Delius

Thanks guys, very helpful. [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1376399161' post='2173324'] Best advice I`d have re brands is go and watch a few local bands, then when you hear a bass tone you like, check out the amp. That`s how I ended up using Markbass - every time I liked a bassists tone, it was a Markbass rig. [/quote] Well funnily enough that's how I heard of Markbass too - I play keyboard in a soul band and the bassist has a LittleMark iii that sounds great (Bergantino cab though).

I've recently ordered a new bass so I figured what the hell, it's probably about time I treated myself to a new amp as well. First things first - my budget is approx £500 (could stretch to £750 for the right second-hand deal I guess). Currently I've got a Marshall BassState B150 combo, which I've had for about 15 years. It's served me very well, and I've had no complaints in that time except maybe I could do with a wee bit more headroom on the odd occasion I've had to play against a loudish band with no PA support. The problem is - there's so much choice out there and I'm pretty clueless about what's what with amps these days. Have been doing a lot of looking around, and the GK MB210-ii looks pretty good to me. In fact it looks too good to be true in terms of weight versus performance. Can such a lightweight amp really sound any good?? Is it a good bet? Along a similar line, Ampeg Portaflex PF350 + PF210 looks interesting, if rather less powerful (actually from the photos the cab looks a bit flimsy). I also see, for example, a lot of used Ashdown combos out there, and back in the day that was something I lusted after but then again I wonder why so many people are selling them if they're all that. I'm not averse to getting a head+cab necessarily, but relative portability and ease of carrying are my prime concerns aside from budget. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom to offer? Trying gear out is a bit difficult for me due to my location and an extremely busy summer. I'm not overly concerned about the exact sound, more about general oomph and reliability.