*HELP* Considering a new amp

[silly]

hey, i want to get a new amp for my stingray.
my considerations are GK or AMPEG (around 100W).

which amp do you guys recommend getting?

(i play ska and punk rock mostly and use a pick a lot)

ive never actually played on any of those amps before
but i heard both and the ampeg seemed to sound better to me.
but is it truly better? GKs are a bit pricy.
some opinions would be appreciated.

 

[Aussie Mark]

For ska and punk, 100 watts isn't going to cut it in a live band situation. You'd be lucky to hear yourself over the drummer in a rehearsal room with 100 watts, let alone adding guitarist/s and vocals.

You really need to be thinking of at least 300 watts as an entry level rig for gigging in a rock (or ska or punk) situation. The only exception to this is if you are playing live with a PA that can give you your own separate monitor send to a couple of wedges on stage.

If I were you, I'd be saving up to buy a 300 watt combo, or better still, a preamp, power amp and a cabinet or two.

 

[skabassist13]

dude ska or punk with a pick get the ampeg. i have one, and holy **** it rocks out. and its pretty versatile as well. i play all kinds of stuff on it and always get killer tone.

 

[Kennyhoe]

Yea, I agree with Aussie Mark. I play more or less the same type of music with a pick, and a 100w combo is NOT going to cut it without clipping the amp. I would suggest at least a 300w head and a 2x10 for practice, and perhaps 400w+ with a 4x10 for small gigs.

 

[midopa]

What you need is that crazy cabinet from a while back. I think like 50x10? Mwhaha. Show the drummer who's boss!

 

[fifthorange]

ya, 100 watts is too low. first see how many watts your guitarist have, double it, and probably go for an ampeg. i would get a combo, just because of price.

 

[spectorbassguy]

I preordered one of the Ashdown Mag series combos.
http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-ASD-MAGC115T--brand-413.html

They also make a 2x10 & 4x10 version.
300+ watts for about the price of Ampeg or G-K 100 watts. Haven't heard it yet, though. Good thing I have 45 days to try it out.

 

[silly]

thanks for the feedback guys
but i forgot to mention that im lookig for a practice amp for my room..not a gig amp

 

[Mobay45]

spectorbassguy wrote "I preordered one of the Ashdown Mag series combos."

Let me know when you get that amp. I want to hear what you think about it. I might be interest in getting rid of my Kickback 15 and replacing it with one.

Thanks

 

[cgworkman]

well i say go with the GK. I know I'm the minority, but I've owned both and am satisfied with GK. A lot of people say that GK can be to sterile soundsing - but that is true about any amp if you set it that way. GK will give you headroom that's awesome! Especially if you want a bright, punchy tone - but you can also role back the treble (right on the stingray if that's what u'r playing) and then it'll give you that warm sound.

Another thing is, GK amps are tanks. They take a lickin' and keep on kickin's the DB's!!

But to each his own - that's why we have choices in this great country of ours!

Good luck with your decision!

 

[skabassist13]

ahh you want a practice amp. i see. go for the ampeg, BA-210 to be exact. its a combo amp, yet it has enough oomph to be heard over a drummer. and its not to big. its good all around. it even has an xlr out so you can run it into a pa when you need more volume.

 

[blueyedmule]

If you're looking for a real practice amp, as in a bedroom amp, not something to play with a band in rehearsal, some of those 1f n' 30 watt jobs are pretty cool. That way you don't get the monstrous bass that travels up walls and pisses people off.

 

[silly]

i got one of those 30 watts amps. a fender bassman to be exact.
its a pretty big sounding amp for 25 watts..enough to shake the whole apartment. but i want a better amp cuz this one has lots of problems and doesnt work well.

 

[silly]

yet it has enough oomph to be heard over a drummer. and its not to big. its good all around. it even has an xlr out so you can run it into a pa when you need more volume.

my 25 watt amp is enough to be heard over a drummer
220 watts for practice? its too much imo..

 

[midopa]

Are you sure? 20 watts to be heard over the drummer? That's impressive. How loud do you have to turn it up? On the Hartke Kickback 15 combo at my church, I've got to turn it up quite a bit to get a decent balance of drums and bass.

 

[silly]

well like i said my fender amp sounds like a big amp
a lot bigger than a 25 watts one.
it was turned up to 1/2 of its volume last time i played with my friends. the room was quite small though. i think its a good amp
but i have too much trouble with it so i want a new one.

 

[Aussie Mark]

my 25 watt amp is enough to be heard over a drummer. 220 watts for practice? its too much imo..

I can assure you that 25 watts won't cut it in a rehearsal room with a rock drummer, guitarist with a tube amp, a keyboardist with a synth and Hammond organ, and 3 of us on vocals.

It's important to rehearse at normal gig stage volume levels, so that the band develops the right dynamics and you learn the right settings for your gear. You don't want to be twiddling knobs trying to find the right tone or volume levels in a gig situation - gigs should be "plug and play"

 

[silly]

haha!
i dont play with 3 vocalists, keyboards and all that ****.
i just play with 2 of my friends and we have guitar, bass and drums.
we play ska punk and my amp is enough for a rehearsal so far..you can feel my stingray punching

 

[Aussie Mark]

Whatever. Rawk on.

 

[cgworkman]

I understand Aussie Mark... somepeople are just Silly......