UPDATE: Bass head amp choice/advice

dilithium85

I've narrowed my choices down to:
Aguilar tone hammer 350 
Markbass little Marcus 500
Fender rumble 500 

Does anyone own or has owned these amps? What are your thoughts? Is it worth going for a combo? Any other amp suggestions? 
I play in a rock covers band with 2 guitars so should have more than enough power on hand. I know cabs matter as well but haven't decided on that yet, possibly 2x12 
Im posting here instead of amp, sorry if its wrong place
Thanks 

Musicwolf

The bass player in my band recently switched to a Rumble (head plus 2 cabs).  Huge improvement in his sound - the problem is that I can't remember what he had before so, together with the fact that I haven't heard the other 2 rigs, that doesn't really help much.

I'll get my coat.

dilithium85

Musicwolf said:

The bass player in my band recently switched to a Rumble (head plus 2 cabs).  Huge improvement in his sound - the problem is that I can't remember what he had before so, together with the fact that I haven't heard the other 2 rigs, that doesn't really help much.

I'll get my coat.

That's still good to know. If you can find out wattage and size of cabs that will help. You say it helped is that with level or tone? 

fretmeister

I've got the new Marcus Limited 800.

It's effectively the same as the Little Marcus apart from swapping the Millerizer control for a semi parametric for more control.

It's one of the best amps I've ever used over the last 30 years. Incredibly punchy and loud and the EQ is superb. The regular Mark Bass amps have strange gaps in the EQ that really annoyed me. The Marcus models fix that.

It is a very clean amp but it allows the character of the different basses to come through and it takes pedals very well.

I have to say, it is very different from the other 2 amps you've got in your post so I do think you need to go and try them in person. I didn't like the Tone Hammers - far too fiddly to dial in.


Here's a handy demo of the MB - made me want to try one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0gyr20yhdA

fretmeister

As for cabs if you can afford the Barefaced Two10 you'll be laughing.

Yes it's a 2x10 but it shifts more air than any 2x12 I know of (apart from a Barefaced!), and has a big thick and loud sound. I use a pair of One10 with my Mark Bass head and it's great.

https://barefacedbass.com/product-range/retro-two10.htm

Musicwolf

Tone.  He has more level now (way more than enough) but the sound was just a step change.  I think that he has a 1x15" cab and, I guess, a 2 x 10".  He uses both in gigs but just one (2 x 10"?) in the rehearsal room.  The amp will be the biggest in the range.

He doesn't need all that vol but he has a bee in his bonnet about having the vol on tap.  I think that the main reason behind having two cabs was to ensure that max watts were available.

The cabs are really light compared to what I used as a bass player back in the day (of course we proper steam powered amps back then.  All this was fields you know.............)

I'll have a closer look at rehearsal tonight.

dilithium85

fretmeister said:

I've got the new Marcus Limited 800.

It's effectively the same as the Little Marcus apart from swapping the Millerizer control for a semi parametric for more control.

It's one of the best amps I've ever used over the last 30 years. Incredibly punchy and loud and the EQ is superb. The regular Mark Bass amps have strange gaps in the EQ that really annoyed me. The Marcus models fix that.

It is a very clean amp but it allows the character of the different basses to come through and it takes pedals very well.

I have to say, it is very different from the other 2 amps you've got in your post so I do think you need to go and try them in person. I didn't like the Tone Hammers - far too fiddly to dial in.


Here's a handy demo of the MB - made me want to try one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0gyr20yhdA

I have tried the tone hammer and markbass. It found the the tone hammer easier to dial in as there's less dials and was very quiet even with gain up. 
The mark bass had more tone versatility and that I was fiddling more but I enjoyed both. Playing through a 1x15.
Im trying the fender this weekend at peach guitars in Colchester and comparing them with the other 2, can't wait! 

dilithium85

fretmeister said:

As for cabs if you can afford the Barefaced Two10 you'll be laughing.

Yes it's a 2x10 but it shifts more air than any 2x12 I know of (apart from a Barefaced!), and has a big thick and loud sound. I use a pair of One10 with my Mark Bass head and it's great.

https://barefacedbass.com/product-range/retro-two10.htm

Cost a fair bit! I'm sure they're great but I'm only playing rock covers and I was only a guitarist until recently. I'll take other recommendations for 2x10 cabs especially if they OK with standing up

steven70

I know it's not on your list, you could look at an old Peavey head or 2, they are bombproof.  

dilithium85

steven70 said:

I know it's not on your list, you could look at an old Peavey head or 2, they are bombproof.  

I have heard the older ones are hidden gems. Unlike most bassists I'm not an oaf! so don't expect to damage my equipment

dilithium85

So an update. I went to peach guitars today and tried out the fender rumble 500, Aguilar tone hammer 350 and mark bass III.
- mark bass had enough power and loads of versatility in tone, which is great, but I found myself playing with dials trying to find a sound to settle on more than playing itself. No drive, but there are pedals for that.
- fender was the loudest by far, when I turned it on and had it at 12 o’clock I turned a few heads in the store! no trouble keeping up with a band. The overdrive channel wasn’t to my taste but it’s nice to have that option available with a footswitch selector and with some more playing with the eq, I’m sure I could dial in something I’d like; yet again pedals are available. On the clean channel There was a lot of low end at 12 o’clock position and I had to roll the bass and low-mids off a lot, to find something I prefer. The extra options of bright, contour and vintage are great functions and gave it close to the same versatility as the mark bass
- Aguilar was just as loud as the markbass and could keep up with the fender until about 2 o’clock, then I found the headroom wasn’t there. The easiest by far to dial in a tone I like. Roll off some bass and add some higher mids. Done. Although the drive is not on a separate channel, it’s a more pleasant sound than the fender, up until 3 or 4 o’clock and then starts getting more dirty than I enjoy. The -10db would be useful for home use as well as the easy access mute button.

So I’ve played the markbass and Aguilar before and they were about even. This time the Aguilar performed far better. The fender had more power and is the cheaper option and if I found one second hand or cheap enough, I’d easily pick it up.
But it’s the Aguilar for me, even with it’s less watts. I may save up for the 500 but if the 350 came up used or on sale I’d have it!

I played a squire j bass and was playing through a Laney N410 600watts 4x10, last time I played through a trace Elliott 1x15. Side note, the laney was extremely light and produced more than enough low end, even for reggae and dub! Very good cab

Any questions just ask!
chris