My GK is sold and now i need a head

[Mr12ax7]

Yes the god forsaken GK Backline 600 is sold (got 80$ for it) i needed the money and well i need a new head for my rig! i know i ask you guys all the time for help and advice and what not. But you guys are the only ones that ever help me out! yes im getting the conklin still and the RBI but what use is a bass with out a amp to play through! Haha anyways half the heads ive ever dreamed about are always 100's of miles away and being car less im never going to play them (i havent been to guitar center in about 2 years..)

My first choice is a Ampeg SVT 3 PRO. Ive really only heard good things about it. never heard a bad review. i find them for 400$-600$ on Craigs list all the time.

Second a Mesa/Boogie 400+ ive found TWO in Oakland for 899$ I would cry if i had this haha but i also have heard there mad hard to eq and to get a better tone out of it you need to mod ALL 12 of the 6L6 tudes to 6550 tubes.. thats a lot of money. i have no clue how much that would cost.

and my last choice is the Ampeg SVT 4 PRO there roughly 700$-1200$ on craigslist. ive heard this thing being called the guitar killer from people. 1600watts is quite.. ALOT but they do sound amazing to me. haha my personal hero Ryan Martinie played on this during L.D. 50. i listen to that albem just to heard the earth cracking low-end on Dig and Death Blooms.

So.. what do you recomend?
P.S price is nothing to me.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Honestly, the RBI is a killer preamp on its own. Perhaps just find a nice power amp (at least 500 watt bridged mono) and run that through a nice cab. Simple, great sounding, and easy to transport.

If money really is no object though, get an SVT 4 PRO, easily one of the best bass heads on the market. An SVT 2 PRO would be stellar as well if you don't mind having a 100lb rack.

 

[Mr12ax7]

Ive heard alot about to the SVT 2 PRO haha i really do want one but 2g's will take a very long lime to make. but i can get that later on in life. Do you have any power amps in mind? oh and this just came to mind and i assume it would be pretty amazing but mayde an overkill but running the RBI with the SVT 4 PRO how would that go along?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Ive heard alot about to the SVT 2 PRO haha i really do want one but 2g's will take a very long lime to make. but i can get that later on in life. Do you have any power amps in mind? oh and this just came to mind and i assume it would be pretty amazing but mayde an overkill but running the RBI with the SVT 4 PRO how would that go along?

I ran an RBI with an SVT4 and it was awesome. I'd use the RBI to push the already heavily driven SVT4 into absolute hellish distortion and drive. It was awesome.

As for power amps, look into Carvin, QSC, Crown, Stewart, Crest, and even Peavey. They all make some solid, powerful, efficient power amps.

 

[Mr12ax7]

I'd use the RBI to push the already heavily driven SVT4 into absolute hellish distortion and drive. It was awesome.

I like the sound of that

 

[MaxOfMetal]

It will take you awhile to dial in, between the SVT4's preamp and the RBI there's tons of tweaking to do. I HIGHLY recommend you get the SVT4's footswitch as it'll make life much easier.

 

[Mr12ax7]

Hmm that does the footswitch do? not that i wouldnt buy it but im at school.. and the computers are.. well.. stupid

 

[MaxOfMetal]

There's a three button footswitch that controls the effects loop (on/bypass), graphic EQ (on/bypass), and the tuner mute function (sound/no sound). It SHOULD have been included with the amp (it's not very cheap when new, the amp that is), but Ampeg decided to sell it separately and not with their high end flagship amps.

 

[TemjinStrife]

I've got some powerful GAS for the TC Electronic RH450. A lot of the sound and feel of tubes in a 9lb 450w 3-channel monster with parametric EQ and tuner.

However, if you run the RBI by itself, check out the Crown Drivecore XLS series. The 1000 is $300 and the 2500 is like $600 or so; lots of power, full DSP (helpful if you want to biamp) and only weigh 7-10 lbs.

 

[XeoFLCL]

Like Max said, can't go wrong with a Sansamp RBI. Those things are beastly, I'm still planning on getting one to fill the last space on my rack when I can get around to it. Also really convenient if you don't want to haul around a cab or any heavy heads and just take the preamp to plug straight into the PA. I want one for that purpose aswell as my rack rig weighs around 50~60 LBs.... more than my damn cab ironically.

