DB amp head recommendation please

[Christian Topman]

Good evening basses,

 

I’d like to replace a mark bass nano amp with something else……I use it with either one or two barefaced 110 cabs, which sound great with the acoustic image head from my coda combo. 
nano sounds ok with electric bass, but I’m mostly on upright for which it gives a lot of boom, far too much salt, pepper, spice and colour for my taste.  
The AI is getting old and we all know the issues attached to that, though I hope I get lots from it yet.

So I’m looking for a backup head - light, sturdy, reliable and an honest straight forward sound.  I’m tempted to find a 2nd hand GK md 150…( though my one did last one did 30 years ), but I feel that might be a regressive step.  I imagine the market might have something more new and reliable - I’ve no doubt that I’m not unique in my preferences!

 

thanks in advance for any tips or shared experiences of good and bad used.

 

Christian

 

ps ai users, I have found an amp maker who thinks he can fully service AI gear.  I’ll report back with a name if it works out

[tinyd]

The Warwick Gnome and TC heads are pretty widely used (and not expensive). I have a Gnome and it works great for DB. 

I use a PJB C2 cab but there's somebody either here or on TalkBass that uses one of these amps with a Barefaced 110....

Edited 13 hours ago by tinyd

[Burns-bass]

The right DB amplifier will depend on a lot of factors, including:

• Your bass and its specific characteristics 
• What pickup you're using
• What type of music you're playing
• Whether you're going through the PA (and need the amp just for stage volume)
• If you're using a HPF or pre-amp
• Your budget
• What kind of sound you want (hi-fi replication for jazz, or a more aggressive tone for blues etc.)
• How picky you are (I'm not picky, other people are)

I use Barefaced cabinets and have settled on an EBS amp as it provided both the quality of sound and the character I want for bluegrass. For other music, it wouldn't be appropriate or suitable. 

 

I also have a Trace Elliot Elf as a back up, but this is just a small amp I can stick in a case.