Amp Recommendations

[Linus27]

So I am after a new amp and I have narrowed it down to three so far (happy to take on other suggestions). I only play fretless and I play either a fretless Stingray, Jazz or Precision. The Stingray and Jazz have rounds and the Precision have flats. Tonally I seek a rounded, balanced, warm tone but as I am a melodic player, it still has to be clean enough to be defined. I tend to run my amps flat and then on the Stingray dial off the mids and maybe boost the bass and treble depending on the room. The Jazz usually has the volumes and tones on full and the Precision is similar with maybe the tone dialed back a little. I like to express the fretless tone and some mwah but closer to a double bass or perhaps Jamerson on a fretless than the whole Jaco sound if that makes sense. I am more of a Giblin/Pino than the clean, honky, nasally Jaco sound. The amp will be run through a Barefaced Two10 which I guess is quite vintage sounding and I do use a chorus and an octave.

 

At the moment I am using a very old Ashdown MiBass 550 which sounds lovely but old. Prior to that I used an Ampeg PF500 which was also lovely but very old and has seen hundreds of gigs. I've also used an EBS Reidmar many years back which I also loved but not sure its right for me these days, it might be a bit clean.

 

So the three amps I have narrowed down to is an Ashdown Rootmaster 500/800, Ampeg PF800 or possibly an EBS Reidmar. I have no idea what the Ashdown Rootmasters are like so I'd be interested on thoughts on these. They may be woolly, un-dynamic or a great workhorse with great tone. Ampeg I know I like but I've never run my Stingray through one and the Ashdown might be a better or worse choice. The EBS is the outside runner as I know they are very clean amps which might be good but it might also be too clean. I guess the answer could be all of the amps are great and would work but as I'm in the market to buy a new amp I'd be interested in others thoughts. I've linked below songs which is more in-line with the tone I am similar to to give an idea.

 

 

 

 

[bassace97]

Have you considered Aguilar ? I recently had the chance to play through a Tone Hammer 500 and was very impressed by how warm it sounded for a class D with no valves.

 

 

[Linus27]

1 minute ago, bassace97 said:

Have you considered Aguilar ? I recently had the chance to play through a Tone Hammer 500 and was very impressed by how warm it sounded for a class D with no valves.

 

 

 

I've not, or at least not properly with my basses. I have heard good things about them. Even noticed one being used at Ronnie Scotts by a double bassist and thought it sounded pretty good.

[bassace97]

The only experience I've had with the rootmaster was in a rehearsal room, I found it too boomy and undefined and easy to get lost in the mix, although I didn't have much time to mess with it. I'd also suggest Mesa WD/TT800, but they're very hard to find at the moment.

[Linus27]

2 minutes ago, bassace97 said:

The only experience I've had with the rootmaster was in a rehearsal room, I found it too boomy and undefined and easy to get lost in the mix, although I didn't have much time to mess with it. I'd also suggest Mesa WD/TT800, but they're very hard to find at the moment.

 

To be fair, my Ashdown Mibass can be a little boomy at times if I'm not careful so interesting you make this comment about the Rootmaster. I do find that its really room dependent and once the room fills up it totally changes and can sound very different.

[Merton]

7 minutes ago, bassace97 said:

The only experience I've had with the rootmaster was in a rehearsal room, I found it too boomy and undefined and easy to get lost in the mix, although I didn't have much time to mess with it. I'd also suggest Mesa WD/TT800, but they're very hard to find at the moment.

 

3 minutes ago, Linus27 said:

 

To be fair, my Ashdown Mibass can be a little boomy at times if I'm not careful so interesting you make this comment about the Rootmaster. I do find that its really room dependent and once the room fills up it totally changes and can sound very different.

Could be the cab too…

 

Personally found the Rootmaster 5/800 heads to be very good. Punchy, loud, clear, a good warm core tone, drive option is nice too.

