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£1400 for a new head, what to buy?


Sean.Robinson
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Hi well pending a certain sale it looks like im going to be in the market for a new amp head. Im not going to spend all of the money on a new amp but i am putting £1400 from the sale aside for a new head. I primarily tend to go for valve amps however im curious to any recommendations for a new head up to 1400 in case there is anything i havn't considered. Something i am particularly interested in is the Gallien-Krueger stuff as ive never being able to try one myself buy when ive heard other doodleing around on them they have sounded brilliant. I would probably be leaning towards the GT2001RB, but has anyone any experience with the new Fusion heads. Also iirc wasnt there a 1000watt fusion advertised on the website at one point as i can no longer seem to find any info on it.

So ye, it would be great to hear anyones, opinions, sugestions or reviews on any amp head up to the price ppoint and thanks in advance for any comments :)

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Don't think 'right, £1400 to spend on an amp...', why not just go round, try out as many amp heads as you can without considering price, and buy the one you like best, be it £500 or £1500 :)

Edited by Kev
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[quote name='Kev' post='550689' date='Jul 24 2009, 11:05 PM']Don't think 'right, £1400 to spend on an amp...', why not just go round, try out as many amp heads as you can without considering price, and buy the one you like best, be it £500 or £1500 :)[/quote]

Hi, i think its definitely a logic i want to avoid, im basically looking for suggestions really for things to try with the most i can spend being 1400. It has being useful already as with Chris_Bs post as to be honest id forgotten all about Thunderfunk. As i say i am very tempted by a Gallien Krueger however want to get my hands on one first before investing and looking around a new one is only £820, so i aint going to turn my nose up at saving £600. Thanks for bringing that up though and giving me the chance to clarify on it, i dont really like the thought process of i have x amount so im going to try my very best to spend x amount

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[quote name='Sean.Robinson' post='550718' date='Jul 24 2009, 11:33 PM']Hi, i think its definitely a logic i want to avoid, im basically looking for suggestions really for things to try with the most i can spend being 1400. It has being useful already as with Chris_Bs post as to be honest id forgotten all about Thunderfunk. As i say i am very tempted by a Gallien Krueger however want to get my hands on one first before investing and looking around a new one is only £820, so i aint going to turn my nose up at saving £600. Thanks for bringing that up though and giving me the chance to clarify on it, i dont really like the thought process of i have x amount so im going to try my very best to spend x amount[/quote]


I'm guessing because I can see Huddersfield in your info you must have either decided against Matamp or already own one.

Anyway it would be my first choice (and was :))

GT200 ... come to daddy :rolleyes:

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[quote name='Monz' post='550722' date='Jul 24 2009, 11:41 PM']I'm guessing because I can see Huddersfield in your info you must have either decided against Matamp or already own one.

Anyway it would be my first choice (and was :rolleyes:)

GT200 ... come to daddy :lol:[/quote]

Hi, ive been down matamp a few times and their stuff is amazing. There a bunch of great guys too and there on the short list, however they have one or two things in the works which im very interested in. Obviously i dont know what they have said to others and so it wouldn't be fair to disclose details, but for the moment it means i am ampless :)

Another head im considering is a Mesa 400+ again though not something ive been able to play yet and they seem to be rather hard to ind at the momment

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That's the 440W Soul II, £975 from [url="http://www.smart-distribution.co.uk/"]http://www.smart-distribution.co.uk/[/url] , more at: [url="http://www.glockenklang.de/en/products/products_bass.htm"]http://www.glockenklang.de/en/products/products_bass.htm[/url]
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Don't do it!

I spent about that on my Mesa MPulse 600.

It's a beautiful, beautiful thing. Really.

But.. no matter how beautiful it is I can't escape the feeling of guilt of spending so much on a depreciating asset like an amp.

A bass? Fairy nuff.

An amp? Different. For some reason.

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I had the same sort of cash situation around xmas time. It could have gone on a holiday...and then that would have been it. £1400+ on two weeks, a few awesome memories. So, when I think of amp depreciation, I make sure I remember it could have all been fluttered away. At that sort of price range, upgrading to a better car would have also been a waste.

My suggestion is try and test. I bought my Orange for a good price considering I knew it had literally just been put out on the shop floor. So...any early depreciation doesnt matter now because I saved a fair whack anyway.

Be prepared to haggle and search for the best online prices.

