Ampeg BA-115

I bought this amp in June 2002. And to date it is still holding up. I purchased it from Musician's Friend and there were some problems. The amp had a horrible vibration when playing low e and I later found that the panel the spaeker was mounted on was loose. I repaired it and it is fine.No effects--don't need them when i have pedals. This amp could use an ext speaker as it doesn't "cut through" the mix like its' big brothers, you really need to use the line out to a board--

I am an Ampeg supporter since I was 12 and the sound is great except for what was mentioned. The style selector is a plus for those who play a variety of styles. It has a nice sound as far as solid state goes it does distort at max level but it is 100 watts in a little box. This amplifier is good for my recordings and "in house" work.

I have used this amp faithfully for 6 years and no major issues. I disconnected the tweeter once--ONCE!I hooked it back up and ist still sings.

I have dealt with their Customer Service Dept but I must add the Tech Support staff is more professional. They do seem to know their business. I never needed to take this amp to a shop before but, after 6 years of continuous use the direct out does not work but I will just use a direct box that I purchased. I do not lug around an Ampeg for minor repair work. I have a vintage Ampeg V-6B that I wil take out for larger venues

I have been playing Bass for 28 years and I own an Ampeg V-6B and a Behringer 180 watt amp.My preference is my V-6B, but I will not part with my BA-115, it is part of the family and is great for small gigs,recording and church. It is not as heavy as its' big brothers I am used to carrying a SVT 8x10 by myself so this lil' puppy is gravy. I hate the distortion when pushed but I am USA Ampeg all the way! I wish it had the ext speaker and less hiss.But if you are an intermediate player or seasoned and not looking for a monster amplifier, this is a good amp to start out with, the price has come down about $100.00 since I bought mine and I love the sound when playing Funk or Gospel. If you are going to be a "star" the you need a SVT.

Made in USA Ampeg that was picked up used and in perfect condition. Tha amp has inputs for standard and active basses. The 5 position EQ knob is an interesting feature. Other than that, there's not too much that's different from any other amp.

I received this combo amp in a trade. I had never owned an Ampeg before and I was excited about getting one. I even briefly considered selling my bigger bass amp & cabinets and just using the Ampeg (I am semi-retired from the band scene). So.... I plugged a Yamaha BB614 into cabinet....and was really disappointed with what I heard. Lots and lots of hiss. You can turn the treble down, but you can't really escape from the hiss when you are at higher volumes. I usually play through a Carvin B800 amp running into an Avatar 2x10 and a Mesa/Boogie 1x15. This combination gives me a ton of power and articulate sound reproduction/definition. I realize that the Ampeg is a lower-priced combo, but it didn't come anywhere close to giving me the sound quality I was looking for. I play with a drummer fairly regularly and he has a 100 watt Crate combo in his studio. I never thought I would say this, but the Crate combo sounds much, much better than the Ampeg. And I think Fender and Peavey offer similar combos that sound better - plus they are cheaper when you buy used.

Seemed reliable during the week I owned it.

No issues.

I was really disappointed with this amp. I've played through some of the more expensive (and powerful) Ampeg combos and I thought they sounded great. Not this one. The amount of hiss you get is unacceptable - I'm not sure why anyone would sell a product with such an obvious flaw. If you want a 15" combo - spend a little more on a higher-end Ampeg, or look elsewhere.

On a positive note, it was really easy to sell this amp, thanks to the Ampeg reputation.

I bought this amp in the summer of 2001. This amp has 100 watts; one 15" speaker; Bass, Middle, Treble, and Style switch (mid sweep) EQ section; 0db & -15db input jacks; Gain and Master volumes; Headphone and RCA jacks; and a Balance line out. It has a tilt back monitor feature that is very handy as well. Versitile enough for the Blues and Classic Rock music that I play. The one feature I wish it had is an ext. speaker jack, not that I have ever needed it, but it would be nice just in case.

I play Blues, Classic Rock, Country and Gospel, and it sounds awesome with my stock Squier P Bass Special. I have played outdoor parties, clubs, bars, churches, and I can get anything from the old Motown sound, to the Chris Squire/Geddy Lee '70's Ric sound, although doing the latter causes a bit of hiss due to the tweeter. It has a nice tight, warm sound with punch, and plenty of power. I had someone ask me once what my POD/Sansamp was set on. I don't use either one, and his jaw dropped because of the sound come from just the bass straight into the amp.

Ever since I have gotten this amp, it has been my workhorse. I personally do not own another amp, but a band I was in brought a spare bass amp just to set the Ampeg on to raise it to ear level. The drummer eventually used the spare for his electronic drums. The setup actually looked impressive. in the almost six years I have owned it, it has never broken down, and I gig without a backup most times. It has been extremely reliable.

I have been playing for 30 years, and bought this because I wanted an Ampeg, but didn't want to deal with tubes. If it were lost or stolen, I would buy this again. I have played through many different amps in my career, such as Peavey Combo 300/Combo115, Sunn Coloseum, and H/H Bassamps. I once owned an old Ampeg B25, that fell apart just because of the age and use on the thing. I chose the BA115 for the Ampeg sound, the warm tube sound out of a solid state amp, my history of playing dictated that 100 watts was plenty of power for me. I just wish it had an ext. speaker jack, then it would be perfect for me for everything I play.

