Orange Terror Bass 500

[bj_rocke]

Got a Terror bass head the other day, used it at practise last night for the first time..... OMG what an amp!!! i cant believe the volume and the tone that comes from this tiny head!!

I couldnt stop smiling all practise! lol

I was running it with my Ampeg 8x10 and i play in a metal band where the guitarist uses 2 cabs and i had plenty of volume to be heard very clearly.

After many years of playing differant Ampeg heads a Ashdown head and a Marshall VBA, i have finally found "my tone" very happy indeed!

Just thought i'd share that with you all lol

[Lozz196]

Nice one, those OTBs are little beasts aren`t they? I had one for a while, paired with many different cab set-ups, but the cab I liked it best with was the Ampeg 8x10 I tried it out with in the shop. Great pairing, imv.

[Dubs]

Welcome to the club

[SirChewey]

Have a look into re-valving V1. I've put a Harma Retro in my OTB1000 - great sound, great feel. Have a play once you've got used to it. Awesome amps especially with passive basses.

Edited October 27, 2011 by SirChewey

[Cat Burrito]

I too did the Harma Retro mod. It's been my only head for a while now

[Bassman Rich]

I tried a 5751 electro harmonics gold in V1, was quite good, what Harma Retro did you guys use please?

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='Bassman Rich' timestamp='1319742435' post='1418115']
I tried a 5751 electro harmonics gold in V1, was quite good, what Harma Retro did you guys use please?
[/quote]
ECC83 Retro Harma Valves as mentioned in my signature strip. Takes a little of the grunt off so the sound doesn't break up quite so early. It's a subtle difference but a step in the right direction

[xgsjx]

I would hope that you'd be able to hear yourself at practice with an 8x10 regardless of amp!

Congrats on finding "Your" sound.
Some folk spend an eternity doing that!

[Lozz196]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1319750016' post='1418284']
I would hope that you'd be able to hear yourself at practice with an 8x10 regardless of amp!

Congrats on finding "Your" sound.
Some folk spend an eternity doing that!
[/quote]

And a fortune!

[SirChewey]

[quote name='BurritoBass' timestamp='1319741170' post='1418081']
I too did the Harma Retro mod. It's been my only head for a while now
[/quote]
I wasn't aware that this is a usual mod - I did mine with swap with valves we had lying around the studio, then swapped in the Retro and it sang something the others didn't. I only bothered with V1. Did you swap both out? if so what differences did adding the extra retro in V2 make as looking at the circuit diagram it looks like it acts as a buffer to the effects loop rather than sculpt any noticable sound. I'm no pro when it comes to circuitry btw as you can possibly tell if you or someone can point me in the right direction, that would be good lol

[Matte_black]

I'd be curious to compare it to an all-tube. In the clips it sounds very warm.

[SirChewey]

I think some of that might be that all the eq boosts are subtle, none of this +15db stuff, all the cuts are propper cuts and if all your eq is 0 then you have no sound! I actually find that the eq is perfect completely flat through my rig and sounds natural and stops people trying to boost stuff rather than cutting eq to make a curve and bringing up the volume a little if needed. You just end up with frequencies that the bass can't naturally produce and all sounds horrible to my ear. Maybe that is something that most bass players do and not being able to do this gives it that more 'natural warmth'.

I've found that this amp is perfect for passive basses, you can really work the sound with your fingers. Actives in this amp sound dead IMO and not the amp you want if your looking around, I'm sure you'd find something better.

[Pow_22]

[quote name='Matte_black' timestamp='1319757600' post='1418424']
I'd be curious to compare it to an all-tube. In the clips it sounds very warm.
[/quote]

If you have the back to cope with the weight, a valve amp generally wipes the floor with a terror bass

Edited October 28, 2011 by Pow_22

[umcoo]

When I had an AD200B, I tried the Terror and it does get a similar sound and tone, but the heft and brute force of an AD200B just tips it for me. If you're looking for a valve-ish amp with great sound, you wouldn't go wrong with a Terror Bass.

[deej]

[quote name='SirChewey' timestamp='1319795101' post='1418606']I've found that this amp is perfect for passive basses, you can really work the sound with your fingers. Actives in this amp sound dead IMO....[/quote]

I'd agree with this. I only play actives and ive been forcing myself to try and like this amp for ages now. Something just isnt working for me though.

[Matte_black]

I have an SVT2 that sounds wonderful and I have no troubles with the weight. But you know... if something goes wrong with tubes... they need to cool down before you can move the amp, they need to warm up before you play...

