Best Amp Heads for Stingray

[Movielife]

Ok, so Stingray...check....x 2. Whoops. Ones got maple neck and the other rosewood so it was essential. Plus one is natural and the other is black. Classic H, 3 band EQ.

Excellent 'rock' cab - Check. Double check...because of its size. Just got an Ampeg 810E. Dream cab. I LOVE those tens.

Excellent Bass Head - Sorta there. Got an awesome Trace Elliott 400W 12 Band SMX. Great head, very loud, very very distinctive Trace sound. But I want something else. I want....

TUBES!

Whats the suggestion?

Anything as good as Tubes? (Like hybrids etc)

OR am I kidding myself....do I just need the Ampeg CL head to get the awesome Stingray+Tube combo...(never heard it 'live' as yet I dont think)

Gareth x

 

[tombboy]

Hmmm.... tubes. Go for an SVT II pro or Sunn 300, if you can stand the weight. If not, try a Markbass TA503 like I've got. Tube pre-amp but digital power amp. 500 watts of growl that will let your 'Rays just sing through.

 

[Dr Stankface]

If you think about going hybrid, check out the Ampeg SVT 4-Pro or the GK Fusion 550.

 

[DJBenzBass]

If you want a Hybrid with tons of power, try:

Ampeg SVT-6 (6 tubes, tube voltage adjustment knob)
Ampeg SVT-8 (4 tubes, power tube emulation knob)

Both are only 2 rack spaces, and not too heavy.

Good luck in your search!

 

[Baird]

In my recent ownership experience and used with a SR4 and a SR5...

SVT-CL - Amazing (what I use, but it is obviously all tube)
Markbass F1 - Pretty damned good and under 5 lbs
GK 700RB-II - Just OK IMO
Mesa Big Block 750 - Hybrid amp and amazing with SRs

FWIW... I still own the SVT, F1 and 700RB-II and owned a Mesa for a couple of months until recently.

 

[Caca de Kick]

Best tone to me: Mesa Bass 400 or 400+. Tone.....for.....days!
It's just as loud, and 1/2 the weight of a SVT.

Oh, did I mention tone?

A good friend of mine has a Big Block 750 which sounds flat out awesome too, and that would be my 2nd choice.

Hybrids don't respond to tube overdrive dynamics of your plucking/picking hand like tube amps do.

 

[Sonnyonbass]

True. there is no real replacement for a all tube head.
You can't compare a hybrid with an all tube. I didn't go with ll tube because of the weight.
I have a 19 inch rack (case within case) that weighs a ton allready when it's empty.
Imagine with tuner, amp, effects etc.

I use a Eden 1205 with my Stingrays. In combination with 1 or 2 410 xlt's.
Really nice sound! But yes. it is a hybrid.

 

[Russel]

I recently went to GC and had the opportunity to compare some GK, Markbass, Acoustic(I know, I know) and Eden products, with a Stingray 5 HH.

I played through the Ampeg Classic, with the 8x10 you described; nice tone, a little sharp in the treble, but not crisp. Didn't like that. It had a very big, sub-bottom feel to me, almost like the sub bass you can sort of feel/hear when a train is approaching. I would not call it "tight," and the first word I would use would be "woofy." Like a gym.

The LMII I played sounded very warm, which I liked alot, and was very light, which is of course another huge plus, but I would not describe it as "gritty" or "tubey."
It had a sort of ampeg-esque vibe to me with the VPF knob up at about half, without the big-booty train sound. This is a 102p, by the way. GREAT sound with a Stingray.

GK is not a tube amp at all, and I wouldn't recommend it to somebody pursuing that sound.

Acoustic was just crappy. Not a great sound, static, popping noises, unintuitive design, lack of features.....

I ultimately bought an Eden WT405 though. All solid state, but I loved its sound; warm without being boxy, big without crushing me, and, for the cabs I got it with, clear without giving me a haircut or being "whippy". (GK Goldline 4x10, GK BLX 15) Can't wait until the 23rd. That's when I can pick it up. (bought it used, GC couldn't let me take it yet for some reason)

If you want all tube, though, there's no substitute.
Ultimately, you'll have to try them.


An important Caveat: I'm no sound genius. Trust your ears before you trust me.
Sorry for the long post.

 

[oddjob]

GK Fussion is a tube hybrid head and it rocks with MMs. I currently have the 2001RB which is loud and has the whole GK vibe but the Fussion, while not as powerful, has a nice warmth to it. Hard to find them to kick the tires but worth it when you do.

 

[AnthonyD]

The hybrids for me strike and acceptable compromise...

I loved my SVT-4 hybrid, but it was still WAY heavy and had a ton of features I wasn't using and got HOT in the summer.

I moved to and SVT-8 last year and think I'm done...

 

[oli@bass]

IMO, if you want that "classic Ampeg" tone you have two choices:

1.) The real thing: An ¡nsanely expensive heavy weight Ampeg CL or even better a vintage one.
2.) A modern fake: Reasonable priced and flight weight rack with a MarkBass F1 + SansAmp RBI.

I opted for 2. because it offers more options and is more practical at less than half the price (at least in Europe). However, if you're willing to lug around an 8x10 cab, "practicable" is obviously none of your concerns...

 

[73jbass]

I was thinking of going all tube until I played a Thunderfunk. That was 2 years ago,and haven't looked at anything else since. Great tone in a lightweight package. It just works.

 

[boristhespider7]

Simple: Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0

Super lightweight (3.75lbs), 600w of power, tube preamp, very easy controls, and tone to die for. Save your back and buy quality (Genz Benz) and not cliche (Ampeg).

I'd also recommend the Genz-Benz 2x12 NEO cab. You're going to kill yourself lugging the 8x10 unless you have roadies.

 

[TSanders]

The best amps with my MusicMan basses over the years for my tastes have been:

Ampeg SVT/ Ampeg V4BH

Gallien-Krueger (700RB, 800RB, and 1001RB)

 

[Eggman]

Simple: Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0

Super lightweight (3.75lbs), 600w of power, tube preamp, very easy controls, and tone to die for. Save your back and buy quality (Genz Benz) and not cliche (Ampeg).

I'd also recommend the Genz-Benz 2x12 NEO cab. You're going to kill yourself lugging the 8x10 unless you have roadies.

+1 on the Shuttle 6.0. Mine drives 2 Phil Jones 4B cabs. Small, lightweight and amazingly powerful rig.

 

[five7]

My svt 6 works well with my stingray, but I picked up an ampeg 2-10 portabass cabinet with a Behringer 4500 amp. Very portable and what a tone. The behringer head works well with the 8-10 cabinet too. I use a behringer 180 watt bass wedge for porch gigs and it will keep up with the guitar and drums. All in all, the ampeg svt 6 wins out because of the tubes.