[Linus27]

You make a good point about the cab, it does have quite a vintage tone although I do quite like the tone I have had when using my MiBass and PF500.

[Merton]

I didn’t read your first post properly - a Two10 and RM5/800 won’t sound boomy at all, as long as you don’t go crazy on the bass EQing of course

I basically ran that rig* last year and it was glorious.

 

*two One10s but the difference is negligible.

 

[Linus27]

Just now, Merton said:

I didn’t read your first post properly - a Two10 and RM5/800 won’t sound boomy at all, as long as you don’t go crazy on the bass EQing of course

I basically ran that rig* last year and it was glorious.

 

*two One10s but the difference is negligible.

 

 

Awesome, thank you, great to hear feedback on what would be pretty much the same setup

[Merton]

I’m mainly a rock player and so like warmth, punch, some grit, but also some clarity. The RM800 is a good class D head for all of that, especially paired with the Two10. I think it’s a huge step change from the MiBass heads. I only moved mine on because I managed to snag a Glockenklang Blue Rock which is incredible.

[Linus27]

Warmth, punchy and clarity is pretty much what I am after although the wording I used was rounded, balanced, warm and defined but pretty much the exact same description so the RM sounds like it ticks the box.

[Reggaebass]

1 hour ago, Linus27 said:

Ashdown Rootmaster 500/800

I’ve got the 500 , I wouldn’t say that it’s woolly , it can certainly sound deep    which suits me but imo it’s a very versatile amp, there’s a fair bit of reading here if it’s of any help, good luck with your search 👍

 

[Linus27]

Just now, Reggaebass said:

I’ve got the 500 , I wouldn’t say that it’s woolly , it can certainly sound deep    which suits me but imo it’s a very versatile amp, there’s a fair bit of reading here if it’s of any help, good luck with your search 👍

 

 

Ooohhh thank you very much, gonna go have a read now, thank you

[Reggaebass]

1 minute ago, Linus27 said:

 

Ooohhh thank you very much, gonna go have a read now, thank you

If your anywhere near me you’re welcome to borrow mine to try 

[Osiris]

@Linus27 Add the Genzler Magellan to your list too, it's hugely flexible and has shed loads of warmth, punch and clarity. 

[Linus27]

Thanks Osiris, will do 

[police squad]

I had the Ampeg PF500 and loved it

I now have the Rootmaster 500 EVO II and love it just as much.

If you're in Kent you're welcome to come and try it

[Linus27]

49 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

If your anywhere near me you’re welcome to borrow mine to try 

 

Thank you, that's very kind of you.

[Linus27]

6 minutes ago, police squad said:

I had the Ampeg PF500 and loved it

I now have the Rootmaster 500 EVO II and love it just as much.

If you're in Kent you're welcome to come and try it

 

Thank you, that's very kind of you.

[Linus27]

Thanks for all the great feedback and tips everyone. Reading the Rootmaster owners thread was also really useful and really interesting to see there are a whole bunch of very happy owners who also run them though a Barefaced Two10. So I think I am going going to pull the trigger and get one. Just need to decide on getting the 500 or 800. I'd probably be fine with the 500 but if I can afford an 800 then why now

[Merton]

Get this, if you don’t like it you won’t lose much/anything moving it on..:

 

 

[gjones]

I now own a Markbass CMD 121 but I played through an Ashdown MiBass 550 for some time and I really liked the sound. I've played through Ashdown Rootmasters in rehearsal rooms and I also like the warm, punchy sound they have. I was very impressed the first time I heard one, so I would reckon it's definitely one to consider if you like the Ashdown MiBass sound.

 

 

[Lozz196]

Another Ashdown RM500 (EVO-2) user here. Great amps, very versatile, very powerful sounding too, certainly not a thin sound from these.

[alexa3020]

Keep an eye on musik productiv- they had rootmaster 500 for £250 last week, brand new delivered.

over the last year or so they have had some excellent deals on Ashdown gear

[Lozz196]

That`s a ridiculously good price!