Ashdown five fifteen or Carvin BP-100 or Ibanez SW35

[y-o-y]

Anyone have experience with any or all of these combos?

 

I am looking to get one of these three amps as my first practice amp. I am using a small 5w tube guitar amp with 8" speaker right now, and it does not provide very fulfilling aural experience (but that may also be caused by my two whole days of experience playing the instrument). The three things i am most interested in are:

 

1) decent tone at bedroom level volume for home practice (maybe with headphone?)

2) loud enough for garage/basement jamming - but not gigging

3) small and very portable - i live in an apartment with very limited space and a long a** walk from door to car.

 

thanks in advance for your help

[burdizzos]

Peavey Basic 112

[y-o-y]

Looks good. i've done a fair amount of (re)searching this forum for practice amp threads, but never seen this one mentioned (but there were a lot of referenes to both the microbass and minx)

 

price looks good too...

[burdizzos]

 

Originally posted by y-o-y Looks good. i've done a fair amount of (re)searching this forum for practice amp threads, but never seen this one mentioned (but there were a lot of referenes to both the microbass and minx) price looks good too...

 

 

Good power, Peavey reliability. Probably not as loud as the Ashdown, but easier to move.

[Craig Vecchione]

Considering the long walk to the apartment, a Peavey Minx 110 or Micro Bass might be a bit easier to handle.

[y-o-y]

 

Originally posted by Craigv Considering the long walk to the apartment, a Peavey Minx 110 or Micro Bass might be a bit easier to handle.

 

 

Does the microbass have enough juice to be heard with a drummer? 20w and 8" speaker doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence.

[burdizzos]

 

Originally posted by y-o-y Does the microbass have enough juice to be heard with a drummer? 20w and 8" speaker doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence.

 

 

That's why I suggested the 112, the Microbass and the Minx won't cut it with a drummer.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Originally posted by y-o-y Does the microbass have enough juice to be heard with a drummer?

 

 

Depends. For basement jamming if you're using an acoustic drumset with no sound attenuation, forget about any of the amps mentioned in this thread. Small spaces are murder with a drumset. If v-drums are used or other means of attenuating an acoustic set are woorking, then any of these amps will be okay.

 

You've got two somewhat mutually exclusive requirements....small and very portable, and loud enough for jamming. One has to take precedence over the other.

[illidian]

 

Originally posted by y-o-y Does the microbass have enough juice to be heard with a drummer? 20w and 8" speaker doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence.

 

 

That's a good thing. You should'nt be confident about that going up against a real (acoustic) drumset, and it won't hold out.

 

I would take the Ashdown over the Ibanez on reputation alone.

 

 

What's your budget?

[y-o-y]

Originally posted by Craigv You've got two somewhat mutually exclusive requirements....small and very portable, and loud enough for jamming. One has to take precedence over the other.

 

Gee, i was hoping for a magic combo amp that fits in a backpack and has the balls to fill MSG

 

If i were to choose to take a hit on size or volume, i would compromise on the size and invest in a cart for transport (which i will probably do regardless of the amp i choose). does that help.

 

with that in mind, i just found a local Peavey TKO for $150...i know this is larger (70+ #) but how might it compare with the ashdown, carvin and other peaveys mentioned?

[y-o-y]

 

Originally posted by illidian What's your budget?

 

 

Under $500

 

i would prefer to stick to the $300 - $400 range if possible.

[Craig Vecchione]

Originally posted by y-o-y Gee, i was hoping for a magic combo amp that fits in a backpack and has the balls to fill MSG If i were to choose to take a hit on size or volume, i would compromise on the size and invest in a cart for transport (which i will probably do regardless of the amp i choose). does that help. with that in mind, i just found a local Peavey TKO for $150...i know this is larger (70+ #) but how might it compare with the ashdown, carvin and other peaveys mentioned?

 

The TKO will do the job, but it's bitch to move. In the same general size/weight, look at the Ampeg B-100R, and the BA-210 and -115 combos. All of these will crush the aforementioned amps.