* 100 watts of power
* 15" speaker
* Style selector with 5 basic tone options
* 3-band tone controls
* Master and gain controls
* Balanced XLR line out
* Headphone jack
* RCA inputs for connecting a tape or CD player
* Tilt-back cabinet

I'm running my esp viper-104 bass through this. It's a cheap beginer's bass but this thing makes it sound like a bass costing 800+. I play mainly punk and metal music ad the style toggle really helps adapt to the diffrent mussical styles as does the bass, mid, and trebel tones.

and this thing is hella loud. i have played many gigs with this and never ahd to put it up past 3.

This thing is deffinatly build solid. I've played a bunch of gigs with this thing, taking it in and out of vans and bars and various other places and it sill looks and sounds brand new.

never had to deal with them.

I've been playign for about 3 years and i've been to alot of shows. I wouldnt say its as good as an SVT but if your playing small bars and club and are lookign for a pro tone without the 1000+ price tag this thing is amazing.

If this thing were lost or stolen i wouldt hesitate to buy a new one.

Says it was made in the USA
100W tilt-back cabinet (very useful feature)
1 x 15" plus a piezo tweeter
Dual ported at the rear of cabinet
Active/passive inputs
CD input (completely *useless* feature)
Headphone out
XLR out
5 setting "style" selector (somewhat useful)
Treble, Mid & Bass controls (all with a large control range)

Lets be clear - the sound has tons of hiss (ie. is crap) until you disconnect the tweeter.

Then... although I prefer tube amps, this has the BEST sound of any solid state amp I have owned. And I've owned a few over the years(eg, Hartke, Gallien Krueger, Hohner, Hughes and Kettner, Marshall, Trace Elliot and others).

I actually saw a drummer friend's band and his bass player had one. I heard the tone and decided I just had to have one.

I don't really like the "style" selector and just leave it in flat/neutral (3). There is a lot of scope to alter the sound just using the tone controls.

I play in a number of bands, from pop/rock to metal. The basses I use include a Spector, a customised Washburn J bass, Epiphone viola. Effects wise I am still looking for that 'perfect' sound, and under test at the moment is a Sansamp :)

I haven't owned it long enough to comment on reliability. It's solid state so it has got to be more reliable than my other tube rigs.

I haven't had to deal with them. They are probably feeble, like every other music company.

I would change a couple of things. Get rid of the useless 'cd input'. Maybe add a send/return, but hey it's only a small combo.

The amp is moderately powerful, and I bought this rig specifically as a combo for rehearsals, small and medium gigs. Of course for big gigs it's back to tube heads and cabs.

If it went tomorrow, I would definitely buy one again. In one sentence: Fantastic solid state tone, but disconnect the noisy tweeter.

Mine is one of the new models made in China.
100W tilt-back cabinet
15" w/ piezo tweeter
dual ported in back of cabinet
active/passive inputs
cd input
headphone & XLR out
5 setting "style" selector (very cool feature)
Treble, Mid & Bass controls

Outstanding sound quality with my Peavey Zodiac 4 string. The 5 presets allow a huge range of tonal configurations. 1 and 2 are far too dark for my taste and lack any high-end at all but useful if you are looking for something closer to an Acoustic 360. 3 is flat, 4 is brighter and 5 is somewhere in between. On 4 I can get tones closer to an SWR without the really "bitey" highs and fret clack.

Once you've determined which setting you like, you still have tons of control with the treble, mid and bass controls. This amp has more range of control than anything else I tried. Crank the bass to 10 and you'll swear the cabinet is larger than it really is. This may be because of its two large ports in the back of the cabinet. It moves some serious air.

I've had the amp up to 6 gain & master volume with the bass at 7 at it is rip the walls down loud. Overall the tone rocks for any style. My preference is fingerstyle and pop/slap.

I would give it a 10 except for two little problems... there is a slight hiss from the tweeter at all times. A little annoying in the small confines of a bedroom but I've heard far worse. The second is that sound quality lacks at very low volumes (I mean low, like people sleeping in the house low) but I guess thats what the headphones out is for.

Nothing to comment at this time. I hope the China build is as good as the older USA models. Initial quality is very high.

I've not tried to contact support.

I shopped like mad for a bass combo in the sub $400 range. I looked at a Peavey TNT 150 (loud), Gallien-Krueger Backline 112 (bright or distortion), Roland Cube 100 (overpriced and lacks tone), Line 6 LD150 (absolute garbage), Fender Bassman 150 (nice tone but lacks volume), Fender Rumble 100 (awful tone), Behringer BX1800 (surprisingly decent sound), SWR Workingman's 15 (nice tone) and this Ampeg BA115 both new and used. The range of tone I can get out of this Ampeg is much greater than anything else I tried.

I am fond of the SWR sound but I was able to get similar tone on the Ampeg by making appropriate adjustments without the same harshness. The Ampeg also proved to be more powerful with a more solid low end and that is quite a feat given the fact that the SWR is 160W.

