. Would've liked it to be a bit cleaner but here it is: [url="https://soundcloud.com/tona-fied/noodle-3"]https://soundcloud.c...a-fied/noodle-3[/url] Yes, i did warn you they might be some slap this month!! The first part of the noodle is kind of a hybrid picking style, and the second is slap. Hope it's not too offensive Edit to say it was recorded with a eden amp simulation (i think) on Line 6 podfarm. Little bass boost, little treble boost. Little compression. [/quote] Very un offensive slap.

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1461438310' post='3034687'] That's how I read your post! I wouldn't tell her that to her face [/quote] Hahaha!

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1461430277' post='3034613'] Look out for a class H amplifier. The H stands for Heft, of course. Much like the D in class D stands for 'Digital'. Ahem. [/quote] Haha I like it What I don't like is this thread has probably unsurprisingly and this is possibly my fault descended into the old class d thing. After a good test today at the neighbours expense I can say class T with it's old school toroidal transformer has heft and is loud! And so does my gf when I turn the volume up I was told off with much heft!

[quote name='jonnywillmott' timestamp='1461423838' post='3034543'] what are peoples thoughts on trace elliot gp7 300 watt heads? pretty old but I've seen a few stacks about for £400 [/quote] My gp7 300w combo was one of the loudest things I've heard sub 500w ss or class d. Didn't like the tone though at all. Very reliable in general. All of them are starting to look a little tatty especially the green, black carpet covered ones. In general the look very dated and the tone is often thought as dated too. All trace stack system will be heavy but very loud! People who are fans of that sound love them.

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1461397958' post='3034245'] +2 [/quote] +3

I've read when Aguilar designed the amp it was to eliminate the disadvantages of class D amps (of the time). Actually the amp does have heft and to me it does sound and feel a lot nicer, hefty or whatever than other class d amps ive heard, played or owned. In fact it's the nicest amp I've played personally no matter what class I like it more than valve as it seems to react quicker. Started the thread just to say Heft to be honest but it's generated some interesting comments. Although one question I always ask is why has no class d amp been anywhere near as loud as my old 200w at 8 ohm trace Elliot combo and there supposedly three or so times more powerful heads.

Is that not the p bass growl?