[SirChewey]

[quote name='deej' timestamp='1319822567' post='1419069']

I'd agree with this. I only play actives and ive been forcing myself to try and like this amp for ages now. Something just isnt working for me though.
[/quote]

Try and play a passive Jazz through it, you may find it opens up a whole new world. I find I can play any style through it and can get a huge range of sounds. All I use is my bass and a compressor for my sound, and play everything from funk to jazz to rock and metal and does all of this to a high standard. Personally I have never seen the point with actives, I just find them a little dull through most things, they just seem to have this artificial sound. Sorry for all you active players out there, nothing personal, just my pref.

[deej]

[quote name='SirChewey' timestamp='1319846269' post='1419412'] Try and play a passive Jazz through it, you may find it opens up a whole new world. I find I can play any style through it and can get a huge range of sounds. All I use is my bass and a compressor for my sound, and play everything from funk to jazz to rock and metal and does all of this to a high standard. Personally I have never seen the point with actives, I just find them a little dull through most things, they just seem to have this artificial sound. Sorry for all you active players out there, nothing personal, just my pref.[/quote]

Yeah, I have been considering picking up a cheapish jazz and seeing how I get on with it. I had a mexican 5 string years ago that I didnt like, but they were early days and I didnt know much about gear then or how to get the sounds I wanted.

Ive played a PJ bass through the Terror and it did sound more what I was hoping for. Less breakup, a fatter tone, not so much honk in the upper mids. I think because most actives have a strong low end, and the OTB is very bass heavy, theres just too much going on there. Its all boom and no thickness.

[SirChewey]

[quote name='deej' timestamp='1319870850' post='1419470']

Yeah, I have been considering picking up a cheapish jazz and seeing how I get on with it. I had a mexican 5 string years ago that I didnt like, but they were early days and I didnt know much about gear then or how to get the sounds I wanted.

Ive played a PJ bass through the Terror and it did sound more what I was hoping for. Less breakup, a fatter tone, not so much honk in the upper mids. I think because most actives have a strong low end, and the OTB is very bass heavy, theres just too much going on there. Its all boom and no thickness.
[/quote]

I looked around for ages for the 'right' bass for me. I loved the 70's reissue fender necks but after playing several American ones I found them a little too 'polite', I wanted something with a bit more character and 'testicular growl' if you get my drift. I ended up with a Geddy Lee Fender Jazz which I like the look and feel of the neck much better than the other reissues as well as the pickups and spacing. The only thing was that it was MIJ, but to be honest that didn't put me off, if anything I think they have made a great job. Plus I saved £1000! I played them blind and chose the Geddy and have been more than happy with my decision. You can pick them up for between £500 and £650 second hand and new retail about £850. The necks on them are possibly one of Fenders best kept secrets, ultra thin and quick maple neck with some nice blocks. Couldn't recommend them high enough.

[munkonthehill]

I use the bass terror 500H and SP212 rig with my Fender Jaguar and Ric 4003. The Ric being passive sounds awesome. But the Jag plays just as awesome. Due to the lack of EQ flexibility on the head, I feel the active circuit on the Jag gives me what I need.

Its in no way dull and sings the way it should through the amp. In fairness though it sounds really good through any amp being it solid, hybrid or all valve.

So I wouldnt be put off from this amp if you only own an active bass.

[vinorange]

I use a variety of active basses with the Terror 500 and it sounds superb. My fave set up is my Modulus VJ4 with East J retro pre-amp. The combination is trouser flappingly good.

I've had to use my Boss sound board to filter out some boominess here and there but it is superb now with my purple chillii 4 x 10. It cuts through the mix with our noisy drummer easily and gives me wonderful tone.

I was sold on the Eden tone for years but have given up due to unreliability and with a few bits of Eq filtering I have a similar tone to the prerequisite Eden enhance tone but with a rock solid reliable loud lightweight head.

I couldn't ask for more really especially given that I don't fancy lumping all tube heads around.

[sirmuppet]

I loved the tone of my Terror Bass 500. Lately I think I was looking for more treble than it could produce. That said, putting a preamp in via the effects loop seemed to work great. Would love to try via an Ampeg 8x10.

[bassmachine2112]

Hiho,I,ve had a terror 500 head and sp212 cab for 18 months now and the trick to open up the eq is to stick a bdi21 pedal in front of the amp,more than enough top end.
It just has that tone and commands a place in the mix,no nonsense.
Me to,found my sound or it found me.
Always fancied doing some valve rolling but it sounds great.My one is a later one with the DI fixed and they may have used different valves to the original batch in v1 and 2.
Still swithering over second cab but happy with one,does the job easilly.

[bouns]

I was almost ready to buy this little beast as a back up to my chillbass tube amp, but what I read about burning condos frightened me. Did some of you have such problem?