Adam Clayton Signature Fender 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

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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

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It’s a ā€˜Bass Trap’? One for the die hard fans there :wink:

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Yeah, but they’re tuuuuube watts.

The two channels give it some pretty cool versatility. It probably sounds great. Unfortunately, at that price point, I will never know.

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If I were spending that much on bass, I would something else. Like a MIJ 50s P and an MIJ P

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Lol, the price! If I had AC’s net worth, I wouldn’t think twice. But alas…

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Quality tube amps are always going to be heavier and more expensive than their solid state equivalents. It’s going to eat more electricity and produce more heat too. But if tubes are your thing, then that’s the price you gotta pay.

I think it’s an interesting niche product, but it’s aiming at a very limited market.

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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 it’s a smart move from Fender and always good that we bass players get some more ā€œvintageā€ love :heart:

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Exactly.
The all tube Fender bassman is 50% more expensive and you need to add a cab to it.
I don’t think this is over priced for what it is.

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It’s also 300W.

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Yes, 200-300W seems to be the standard for tube bass amps. But I don’t think that’s 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.

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My Ampeg V4B was 100W. Let’s just say that the apartment complex started to shake when I went over 3. :joy: 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.

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I’m not convinced they’re charging a premium for the U2 fans. There’s no overt U2 branding.
(despite being Irish and having met some of the band though biking, I don’t consider myself a U2 fan).

There’s 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!

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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). There’s 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 I’m not seeing many modern options.

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Most of the tone comes from the preamp. It’s 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.

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Of course they didn’t brand it U2, that would be weird as signature models are always linked to artists (AFAIK). But as it’s a Fender signature, they certainly charge premium :sweat_smile:

At least it’s made in Mexico and not in China :person_shrugging:t3:

There are band branded instruments. The Babymetal guitar by ESP for example

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Okay, now I know better :wink: