_Sweet Willie_ Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Well, a while ago I started a thread that ended up being quite interesting about European basses and bass builders. Of recent I've been discovering that they make some interesting amps and cabs in Europe as well. Of course, there are a couple of companies that we know well: Ashdown EBS However, I'm discovering some other companies that may be doing some really good stuff that aren't as prominent here in the US, like: Kickin\' Swedish power amps from lab.gruppen Lightweight speaker cabs and straightforward heads from Markbass in Italy There's a lab.gruppen thread running right now, but I wonder if some of our European friends might have some experience with Markbass, because I'm really curious. Also, what other European companies are doing some nice work in the realm of bass amplification? Peace, --sweet'n'low spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 warwick. quadruplet preamp http://www.warwickbass.com/images/quad.jpg quad VI head. http://www.warwickbass.com/images/quad6lg.jpg i even like their speakers. if you haven't played them, check them out. they're pretty sweet. robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted October 22, 2003 Author Share Posted October 22, 2003 Good call, robb. I can't believe I forgot to mention Warwick, even if I haven't played their amps or cabs before. BTW, robb., check your PMs. Peace. spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 No mention for the 400-watt tube beast from Marshall? http://www.marshallamps.com/images/products/vba/images/vba400unit.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted October 23, 2003 Author Share Posted October 23, 2003 Ooooops, I almost forgot the high-end systems from... ... Glockenklang! spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorg Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 yes I wanted to post GLockenclang, but what about the Merlin?? Or the Dutch brand Hevos: www.hevos.nl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 merlin! i want one! http://www.merlin-bass.de/bilder/frontshad robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted October 23, 2003 Author Share Posted October 23, 2003 Hevos is news to me. I'll have to look a bit more closely. Jorg, have you played Hevos gear? How is it? Click here to be transported to the magical world of Merlin. Whappo has (or had) a Merlin head. He told me that it was a great sounding amp. spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onamission Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Oh mama, I'm smittin with these beautiful Euro amps and cabs!!!! The Merlin, Lab.Gruppen and Glockenclang have really got my attention. I have a extremely BAD case of GAS now! I can hear it now "But honey, It'll make me sound so much better!" - Jon ----- You have the right to remain in the groove, any solos cannot be used against you, you have the right to snap and pop, if you cannot snap and pop, two fingers can provide the funk just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorg Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 I've never tried but I know some people who have. As I understood you can compare Hevos with Glockenklang. High-end. I can not add more. More info can be found on the website. I kopied in a test report on the Hevos (tube) preamp: The Hevos pre-amp does its work without any noise, which is unusual for a tube pre-amp. Hevos made a perfectly silent bass pre-amp with absolute studio quality, so you can not only use it on stage in live situations but this pre-amp is also an atractive solution for studio work. As far as the sound is concerned, this Hevos does not go for the usual tube distorsion, but it delivers a soft and harmonic amplification that is also characteristic for tubes, together with a pure high-end sound full of details. The tiniest details can be heard when using this amp, and dispite this filigran qualities it handles loud details also in a correct way without overdoing it. "This Hevos pre-amp delivers cultivated sound-esthetics, it improves the signal of the bass without putting itself in the forefront. The tone controls meets all the demands of a bass player, and it has an extra sensiblity for tuning the mid registers that are so important for a good bass sound. This accurate working, soundpure pre-amp is a rare alternative for all those bass pre-amps with their emphatically present tubesound that fill the shops these days. Bassists who are looking for a completely silent prea-amp that combines the harmonic good-nature sound of tubes with an high-end sound will get a hard job in finding it in shops full of bass pre-amps that deliver a hard rock-tubesound. The Hevos pre-amp is a rare and very highgrade exception and delivers studio quality." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorg Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 or this on their 400W amplifier from another test in a German magazine The German Magazine Gitarre & Bass wrote in September 1998: " Calling the HEVOS 400B a "good bass amp" is for sure an understatement: it seems that this low profile amplifier is the ABSOLUTE TOP CLASS for bass players. Its basic sound is open and even over the total frequency range it sounds steady, strong as steel and yet round. Velvety round and still tight, like a low E string can sound, without loosing its contours, while on the other hand the higher frequencies sound very open and clear, without getting aggresive...... The HEVOS 400B is without any doubt the best bass amp you can get, with a perfect combination of tubes pre-amp and transistor power amp. "Best of both worlds", from no other brand bassists will get such a good offer as with this HEVOS 400B amp!!!..