jonnywillmott Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Hi there guys im new to bass and play mainly metal using a Esp LTD 204SM bass I have a budget of around £400, ive seen a used ampeg pf 350 head and cabinet for £350, do you think this would be suitable ? any other ideas would be much appreciated Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 I think you'd run out of steam if you plan on playing good and loud. The PF350 isn't well known for being loud and I had one for a while and felt that it lacked cut. Look out for a Gallien Krueger 400RB or Hartke 3500; more bang for your buck and can be had cheap. Great tone for heavier music too. Trace Elliot GP heads are pretty good value at the moment and even their 150w heads are capable of pretty decent volume levels. Cab wise, keep your eyes peeled for a Peavey, Ashdown or Trace Elliot 4x10. They're unpopular due to size and weight so can be had really cheap. Trace Elliot 1153 cabs are pretty good too and very cheap at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lw. Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 I don't think that Ampeg would have enough tbh - I'd be looking at a solid used 4x10; those Peavey's are awesome but incredibly heavy (which fortunately makes them cheap). Head-wise something old & solid state could be good then put one of those Behringer faux-sans amps in front of it for that gritty metal sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_rumble_500_2014.htm fender rumble 500w, sorted....free delivery too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LewisK1975 Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Amp-wise, Truckstop has nailed it really, a GK / Hartke head will work really well for what you need. Also where are you based? I know someone selling an 8ohm 600watt Ashdown ABM 4x10 with switchable tweeter, on wheels with a roqsolid cover for £150. Based In South Wales (Ebbw Vale) though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indiegrungesound Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 I'd say a lot of your decision depends on what the cabinet is TBH! The PF 350 has a lovely tone and a very good D.I.. I think the frequency knobs/pots were starting to crackle on mine the last time I used it. However, it hasn't ever had the reliability problems that reported plague it's bigger brothers the PF 500 & 800. In short, the PF 350 is better as a recording amp. Not quite sure how it'd stand up in a metal band gig after gig. Get a Hartke head and match it with a decent 4x10". If space/size/weight is an issue, go for 2 2x10"s or 2 1x12"s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 I considered the Ampeg in question, and while I never played one, I did extensive reading of reviews and the overwhelming response was that, while it's a good-sounding amp, it lacks power, and more concerning is that it seems to be unreliable. An alarming amount of reviews reported that the amp craps out at high volume. This immediately put me off, unfortunately. The Fender Rumble 500v3 combo is getting rave reviews at the moment - even Duff McKagan has jumped from Gallien-Krueger to Fender recently. For power and portability, it seems to be the one at the moment. While I'm tempted by it, I'm still swithering over whether to maybe opt for a second hand Genz Benz Contour or an SWR. It can get confusing when everyone starts to weigh in with their opinions. I tend to see what comes back as the more frequently recommended options, then road test them or visit YouTube and listen to demos. The GK recommended would, as others have said, give you excellent oomph for the style of music you play and the right amount of bang for thy buck. Keep us posted, and let us know what you plump for in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 (edited) There's a Trace Elliot 600w head on eBay (High Wycombe) for £245 - if this doesn't give you the volume you need then nothing will. I think I may even have posted details in the "weird and wonderful" thread. Here you go: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/282113-nuclear-warhead-te/ Edited April 16, 2016 by TheGreek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimmyc Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 I reckon you can get a great rig for that money, if you're prepared to shop around (eBay, Gumtree, Basschat...). The advice you got here about good brands is solid, but I'd advise against some stuff like Hartke and Behringer. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I choose my gear by how large and heavy it is. NB. Big and heavy used to be a good thing but now it isn't! Think about the practicality of transporting it all before you shell out on those 4x10s! I've used Ashdown for playing metal these last five years. It's easy to come by, cheap as chips and even the MAG combos sound good with an extension cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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