I was mildly interested until I got to the end of the article. At which point I lost interest.
https://www.guitarworld.com/news/fender-adam-clayton-u2-acb-50-bass-amp
I was mildly interested until I got to the end of the article. At which point I lost interest.
https://www.guitarworld.com/news/fender-adam-clayton-u2-acb-50-bass-amp
the weight? or the price?
cons:
Only 50W
15ā speaker
55 pounds
Costs 2.5x what it should
pros:
Tubes
Resale to rich U2 fans
Itās a āBass Trapā? One for the die hard fans there
Yeah, but theyāre tuuuuube watts.
The two channels give it some pretty cool versatility. It probably sounds great. Unfortunately, at that price point, I will never know.
If I were spending that much on bass, I would something else. Like a MIJ 50s P and an MIJ P
Lol, the price! If I had ACās net worth, I wouldnāt think twice. But alasā¦
Quality tube amps are always going to be heavier and more expensive than their solid state equivalents. Itās going to eat more electricity and produce more heat too. But if tubes are your thing, then thatās the price you gotta pay.
I think itās an interesting niche product, but itās aiming at a very limited market.
I wonder about that. Tubes amp are very popular and (re)sell really well in Holland. They have been out of stock for ages on Thomann. I sold mine in two days.
It reminds me of the Fender Blues Junior which is one of the best selling Fender amp products. The price seems fair if you compared it to others. You pay the same price for some tube amps without a cab. Also 50 watt on a tube amp is LOUD. It was impossible to play the blues junior 15 watt at bedroom levels!
I think itās a smart move from Fender and always good that we bass players get some more āvintageā love
Exactly.
The all tube Fender bassman is 50% more expensive and you need to add a cab to it.
I donāt think this is over priced for what it is.
Itās also 300W.
Yes, 200-300W seems to be the standard for tube bass amps. But I donāt think thatās the market this one is aiming for. Looks more like a thing for occasional musicians that are U2 fans. Seems good enough for small concerts and jams.
My Ampeg V4B was 100W. Letās just say that the apartment complex started to shake when I went over 3. The volume also depends on what kind cab you are using, I had an Ampeg SVT-212AV 2x12 which costs about $800. If you want a matching Neo cab for that Fender Bassman you should add $800-1900 to the total price.
I recommend buying used.
Iām not convinced theyāre charging a premium for the U2 fans. Thereās no overt U2 branding.
(despite being Irish and having met some of the band though biking, I donāt consider myself a U2 fan).
Thereās just not much competition out there for a bass player that wants, and is prepared to shell out for, an all tube amp for practice and small venues. (or large venues even, through the DI)
I really like the sound and concept of this combo⦠Arghhhh, hold me back boys!
Before you do this you should check out the small tube amp head options (including hybrids) from G-K, Ampeg, and others. This thing being a combo is actually a drawback IMO as you can get plenty of choices in small cabs too.
If you really want the fender tonestack sound then even something like an EBS ValveDrive into a normal amp (or over its DI) might be a better choice for a lot less.
I have looked at the G-K hybrid heads (Fusion?) but not quite the same thing as an all tube power section. Do they do an all tube low power head?
The Ampeg V4B is probably too much for domestic use, both in terms of power (100W) and weight (18Kg). Thereās the PF-20Twhich seems aimed at the same market as a head.
There are some vintage alternatives to this offering (if you have the ability to fettle them) but Iām not seeing many modern options.
Most of the tone comes from the preamp. Itās true that the power section contributes some in all tube amps but really the preamp is where the amps make their sound. I actually think the Fusions are an awesome idea.
The PortaFlexes were indeed the Ampegs I had in mind. And ofc the B-15, which was more or less made for the same use as the Fender AC Signature.
Of course they didnāt brand it U2, that would be weird as signature models are always linked to artists (AFAIK). But as itās a Fender signature, they certainly charge premium
At least itās made in Mexico and not in China
Okay, now I know better