The Ampeg BA115 is by far the best value for a bass combo under $400. If you don't try it before you buy something else you're making a mistake. Don't let any discontent you may have with other brands sampling of Ampeg SVT cabinets discourage you. I've never liked any simulated cabinet sounds that are supposed to be Ampeg. I almost never tried this amp because of it.

2006 made in USA BA-115.

I'm a geezer - had my first paying gig in 1974. Currently in a geezer band (we play Brit invasion to PF's the Wall, pretty much). Gig out at small to medium size clubs and bars. Ocassional outdoor show.

I play all kinds of rock - punk rock, funk rock, alt rock, country rock. Also some blues and reggae. The style selector, EQ, master & gain gives quite a lot of stylistic flexibility.

For my needs & taste, this model has all the features I want. If I need effects, I add a pedal.

As for power, it's plenty loud enough to get over an ambitious drummer in most live situations (rehearsals & small to medium gigs). If you mic the drums, you'll probably need to go DI from the amp to the board. Outdoors, you'll need to run everything thru the board.

BTW - DI out is a nice feature :) For bass amps, it's better than miking IMO (low waves take many feet to "set up" - that's way the bass amp sometimes sounds better a few feet away - like across the stage - than right in front).

I'm playing an active/passive Steinberger, a Yamaha and a Fender P.

Sound is what you'd expect from an Ampeg - thick and rich. If you like this sound, no sense buying other gear and trying to emulate it - just get an Ampeg.

The BA-115 does have a bit more hiss from the tweeter than is to be expected. I'm able to defeat this by dialing down the Treble EQ to about 9 o'clock.

Haven't had any problems.

Easy to register on the website.

Overall, very happy. Great sound, solid quality.

Wish it weighed less - it's 69 lbs - by Neo cones mostly suck, and I can't bring myself to spend thousands for a 500 watt Mark Bass head that weighs under 8 pounds.

I've also got to deduct a few tenths for the hiss, which is just some kind of an engineering flaw.

great amp, excellent!!!!

The sound its great.

you can to reduce the hisss, you need remove the front screen and to cover over the tweeter with a piece of acoustic insulator (carpet, or other) you can use the same tweeter screws for to adhere acoustic insulator, to reduce the hiss in a 70%.

perfect.

Ok.

its the best bass combo

Features as in other reviews. Best feature is the 5-way tone shaper switch--it gives five distinct amp sounds--very cool. It has plenty of inputs/outputs for everything but the toaster.

This has the sound that only Ampeg has, plus four other variations of the classic Ampeg tone. Nothing sounds like an Ampeg. Can sound a little muddy at low volumes, but after tweeking the tone controls and volume, that goes away for the most part. The Ampeg sound is deep and dark, anyway.

This one seemed like it was a good one, no popping or tweeter hiss at all. I'm almost sorry I traded it in on a B-100R (almost).

Got right back to me via e-mail after I asked them a question.

I wanted an amp that was more portable than my half-stack-and-head for practice and for small gigs. Anyone who says this amp can not be used for practice or small to medium gigs is clueless. This amp has plenty of oomph to do both, and to do them easilly. I liked the B-100R a little better, so traded this in, but I would have been just as happy to have kept it. The sound shaping circuit is very cool. This amp is worth checking out, so give it a listen.

every thing about this amp is less than ideal, even at 200$ used, i think the right used Peavey would've been better.

the tweeter sounds very cheap. does not sound good with the 15" speaker. i disconnected my tweeter so i could use the treble knob and still get a semi-natural sound.

the amp sounds no better than you could expect for 100 watt solid state. b/c i love bass, i love playing bass, and this amp does work, i can get by with it, at medium volume in small clubs, but the amp's tone does nothing to enhance the experience.

sadly, it hasn't quit working yet, if it did, i'd have an excuse to go shopping

the cabinet itself is pretty unimpressive. the wood seems to be soft, the edges are breaking down, the screws holding the amp in the frame of the cabinet keep coming loose.

i gig anywhere from 4 to 7 times a week, i play conventional "old school" bass with my fingers, every now and then a thump and pop.
i compare bass amps to my Eden WT600 and 410 cab. most amps don't sound as good, of course. this Ampeg is just good enough to get the job done, but it's uninspiring tone and low power make it a joy-less experience. i'm seriously looking for a replacement.

3-band EQ, dual inputs, direct out, cd inputs, 100 watt 15 inch speaker. The style switch, which adjusts the midrange, is nice and really makes it veritile. Wish it had an effects loop, but overall has everything you need for what it is, a great practice amp. I use it in my room, and in garage practices, and it holds up great. Better handle system (side handles maybe) would have been nice, but at least you can get a work out.

First off, I'm using a squier P-bass, but this thing makes it sound very nice, lots of low end boom, with good highs and just enough midrange. Although you can get many sounds out of the amp. Just beware that the holes in the back have a lot of super low end coming out of them and when this thing is up agaist a wall, it can become muddy. The tweeter does buzz, but its not really that bad, only if your picky. When its cranked all the way up of course the speaker rattles and it gets a little distorted, but what amp doesn't?

It hasn't broke yet despite being maxed out for more than it should, I wouldn't try dropping it of anything too high, but this thing is pretty tough, I would prefer a metal screen to protect the speaker (wouldn't want to kick a hole in the speaker) but lets hope I never test it as is.