 

[Dwellingers]

Got an GK 1001RB and sansamp PSA-1 my self and looking to switch the head with a tubedriven one instead. the MESA 400+ and Ampeg SVT-2 Pro comes to mind, would be awesome; fuck the weight man - go for power and sound! I wanna big rack with tuner, eq, wireless, psa-1, amp head and some drawer for cabels. Hole thing on wheels of course

 

[josh pelican]

Anyone who complains about weight should just be a vocalist or play a nice woodwind instrument. Don't worry about weight, worry about the sound.

People are always looking at smaller amps with more punch, but I'm always looking for more and more. I have two Ampeg heads (one is broken ) and an 8x10. I want more... at least in the cabinet department.

When I get that head fixed, I will have two heads to play through. That's 165 lbs. between the two of them and about 600 tube watts. I guess that'll do. I want more heads, but not to play at the same time.

 

[TemjinStrife]

Anyone who complains about weight should just be a vocalist or play a nice woodwind instrument. Don't worry about weight, worry about the sound.

Hey, I live in New York City. Everything I have must be subway-capable in one trip and must not kill me if traveling ten blocks on foot. Plus, 50-60 lbs is heavy for a glorified DI box

Weight is a genuine concern for some people; and it's possible to go lightweight without compromising on tone. My Eden is 15 lbs and my AudioKinesis cab at 35 lbs will smoke just about any 2x10 or 3x10 out there, and I can easily carry a stage and mid-sized room with great sound.

 

[Mr12ax7]

I lug a SVT 410HLF up 2 storys up 2 flights of stairs a 110lbs pound cab. I say screw the weight everytime. i wouldnt mind having a 100lb rack or even a 150lb rack. haha i play about 15 pound bass. carry my 75 pound sister. 15 pound brother. And how much does a Mesa 400+ weigh? you know what i find funny that my future rack will weigh more than my girlfriend does! and shes 90 pounds >.<

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Regardless of weight, I still think the SVT4 and/or RBI kicks the shit out of the SCT-CL and Bass 400+.

More tubes doesn't mean more tone.

If you want a big, heavy rack for the sake of it Play It Again sports has great deals on Olympic weights.

 

[highlordmugfug]

Regardless of weight, I still think the SVT4 and/or RBI kicks the shit out of the SCT-CL and Bass 400+.

More tubes doesn't mean more tone.

If you want a big, heavy rack for the sake of it Play It Again sports has great deals on Olympic weights.

I do find that I've been leaning very heavily towards big ass rigs lately though. Tons of cabs, tons of tubes, makes me happy.

There are definitely reasons why people would need smaller lighter gear, I understand, but I'm drawn towards a Sunn O))) style setup as of late.

That SVT4 looks awesome.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Don't get me wrong, big, old, tube powered rigs are fun as all hell! For years I rocked a Mesa Bass 400 and V4B into a 4x12 and 8x10, and it was monstrous live. Though, I was able to get equally as crushing tones out of a ten pound rack, and that's when I stopped caring about "t00bz" or having the biggest cabs I can. Going direct changed the way I feel about bass gear, and made me realize just why small, solid state rigs are so popular.

 

[ZEBOV]

Here are some heads to consider that no one has mentioned.
Carvin.com - Guitars, Amplifiers & Pro Audio: Bass Heads

 

[TemjinStrife]

Don't get me wrong, big, old, tube powered rigs are fun as all hell! For years I rocked a Mesa Bass 400 and V4B into a 4x12 and 8x10, and it was monstrous live. Though, I was able to get equally as crushing tones out of a ten pound rack, and that's when I stopped caring about "t00bz" or having the biggest cabs I can. Going direct changed the way I feel about bass gear, and made me realize just why small, solid state rigs are so popular.

The heavy tube stuff sounds great. But, when I can get the same (or substantially similar) tone for a quarter or less of the weight of the whole rig, why haul the heavy stuff?

Regardless, it's academic for me. An 8x10 won't fit on the subway. It's also overkill for pretty much anywhere I'd be playing.

 

[highlordmugfug]

The heavy tube stuff sounds great. But, when I can get the same (or substantially similar) tone for a quarter or less of the weight of the whole rig, why haul the heavy stuff?

Regardless, it's academic for me. An 8x10 won't fit on the subway. It's also overkill for pretty much anywhere I'd be playing.

I want to play a gig in a bathroom with Matamp gear.

High quality earplugs and/or safety waivers mandatory of course.