Best head for funk?

[lownote]

Now obv a lot depends on the EQ, but just wondered if any funk players especially loved the underlying sound of their head in this genre.  Looking for 300-500w playing into a Markbass 121H cab with the option of an Ashdown 115 underneath.  Yes I know you shouldn't mix cabs but they're all I've got at the moment. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by lownote12

[BassBunny]

Ashdown Retroglide 800. Some blurb from Ashdown:

"Retroglide-800. Hand built in the UK Custom Shop the Retroglide is an 800 watt funk powerhouse."

I've got one and have to agree.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

There's a lot more to funk than EQ. Bootsy and Rocco aren't defined by their tone, they're defined by their chops. The thing you don't want to do is have too much low end, as that doesn't work well with staccato technique. With funk the bass isn't a background instrument, it's a lead instrument, so it should be mid prominent.

[redbandit599]

Dropping you a PM as have a contender for sale - not far from you either 😉

 

[PatrickJ]

On 15/02/2020 at 17:00, BassBunny said:

Ashdown Retroglide 800. Some blurb from Ashdown:

"Retroglide-800. Hand built in the UK Custom Shop the Retroglide is an 800 watt funk powerhouse."

I've got one and have to agree.

How do you find the fan volume, and output level?

[Kiwi]

It really doesn't matter.  It's like asking what bass is best for funk...or metal even.  It's not the amp that makes it funky and, so long as you get an amp that gives you enough control to get a sound that works for you, then that's all which is needed.  I used a GK rig for a while in my dance/pop covers band because (as Bill Fitzmaurice suggested) it helped keep the mids prominent in a set up that otherwise favoured scooped mids.  

And don't get me started on which types of funk we're talking about either.  Just go with whatever you like - valves and flats on a J bass for 70's, solid state and lightweight strings on a thru neck for 80's, stingray and gk amp for 90's, hybrid amp (SWR/Eden) with a MTD/Smith/Tobias for noughties, pretty much every kind of amp is covered within that genre.

[BassBunny]

11 hours ago, PJ-Bassist said:

How do you find the fan volume, and output level?

The fan is slightly noisy, but fine in a gig situation. I always use a Tascam and headphones at home, so it doesn't bother me. The output level is interesting. When I first got it I was disappointed and compared to the MarkBass SA450 it was replacing, it seemed very under powered. I spoke to Dave Green at Ashdown, (who designed the amp), and he pointed out that the amp's output stage is different to most amps on the market. It has a linear volume control, so to get maximum output, you turn it to max. Most amps, MarkBass included, have their maximum volume at 12 O'Clock and then have a limiter to prevent it going further.

His advice was set the Volume to maximum and control it with the input. That made an enormous difference. I found the same issue with an EA iAmp that has the same kind of design.

[chris_b]

On 15/02/2020 at 16:42, lownote12 said:

Now obv a lot depends on the EQ, but just wondered if any funk players especially loved the underlying sound of their head in this genre.  Looking for 300-500w playing into a Markbass 121H cab with the option of an Ashdown 115 underneath.  Yes I know you shouldn't mix cabs but they're all I've got at the moment. 

IMO the gear, even the EQ, is secondary to what you play but the most important part is how you play it. 

I'd say an Ashdown or Markbass amp would sound pretty good, and match up with some of your cabs. IMO you can't go wrong with Aguilar. I'd go for a 500 watt amp so you can get a good, clean sound at any volume.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

2 hours ago, chris_b said:

IMO the gear, even the EQ, is secondary to what you play but the most important part is how you play it.

+1. No matter what he was playing with and through Jaco always sounded like Jaco.

[51m0n]

On 17/02/2020 at 09:47, BassBunny said:

The fan is slightly noisy, but fine in a gig situation. I always use a Tascam and headphones at home, so it doesn't bother me. The output level is interesting. When I first got it I was disappointed and compared to the MarkBass SA450 it was replacing, it seemed very under powered. I spoke to Dave Green at Ashdown, (who designed the amp), and he pointed out that the amp's output stage is different to most amps on the market. It has a linear volume control, so to get maximum output, you turn it to max. Most amps, MarkBass included, have their maximum volume at 12 O'Clock and then have a limiter to prevent it going further.

His advice was set the Volume to maximum and control it with the input. That made an enormous difference. I found the same issue with an EA iAmp that has the same kind of design.

I went from an sa450 to an EA iAmp Classic, 1200w monster, and completely agree! Very odd having to dime the volume at gigs, but it's very strong down low, so it can be very easy to dismiss it as not loud enough, it is but I've had to really work on finding the best eq settings to get it to work right within the context of my band. It's a killer amp though...