Bass Amps

Francis Rocco Prestia's unique approach to bass is all about the groove, matching the fast and frenetic drum work of Tower Of Power bandmade David Garibaldi. The TC Electronic Staccato'51 brings in that staccato emphasis and percussive clarity of the bass lines unique to the Tower Of Power sound.  

Back problems and other body aches and pains are the result of lugging heavy gear, with bassists having to tug along their heavy bass guitars with equally or exceedingly heavier amps for far greater power. The Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 saves your joints from deterioration with its compact package that can belt out 900 watts of power.  

Banking on major successes in the bass player's realm, TC Electronic is continuing to offer more to the bass player's plate. The new RS410 cabinets are now shipping out.  

Bass players can get tired of the complex controls on some amps in the quest for the perfect tone. All they need, in fact, are just a few knobs and switches to tweak their sound the way they want it: clear, loud, and punchy. TC Electronic brings that bass-ic requirement with the Classic450 Bass Amp.  

The summer series of promos from various manufacturers is still on. Peavey is out to offer their own sweet deal with the announcement of a rebate program for buyers of select Peavey MAX Series Bass Amplifiers.  

Les Claypool never was one to worry about how his music should be categorized. Same goes with his gear, which is how the API 7600 Recording Channel Strip ended up as the front-end on his live bass rig. We spoke with Les about his touring setup, and why if you've got one ridiculously expensive studio preamp with you on the road, it only makes sense to get a second.  

Adam Juwig of Anarbor ducked out into the alley before a gig at Chicago's House of Blues, just to tell us about his Fender Bassman. Since he and his young posse have been on the road, Juwig has discovered that the Bassman could perhaps be excelled in certain areas. Find out just what they are in this secret little interview among the tour vans.  

Man, you thought the Ibanez Promethean Bass Amplification system was only a myth, but then here comes the news that Ibanez will be unveiling the whole amp and cabinet series at the Upcoming Summer NAMM 2009. What's next, Nessy at AES?  

According to the discriminating young men from Anarbor, tube amps are best, except perhaps when you're talking about bass. Solid state will do fine for that, they assure us. The example proffered is Slade Echeverria's Aguilar AG500, one of the proud sponsors of the young crew.  

We are back rocking the basement over at Emperor Cabs. Craig and Nate are the Dynamic Duo of Demos in this subterranean world. They know enough to state only the most salient points before just getting straight to the fat low end of this, the Emperor Cabs Bass 4x12. Eminence Speakers are part of the secret, but there's a whole lot more where that came from.  

Having shaken up the bass world with the unveiling of the RebelHead RH450 digital bass amp and RS210 2x10 cab at Winter NAMM 2009, TC Electronic is about to do even more damage at MusickMesse 2009. The new TC Electronic RS410 is a 4x10 bass cabinet designed to be stacked in pairs for a seismic impulse-inducing bass rig. I ask you, hasn't Frankfurt seen enough carnage?  

Taking over from their successful DB 750 head, the new Aguilar DB 751 offers the same power, but with greater flexibility thanks to it's all-new hybrid preamp, active EQ and cut/boost function. The model-numbering inspired this clever quip from Aguilar President Dave Boonshoft: "It's the only amp that could one up the DB 750!" OH MAN, THAT GUY!  

After introducing the Tiny Terror bass amp, Orange has decided to follow Steve Martin's advice and "Get Small." The new Orange Smartpower Bass Cabinets are compact, lightweight, and loud as all get-out.

That pic on the left, by the way, is not a Smartpower cab. It's the new Orange OBC810, an 8x10 monster that's part of the new Orange Dumbassloud Series.  

The Orange Amps AD-200 bass head ". . . is all tube, handwired, and all that kind of thing. . . " according to Noah Harmon of The Airborne Toxic Event. Watch this video if you like that kind of thing.  

As far as colors go, Orange is pretty cool, so having a company name that's tied to the particular hue isn't that much of a burden (they could have been called Chartreuse Amps). Still, variety is the spice of life, so for 2009 Orange Amps is introducing a limited edition white finish for their amp heads and cabs, and at no extra charge.  

Specializing in low-wattage, high-quality "practice/rehearsal" amps, BWE says hello to the world with a selection of six guitar amps, two bass amps, one guitar cabinet and one distortion box. I wonder which ones will stick to the wall. . .  

The new Orange Amp Terror Bass is not only the first bass amp in the "terror" line of portable, gig-worthy amplification, it's also the future launching point for the next British Invasion we've all feared since the Cold War ended. I say we revive the Bush Doctrine, just this one last time.  

The good folks at TC Group were very excited to show us their new bass amp, the TC Electronic RebelHead 450, and we were very excited to obligingly listen to them talk about it. Isn't it great when things work out like that? Who wants a hug?  

Saaaaaaay. Did someone lose a little weight recently. I think they did, SWR GoLight Bass Cabinet! What, did you think we wouldn't notice? Don't be shy, flaunt it!  

We stopped by the discotheque-like Fender booth at Winter NAMM 2009 to -- among other things -- check out the Fender TB-Series bass amps and cabinets. According to Fender Bass Products Marketing Manager Jay Piccirillo, a TB-series bass stack is "great for feeling yourself on stage."  

I've never been a easy man, so hard to please
But [the new SWR Spellbinder Blue] made me feel life was unreal, oh Lord, how [it] satisfied me
I tried to break away, but I didn't stand a chance
[The new SWR Spellbinder Blue] planned it so well, I was under [its] spell, I was in a trance

I call out [its] name, I turn around to find [it]
[It's the new SWR Spellbinder Blue Bass Combo]  

Look at that little Hartke HyDrive 5210 Bass Combo. You wouldn't think that little guy would have enough power to scare a caffeine-addicted mouse, let alone power an additional cabinet, but it does. Also: scaring a caffeine addicted mouse -- not as easy as you'd think. First you've got to get the mouse addicted to caffeine.  

The Hartke HyDrive 5410 combines the HyDrive 4x10 cabinet with an LH500 bass amp for a quarter ton of wattage. That's literally enough power to physically blow away any acoustic punk rockers crooning in the background with the air the speakers push out.  

It would've been cool if TC Electronic introduced the RebelHead450 bass amp with a "Rebel Yell," literally hiring a rebel to yell, "TC ELECTRONIC INTRODUCES THE REBELHEAD450," but none of the good rebels are alive anymore.  

While guitarists may be jumping for joy over several products announced by Peavey at the Winter NAMM 2009 Show, Peavey made sure not to leave bassists out of the fun, as I had earlier advised them to do. Not heeding my advice, the Peavey TNT and Peavey TKO bass amps joined the Peavey Tour Series, combining massive power with lightweight constructions for a new generation of bass players (yeah . . . an even wimpier generation). Whatever, Peavey -- just don't say I didn't warn you.

I'm just joking, of course. Some of my best friends are bassists.

 

I was talking to a scientist once, and apparently heat causes expansion while coldness causes contraction -- perhaps that explains the new Ampeg Micro-VR head finding its way to Winter NAMM 2009, where Anaheim will likely be experiencing 70-80 degree weather, which has local meteorologists worried since it's usually a lot nicer in California.  

Looks like an eat-wave has hit Hollywood. Kate Moss looks like Marlon Brando. Lindsay Lohan looks like Howard Taft. Nicole Richie looks like Ricki Lake (from ten years ago). Or rather, they do in comparison to the ultra lightweight Carvin BX500 bass head -- it barely budges the scales at 5.5lbs, yet pumps out an impressive 500 watts at 4 ohms.  

As bass modeling amps go, Line 6 has introduced a fine one. Owen majored in bass in college, with a minor in comparative physics, so he should know.  

Have you ever met that perfect someone, only to be devastated by their one fatal flaw? That's really nothing like what went on between Owen and this amp, but if you've ever wondered what Owen's like when he's miffed, now's your chance. Not pretty.  

Few know metal and hard rock like the Swedes, and few know bass amplification like EBS Sweden. Put the two together, and you've got the new EBS NeoLine 810 Bass Cabinet, a speaker cab that puts out so much power, it threatens to topple / implode the Øresund Bridge / Drogden Tunnel system.