Mudpup Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 (edited) Need some help choosing a new backup amp. Main bass is a Euro 4lx. Main amp is a Hartke LH500. Love the warmth, punch and fatness of the Hartke but struggling to settle on a spare amp. Would like something different but with similar qualities. Also have an Ashdown ABM500RC evo 3 and find it too soft, big and bassy for my taste so thats probably going to go. Today tried an Ampeg PF500 and GK RB700. Thought the GK sounded nice in a hifi sort of way and the Ampeg was ok but had just the one sound which i think i like - the mid controls didnt seem to do much though. Any thoughts on the above or possibly a GK MB500 instead? The logical thing to do is buy another LH500 but it'd be nice to try something different. Need about 500 watts and running a couple of 15" cabs. Playing noisy modernrock covers mainly. If anyones got something suitable they want to trade for the Ashdown, drop me a pm (hope this doesnt break any rules, let me know if it does and i'll edit the post) Cheers __________________ Spector Club member #290 Edited May 31, 2012 by Mudpup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebuckets Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 although ive settled on an orange Terror bass the Harley Benton head I had previously from Thomann is great value at £170 (or the combo with removeable head is £230) small but 500w and is very similar to the ibanez promethean head. as a back up its probably hard to beat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 What about an Ampeg SVT3PRO. There have been a couple in the FS section lately. I used one for nearly 10 years. Loved the tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 As it's a backup and will probably never be needed, unless you don't take it with you to a gig of course, then I'd say anything that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Depending on volume needed, I`d look at a Gallien Krueger MB200 (the GKs are very loud) and some form of pedal to warm it up a bit, seeing as it`s backup gear. Other than that, the GK MB Fusion 500 is a kind of cross between the MB500 and the Ampeg PF500 - it has the clinical GK sound, but a lot more depth than the MB500, due to the pre-amp valves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 If you have a PA system then don't bother with a backup amp. Just get a DI box/preamp instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Got a Hartke VXL preamp/di thingy but do a load of pub gigs too so ideally need a head. Just checked out the GK MB500 Fusion and it looks like it'll do the job. Hard to find in the shops locally for a demo though. Lozz, do you wanna sell yours? Cheers guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 For a backup, get a power amp and a pre amp like a THammer. That way, you have to power amp to serve a P.A failure as well, unless you run actives. and a DI for the bass ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 [quote name='Mudpup' timestamp='1338535540' post='1675856'] Got a Hartke VXL preamp/di thingy but do a load of pub gigs too so ideally need a head. Just checked out the GK MB500 Fusion and it looks like it'll do the job. Hard to find in the shops locally for a demo though. Lozz, do you wanna sell yours? �� Cheers guys [/quote] Def not, it`s going nowhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Personally if I had some cash to splash on a spare head, I'd go for the smallest head possible so I could take it with my in my leads bag. Maybe the ashdown MiBass? Or someone's selling an EA Micro head on here for like £320, gotta be worth a punt at that price! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I was using a PF500 until it went wrong and now I've gone back to my hartke ha3500. I'm shocked how good the hartke still is. (it's heavy etc) but a great sound. Lucky to have it as a spare. Lookng forward to getting the ampeg back. Hopefully it won't go wrong again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 Just pushed the button on a Gallien MB Fusion thanks guys. Will arrive Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Congrats, they`re great amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1338536227' post='1675863'] For a backup, get a power amp and a pre amp like a THammer. That way, you have to power amp to serve a P.A failure as well, unless you run actives. and a DI for the bass ... [/quote] That is a really good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 We've already got 6k of PA power amps!!!! I dont need another one The Hartke thingy would work as an emergency but i like a backline for onstage monitoring. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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