N/A

A GREAT practice amp, sounds great, could have a little more juice but good power. Despite the new price (450$) being so much higher than other amps in the same power/ speaker range, i would recomend this amp to anyone, its worth it.

5 way style selector switch, CD imput, XLR imput to hook up directly to a PA, tilt-back cab, 15" speaker with 1" tweeter

This amp has a magnificently great tone. I use it in our school's jazz band and it's perfect, with the style knob I can go from smooth swing to funky slap with no problem. The tweeter hisses a little bit, like others have said, but it's not bad enough to complain about it.

Very rugged, very heavy. Could use side handles or casters of some sort instead of the single handle, because at 60 pounds, this buddy's a big-un. It can go without a backup, easily.

5 year warranty. Haven't needed to talk to Ampeg.

I love this amp. I've been playing bass since about March of this year and I've progressed really quickly. I play a Standard Jazz through it as well as a Standard Strat. I tried it out compared to the 60 watt Behringer and the 120 watt Behringer and I hated them both. WAAYYY too much midrange, even with the mids at 0. I love every aspect of this amp, although it could use better handle placement.

No effect send return, no tuner out.

I bought this amp because I loved the sound.

This bass made my Jazz and my MM Ray sing. I loved the headroom, the bright highs and limitless bottom.

I bought it last week. The tweeter started BUZZING LOUDLY tonight.

I was playing Natalie Marchant's "Carnival" with a dropped D tuning. All of a sudden, BUZZZZZZ.

I was in my bedroom and the volume was reasonable.

My Behringer combo has outlasted an Ampeg. Wow!

We'll see. I will deal with GC anyway. They gave me an extended warranty.

Really disappointed.

Everybody says Ampeg. Well, this one let me down.

This amp was well taken care of but the brutality of constant gigs and moving broke this horse down. The 115 never took and major falls or hits. After about 3 years the amps started to hiss, buzz, and crackle terribly. I took it in for service once (they changed the effects board). This did nothing to the horrible sounds coming from the amp. it seemed to subside for a month or so but then it started up again. I took it in for another servicing and this time i felt better because they resoldered the input jack (which kept shorting out while playing). And now, two days out of the shop its back at its worst. For a home/studio amp this does the trick but its a terrible choice if you plan to gig.

Dealt with the dealer, Ward Brodt Music Mall, not Ampeg. 5 year warranty.

Reliable for 2 years of gigging. After that it became virtually useless.

2001-2002 Ampeg BA-115 amp... I play metal and punk with it. I ued the amp for gigs, practice, and recording. It is a little too low powered for real gigs though - you'll wanna go through a PA system and use it as a monitor. I liked the cut in the box to flip the amp up as a monitor, it also made it easier to put in my car a well.

The choices are basic but work, 5 settings for styles, and then a bass/mid/high dial thing. Basic but functional. No distortion. Very clean sound.

It always had a little hiss to it, a little line noise. One day in the middle of recording an album, I go to turn it on and sparks fly out, smoke comes up... And it sounded like shit after that. I have yet to fix this amp. Finished the album off with a 25 watt SWR practice amp.. Actually sounded so nice on the little blighter I redid a track on it too for the tone.

Well it's out of warranty so...

I'm dissapointed. I thought Ampeg were all indestructible and shit, but no... It's kind of a middle road thing... overkill for playing at home, but not quite enough oomph for gigs. I think if I had to do it over again I would have looked for a 200 watt 15" combo instead. I am pretty pissed it blew up, the thing arced and took paint off the finish on the back, I am fortunate I didn't get shocked as it happened when I turned the unit on.

I purchased this amp new 5/2004. I play in an original funk band (mostly fingerstyle playing), also jazz, weddings, etc. The amp is versatile enough for me. It has two channels (one for active & the other for passive inputs). I always plug my active basses through the PASSIVE channel - I like the way this sounds. It has a 5 setting selector switch, to go from extremely bass heavy to flat in the middle, to quite high on the 5th setting. I always use it with setting #4. I have not used the RCA jacks yet. I wish it came with a cover or a dolly to easy transportation. 100W solid state, 15" speaker, ported cabinet. See other reviews for more specs.

1978 Fender PBass with EMG pickups, and a Spector Q5 Pro 5 String Bass. It fits the music style perfectly as far as Im concerned. Is it noisy? The tweeter had a hiss right out of the box. This was my first amp I bought new (my other amp is a vintage B-15N Portaflex), so I immediately returned it to the local Guitar Center. All of the amps with tweeters hissed - the floor model BA-115 was broken. You cant hear it once you start playing or are with a band. I have not taken this amp above a volume of 5 or so. I have played several clubs, and I used the balanced line out. A recording of the band right from the board sounds great, the bass has an excellent sound to it. I am happy with it onstage. Overall, the sounds are OK - I have grown to accept it. It cannot compare at all to the vintage B-15 Portaflex I was using, but it has a similar type of sound, and there is some power. One interesting note - I also have a German made plywood upright with a David Gage Realist pickup on it. I could not make this amp work with this bass at all. I have not had a problem with the electrics, but with my upright, that is a different story. If anyone has any suggestions, my contact information is listed below. Incidentally, my upright works fine with my B-15 portaflex. The rating is lower because I cant use my upright with it.