I had my heart set on a classic all tube amp, and if it didnt sing straight away....and I mean instantly, I moved on. I don't understand why people have to eq for a few hours to get their sound. If the amp isn't your sound, no EQ or pre-shape will help you. I tested the Ampeg VR 300W all tube and it just didnt feel right. It weighed far too much, and I knew Ampeg were starting to 'sink' so to speak, so depreciation on that would have been massive.

I definitely suggest looking at Mesa, Orange, Hiwatt, Matamp, and Glock. There are a lot more out there. Maybe even a top end lightweight amp?

Have fun :)

Edited by Musicman20
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+1 for the Thunderfunk or Glock.

To qualify, I would select those because at the kind of money you are talking about one amp is not better than another, there are just tonal differences. However, both of these manufacturers make a quality sounding product that is reliable, noise free (other than that which you induce) and are of a reasonable weight (not always important to everyone). I KNOW there will be Aguilar/Epifani/TE/MB/Mesa/Ampeg/etc/etc users who will be able to say the same thing and I couldn't/wouldn't argue but for me those two manufacturers 'just' nudge ahead.

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...and straight along comes an Aguilar and Epi user. If you're looking for a very clean, articulate, hifi tone with channel switching and some non-tube warmth then the Epi (ul502 or ul902) is worth a look. I just about prefer Epis to Glocks but in this sub-sector of the market it's more or less down to personal taste and feature-set rather than quality. For a highly articulate and warm tone with incredible presence, heft and power, then the Aguilar DB750 should fit the bill. I haven't tried the newly released 751 - some of the mid shelving has been adjusted on the new model but I don't have any problem with that on the 750. Either an Epi or an Aguilar would come in at or below your price (the latter only just)

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If it was me I would get these:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aguilar-DB680-Bass-Pre-amp_W0QQitemZ320400047323QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL?hash=item4a9954bcdb&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1688|293%3A1|294%3A50"]Aguilar DB 680[/url]
And
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-CROWN-XTI-2000-XTI2000-POWER-AMPLIFIER-AMP-SALE_W0QQitemZ150248284085QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL?hash=item22fb7edfb5&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1688|293%3A1|294%3A50"]Crown XTi Power Amp[/url]

All the power and flexibility you'll ever need.

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But what sound do you want?

If you want the ultimate clean sound get an Avalon U5 and a big power amp. If you want something similar but smaller and lighter get a Markbass SD1200, EA iAmp 800, Glock or Epifani UL. If you want something more aggressive get a GK or a Mesa Carbine (the 1001RB is more than enough power). If you want something more coloured but still solidstate get a Thunderfunk. If you want something tiny but awesome sounding get a Markbass, Eden, GK, or Genz Benz micro-amp - lots of different flavours. If you want something more valvey get a Mesa Big Block or GK Fusion. And so it goes on, and on and on and on...

As you say you like the GK sound then I'd get a 1001RBII and keep the spare money for when you decide you want an awesomely badass cab like the one on the left. :)

Alex

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[quote name='jonthebass' post='550858' date='Jul 25 2009, 08:49 AM']I've heard good things about, and been recommended highly, the Mesa Boogie M6 Carbine.
Bass Direct are doing them for a good price at the mo...[/quote]

+1 for the Mesa Carbine, I've got the M9 and its fantastic, tried the M6 out and that was mental loud also.

Have just sold my GK1001 but I would also highly recommend that.

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Ahhh, £1400 quid for a new head, to be in that position again!

When it comes to the top end stuff, it just depends on what you are looking for.

I had a similar figure and ended up with the EBS Fafner, but the GK rb stuff and Aguilar DB 750 were very tempting, as was the Mesa Big Block 750 which ended up being a bit too high for my price range!

All I can say is that I wasn't tempted by the Ampeg SVT Classic, mainly as a tube went when I was trying it out.

I would love to have an opinion on the Glockenklang stuff, but I can't have an opinion on something I've never tried!

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I'd be looking 2nd hand 1st and foremost to get rid of any depreciation issues.

Also, I'd want it to be made by a western salaried tech for that money..talking of which, I wouldn't have a Mesa as two many guitarists I've known have had problems and my amp man says they are poorly made inside.
He hates getting them in to repair.. so, lovely sound, but............. IMO

On my radar would be Aguilar pre's and amps, Markbass, Glocks and erm..that will do for now..

It wil be fun getting round to trying therm all

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