Ampeg B-100R Rocket Bass Amp

Two inputs (0db for passive pickups, -15db for active). Four EQ knobs (bass, mid-low, mid-high, treble), three boost buttons (bass, mid, treble), gain control, and master speaker volume control. Balanced 1/4" line out and headphone out. 100W Solid State.

I play a cheap $75 bass that I bought in India and I also use a Fender Fretless Jazz bass. Somehow, for some reason, when I play the Indian bass with this Ampeg, it sounds *just* like John Entwistle's tone from '76-'79. I loved the tone so much that I even paid $60 to get the damn bass repaired when the headstock broke. I'm not a fan of the speaker's output. It's loud (it could hold its own against my old band's guitarists' half-stacks) but just doesn't punch. However... if you feed your line out to a PA or don't require very loud volume, it's a beauty. When I record on it, I turn the the bass to 5, mid ranges to 0 and treble to 10. It'll punch through any mix. All of the above refers to regular roundwound fretted basses... now for fretless...

If you play fretless, THIS AMP IS NOT MEANT FOR YOU. You'll get the dullest tones ever.

This amp is so solid, that there's a hole in my basement wall from it being moved.

The tone is godly. Just don't use it for big loud shows.

I'm assuming it was made this year, but who knows. It's a vintage-style bass amp. Very simple, no major bells and whistles. Gain control with indicator LEDs, 4-band EQ, master value, high/low input, headphones and line out jacks. It's a solid state amp, but you'd never know it. For a 100watt 15" amp, it is damn loud and can be cranked without noticable distortion. VERY impressive.

Incredible sound. I play in a Beatles cover band. here in the Phoenix metro area. I have been playing a Fender BXR-100 up until now, and had always struggled with getting the thing EQed right for the basses I play (Hofner Cavern, two Rickenbacker 4003s, and a Fender Jazz with active EMG pickups). I went down the aisle of bass amps, testing out each one within my prace range ($400 to 700), these included Crate, Gallien-Krueger, Ashdown, Fender, and Ampegs. I tried out two other Ampegs and wasn't incredibly impressed with the output, then just before giving up, decided to plug into this little vintage looking box that seemed more like a practice amp than one that could be used for small gigs. Wow! For an amp with so few modeling features, it's very versatile in the tones it can produce, and matches the Beatles songs I play perfectly. No noise, no distortion at any volume. Very hard to overdrive. Incredible little amp.

I've only had it a day, so I can't say for sure, but I know Ampegs to be incredibly reliable. It's solid state electronics, and seems to be built very sturdy.

Haven't had to deal with Ampeg

I've been playing for around 4 or 5 years. For the price, and the sound it produces, if it were lost, I'd definitely buy another. Seriously, I tried a few other Ampegs, and this one had the tone I was looking for. Compared to the Fender BXR-100 I have, it's is "light years" ahead in tone and overall sound quality.

brand new. some reviewers complain this amp isn't very versatile-I find it produces all the tones i could want...I play mostly rock and blues, funk, some slap, works well ,even for slap (would sound better w/a tweeter, methinks...) Would like a 1/4" external spkr jack. Plenty of power (100W) Does everything I want.

Creates a very ballsy, enveloping, harmonically-flavored rumble...very tasty! I find the sound from the 15" isn't that loud up close, but apparently VERY loud 10' + away (my bandmates are always telling me to turn down...none of us can hear anything anyways!) Very quiet amp, has 2 ported openings in back to control amount of cabinet bass projected.
Makes variations of one super nice sound...Tube-y, very fat, compressed sound...lots like James Jamerson, no distortion at any volume (this is nice!)

Seems super sturdy. The Blue Tolex covering is cool looking. Super heavy (62 lb.) Speaker does make a pop when power is turned off...so do some of my other amps. 5 year warranty. Everyone who owns an AMPEG has told me good things! Always turns on, at least, and doesn't heat up (no fan, though)

as mentioned, 5 year warranty. Haven't dealt w/ St Louis music...heard good things, though

Been playing approx. 5 years. Own an ibanez ATK-100, Samick PBass, Samick amp, old harmony amp from '60's, Epiphone Les Paul, etc....
Love the sound-SUPER LOUD< NICE BOTTOM END, looks cool too!!! No stores around here had Ampegs...tried SWR wm 10, 12 etc. even 2004 head, and tried many hartke products. Stick w/ampeg! For low-end ($500 aint bad) portable combo, this does the trick better than most. I'm super happy I got it....you should seriously consider this amp.

This is a pretty simple amp with four band EQ and low/high boost buttons. One 15 inch speaker in a small cabinet. No effects loop but it does have an unbalanced line out (great for a tuner) and a headphone socket. All solid state. It's simple but it's good.

It has a nice, warm tone, very much like an old Ampeg Portaflex combo. Not much in the way of bells and whistles but great sound none the less. Probably not the thing if you're interested in a modern, clean, clinical sounding amp.

It only a couple of weeks old so who knows? Given Ampeg's reputation it'll probably last for years.

No idea

For it's size, weight and cost I think this is a great combo. Good enough for small venues. The warmth of the sound is just what I was looking for and it's superior (IMHO) to the Eden WT-400 and Mesa Walkabout heads that I tried out (with a 1x15 Bag End cabinet).

Made in America, 2002. This amp has simple controls; if you like Spartan simplicity as I do you will love this one. 2 inputs, active or passive. It's got everything I will ever need: the unbalanced line out is the ticket;I run the line to our PA and roll with it. 100 watts into a vintage style 15 inch speaker. No effects loop or speaker extension, but does what it's designed for.

I use a 1994 USA Fender P-Bass with stock pickups and flatwound strings. For what I do it's perfect. I play in a working cover band that plays a little bit of everything. I love this amp. KILLER TONE!!!! Stays clean all the way up, thump and punch for days; this is a real bass amp with mucho huevos, folks. Classic tone in a cool, vintage package. Plenty loud for all styles.

It's an Ampeg. Solid as a rock. I haven't had it very long, but if my prior experience with ampeg is any indication, it will last for years. I've had an SVT solid state since 1989, never had any problems with it. But since it is fairly new, I will have to pass on this category.

I've never had any dealings with Ampeg. I've heard good things about them though.

I've been playing 15 yrs. Mostly rock, pop, blues, and funk. If it were stolen, I would be suffer deep depression and then go buy another one. It's simple and affordable and sounds great. An outstanding value, I would say.

Probably manufactured in 2001. 100 watts, 15" speaker. Plenty of knobs and buttons for EQ. 1/4" balanced line out.

My ideal is a fat, full tone that will complement piano and guitar. I don't really play styles that require roundwounds, but I tested the B-100R with both roundwound and flatwound strings. Both basses were Fender American Standard P-basses.

With roundwounds, the B100R had a pleasing, loud, full-spectrum sound -- bright highs, clear mids, fat bass. If I was still into Motorhead and the Ramones, I might have bought it. If you use roundwounds for everything, this amp is probably suitable for most styles.

With flatwounds, this amp was a major disappointment. I was hoping to hear some plunky Motown tone. All I heard was a serious lack of headroom. It was overdriving with the gain on 3. I guess the brightness of the roundwounds was masking the overdrive, because it was really obvious with flatwounds. Turning the mids all the way down helped, but it killed the tone. With flat EQ, the tone was bright, crunchy, and fuzzy. Booty-shaking bass was nowhere to be heard, because I couldn't turn up and still have a clean tone.

I didn't even bother testing the B50R with flatwounds, because the B100R was such a disappointment.

Just for kicks, I plugged the flatwound P-Bass into the Ampeg Classic and SVT350 heads, and tried them both with seven different Ampeg cabinets ranging from a 1x15 to an 8x10. I kept the EQ flat, because by then I'd decided that if I don't like the tone of an amp with everything flat, I don't like the amp.

The Ampeg heads had headroom to spare, and some of those cabs have serious rumble. What the cabs all had in common when used with those heads, with flat EQ, was an unnatural, electric sound, with too much crunchy midrange. Did the recording and production process at Motown alter the Ampeg sound beyond recognition, or was I just having a bad ear day?

Until today, I didn't think my little Acoustic Image Contra could cut it as a bass guitar amp. It's loud enough, and has plenty of bass. It just doesn't have as much punch and thump as I'd like to hear. But compared to the Ampegs, the Contra is much more faithful to the sound of the plank -- which is what I thought vintage flatwound tone was supposed to be all about. Maybe all I need to do is buy a compressor.

For crunchy roundwound rock tone, the B100R is a 10, but for flatwound tone it's a dog. Most guys use roundwounds, so as a weighted average I'll give it a 7.

Note: the price given here is what they were charging at Guitar Center in Chicago, Illinois on March 30, 2002.

I started playing cello at the age of 8 or 9, bass guitar at 15, and upright bass at 17. Now I'm 35. When I was younger, I was into 70's punk, but lately almost all I've been doing is classic jazz on upright bass. I've always liked the Motown bass sound, but it's only recently that I've tried to recreate it.

Here's the basic rundown: 1x15 combo; solid state 100 watts; hi/lo inputs; chicken knobs for gain, master, bass, mid and treble on the top deck recessed slightly below the flat top of the amp; three push button controls for "ultra bass", "ultra mid" and "ulta hi"; and a very cool looking blue power indicator light; caster inserts on the bottom corners. The whole package is wrapped in a cool looking blue diamond pattern tolex.

Not heavily feature laiden, but just enough for what you really need to do. Only gripe: the power cord doesn't detatch, and there's no provision for storage...it might be a recipe for wear-damage/breakage at some point, but it hasn't happened in two years of heavy gigging with this amp. I've never been concerned about the amp not having an external speaker output...it has plenty of volume and presence on its own, and it wasn't designed to be part of a modular component system, anyway.

I play in a 5 piece Beatles tribute band that gigs about 5-6 times a month in the SF Bay Area. I've had it for about 2 years, and I could not be happier with it's sound, features, portability and cool vibe. The B100R has plenty of power for the 100-150 person clubs/bars that I play in. Our lead guitarist occasionally asks me to turn down a bit, and I usually run the amp at 50%. The amp has two rear ports which allow you to modulate how much 'wall reinforcement' you want...closer for more and further for less....this really works well!

I play a Hofner Violin bass and an Epiphone Viola (in many ways a much better bass) and a Fender American Jazz Deluxe into a Tech 21 Sansamp bass DI then into the amp. I use two fingers plucking as well as a heavy and medium pick. I am not a slap player. The gain, master, bass, mid, treble are all usually set at between 5-7 each and the ultra bass and ultra mid buttons are depressed (activiated).

The tone is very warm, fat, and rich...even without the Sansamp. Someone below mentioned the James Jamerson Motown sound and this amp along with my Jazz, does it perfectly. It's very quiet, and when really driven hard, the sound just gets fatter and a bit compressed...much like a tube amp does. The 15 inch vintage speaker has never farted out. I don't know how Ampeg designed this circuit, but it really is impressive. It seems to have much more volume than you would expect from a 100 watt bass amp. It suits my Beatles gig perfectly as I can get all the Mcartney tones out of this...the fat, round and tubby Hofner tone, and then when I need the Ricky/fender bassman tone (think Helter Skelter), I use my Jazz and roll up the mids and highs a bit and use a medium pick. I truly have not been able to make the B100r sound bad!. More than a few times, musicians/bassplayers have come up to me after a set and remarked how nice and full the bass tone has sounded and then are very suprised to see that it came from an amp about the size of a small cardboard moving box.

I'd rate it an "11" if I could.

I don't baby my gear, but then I don't toss it around carelessly either. I gig it without a backup. I has never broken down or even whimpered a slight complaint. It's the energizer bunny with tone.

I bought it used so I didn't even investigate the warranty. With no service required so far, I haven't had to deal with St. Louis Music(who makes Ampeg products) for a repair. When I've called them with technical questions about their products, they've always been friendly and informative on the phone.

I'm 42 now, and have been playing guitar and bass for most of my life. I started playing not long after the Beatles performed on Ed Sullivan! I have a professional day job that thankfully affords me the opportnity to buy any music gear I'd like. I also have an Ampeg stack and head setup...an SVT head through stacked 1x15 and 2x10 cabinets. This set up sounds awesome too, but it weighs more than any one person should ever have to move around (let alone a 42 year old person)....and so it stays home. (for chrissake, the SVT head alone weighs more than the B100r). The B100r has about 95% of the tone and about 1/10 of the weight.

I have tried to be as critical as I can...but unless you buy it looking for that modern glassy tone, this amp has the goods. All in all, it's a great package for the gigging musician who wants to make one trip from the car and have all the vintage tone and volume you would need for medium sized bars and clubs. Anything bigger venue should be mic'd or DI'd into the PA anyway. All this for $375 used makes the B100r what I beleive to be one of the best bass gear values available. You will NOT regret buying it.

This amp is two years old, I think. I bought it second-hand on eBay. The B-100R has two inputs -- low gain and high-gain (for passive or active pickups). It's got a few more features than its little brother the B-50R:
- Gain & master volume
- Bass/mid/treble boost switches
- Clipping indicator light for setting gain

The B-100R isn't much louder than the B-50R. The volume difference between a 50- and a 100-watt amp is pretty insignificant. Dig into Ampeg's website for technical info, and you'll finally find a really good explanation of the relationship between wattage and volume. In a nutshell: doubling the wattage creates a perceptable volume increase, but not much more.

I own the B-50R and the B-100R. I loved the B-50R so much I bought the 100 hoping for more volume. Nope. But the added tone possibilities are worth it as far as I'm concerned.

I'd like an external speaker jack, and the tone-boost buttons would be more handy if they were in a pedal, not on the control panel.

By the way: the amp has sockets for casters. I bought some, and am really glad I did. Get them from a hardware supply, and you'll roll your amp into a gig instead of lugging it!

I've used this amp with a stock Fender P-Bass (passive pickup) and a high-end Washburn (actives). My band plays blues, R&B, a little jazz, and a little country. In the past, I've owned Ampegs (both solid state and tube), and a Peavey TNT150. This amp has the best sound of any I've ever owned. I find it flexible, but after reading other reviews, I guess the sounds I want must all fall within a fairly narrow range (blues/R&B -- lots of bass with some string sound but not "glassy").

I've never had a problem with any Ampeg, ever. This one's no exception so far.

I'll let you know if I ever have a problem with the amp!

I've been playing since the 1960s, generally small bars, clubs and parties/receptions. Combo amps are what I'm used to, and I like this one better than any I've owned. If I lost it, I'd replace it -- no question. The look of this amp reminds me 1960 Ampegs, and it rings the right notes with me. Basic, direct, fundamental, easy to use, sounds great.

a very great bass sound...no problem with this ( AND ESPECIALLY THE ENCLOSURE AND THE LOUDSPEAKER WICHT ARE GREAT VALUE? ..... but you can only have ONE type of Sound ,and only one ...(The great Ampeg sound , that's Ok!)not so easy to get variations!AND no INSERT loop !wich is now an important feature . Any one should be able to insert an effect between the preamp and the Power amp ...or bypass the preamp (I also own a LINE BaSS POD PRO)

VERY GOOD but only one sound!

a very great bass sound...no problem with this ( AND ESPECIALLY THE ENCLOSURE AND THE LOUDSPEAKER WICHT ARE GREAT VALUE? ..... but you can only have ONE type of Sound ,and only one ...(The great Ampeg sound , that's Ok!)But i have to complain ... About reliability!!!!..... The amplifier of myAMPEG B100 R became OUT OF ORDER AFTER ONLY ONE YEAR OF USE ! I play professionnaly in generally small cubs in Paris (France)just twice a week (about 3 hours each gig with volume at 6 maximum.
Unfortunately ,unlike in the usa where the AMPEG warranty is 5 years long , in france it is only one year ... and I couldn't benefit of it .That's why ...i'M BAD!!!!In fact I think that the Transfo size of the B100R is too little and that the transistors are not enough cooled (maybe a little ventilator could help? . Anyway, it seems to me that the amp part is too little in dimensions for intensive prolongated use)The heat has NO physical way to be evacuated.In my opinion it's a big mistake from the conceptors .
But to tell the truth, the enclosure is so good that i now use it with a Laney bass amp head taken from a 120W combo (much less expensive ...and Igot it second hand !) I did'nt even repared the ampeg head (i can get the AMPEG ORIGINAL SOUND WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM and also many clearer and funky/punchy sounds from the "nervous cheap British LANEY "and my AMPEG loudspeaker . that's the way i do now .

PrOFESSIONAL SOUND : PROFESSIONNAL PRICE : bUT NOT PROFESSIONNAL DESIGN IN ORDER TO GET A PROFESSIONAL RELIABILITY (experienced !)
AND A PARTICULIAR BAD RATING TO THE FRENCH IMPORTATOR WHO REDUCES THE AMERICAN YEARS WARRANTY TO AONE YEAR ! IT'S A SHAME !!! ALL OF these RUINED what could have been a fantastic value .
I 'm VERY GLAD TO HaVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TELL my lITTLE STORY TO THE WORLD ! That kind of of things could happen!!instead of a good rating (technical and "commercial" ) my rating will be awfull/I paid very much money for one year of fantastic sound :......Anybody could tell me why AMPEG the manufacture does not impose a worldwide 5 years warranty? My answer is :: they know that their amps ARE NOT RELIABLE ENOUGH TO DO SO . Of course , everibody knows that everything is calculated and it would cost them too much money outside the USA because THEY ACTUALLY KNOW that their products are not srong enough .here is the proof of it :they are not self confident ! it means:their amps ARE NOT RELIABLE ENOUGH !IT'S CLEAR !I SPENT about 800 $ to learn it :! and for your information: they didn't do anything to help me!That is not their problem ! just mine ! REMEMBER THIS !

i bought the amp new in 2000 as a 2nd amp, however it has become my main gigging amp. the four tone controls and three tone modifying buttons are extremely easy to use. the amp sounds great no matter how you set it up. i've used it for small lounge gigs and larger clubs where i would use a direct box into the p.a. it has enough power for all but the largest rooms, though you'll need to run direct on the bigger gigs. the only features i would like to see added would be an xlr line out and front ports rather than the rear ports.

i use a carvin and a couple of fenders and this amp sounds great with all of them-round wounds, flat wounds, passive or active pickups...they all sound great. most of my gigs are rock or g.b. and the amp works almost every time. i run the gain up till it starts to clip, keep all three tone buttons pushed in, and run the tone controls all the way up...except the low mids and high mids, which i cut back depending how the room sounds. it has that classic portaflex sound, which is pretty cool from a solid state amp. the only time i have trouble hearing myself is on outdoor gigs or really big stages...it is rear ported so placement near a wall is desireable.

i have played this amp on many gigs and have never considered bringing a backup. it has never let me down. there have been times it has gotten pretty hot after being driven hard for long gigs, but it has never shut down or given any signs of crapping out. i got a cover for it from tuki, because i do think the blue tolex would damage fairly easily. i would alse prefer a detachable power cord...if the hard-wired cord got severed somehow, you could be screwed.

how can you go wrong with a five year warranty. the only problem i could foresee would be with the morons who i bought it from.

i've been playing bass for ten years and also own a gallien-krueger 800rb which i use with a carvin rl115 and a swr workingman's 10 cab which i run as a bi-amp rig...and also almost never leaves my basement. i would definitely buy another b100r were mine to disappear. i never set out to buy a new amp...i was trying out a new bass and plugged into the ampeg and.....wow!!! great rumbly tone...makes the walls shake....i hate that "transparent" sound and this amp is definitely the antidote.

Made in 2001, purchased new at Guitar Center. The controls are fairly basic, but they're easy to understand and you can get a wide variety of sounds out of it. I play an odd mix of gargage punk with some country and old R&B mixed in. Love the way it sounds, but I do wish it had more power. It worked fine playing with a drummer and one guitarist using a 50-watt combo (I had the volume on about 7), but when playing with a loud drummer and a pair of guitarists using a Twin Reverb and a 4x12 half stack, it was really pushing it. It wasn't getting drowned out, but I had it cranked up all the way to 10, and I kind of wished it went up to 11 or so. To this amp's credit, even when it's playing at top volume, it still sounds great. And it has a warning light to tell you when it's clipping, which is a very useful feature if you're playing this amp near the limits of it's performance.

I use it with a Fender Bullet bass or a P-Bass copy. At just about any setting, this amp sounds great - one of the best sounding bass amps I've heard, regardless of size or cost. It's especially good at getting "vintage" sounds like that fat Motown-ish sound, or a standup country/rockabilly bass sound. As other users have mentioned, it's not so good at doing slap bass - it can't really get that clinical, piano-ish sound that amps like SWR do. I never play slap bass, so it's not a problem for me. I sometimes use an Ibanez Fat Head bass distortion, and it gives a very nice fuzz bass sound. Even at very high volume settings, there's almost no hum or hiss coming out of the amp.

It's been very reliable so far, and the cabinet seems pretty rugged. About the only thing is that if you're in the habit of drinking beer or other beverages during practice, don't place the bottle on top of this amp. The control panel is recessed into the top of the amp, and if the beer spills, it will run into the the amp chassis.

Haven't dealt with them, so I can't say.

I've been playing guitar for two decades, and bass on and off. I've been playing bass in a band for about a year, and I started out using a borrowed Peavey head with a 2x15 cabinet. The Ampeg sounded much, much better than the Peavey, but it's just not quite powerful enough on its own when you're playing with LOUD musicans. Miking it solves the problem, but I don't always play where there's a decent PA. If I could find an affordable 200-300 Watt head that sounded as good as the B100R, I'd be in bass heaven.

This is a great amp for that retro sound. Dark and clean. I am using it with a RI Fender Reverb (dump the chinese tubes) and various guitars, mostly Gibson, but I do own a couple of strats. The three "dulls the sound buttons" on the left are useless to me but after a few min. you will find a sound, be it "sixties" mullard tube sound. A bit "scooped too"

Smooth quiet operation. I use it with single and humbucker types. You will make minor adjustments. It can sound like a basseman or clean up like say the Sun Concert. The only two bass amps I could A-B with. It does have that "mullard tube" darkness, but that is why I bought it.

I have had no problems what so ever with it. I does not move much though. I put it in the "studio" and haven't moved it much. With three amps to choose from it still gets a regular workout. The "tube heads" like the bassman the best and it is always tough to ignore the Sun, but there is a Musicman Fretless leaning on it as I write this that is still cooling off.

NO repairs upgrades or company help to date. I would like to mod the tone stack, because I primarly use it for guitar and would like a bit more sparkle, now where is that tone stack emulator when I need it....

It is being use for many styles. I have been using it as a clean Jazz amp, where the darker flavor realy works. Try yours with an ES-175 or a ES-335 for that George Benson flavor, dont forget to add just the slightest reverb.

The B100R is a wonderful across the board amp.Though simple and to the point...this is what Ampeg's have been known for. Plug in and play,no B.S. For most playing situations providing you are not a heavy slap player it is a wonderful and simple to use piece.

I started using one of these amps on the "Les Miserables" third national tour and fell in love with the deep ,fat sounding bass tone.
Ampeg tone is built in through and through.I now use this amp as a small gig amp and a miked studio piece.At lower volumes the slap sound is good with only the mid-contour in use.I use only Fender basses ( '65 P-bass/v series jazz and a fretless jazz with emg jv pickups) the B100R also sounds great to amplify the Knilling jazz bass on straight ahead gigs.Total ampeg sound in a little box.I call it a little box due to the fact that I do own a '73 mint S V T with both 8/10 cabs. and a SVT 3 Pro head with a few different ampeg cabs. and the B100R is very portable.But not lacking tone in anyway.

2 years of road time with "Les Mis" and the pilot light went out. The amp screams and has developed no problems with all the heavy use and road crew abuse.Reliable priod!!!!!!!!!

The people at Ampeg care about the users of there gear. You don't just buy an amp...you buy history and a damn good one at that.I have only had to contact them once over a problem with an older amp and they treated me with the same respect as the gave Victor Wooten.This company cares and are as loyal to the'r costumers as their costomers are to them.

I would like to see this amp brought out with a high frequency driver in it.That would help the slap sound and make the amp the perfect 11.

I fell in love with the B50R, and then noticed they had the B100R which made more sense to me since I want to use this for large and small gigs. There's a few knobs on top that
are sturdy but I can imagine them getting busted along the way.

There's no noise that I detect from this amp, it's much quieter than my SWR WM10, and the Ampeg sounds good as soon as you plug in. I am playig small coffeehouse gigs to
larger bars and wanted something flexible. I thought this would be perfect but quickly found that as much as I love the sound, it's not a flexible amp.

I lugged it in and out of cars and trains from PA to NYC and my hand and arm are sore. I wouldn't want to move it and then try and perform. Just carrying it up stairs and
placing it into the back of a cab was ruff. It's heavy. So for doing small gigs it's a little too much. There's no effects loop, no extention cab out, an unbalanced line out (1/4") all
with a single 15" speaker. I do love the sound but the thing is too heavy and lacking some of my favorite bells and whistles to be practical in my situation.

From a musical standpoint, I love the sound. I just need something more versatile.

I'm sure this thing could survive atmospheric re-entry. But don't expect the silver Ampeg logo to stay on long. Mine was broken when I purchased it.

Didn't need it

I've been playing for 15 years and like I said, needed a really flexible rig. Something that can work for small and medium gigs. This was just too big with not enough options.
But I'm sad to see that sound go away, it sounds so damn good! Oh and the tolex outer shell is nicer than carpet. Other than that I didn't like: limited amount of sounds (the one
sound is god though), non-detachable power supply, no extension cabinet, no effects send/blend, no tuner out, heavy as all hell. I live in the city and have no car, so it's cabs and
stairs to deal with. If I lived in the burbs and had a car, I would have to keep this amp and use it for appropriate gigs because I love it's signature sound.

The Ampeg B 100 R is a solid state, 100 watt, 1X15 combo amp.
Mine was made in 1997 (aprox.) I've had it almost 4 years.
I bought it as a floor model (basically new) for $400 at Daddy's Junky Music (East Coast chain). The amp usually sells for $500 - $600, I think.
One instrument input. No provision for an extension speaker; limits utility, but, hey, it's a small, convenient portable combo. No effects loop (who cares in a bass amp). Unballanced line out, for recording or into a PA board, works perfectly. The B 100 R has a headphone out; handy. The "Vintage" 15 inch speaker and the tight, well-made cab put out a wonderful rich, warm tone at modest volumes, and the tone holds up when the amp is cranked.
This amp has all the features I need or want for it's purpose (except maybe an extenion speaker out) - small club gigs with my folk-jazz/rock band. It will work perfectly in clubs filled with about 65 - 85 people. It's sound is all I could ask for; it's very close to the old 60s Ambeg B 15. We gig about once a month, reherse at least 3 times a month. I've used this amp out about 1/2 dozen times in coffee house venues and for many, many rehersals. Only time it didn't have the volume I needed was in a very packed place (100+ people), with a heavy handed sit-in drummer who, unlike our real band-mate drummer, banged on the kit like he was in Korn (I like Korn, but it's not what we do).

I use several base guitars depending on what the band wants to acomplish; rock or folk sounds or our occasional sortie into jazz: '62 P-Bass, original "split single," '62 MIJ P-Bass, MIJ "split Single," Mex fretless J-Bass with sanded-finely finished neck and fretboard and EMG J-type picj-ups (very tightly focused sound; almost "woody"). The B 100 R sounds good with them all; but I only use the amp for folk and jazz venues; it dosn't have the volume or the crunch/overdrive for rock or loud folk-rock. My band is all original and sounds somewhat like The Police-meet-Jewl or the Cowboy Junkies on speed. We've been fortunate and can gig pretty much when and where we want to, so we play everything from small folk clubs to the "big" rock clubs (500 people) to festivles (1000+). The B 100 R gets brought out for the small clubs.
The B 100 R is virtually noiseless; even with my '62 P-Bass, even when I crank the trebble. It's nice not to have the old tube buzz behind me for a change.
In my opinion this combo makes one sound - roots R&B and it does it well. It's full and rich and beautiful to me; I grew up with Motown. It can push out very clean low frequency sound if you use the "Ultra Low" switch. (It also has "Ultra Mid" and "Ultra Hi" but I don't use them, just dilutes the richness the amp is capable of.) It shows some sensitivity to picking dynamics, unusual for a solid state amp, I think because the speaker is so responsive.
Pick up any Motown record, listen to Jamerson and you'll hear, essentially, the B 100 R sound ('course, playing the notes like Jamerson is a different matter).

Asolutely dependable. As I mentioned, over 1/2 dozen gigs and I'd estimate at least 100 rehersals. It's one of those man-made objects that just feels solid and relyable: heavy wood, tight construction, no buzzes, instant on, instant power, dosn't seem to get hot at all. I gig without a backup when I have the B 100 R. It is the only amp I take out without some form of back-up.
It hasn't broken down in the past 3 1/2 years I've had it; never even burped or rattled. When you play live alot, relyability becomes more impotant than the esoterics of tube Vs transistors, at least in bass amps for me. And I'm a gear-head to the max; this amp still satisfies me overall for tone and relyability.

Never delt with them; can't say plus or minus.

Overall rating is - Excellent for what it is; a very relyable, good sounding small club combo that gives the sound I want for folk-rock or jazz, and delivers enough power for 80 person venues.
I would buy it again if it were stolen. Where else can you get such a nice little bass amp for $500?
I just love the depth of it's bass sound. The rest of the band, by the way, loves the amp, too because of it's smooth, thick, encompasing sound. Or drummer particulary likes it since it's musicallity complements the kick.
The only reall comparison is the old Ampeg B 15 ProtaFlex. I'm a vintage-type guy, but I have to admit that the modern solid state B 100 R comes close to the B 15; and it's much louder than the old B 15s. Other similar modern amps in the price range are, obviously, the SWR Workingman's 15 and the Peaveys (the TKO is pretty similar in specs, I think). The Peavys are a good buy, but I just don't get the tonal depth I want. The Workingman's are good amps, but they have the SWR sound (read old bassmand pushed hard) that I don't want for folk-jazz and I've heard from some local bass players that the Workingman's heat up and cut out if you push them for a couple of hours - not a put-down, I like SWR, just a caution to check yourself.
For bass I own (you don't want to read the long, self-indulgent list of guitar amps):
1. The B 100 R, described above.
2. An SWR Baby Blue combo, 120 watts/160 watts, with 1X5 and 2X8 Bag End speakers in the combo, and an SWR Workingman's 1X10 in an extension cab; supurb amp for very samll venues and recording. In fact it's my fave amp. But, and this is personal experience, the Baby Blue does cut out if pushed with an extension speaker; just wont/can't take the heat that builds up.
3. An Ampeg SVT 350, 200 watts/350 watts with extension, solid state Mosfet, run through an Ampeg Classic 2X10 with tweeter (an a Classic 1X15 for festivles). Killer amp for big gigs. I got the SVT 350 for one reason - so I'd never be without enough relyable power. It's (for whatever reason) not as warm as the B 100 R and not as textured as the SWR Baby Blue, but it kicks out huge sounds and has a fantasticly sensitive EQ.
4. Original '68 Fender Bassman, mid-60s specs with original "small-cab" 2X12 Jensens, circa '65. Wow. But hey, the thing breaks up at "4," so you can't take it anywhere for bass. Now for guitar...but that's another story.
I've been playing most of my life, so say 30 years. On bass I've put in about 4 years, so I'm fairly new at it. But I have giged and recored a lot in those 4 years. I've always been a guitarist/singer. But I wanted the joy of somthing different, so formed my band Glory Box with a female singer, a great guitarist and a jazz-latin drummer, with me taking up bass. We've been giging and recording (one CD so far, and this surprised us, it is a local award winner). I guess I'm as experienced as you might want when it comes to performance, have a pretty good ear (what's left) and care deeply about both tone and relyability. So, with that tone + relyability as the criteria, the B 100 R gets an honest 10. It does what it's supposed to and does it very well at a very easy price.

This is the amp I bought a year ago for use in smaller venues. I got it to give me some relief from carting my big stack into clubs where I didn't need overwhelming volume. In short, this is a neat little combo with tone and volume that are surprising for something in this price range. My main rig is an Ampeg V4 through two speaker cabs, and this little solid state combo can produce very tube like tones. And I have to say that I like the retro style of the cabinet with its stovetop knobs, blue diamond tolex, and old-style logo.

I play a Fender Precision with a Bartolini 8S pickup installed. I use flatwounds exclusively. My style is Chicago blues mainly, with some old rock and swing tossed in for good measure. This combo is a very good match for my retro sound. And it stays clean all the way up the volume scale if you EQ it properly. And it's surprisingly loud. At first I thought it might not be enough for some of my gigs. But you know how weird sound can be with bass frequencies. Several times I've been on stage thinking I needed to crank it up a little more, and audience members would ask me to turn it down, since it was overpowering the guitar! This amp delivers a nice warm, deep tone that says Motown to me. Jamerson and Duck Dunn. So nice.....

There isn't much to go wrong with it. It's a fairly simple solid state unit that's built pretty sturdily. I've used it a lot over the psat year and never had a hiccup from it. But I expect Ampeg gear to be tough. This is the first thing I've owned since they were purchased by St Louis Music and it seems to be good stuff.

If I never have to contact SLM (and I haven't so far) I'll be a happy boy.

For what it is, it's a very good value. If you have a need for a relatively compact medium powered combo, this is a really good one. I did some comparison shopping and tried out a number of very good combos (SWR WM15, Fender Bassman 100, Ampeg BA-115) and some not so good combos (Crate BFX-100 and Hartke Kickback 15) before settling on this one. While I probably would have been happy with any of the first 3, I have no regrets about buying the B-100R. If it had anything else, I'd like to see an extension speaker output. I can imagine that this amp together with a 2x10 extension cabinet would probably be capable of playing about 90% of the clubs out there. As it is, it can probably handle 75%, and that's why I own it.

like the other reviewers on this amp said there isn't an extension speaker jack but thats is the amp's only possitive for me. there is an 1/4 line out, headphones jack, 4 band eq, ultra boost buttons (for low's, mid's, and high's), 15 inch speaker, blue tolex covering (nice), gain, master volume, and active and passive inputs. one thing i true did like is that you can crank it to 10 with out it getting distorted (depends on your EQ settings).

i have a Carvin LB-75. The combination of the two is great. the thing i don't like about the sound is that i can't get a Pantera like sound, but thats ok. this amp is very loud. im supprised that there is accuatly better amps than this one, this amp truely sounds great. i haven't got to try it with my Zoom 506 II yet but i could imagin that it will sound good.

i just got it, im not sure how reliable it is. i would probably use this with out a backup (mainly cause i can't afford one! haha)

haven't dealed with customer support yet.

ive been playing for 2 years now. im still new to everything, but this amp does sound great to the others i have played. if this was stolen i would buy another one (unless i had more money to buy something bigger). before this amp i have thought nearly 20 amps (ive been looking for a year). this amp caught my eye, and i liked it.

This amp was made in 1999. This baby is incredibly versatile. Its knobs are: Three buttons for highlighting lows, mids, and highs, Gain, Bass, Low Mids, High Mids, Treble, and Master Volume. There are separate jacks for passive and active inputs, line out, headphones, AND NO EXTENSION CAB JACK!!!!! That's the only reason why I'm giving this a 9.

The tones that come out of this amp are simply beautiful. Thats the only way to describe this amp. You can get so many different tones. Anywhere from wonderful, full sounding notes and chords, to clanky, metallic sounding slap. Perfect for you Korn-heads. But even better for me. I play metal, the heaviest of the heavy, the loudest of the loud. I overpower the two guitarists in my band, and one has a Marshal JCM 900 half stack and the other has a Valvestate half stack, and they tell ME to turn down. This is solid-state, but you get such a warm tube-tone, you'll be amazed. The most tube sounding i've ever heard. At a fraction of the price. This cranks. Put it up all the way, and barely any hiss. And i use a crapload of effects. I play it like this:
Ibanez EDB600 Ergodyne/Yamaha BB-G4>Boss TU-2 Tuner>DOD FX84 Milkbox Compressor>DOD FX25B Envelope Filter>DOD FX92 Bass Grunge>Boss GE-7B Bass Equalizer>DOD FX72 Bass Flanger>Boss PH-2 Super Phaser>Danelectro DJ-5 Tuna Melt Tremelo>Guyatone MD-2 Digital Delay>Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor>Ampeg B100-R.
I use an ungodly amount of pedals, as you can see, and my tone is still excellent.
I do bedroom rocking, practice, and small clubs and this thing handles them all. Simply beautiful is the only way to describe the tone this amp makes.

I can rely on this with no problem. I baby it to death to keep the blue diamond Tolex(I think) from getting blemished, which is simply beautiful. But if it was banged around a bit, i think it could take the abuse. I have and would gigged without a backup. I don't it to ever breakdown.

No frickin' clue

I have been playing guitar and bass for four years. If you want slabs and slabs of tone, look no further. If it was stolen/lost, i would cry a river. I love this thing for the great tube-tones it gets. Just beautiful(Sorry for the constant use of this word, but its the best word to use). Compared it to Crate, Hartke, Fender, and more. Wins hands down on sound(Beautiful...hehe) and value. But once again, it gets a 9 for no speaker jack. I'm going to have to bring this to an amp guy to have him install a speaker jack. I don't care if it were to cost 150 bucks. I cant get this tone anywhere. It's a must buy.

-100 watts (seems louder to me)
-4 band eq (nice for getting that sound you like)
-ultra low, ultra mid, ultra high (nice adition)
ok this amp is loud enough for small gigs and practicing in small areas. The one qualm i have is that this wonderful amp NEEDS a extension speaker output and a balanced output

lets start with the bad....
well i use a 5 string bass and the only problem i have ever had with if is that the notes below the low D get muddy. Also i find the midrange in the amp is a little too honkin' when turned up high. Well that is about it
the good.....
this amp is VERY versitile in alot of situations. I use alot of slap bass in my style and this amp sounded the best in the showroom for the price range. The cool thing with this amp is the more gain you crank in to it the "fatter" the sound gets and this amp has a nice overdrive to it (for a bass amp). Another great thing with this amp is you will never really have to turn it up past 7 or 8 while playing a show (usually i just mike it). This amp also has a nice retro vibe to it. worth checking out

made by ampeg
never had any problems with it (jsut the toltex scuffs easily)

well it has a 5 year transferable warrenty
realitivly easy to find a dealer close to you

Well i have been playing bass for 6 years and i have went through alot of equipment. This is one of the very few amps that I like after playing through countless fender and peavey amps. It jsut fit that niche that i had in my head. Probably i will have this amp for a very long time, even after i buy a better amp. It jsut sounds great for recording in a studio.

First, let me list the negatives. There's no extension speaker jack, nor an XLR out. This somewhat limits the ability to play all venues. You can go line out with a 1/4&quot; cable or mike it for large venues if needed. Now, let me list the positives. The simple controls are more than adequate for getting a great tone. It's a relatively compact cabinet that's very solidly built from plywood - NOT particle board. And it has a super-cool retro look. If I was rating it for looks alone, it'd be a 10. Versatility? Limited, actually. But it does a very good job with the blues and 60's - 70's rock that my band performs.

I play blues and classic rock with the occasional soul tune in the mix. So, Ampeg was foremost in mind when looking for a new amp. Using a Fender P-Bass with Bartolini pickups and flatwound strings, this setup produces the &quot;perfect&quot; vintage tone I crave. For the small clubs and halls that my band frequents, this is more than adequate. Last month, we played an outdoor festival and my little B-100R was miked into the PA, as was everything else, and it did a great job. I got several compliments from other perfomers on my tone. If you're searching for that heavy nondistorted bottom, this combo is your ticket. I almost never need to turn the master volume past 7 for gigs. The volume this 100 watter produces is just short of amazing. One word of caution - this isn't an amp for the slap/pop style. It'll work, but that's not its strong point. This one's all about strong, butt-thumpin' groove. I love the SVT tube tone, but have'nt owned one. This little guy gives me the next best thing in an affordable, portable unit.

Never a breakdown, never a problem. It just keeps on going without ever being a concern. I have all the confidence in the world when I'm using this amp. It's very straight-forward, so there isn't much to go wrong with it. Solid state, so it's reliable and relatively lightweight in comparison to a tube rig.

This has never been a concern.

I have 20 years of guitar playing behind me, and 10 years of that is with the bass. I've owned a variety of bass amps in that time, some great, some not so great. This Ampeg is the best &quot;bang for the buck&quot; that I've seen or heard. I originally intended to get a B2 combo (200 watts) but fell for the B-100R when I plugged into it and could get it for a much lower price. Sure, the B2 is more versatile and more powerful, but this does what I need. And does it so well.

This is a retro styled 1x15 100 watt solid state combo. Has passive and active inputs, gain and master volume controls. Buttons for ultra-low, ultra-mid, and ultra-high. 4 band parametric EQ. Line out and headphone jacks, but no extension speaker output, as others have noted. This is a liability on an otherwise fine amp.

I play a Fender Amercian Standard Jazz bass for most of my work, with a P-Bass as my backup. Both sound great through this Ampeg. My band performs mostly at small clubs and this amp is the best I've owned in producing a solid, toneful sound in that setting. We play blues and roots rock along with some Motown. The sound, like the styling, is retro - lots of bottom and plenty warm. Stays clean all the way up, but I never need to go above 8. I can be heard easliy through a drummer, guitarist, and keyboards.

This amp has been in my hands for less than a year, but it's been flawless. I haven't owned any Ampeg gear previous to this, but others who have only say good things about them. It seems to very well built and since I take care of my stuff, I expect it will give me long, trouble free service.

The warranty is five years, which seems to be generous. But I haven't needed any repairs, so I don't really know how Ampeg is in terms of customer support. If I never need to find out, I'll be pleased.

I did a lot of comparison shopping before buying the B-100. Others I looked at and played through include the Crate BX100, Fender BXR 100, Peavey TNT, Hartke 1415, Trace Elliot Commando, and SWR Workingman's 15 and WM12. While most of these would be suitable for my purpose, the B-100 was by far the best sounding of the group. And I like the 60's Blue Diamond Portaflex look. This was one of the easiest decisions I've ever made.

OK, this is kinda long so I hope its all right but I want to get the whole story out. First, I'm only 20 but I've been playing for 5 years, but it was all guitar until 2 years ago. The bass player in my band quit and we could get another guitar player but bass players seem to be tough to find. So I learned bass. Learned a LOT in the past two years. I always liked Fender guitars and amps, so i got a BXR200 at first. But it just didn't sound right. I mean it was OK, but missing somethin. Then this Ampeg almost fell in my lap. WOW! What a difference! I mean, this will give you a pro sound RIGHT NOW! It has that funky tolex with metal corner covers. At first, I didn't really like the style - kind of antique. But now I think it has a classic look. Kinda grows on me. But the sound is too good to be true for the price.

Oh man. The SOUND! If anybody makes a bass amp that sounds this good for this price they must be keeping it a secret or something. This thing just blows away anything else I could ever afford. DEEP deep tone. And its noise free. I play an Ibanez SR300DX with active pickups. Yeah I know it ain't Fender but it fits me better. Anyway this amp just makes the sound come alive. My band plays mostly metal stuff. And a lot of older heavey music, just so we don't sound like everybody else in houston. Led Zep, Slayer, Sabbath, along with the more newer sounds. This amp can flat out THUMP. No problem layin down the bass line so that everybody hears. We don't play real big houses - mostly teen dances and all ages clubs. But it can be miked if your playing a big place.

Man I depend on this Ampeg all the way. I don't even own another bass amp. Don't need one. This thing rox. Always works perfect and no problems. The drummers hi hat tipped over and smashed into the side once but just left a tiny dent in the tolex. I dropped it once too and no damage. It didn't fall very far but it came out perfect.

Since I got this used and it works I can't say.

I can't tell you how great this amp is. you have to hear it for yourself. Its just so easy to sound good with this amp. No screwing around with a dozen control settings. Just plug yer bass in a PLAY. The B100 does all the work and it makes you sound killer. And I've played other basses just for shits - and they ALL sound good through this amp. I mean this thing ain't a full stack SWR or SVT but who can afford those?

Solid state, 100 watts combo with a 15" speaker and retro 50's/60's styling. Blue Diamond tolex, top rear mounted controls with stovetop knobs. Old style script Ampeg logo. Silver sparkle grillecloth. Killer looks, to go along with its great sound. Input jacks for active and passive. It has a headphone jack, line out, plenty of power for the clubs I play in. But it doesn't have an output for an extension cabinet, which would be nice.

Lawdy! At first glance, this looks like it has no business as a gigging amp. I mean, it looks VERY cool, but it just isn't very physically imposing. But let me tell ya boys, this thing can flat out rattle the fillings in your teeth. It spews forth TONS of nice, round, warm vintage tones. It truly sounds tube-like. Blues, roots rock, that's what I play and this Ampeg does it as well as anything out there. More than enough volume for the clubs I appear in. No, it won't fill an outdoor stadium, but it can be DI'ed into the PA if need be. I haven't needed to. This isn't going to produce that wimpy, thin "modern" tone that girly boy bass players seem to go for. This is a MAN's bass amp. I play a Fender Am Std Jazz and a Std MIM Precison. Both sound perfect through this amp. Thumpin', feel-it-in-your-gut, mean machine tone, bro. Fender bass played through an Ampeg - that's what bass is supposed to sound like, man. Just out of curiosity, I plugged my Strat into it and it sounded very good, too.

Dependable? That's Ampeg's middle name. I don't have a back up. I traded my other amp (Hartke - don't get me started) in to get this one. I have a little Fender BXR 25 for practice, but this is the only thing that I gig with. It's all I need. Of course, I've only had it for 6 months, but it's rock solid.

It comes with a 5 year warranty, which is nice. I haven't needed any repairs, nor have I needed to contact SLM, which markets Ampeg products.

If any piece of gear I've ever owned deserves a 10, this is it. Guys, if you're looking for a GREAT medium sized combo, you won't find anything in this price range that can touch it. It's simply way beyond the Crate, Hartke, Peavey, and Fender 100 - 150 watt combos. I kinda liked the SWR WM15 and the Trace Commando, but this one's better all around. And it looks ten times better than any of 'em.

This is the easiest it can be. It has knobs, not sliders and they are rated 1-10. You dont need the manual, you can pretty much figure it out unless you are a flaming idiot.

I am using an epiphone Les Paul and a Dean. For effects i am using a Zoom 708 multi effects pedal. It's only noisy with the pedal. It gets a lot shhhh in the background. The amp doesnt have an effects send.That would have been a plus. Besides the shhhhhh in the background, the sound is excellent. I love the sound of my amp.

Very reliable, no need for alarm with this thing.

havent had to deal with them.

Overall, i would say that this is probably the best combo i have come across. For basically ANY style that needs nice clear, deep tones this is the amp for you. If it got stolen i probably would get one for what it is,a 100 watt combo. The only thing i dont like is its a 70lb cube, which makes it annoying and awkward to carry. Besides that, i am glad i put a little bit more money into an amp.

I rate the features a 7, only because the line out needs to be run through a direct box for XLR cabling (and you do need to run through the mains), and the lack of an extension speaker jack.

I use a '71 Jazz and a David King headless 5-string with Ken Smith pickups and Bartolini electronics. This is not a 90's sounding amp. There is no way you're going to get the Hi-fi tones through this cabinet. What it excels at is the lo-mid Jacoesque bark and nasal tone with a good bottom support. I use it for 85% of my jobs (I use an Eden Metro for the rest), because it fits easily in the car trunk, I just strap it to a luggage cart to wheel around and I've always experienced exceptional reliability from Ampeg.

This is my third Ampeg I've owned over thirty years of playing and I have never had a single problem with any of them, (unlike my Fenders and Gallien-Kruegers that were always being repaired.)

I've never experienced a problem so I can't rate customer support however I feel the quality makes a powerful statement.

I will probably always own at least one Ameg at any given time, I currently own an SVT proIII with a 410pro cab that I use maybe 6 times a year (outdoor concert jobs only), an Eden Metro (very nice amp but won't fit in my trunk), a G-K 400B with an EV 210 cab (my practice amp at home) and an SWR Workingmans 12 (practice amp at the rehersal studio). The B-100R replaced the SWR/EV 210 combination I was using and does a better job actually. I highly recommend it!