This amp is very reliable, I have used it on several gigs without a backup. The knobs pop off very easily. I purchased a hand cart from Staples after I played a gig & had to carry this beast. My arms were longer that day! I can certainly lift it, however, with relatively frequent gigging, it gets old quickly! On the hand cart, it is very portable, the only pain is undoing the cart everytime I throw it into my car. I remove the cart when I play.

This amp has functioned fine for me to date. The ampeg representative was slightly helpful when I called to inquire about a dolly or a cover. She pointed me to an accessory manufacturer who could help me with those options. The warranty is whatever it is right out of the box.

I have been playing ~10 years (electric), and ~ 6 years on upright. I also play out of a vintage Ampeg B-15 Portaflex (35W?). I love the tone from that amp. That amp is extremely rugged & reliable, it has not failed me in 10 straight years of playing. The BA-115 works for me so far. I would buy this amp again. I do not like Fender, gallien krueger, hartke, peavey, or crate amps. I cannot get a decent PBass tone suitable for funk or jazz out of them.

100 Watts, 15" speaker + tweeter, 5 position 'style' selector switch, low mid and high controls, volume and master, headphone out, xlr output. The amp will do any sound but it is only particularly good at one, which would be plain old woofy kind of bass. Oh I forgot to mention the rca inputs which I never use...that would be neat on like a little practice amp but here its just a waste, same goes for the headphone out, though i could see it being more useful than the rca things. I use it for band rehearsals in a friends garage. I also use it on wednesdays at church where we use it as a monitor and run it into the pa system, it really sounds great that way, fills the room with that wooly but clean sort of boom. I kind of wish it had more power but it's ok. The guy I bought it from said he paid 479.99 new 2 years ago, he sold it to me in perfect condition for 250 (lightly used in a Church of God) which is a whole lot cheaper than what they were going for on ebay and stuff. Had I not gotten such a deal I probably would have looked into Yorkville, which of course would have been more than 250 but less than one of these used w/better features. If I had payed full price for this the rating would be lower no doubt.

I'm using it with a mexican 5-string Jazz, and like I said earlier it produces nice fat bass but as far as slap stuff goes it's lacking, but I personally don't do a whole lot of slapping. Noise is a bit of a problem but if you roll the treble off a little it's bearable, even at high volume, some day I might try undoing the tweeter but it just sounds so good for what I use it for now, I'd hate to mess with It just to get rid of a little hiss. The sound obviously is very clean with it being ss, and the speaker holds up very well, the cab has very little resonance issues, and is insulated which kind of surprised me. The ports on the back have these cardboard things stuck in them (to the inside), one of mine has fallen out (inside), I'm doubt that they serve any real purpose, i havn't taken the time to fix it. My biggest complaint is the handle...one little rubber strip on the top that I doubt will last too much longer, I try to be careful with it, don't know what I'll do if it breaks.

No problems yet, had it for about 3 weeks, just worried about the handle. Made in the US, I looked at the ampeg website at their manufacturing stuff and everything goes through a whole lot of testing, I trust it.

I've been playing for maybe a month or so haha after playing guitar off and on for a couple of years, and owned this amp for about 3 of those weeks. If it were stolen (don't think I could lose it) I'd try to find another one, but if I couldn't get one under $350 I would definantly look into some other brands, namely Yorkville. Heck I'd at least look around some more anyway. I almost ended up with an SWR LA-15 but heard bad things about them, and then this showed up for a better price.

so, here's the skinny...for the bread, the tone on this amp is both good and versitle. that's not the problem. one word: HISS! what's up ampeg?! you make an amp that sounds good, looks good and has a handy kick-back feature, but; is so loud that it renders recording almost impossible and makes playing quiet sections live, well, awkward. at first i thought i had a dud when i turned it on and heard how loud the hiss was, but; reading other reviews i now know that it is what it is: a really good amp ruined by an unacceptable level of hiss! i'd highly recommend the b-100r rocket bass amp. it is similar in tone ,but;it's QUIET! seriously...go to yer guitar shop and just turn each of them on and listen. i was very disappointed---i really like the tone and loved the kick-back feature, as well as the classic series look of the ba-115...

its a solid state 100 watt amp i purchased in 2003 it is very versitile, i play mostly pop-rock/punk stuff the EQ is a little limited but the style selector makes up for it pretty straight forward its got a line out but i always mike it and it sounds great, in the studio or on stae. Its a little quiet but the preamp distorts very little so you can get it up using the EQ. ive played this amp at small (20) person gigs, all the way to 500+ big venues. at the larger ones i mike it of course.

i use a fender MIM jazz bass that ive done some work on using both pickups and all the tone you can get a great focused punchy pop-punk bass sound. it has some 60 cycle hum problems and has a lot of white noise but it stays constant even when you crank it all the way up. I also do some jazz stuff and it sounds great for slap and figerstyle. the warmth blows everything in its price range out!

I use it at high volumes two to three times a week and it has never had any problems. it made in the USA and its good to see that still means something!

never had any problems.

Great for the price. truly pro-sound quality. I would record with an amp that cost 3 times as much. Needs to be miked in most venues but its a loud bass amp compared to all the other 100ish watters ive worked with

It's a couple of years old, I got it used for less than $300.

I play 2 stingrays, one with frets, the other without. I also play a corvette 5 string.

The active input is also a switch for the line input, mine was making a poor connection when I got it and would cut in and out of pad. Cleaning solved the problem.

I called them once on the input problem, they were very helpful. I have seen others say the warrenty is transferable, that's not my case, they said it was not unless the original sales reciept was included.

The only reason I am writing this is because so many here are talking about amps as if stage sound is how bass sound is made. Stage sound is a big problem, it's not solved by adding more sound, it's better solved by reducing sound. I play out alot, I am 55 and have been doing so all my life. I have bass rigs that will kill people from inside 20 feet but they are useless if you are playing in a band with good stage sound control and the right PA and soundman. Stage sound is not good sound, it's never as good as the mix from a good system and a good ear on the soundboard. So, this amp is about perfect for playing out if you band is ready to stop playing sound man and musician all at the same time.

Most people have already gone over the features so I won't comment here. It has a lot of "bells and whistles" but the Input, Main Volume, and EQ controls don't make any sense. I recently found out that this amp has a design flaw after talking to Ampeg. The Main Volume control does not allow the amp to get any louder past the midway setting. You end up having to turn the EQ's way up to get any volume out of it.

Good sound overall - but you can't get any volume out of it at mid settings of the EQ. I use a passive Yamaha Bass.

Haven't had it very long - and I won't keep it long enough to know. It is going back to Guitar Center for another amp.

I'm not impressed with Ampeg's attitude of "Yeah we know it has a design flaw" "we plan on fixing it on the next batch of machines that go out" Well - that's just great for all the people who just bought it - NOT. It's going back to guitar center.

I'm new to Bass Guitar - I'm a keyboardist - if this is what the evolution of the Bass Amp has come to - it's pretty sad. The amp is well built - but you can't get any volume out of it unless you crank the mid and bass EQ pots full tilt - you then get a very muddy sound. The way it should work is - #1 you set the EQ for the sound you like #2 you turn up the input gain #3 you turn up the main volume for the overall sound level you want. The way it actually works is #1 you turn the EQ to the sound level you like - #2 you turn up the input and Main volume all the way up and don't get any volume out of it.

This is a new 2004 amp, two channel, solid state,
(if you count the active, passive inputs as two diff. chans.) , 100 watts with a 15" and tweeter, cd (rca) inputs, headphone out, XLR out, generic eq, with a five position "style" switch. No Fx loop, no ext spkr out. It says in the manual that you can pre amp in pwr amp out but doesn't say how. I assume that one would just use the provided channel inputs??
The amp is one solid hunka machinery, well built, but keep in mind we're talking basic, very basic.
The hudred watts is probably the best hundred watts I've ever heard in an amp this size and speaker configuration, (though I should mention here that I sent it back because it still wasn't enough.)
This is not, I repeat not, an amp for any serious gigger. I've been playing for over 30 yrs. and have painfully discovered that there is no way a bassist can get boom in the room without having size and power. We will always have to lug the heaviest gear to get the sound and gut punch needed to play modern music.
I was looking to save my aching back thinking that a smaller amp might cut it, but even using a sub and PA, the stage volume is really weak. The punch quickly becomes lost in the drums and guitars.
Save you cash, unless you're looking for just a practice amp have 450.00 to spend.
I just don't see how any experienced player can say this amp is gigable. Where are you guys playing? Joe's Coffee Joint??

I play a Fender Am. Jazz BassV and an ESP C305 5 string w/ active elec. (have many others but these are my faves). The guitars sound good at a very moderate volume, note very moderate. However you have to turn the tone controls on the amp up past midway and find one of the five style positions on the amp that you can live with to get a clean sound. The Volume ans Master don't do anything until you get past halfway, I'm serious! If you're playing anywhere that seats or stands more than 20 people, don't figure on using this amp. Unless you're right on it, you won't hear it, but most importantly, you won't feel it. Our band play covers, anything from Elvis to Puddle of Mudd, in venues that seat 100 or better. I couldn't bring myself to take it out after the first fateful night. The amp hisses, it's its trademark, the hissing increases with the onset of eq and gain. Like I said, its great for the bedroom or practice room, not on a gig. I'll stick with my tried and true Bassman 400.

And I'll say it again, this amp would be great at the local Ice Cream shop, but not on a paying gig. Keep it home or in your garage. Can't comment on reliability or service, I sent it back for a refund.

No comment, amp was returned. Though it did come with a five year warranty.

I've been playing guitar and bass for over thirty years. I own many guitars which have been the cause of many divorces. I have three bass amps, my main amp of choice for sound and portability is a Fender Bassman 400.
As I stated earlier, I returned the amp for a refund. Any bass player with experience ought to know ( here's where I kick myself) that a hundred watts is just not enough for anywhere but the garage or bedroom.
To play any venue of decent size, start with a minimum of 300 watts.
It' not the volume so much as it is the gut punch and feel.
To get that, you need power.

