yelees Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Hey everybody... - I'm looking into new amp heads that have that sweet old school p-bass funky / gritty motown vibe that we all know and love... John Paul Jones played with that tone a fair amount, so does Flea...... but you all know what I'm talking about anyway.... I've been advised that the RH450 is 1) Powerful 2) Old-School vibey 3) generally aweosme. BUT I've also seen on these boards somebody selling one because it was too hi-fi / modern sounding and not old-school enough.... Hit me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 RH450. I saw that FS ad on here too... to be honest, it puzzled the hell out of me but we're all different I s'pose..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 It's modern in it's features, but definitely not hi fi! Give one a try...sounds like it might be right for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Yep, don't be put off by what one person says, another person's evaluation of tone is way too subjective a criteria on which to base your choice of kit (especially in a FS thread, the reasons people say they're selling and the reasons people are selling can be quite different). Same old rule applies, you've got to try it for yourself before you buy, or at least take a majority verdict Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I'm interested in what people have to say on this one too. The RH450 is over-spec'd for what I would need (don't need memories, tuner or compressor). How would the Orange Terror bass fit? (my ideal amp is an Ashdown ABM, but they won't fit in my gig-bag - neither will the orange but coiuld go in a backpack easy enough!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 [quote name='Bigwan' post='813615' date='Apr 21 2010, 11:45 AM']I'm interested in what people have to say on this one too. The RH450 is over-spec'd for what I would need (don't need memories, tuner or compressor).[/quote] Sounds like the TC Classic would be up your alley... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='813616' date='Apr 21 2010, 11:47 AM']Sounds like the TC Classic would be up your alley...[/quote] I had thought that, but £700 vs £450 for the Terror Bass? It would need to be some amp to justify that to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 (edited) [quote name='Bigwan' post='813639' date='Apr 21 2010, 12:08 PM']I had thought that, but £700 vs £450 for the Terror Bass? It would need to be some amp to justify that to me![/quote] Ah, fair enough. I've never used the Orange, so I can't really comment... It would have to go some to compete with the TC, though! I just love it... every note has punch. It's lovely. Edited April 21, 2010 by wateroftyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='813642' date='Apr 21 2010, 12:10 PM']Ah, fair enough. I've never used the Orange, so I can't really comment... It would have to go some to compete with the TC, though! I just love it... every note has punch. It's lovely.[/quote] I'm still tempted by the TC stuff, but more by the RH450 whether I need the extra features or not! The orange looks so cute though... pity it wasn't gigbag sized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 As a Terror Bass user, i'm using it mainly for that early seventies classic rock sound, and with two 12AX7's in the pre-amp, it adds more than enough grit. If you keep the gain down a smidge, it will do cleaner sounds. And at 500w into 4 or 8 ohms, it has enough headroom for pretty much any gig. Signed, A happy OTB user. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 It may not suit everyone but I reckon the Ashdown Little Bastard is superb. Exactly that old school valve sound I was looking for that you just can't get out of solid state IMO. It's so straightforward, no need messing with tones, effects, emulators, pods, pedals or whatever, set the controls to 12 o'clock - plug in & play. The 'Bass Shift' switch is all you need to go from old school to modern. Cheers, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Well, first off, I don't hear JPJ or Flea getting a sound within a mile of JJ at Motown. But if you want a full, fat, "old", vintage sound then check out GK, Markbass, a Tecamp Puma or Ampeg. I don't like Ashdown but they might get you close. Also TC amps are the latest flavour of a fat bass sound. I haven't heard one but they are getting enough comments to make them worth a listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 [quote name='chris_b' post='813830' date='Apr 21 2010, 02:56 PM']Well, first off, I don't hear JPJ or Flea getting a sound within a mile of JJ at Motown. But if you want a full, fat, "old", vintage sound then check out GK, Markbass, a Tecamp Puma or Ampeg. I don't like Ashdown but they might get you close. Also TC amps are the latest flavour of a fat bass sound. I haven't heard one but they are getting enough comments to make them worth a listen.[/quote] I totally agree re: Flea, but JPJ...? I'd put him within a mile. Sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I would define my trace V-type combo as very old school sounding. I replaced it with an Orange Terror bass amp which I found to be a bit darker and a lot dirtier. Just sold the Orange to buy my first ever all valve amp as I can't resist that snake oil any longer. Hmmm snake oil ^_^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yelees Posted April 21, 2010 Author Share Posted April 21, 2010 Yeah I've definitely heard JPJ rocking the classic p-bass motown vibe. Now I'm thinking about Flea and I can't actually name a specific tune... he's definitely rocked a lot of warm & old school tones in his time though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 WOT, you being a big Mesa fan (and an almost total TC convert going by recent posts!), how would you rate the Walkabout for vintage tones? I played a WA15 combo while on honeymoon in new york and it sounded seriously PHAT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 [quote name='Bigwan' post='813647' date='Apr 21 2010, 12:13 PM']The orange looks so cute though... pity it wasn't gigbag sized.[/quote] it comes in it's own carry bag, and wieghs nothing. you could probably get an old Motown thing going on with it with the gain set low, but then tone becomes less defined. Then my guess would be to suit the thing with a good 15", BF compact? The OTB is a nice amp. It's plug and play all the way, the TC classic is a nice head too, I was thinking of getting one before I brought the svt then brought the orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Don't know about the OP but I know the Little B*****d isn't what I'm after. I'm looking something that can do vintage/dirty but can do cleaner at a push, weighs next to nowt and will allow me to travel on a train with my bass and a small cab. I'm thinking the orange is close, but ideally I'd like gigbag-pocket size. I'm currently leaning more towards a Markbass F1 and a VT pedal for maximum flexibility. I think bass, amp, pedal, tuner and leads in gigbag and my aggie cab would be my ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Three choices with that criteria: LM3 plus VT F1 plus VT RH450 plus nowt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 [quote name='Bigwan' post='813863' date='Apr 21 2010, 03:33 PM']WOT, you being a big Mesa fan (and an almost total TC convert going by recent posts!), how would you rate the Walkabout for vintage tones? I played a WA15 combo while on honeymoon in new york and it sounded seriously PHAT![/quote] Yep.. that's the Walkabout all over. The WB head has been feted as the tubiest sounding SS head out there. I agree with that, but the TC is up there too. IMO the TC has more punch and clarity (not 'zing' or 'sizzle'.. more... 'quicker') which I actually think I prefer. I used to take the Walkabout combo to all my rehearsals & small backline gigs. Recently it's been the TC and a single Berg 210 every time... Seriously, the TC has rocked my world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 another and possibly cheaper solution that may give you more sound options is to get a Catalinbread SFT drive/od pedal. check out the Motown/p-bass/b15 vibe demo. this would be one way to carve those gritty warm tones out of a hi-fi modern sounding amp here's the link..... [url="http://www.catalinbread.com/SFT.html"]http://www.catalinbread.com/SFT.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.T Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 LM2 + VT pedal does the job for me. Just about any tone I want is in there! Having said that.... I'd quite like to try one of the TC amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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