geoffbyrne Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 So. I'm getting a few shekels together through selling this and that and if things come to fruition over the next week or two I'll have about£450 to spend on a small head. This will be to replace my entirely trustworth UK built redface Ashdown MAG400 - it's the 485W@4Ohms one - coupled with a Berhinger 5 band parametric equaliser hooked into the FX loop which I use as a highpass filter set to 32Hz and to boost 180Hz, reduce 800Hz and boost 4Khz a little - it suits my ears!! I' want approximately the same power - it'll be going through a 1x15 Eminence rated at 450W & a 1x15 Celestion rated at 250W collectively at 4 Ohms. I really fancy the Ibanez Promethean which I can get from Thomann for £360 (I think) but should I be able to get a Markbass - which one & how does it compare & of course there's the GK Shuttles too..... Decisions decisions. All thought/opinions/bias/bigotry (about amp heads) welcome!!! G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I've been using the Shuttle 6 for the last couple of years and have been extremely pleased. It has proved very reliable and plenty loud enough for my needs. No issues so far, other than a crackly master volume knob, which I think a few of them have suffered from. All sorted with some switch cleaner. On one gig it got a bit sulky and cut out momentarily, but we were being powered by a generator, which I think was the problem. I've been using it with Mark Bass cabs so not sure how helpful my opinion can be given you cab choice is very different. Are you after getting the same sound as your current amp or something different? All the best, Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 16, 2010 Author Share Posted June 16, 2010 Thanks for the reply, Gary. The sound I'm getting is probably not 'Old School' since I use the parametric in ways you can't use traditional tone knobs, so I'm thinking the graphic on the Promethean will go some way toward getting a similar kind of tone. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassie Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I must: Why are you replacing something you seem to like and trust? Why not just add to the ranks? Or get another of the same thing for backup? I'd be spending on a bass... you implied riff-raff could respond... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 (edited) [quote name='Count Bassie' post='869574' date='Jun 16 2010, 11:30 PM']I must: Why are you replacing something you seem to like and trust? Why not just add to the ranks? Or get another of the same thing for backup? I'd be spending on a bass... you implied riff-raff could respond... [/quote] OK Riff-raff I'm 63. I have 5 stents in my heart. I have hip problems not to mention the arthritis. I can no longer lift/carry heavy items. The Ashdown is great but simply too big & heavy for me these days. So I want something lighter. OK? G. Edited June 17, 2010 by geoffbyrne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 The best overall value lightweight amp, for me, is the Markbass LM2/3. £560 ish new, prices vary secondhand Clear, warm and articulate is how I would describe MB. Great kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 [quote name='Musicman20' post='870180' date='Jun 17 2010, 08:13 PM']The best overall value lightweight amp, for me, is the Markbass LM2/3. £560 ish new, prices vary secondhand Clear, warm and articulate is how I would describe MB. Great kit.[/quote] I'd agree wit that. I wanted a LM for my little practice box. As it truned out these fetch silly money 2nd hand and therefore I went for a PJB D-200. I'm impressed with that and its smaller than the LM but way down on power (in forness I was only after the LM250). Markbass kit is very good quality, clear hi-fi solid state tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 (edited) If weight is a thing, but I wanted 500watts of power, I would look at Markbass amps. On my list to check out would be LM ll/lll or F1/500 but they are getting pretty well spec'ed and fancy. Or...TC RH450..??all of which Gareth is well versed in and could tell you all about them. Cabs would be single 12" so GS112x 2...? I think you'd need to commit at least £1000 to get that rig with a bit of searching, second-hand...maybe you would not get the RH450 and the fancier Markbass F1/F500 though. Edited June 17, 2010 by JTUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 If you want good tone, loud noise, light weight and good value you should get an LM2/3 (6lbs), Compact (26lbs) and a trolley. Sorted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 I'm keeping the cabs I've got, so it'd be approx £450 to buy the head. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassie Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 [quote name='geoffbyrne' post='870149' date='Jun 17 2010, 02:33 PM']OK Riff-raff I'm 63. I have 5 stents in my heart. I have hip problems not to mention the arthritis. I can no longer lift/carry heavy items. The Ashdown is great but simply too big & heavy for me these days. So I want something lighter. OK? G.[/quote] Permission granted! A friend of mine here in the states has a Euphonic Audio Micro 300, seems to like it a lot. Thing just about fits in your back pocket... it's actually comparable in size to the LM II. EA also makes a 500 model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audiokostas Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 (edited) Wanting something easy to carry, with good sound for small gigs and rehearsals (with my -what we like to believe as a- blues /rock band) and within my limited budget, I ended up with Eden Nemesis NA-320 (about 250 GBP). Put it in a light but sturdy made of plastic ABS case and I've never regretted it. Edited June 18, 2010 by Audiokostas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 Maybe I should add that a lot of the time I'd be using my small 15" cab (lightweight) with the Eminence 3015 in it - hence 8 Ohms, which is why I'm looking at at least 500W through 4 Ohms, so I'll still get a decent bit of poke through 8. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 [quote name='JTUK' post='870249' date='Jun 17 2010, 09:29 PM']Or...TC RH450..??all of which Gareth is well versed in and could tell you all about them. Cabs would be single 12" so GS112x 2...? I think you'd need to commit at least £1000 to get that rig with a bit of searching, second-hand...maybe you would not get the RH450 and the fancier Markbass F1/F500 though.[/quote] I don't think my stated budget of £450 would come anywhere near that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 No-one's mentioned GK. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Ampeg SVT and a really long lead, it never has to leave the house just turn it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='870567' date='Jun 18 2010, 10:26 AM']Ampeg SVT and a really long lead, it never has to leave the house just turn it up.[/quote] G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pkomor Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 I've got a markbass f500, and its insanely loud for its size! I'd be tempted to look for a 2nd hand F500 or F1 (which is quite similar) or a little mark 11 (although it is slightly larger) if I were you. at 2.1kg the F1/F500 weigh next to nothing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassie Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 (edited) [quote name='geoffbyrne' post='870559' date='Jun 18 2010, 05:16 AM']No-one's mentioned GK. G.[/quote] I have no experience with them, but those who do have put it up there in the same league with Markbass and GB- I mean to refer to the MB500 and the Fusion 500... the micro heads. I don't actually think you can 'screw up' with GK, no matter what you get. Edited June 19, 2010 by Count Bassie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 Thanks, Count! (1..2..3..4..5..6..7.............) What about the SWR Headlite? I know it's new (like the Promethean) bau has anyone played one? G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB2000 Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 I've owned the following lightweight amps - GB shuttle 6, EA micro 300, EA iamp500, AI Clarus, GB Neo-Pak, WW Ultra, RH450, MB LMK, SA450, LMII and F500. I'd be happy to have any of them again apart from the EA's. Having said that I spent this morning with an Ibanez P5110 (with the P500H head) and given the head price of £360, and the fact that it apparently has a 5 year warranty, I'd be tempted to go that route. The only thing the head doesn't have is an effects send/return, and if you overdrive the input it can produce a hell of a thud (phase reversal?), but soundwise it's fine. Tried the head through an EA MLine, and it sounds like a mix of a NeoPak and RH450, so no problems there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 [quote name='BB2000' post='871983' date='Jun 19 2010, 06:23 PM']I've owned the following lightweight amps - GB shuttle 6, EA micro 300, EA iamp500, AI Clarus, GB Neo-Pak, WW Ultra, RH450, MB LMK, SA450, LMII and F500. I'd be happy to have any of them again apart from the EA's. Having said that I spent this morning with an Ibanez P5110 (with the P500H head) and given the head price of £360, and the fact that it apparently has a 5 year warranty, I'd be tempted to go that route. The only thing the head doesn't have is an effects send/return, and if you overdrive the input it can produce a hell of a thud (phase reversal?), but soundwise it's fine. Tried the head through an EA MLine, and it sounds like a mix of a NeoPak and RH450, so no problems there.[/quote] Sounds good. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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