Brand new (2003). Solid State 100w bass amp, volume, "master", bass, mid and treble tone controls, "style" selector, 0dB input (for passive p/u's), -15dB input (for active p/u's), cd inputs, line out and headphone jack. Enough controls for a basic amp, but it could use a couple of additional features, such as noise gate, compression, etc. The "style" selector offers a flat setting, along with boost or cut at various frequencies; very rudimentary equalization.

I am using this amp with a Fender Deluxe P-Bass Special. I can get a decent range of sounds, although all of the tones are colored by the 15" driver (and not so much by its 1" peizo tweeter). Using the P-bass p/u and rolling off the tone control, cranking the bass pot and volume, you can get a deep, thumping tone; conversely if you crank the treble, use the Jazz p/u and turn up the tone pot on the bass, you get a decent jazzy growl. If you are looking for one amp to do it all, this probably isn't it, but it's not too bad. One thing: the tone controls on the amp act as sort of selective volume controls. That is, rather than just add more bass or treble tone, they actually seem to increase (or decrease) the volume of the amp in that frequency range. Thus, to get full volume, you need to put all three tone knobs above the halfway point.

Just got this amp two days ago; haven't had much of a chance to use it but it seems well-built and fairly solid. I guess you could gig without a backup with no fear of breakdown - solid-state amps are pretty hard to blow up.

Brand new, no need for support yet. 5 year transferrable warranty which seems pretty decent.

I mostly play guitar, but my guitar teacher says if I want to play out, I should learn bass as bass players are not so easy to find. I had a bass back about 20 years ago, but never really learned. One note about price: Guitar Center advertised this at $499, their mail order arm, Musicians Friend, listed it at $449. I purchased the amp from one of the managers who I deal with all the time and he set me up with the amp, the above mentioned Deluxe P-Bass Special and a Fender gig bag for $900, including tax!

All this stuff is personal. I personally don't use graphic EQ (on the bass) or effects loops. This amp is used out for upright bass, and it is a winner. The flat position (three) of the mid switch seems to work well; the balanced line out is noiseless and very good-sounding in the studio. I really like that I can pick this amp up and carry it with one hand (I grew to hate my late Redhead because it couldn't be carried with one hand). There is a handy recess in the back with Velcro for securing the AC line cord (another thing the Redhead didn't do). The tilt-back cabinet design is great. This amp is quite flexible regarding where one can locate it on the band stand. A recessed handle on the back would be nice for lifting.

I use this amp live with a Korean-made carved upright fitted with a Fishman BP-100 pickup. I also use an A.R.T. TubePAC to match the piezo pickup to the BA-115 input. The amp's small footprint and tilt-back feature allows me to set up such that I can hear myself well without feedback. For jazz, bluegrass, and other music styles it works just great. There is so much low end available that I need to be careful to avoid too much "thump" on notes in the first position. After reading some of the reviews here I turned on the amp and maxed all controls. Yes there is hiss. But with the treble control set flat the hiss is no worse than a Tech-21 Sans Amp. Under typical playing conditions no one will hear it, and the gates in the control room are so much better anyhow. Change your strings.

I presume the BA-115 has some kind of internal limiter; I cannot get it to clip. The "master" control in this case I believe functions as a preamp gain control as about all of the volume change is controled with the "volume" knob. The midrange switch, when operated along with the midrange pot gives adequate flexibility (it's just one 15" speaker with a little tweeter, after all).

I have yet to play this amp out with an electric bass, but I have played electric through it at home quite a bit in the few months I have had this BA-115. Dunno if I would take this to a gig where the drummer is going to play loud, but it rattles the whole house using a hotrod P Bass. 5-string bass is bad on the B string - this amp is not a 5-stringer. For an all-solid-state amp, it's as warm as you will get currently. I intend to take it out for a P Bass spin when we play a smaller room. The BA-115 gives a very good replication of that John Wetton 'Crimson tone (at least here in the house). Using the J pickup, this Ampeg is not truly "snappy", but it's okay.

Bought it used, looks like new. I haven't had it long enough to know, although it is on for many days at a time because I forget to turn it off.

Two e-mails to Ampeg regarding input impedance have failed to bring a reply. I bought a 1-year warranty for the used amp.

I been playing for about 37 years. Used to use a Sunn 200S/1X15 for upright. The BA-115 is much more elegant. I use a Sunn 300T/4X10 and Fender hotrod P Bass and Carvin BB-75 fretless for electric gigs.

If stolen or lost, I would get another one. I love that it is a great-sounding combo; I hate that it weighs 60 pounds. I looked around a lot and bought this particular box because of the sound, it was used (cheaper) and I respect the Ampeg brand. I looked at Peavy, Genz-Benz, GK, and Fender. I used to own a SWR Redhead. I wish this amp had a wheels/retractable handle like most modern luggage.

Ya gotta know yer limitations. This amp ain't gonna get it on open mic night at CBGB's. On the other hand, it is a useful and (so far) reliable tool that sounds great and doesn't take up a lot of space.

key point to understand. this is an *entry level* AMPEG bass amp. as such you will be getting ampeg quality (more on that later) in a very basic package. some of the complaints about lack of features misses this point.

to illustrate. brought home a Behringer BX1200. "120 watts" (yeah, right!) full of bells and whistles, effects loop, eq, "tone shaping" . about $100 less than the ampeg. it's crap! flimsy construction, no volume, and a sound quality to drill teeth by.

this one? 100 watts. one 15 inch speaker. 3 band eq (REAL basic) headphone jack, CD player input. volume and master setting. and five position "style setting" (ok, you'll probably pick one you like and leave it there.) and a tilt back feature.

so on balance, pretty basic. i give it an eight because if you want more and you want an ampeg, and you want to spend this amount of money...buddy you are cruising in the wrong neighborhood.

i play in a classic rock/beatles cover band. delivers a sharp, clean, classic ampeg sound with plenty of volume. for well under 500 bucks, that is AMAZING.

yes, it does have *slight* amount of white noise hiss. less than what came out of my swr head and cabinet. some of the whining about this in these reviews mystifies me. it's a bass amp with a little bit of power! they hiss a little bit! get over it! nothing to notice.

the clincher. ampeg sound with ampeg quality. the proverbial tank. almost a year now and it has been through the mill and is like the day i got it. while hefty, small enough to be easily portable. will take serious abuse. will deliver a consistent quality sound with no problems.

don't know. never had to deal with ampeg. don't think i ever will. ampeg quality is legendary. five year transferable warranty i think.

playing off and on for almost 30 years. from high school garage bands to middle aged cover bands.

i play an ibanez sr800, a danelectro rumor and a hofner copy.

i love the clean and clear sound it gives me, the combo portability, the high quality at a price well under 500 bucks. ok my needs are basic, but most folks looking in this price range who think they need more (especially live) are kidding themselves.

if it were stolen i'd get another one.

I just bought this amp. (2003) I have been playing guitar for over 40 years. I should be better by now. I started playing bass about 10 months ago. It is difficult to find a perfect amp for any instrument but bass is really difficult. It you want a good all round sound, moderate weight, low cost, great warranty, clean looks. I would say this is the amp. It is straight forward and easy to use. Don't criticize a Honda for not being a Jaguar!

I use a 62 Reissue Fender Jazz Bass. Sounds good to me. I play Blues, light R&B, Country and acoustic music. The amp could be a little louder but my wife would disagree.

I have played guitar through Ampegs in the past. This amp seems to be well built. It has a 5 year transferable warranty. Can you beat that? It is American made too.

I have never had an amp problem that I've had to send to someone. Ampeg has a great reputation.

I don't think you can beat this amp without spending much more money and buying much more weight. I would buy again.

YEAR: purchased new in fall 2000.

VERSATILITY: i play many styles from punk/metal to r&b/jazz, and this amp is suited better if you play r&b style. there isn't a lot of tonal range, it all stays fairly low and muddy. not much pop or high end.

CHANNELS: this amp has a "style switch" with 4 or 5 different positions. only one sounds good, the others are too low and not clear. it has no effects but you can shape the different style selections using the treble, bass, and midrange knobs. it has a headphone jack but this never worked.

FEATURES: i bought this amp because i needed something simple and loud. i ended up wishing it had some effects (like the later-designed BA-115 special). as stated before, i only use one of the available "styles" on the style switch. the others suck. also, there are 2 input holes but i only use one. the 2nd hole is way too quiet!

USAGE: i use this amp for small club shows, i had it miked and used the direct out in a recording studio, and i use it in the rehearsal room. it does get loud but i find myself having to turn it up almost all the way because of the lack of tone versatility. for rock styles it sucks, you can't hear anything but low boom. it sounds better at home (than in rehearsal with other loud instuments going). onstage it's iffy.

EXTRAS: this amp has a 100W 15" speaker, a tilt-back cab design, a direct out, 2 inputs, and the rca hookup incase you wanna use it as a speaker for your vcr, dvd or cd player.

GUITAR: i play 3 different basses through this amp, but the main one i use is a standard fender jazz. no matter how i adjust the knobs on my bass, i can't get much tone out of the amp.

STYLE: this amp is good for playing r&b or any style where you don't mind the bass being the thick end or boom. but for rock, punk, or metal, it has very little punch and zero growl.

NOISE: this is the worst part about this amp. IT HISSES!!! you don't notice it as much at home or even in the studio, but onstage when you have to be loud it hisses like crazy when you aren't playing. i've read other reviews since i bought it and a lot of people mention the hissing sound. this has embarassed me onstage several times between songs, or in quiet parts where i don't play. i've tried adjusting this amp in every way to cut this down and it's impossible. you hear the hiss immediately when you turn it on.

SOUNDS/VARIETY: as stated before, you can't get much variety here. all the tones sound the same, each one muddier and thicker than the one before.

CHANNELS: it has no distortion channel. you'd need a pedal for that.

DEPENDABILITY: this amp has always worked. i have played it in many many shows at different clubs and it always comes on and stays that way. no crackle or shorts.

BREAKAGE: this amp weighs over 60 lbs. and it only has one strap handle on the top. it's already coming loose, it's only held on by 2 screws that go directly into the cabinet body. i don't carry it by the strap alone. it's heavy as hell and difficult to load into a car. no good place to grip it. needs side handles.