British Bass Amps

amusicalperson

amusicalperson

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Dec 8, 2013
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Kaplan, Louisiana
#1
I saw an older thread kind of on this subject by I think I have a slightly different goal in mind. Regardless, anyone have any experience using old Marshalls for bass? Mainly, Marshall Super Basses but would also be interested in hearing about Marshall Majors, Marshall Super Leads, Super PAs, or heck, just any Marshalls really. Honestly, during my whole bass career (or lack thereof) I've been an Ampeg guy because they are the standard and what most of my idols played but I've just felt like branching out. Not necessarily to completely reshape my rig, just to experiment. Hell, I'd also be really interested in any Hiwatt or Orange stories as well. It seems very hard to find any soundclips/opinions on these amps in regards to bass but I know there have to be some players out there who use these. Especially hard to find anyone reviewing a Marshall with a bass playing cleanly. ;)

Thanks as always guys.
 
#7
I had a '76 Super Bass for about 6 months last year. I was a very cool amp, with a pretty good clean tone, though not muscular like an Ampeg. Ofcause the overdriven tone was really nice, and i could go from clean to nasty with the volume knob on the bass, pretty cool.
The tone controls do very little, and the amp really has its sound, and there is not much you can do about it. That didn't bother me, i like the simplicity of it, and as i said, it sounded really good. I sold the amp to fund an Orange Thunderverb 200, but we never got along that you, so i kinda regret getting rid of the Marshall.

As a bonus info i will say that the Marshal did not like ported cabs all that much. Especially when overdriven, it would become mushy and blurry. I think it simply looses the grip of the speakers. But with any closed cab i tried it sounded great!

Hope this helps
 
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#8
Sauber said:
I had a '76 Super Bass for about 6 months last year. I was a very cool amp, with a pretty good clean tone, though not muscular like an Ampeg. Ofcause the overdriven tone was really nice, and i could go from clean to nasty with the volume knob on the bass, pretty cool.
The tone controls do very little, and the amp really has its sound, and there is not much you can do about it. That didn't bother me, i like the simplicity of it, and as i said, it sounded really good. I sold the amp to fund an Orange Thunderverb 200, but we never got along that you, so i kinda regret getting rid of the Marshall.

As a bonus info i will say that the Marshal did not like ported cabs all that much. Especially when overdriven, it would become mushy and blurry. I think it simply looses the grip of the speakers. But with any closed cab i tried it sounded great!

Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insight. I really appreciate it!
 
#9
I play a VBA400:

rig_marshall.jpg


This amp is a one tone wonder, but I love this "one" fat sound. It is a monster... ;)
 
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#11
amusicalperson said:
I saw an older thread kind of on this subject by I think I have a slightly different goal in mind. Regardless, anyone have any experience using old Marshalls for bass? Mainly, Marshall Super Basses but would also be interested in hearing about Marshall Majors, Marshall Super Leads, Super PAs, or heck, just any Marshalls really. Honestly, during my whole bass career (or lack thereof) I've been an Ampeg guy because they are the standard and what most of my idols played but I've just felt like branching out. Not necessarily to completely reshape my rig, just to experiment. Hell, I'd also be really interested in any Hiwatt or Orange stories as well. It seems very hard to find any soundclips/opinions on these amps in regards to bass but I know there have to be some players out there who use these. Especially hard to find anyone reviewing a Marshall with a bass playing cleanly. ;)

Thanks as always guys.
Click to expand...

I had a Marshall Major head during the mid 70's, used it with two Sunn 2000S cabs, very loud but wasn't satisfied with the limited tone controls, they were voiced for guitar as far as I know. Wish I still had it though but the prices on those are out of sight now. I switched to SVT's and have never looked back. I wouldn't think a Super Bass would have enough power unless you wanted a tone like Lemmy. I also had a Super lead head, an orange one which I also wish I still had but again SVT's kill them as far as versatility, power and punch go. If you've been an Ampeg player most of your career you probably won't like the old Marshall's, they're one trick ponys. Very cool but not versatile.
 
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#15
Marshall Super Lead 100 clearest full range tone lacking lows. Super Bass 100 kinda baked in low end over everything. Both breakup early if you like that. Marshall Major big sound! Weighs a lot. Funny we played bass all day all night through Marshall 4x12 cabs circa '68 on. The 50w & 100w. Tried a new Handwired not even close! Actually sounded terrible.