[burdizzos]

 

Originally posted by y-o-y with that in mind, i just found a local Peavey TKO for $150...i know this is larger (70+ #) but how might it compare with the ashdown, carvin and other peaveys mentioned?

 

 

If that Peavey is in good shape, that's a good deal.

 

The TKO is heavy, but it will keep up with a drummer and might even work for small gigs.

 

It's a better amp than the carvin and the ashdown, in my opinion.

[illidian]

Get the TKO if it works.

 

If you get get together a couple hundred more, you may be able to find a Mesa/Boogie Walkabout Scout used (~$950 new). The 12" is right around fifty pounds, is small, and is plenty loud even for most gigs.

[y-o-y]

I also saw spam for a Trace Elliot GP7SM 300 1x15 combo here today...if that was available within, say 100 bucks of the TKO price, would it be a better option? there doesn't seem to be too much info on that trace combo, but lots of reviews and good words for the head.

[illidian]

 

Originally posted by y-o-y I also saw spam for a Trace Elliot GP7SM 300 1x15 combo here today...if that was available within, say 100 bucks of the TKO price, would it be a better option? there doesn't seem to be too much info on that trace combo, but lots of reviews and good words for the head.

 

 

Trace Elliot is awesome gear.

 

It has a powerful 300 watt head that rivals some of the 800 watt heads of today inside the combo. It will be plenty loud for researsals, be enough for gigs, and sound awesome.

 

With that said, it's probably a good deal more than $100 over the TKO's price. The Peavey may get you heard, but the Trace will let you cut through easily with headroom to spare, and with good tone at the same time.

 

Price may very well be towards the upper end of your limit, but it will be all you'll need (not necessarily want) for quite some time. IMO, well worth it.

[JeffBass]

I have all of these amps.

1. Fender Rumble 25, 30w with 10 inch speaker.

2. Peavey Basic 112, 60w (75 @4 ohm) new model with red face.

3. Carvin PB-100/15, 100w, 15"/400w speaker, compressor, headphone jack, cd input.

 

If I could only have one, it would be the Carvin because the Peavey doesn't keep up with my drummer. The Carvin has a real nice tone and I can get some good overdrive with it while the compressor protects it. It really shakes the walls and is no bigger than the Peavey.

[y-o-y]

Originally posted by JeffBass If I could only have one, it would be the Carvin because the Peavey doesn't keep up with my drummer.

 

God info. I am fortunate to live just down the street from a Carvin retail shop, so i think i will definitely try the BP-100 out as i make the rounds amp shopping with all the ususal suspects this weekend (GC, sam ash, and of course the local shops).

 

trying out gear just isn't that much fun when you only know two freakin bass lines. but mediocrety (sp?) sure does make me think twice before dropping lotsa cash on something i don't need or won't really know how to use

[y-o-y]

Looks like i am going to get the Trace Elliot GP7SM 300 1x15 combo for $325. it is a tiny bit more then i really wanted to spend on a first amp, but it should be a great piece of gear that i can grow into as i develop as a bass player.

 

I'm really excited about my soon to be new gear [GAS temporarily relieved]

[illidian]

Originally posted by y-o-y ..mediocrety (sp?) sure does make me think twice before dropping lotsa cash on something i don't need or won't really know how to use

 

Just PM Thunderbroom, he knows all about this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's a smoking deal on the Trace. Pick it up.

[Benjamin]

 

Originally posted by y-o-y Looks like i am going to get the Trace Elliot GP7SM 300 1x15 combo for $325. it is a tiny bit more then i really wanted to spend on a first amp, but it should be a great piece of gear that i can grow into as i develop as a bass player. I'm really excited about my soon to be new gear [GAS temporarily relieved]

 

 

Awesome!

 

That combo would be essentially the same as my head. I run a 600W 4x10 with Eminence speakers and I can easily keep up with loud metal drums and two guitars. The Trace sound is always professional and always cuts through the mix well.

 

If you were to add maybe a 4x8 (Trace made these) or a 4x10 extension cab to the combo (assuming the 15" is 8 ohm) then you have a fair versatility range.

 

Let us know how she flies!