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted October 23, 2003 Author Share Posted October 23, 2003 Originally posted by robb.: merlin! i want one! robb.I hear you! The current head (the Merlin 600)does 650W RMS into 4 ohms and 500W RMS into 8 ohms. The EQ section is all passive -- that is to say it is "cut" only. I'm totally intrigued by this head! (Godlyke is the US distributor, and I checked the Godlyke site: it lists for $1800 -- so maybe it's possible to buy one for $1300 or so? ) Jorg, thanks for posting those reviews. Wow! Very favorable. Hmmmmmmm...Hevos preamp and Lab.Gruppen power amp...hmmmmmm. But, really, as cool as some of the Euro gear is, we certainly have some great amps and speakers made here in the USA. However, I think it's helpful for us to know about bass gear that wouldn't normally show up on our radar. ) The amps in particular appeal to me based on the info from the website: basic but useful features, good power, and portable package (2U, 10 kg). spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Malone Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Originally posted by robb.: merlin! i want one! http://www.merlin-bass.de/bilder/frontshad robb.So do I. I'm waiting for Whappo to chime in here. He owns a Merlin which I did get to try out. It's absolutely incredible. Wally I have basses to play, places to be and good music to make! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Originally posted by getz76: No mention for the 400-watt tube beast from Marshall? Well, I've always loved their guitar amps, but their bass amps are interesting specimens. They're great for getting the clangy tones. Comparable to the Ampegs, to my ears. sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whappo Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 I've had my Merlin for over a year & it kicks major booty! I've never gotten it past volume notch 3 driving an El Whappo cab. Can you say, Loud, Clean & Mean? Glock also makes some very nice gear & Uwe, who's the US distributor, is a good guy as well. Speaking of European, German rags Bass Professor and Gitarre & Bass did reviews this year on three of our cabs. They said that the El Whappo & Bill Dickens Signature cabs were "Perfect." Way to go my "over the pond" friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whappo Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 "Godlyke is the US distributor, and I checked the Godlyke site: it lists for $1800 -- so maybe it's possible to buy one for $1300 or so?" Actually, the retail is about $2600. So $1800 is a killer deal & worth every penny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trip wamsley Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 I've got a Glockenklang rig. Soul head and the 212 and the Uno Deluxe 115. I can tell you that it's wonderful stuff. Those guys over there have a much different(and better, I think) take on things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fig Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 During my trips overseas in the Navy, and when I was stationed in Sicily, I was always hunting down music stores, and played a good variety of European made gear. I don't remember any particular brands, but overall the foriegn made stuff was very good. The funny thing was, is that in most countries, people were wanting to buy American made amps. Kinda cool that this thread goes along with my impressions that the Euro gear seemed a bit better than our stuff. Bassplayers aren't paid to play fast, they're paid to listen fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Wow! Whappo and Trip both seemingly prefer the Euro stuff. A message to US buyers and makers perhaps? Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 i'm working on it! robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted October 23, 2003 Author Share Posted October 23, 2003 Observed by wraub: Wow! Whappo and Trip both seemingly prefer the Euro stuff. A message to US buyers and makers perhaps? Peace, wraubAlthough I think Whappo prefers a certain line of speaker cabs manufactured in California to any others... Challenge accepted by robb.: i'm working on it! robb.Get after it, brutha! I can't wait to play my full-on LDL rig: my Sweet Willie signature Seismic "Sugar" bass thru my "robb." amp and AccuGroove cabs! In the meantime, one of them Merlin heads just might treat me right! spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trip wamsley Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 I do tend to like Euro stuff more than American made. Here's why; Glock is simple to operate. The speakers are no frills and just well made. (Look at the simple layout of the Merlin head as well. It's just plain classic! No tacky graphics and overly shiny plating like on American amps.) The tone is very fat and warm and it sounds close to studio monitors. American speakers tend to over-emphasize parts of the freq. spectrum so they appear to be louder than what they actually are. Going for percieved loudness versus actual loudness. In a nutshell, most Euro gear just plain sounds better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorg Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 what would the merlin cost in the US? In the Netherlands I can get one for Euro 1.600 that would be around $1.700?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 *bump* Given Claberonious Funk's recent thread about Dutchmen, I thought I'd send this back to the top of the heap. Peace. --s-uu spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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