True bass tone was the B-15. Sunn 2000s too if you didn't drive them to distortion. 200s went their sooner with that Mountain tone.

Hiwatts were hifi and captured the best of fat Ampeg & Sunn.

Modern Reeves 225 hated my Goliath III. Cones were visibly jumping. Seems to really need a sealed cab. Old Hiwatts and Marshalls handled ported and sealed cabs. I used Marshall Major on a flat back SVT though.

Noel R asked John E. what he should use. John said a Marshall stack with rotosounds.
You hear that in Crosstown Traffic. That full fidelity bass tone on House Burning Down is either a direct sound or mic'd cab but sure sounds like what a Sunn with JBL D140s sounded like. The live Voodoo Child is what Jack Casady sounded like with that Alembic Guild through Sunns. When I say sounded like, I heard all of these up close in person live played by these people. I was also fortunate to have owned and gigged them. No brag here just stating why I can speak from experience.

Ron Wood played bass with the Small Faces and next the Jeff Beck group. Rod Stewart sang. Find Jeff Beck Truth & Beck Ola to get a different take on what was happening musically when Led Zepplin eclipsed it all by great PR. He used two Majors with two 4x12 cabs.
 
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#16
This rig is fun (ss content)

Marshall%20Micro%20Bass%20Rig%203505%20x%202_zpsopaxfv6q.jpg


Kinda generic-sounding but the voice cuts really well. Their 400 watt offering in the IBS line was a capable amp if you like the Marshall SS voice enough. I never heard any of the MB series.

If you're looking for a tube amp for bass, there are plenty enough around. You don't have to pay the "vintage classic" premium for a good all-tube bass amp. If what I've heard is true, the Peavey Windsor cops the JCM800 sound really well. Maybe there's another $150 used guitar amp that is known to cop the superbass sound. At least you'd only have spent 150 bucks to find out it isn't going to work; or it does, and it only cost you $150. Of course that same "buck-fiddy" can get you a GK MB200 head, so.....
 
#17
“chadds said:
Ron Wood played bass with the Small Faces and next the Jeff Beck group. Rod Stewart sang. Find Jeff Beck Truth & Beck Ola to get a different take on what was happening musically when Led Zepplin eclipsed it all by great PR. He used two Majors with two 4x12 cabs.
Click to expand...

Always wondered how he got that tone; thanks,
With a Tele bass right?
Those two records were so far ahead of their time and stand up today.

How did Woodie go from being an excellent bassist to rhythm gtr?
 
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#18
basscooker said:
This rig is fun (ss content)

Marshall%20Micro%20Bass%20Rig%203505%20x%202_zpsopaxfv6q.jpg


Kinda generic-sounding but the voice cuts really well. Their 400 watt offering in the IBS line was a capable amp if you like the Marshall SS voice enough. I never heard any of the MB series.

If you're looking for a tube amp for bass, there are plenty enough around. You don't have to pay the "vintage classic" premium for a good all-tube bass amp. If what I've heard is true, the Peavey Windsor cops the JCM800 sound really well. Maybe there's another $150 used guitar amp that is known to cop the superbass sound. At least you'd only have spent 150 bucks to find out it isn't going to work; or it does, and it only cost you $150. Of course that same "buck-fiddy" can get you a GK MB200 head, so.....
Click to expand...
I currently have an SVT rig so I don't really "need" any of the amps in discussion just more of a "want." Yes (and Chris Squire) (and acquiring a Ric) have been hitting me hard lately hence my desire. That and a lot of other players whose tone I appreciate used Marshalls. (Jack Bruce, Andy Fraiser, Roger Glover, etc.)
 
#20
amusicalperson said:
I currently have an SVT rig so I don't really "need" any of the amps in discussion just more of a "want." Yes (and Chris Squire) (and acquiring a Ric) have been hitting me hard lately hence my desire. That and a lot of other players whose tone I appreciate used Marshalls. (Jack Bruce, Andy Fraiser, Roger Glover, etc.)
Click to expand...

I have mostly used Rics for the past 35 years - I've had about 15 - and in that time have owned 1 Superbass and used another for an extended period. I love Squire, Glover et al. I play lightly and don't like to be loud on stage so too much drive was never an issue, but I really liked both of mine. However as I never really got on with any of the many Ampegs I've used (could never pin down why, they just never worked for me) YMMV.
 
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