Ampeg PB-250 PortaBass Head

Small, compact, no frills. Beware of the 250 watt rating. It is not that loud, just buzzes and vibrates when you turn it up past halfway.

Very flat sound. It almost appears to have that lead guitar range. No compression and it shows. It was part of the 112 combo. DO NOT make the mistake I did. First off I bought it on ebay from a dealer selling it as NEW. It was actually a beat on floor model. UNREAL buzzing, resonance and just plain BAD sound. Ampeg advertises that that cabinet resonates. This is a smart marketing way to say "we made a poor design, buy them cheap as leftovers because we made to many to fix the problem,. Rattles everywhere!!! I do not think the demo use made these problems. Ampeg usually does better then this. If you are playing in a small room with an un miked acoutstic this should get you by, but so will a $100 crate amp! Horn didn't work when I first tried it, now it seems to come on??? Dealer giving me a hard time about returning it and they charged me $55 shipping!!! But the pop off handle is cool, hmmmmm...

Havn't had it long and won't. I am sending it back. It isn't good when a "new" amp has a bad horn, smells like cooked electronics, (the magnet on the hyped up neo speaker gets hot enough to make toast) The horn crossover buzzes and vibrates louder then my pressure cleaner.

I am trying to send this back. I can see already this is going to cost me $100 in shipping to salvage the real money spent here. It all starts at dealer level. When they sell you bad junk it all goes downhill from there.

Benn playing it for about 30 minutes. It is painful. I am repacking it and hopefully returning it tommorow. I would hate to be one of those dirtbags on ebay and sell it again as MINT, NEW, KILLER SOUND!!!! I plan on going to the B100R or the new Fender Bassman Pro series. I tried them both and you will get alot more for the buck. Maybe i am just picky and expect more after playing bass for over 30 years?

This amp is very light and simple and does exactly what I need it to do for the music I play(rock and progressive rock). The square tone perameter buttons should have LED's in them since they are impossible to see in the dark even with a rack light above the amp. A headphone jack would also be nice for home practice. I use this amp for practice and smaller gigs. I don't go through a PA so at larger gigs I use an Ampeg B4R with two 4 ohm cabs( about 680 watts). I may end up replacing that amp with the 800 watt version of this amp, the PB800. That amps' additional pre amp will be a nice feature as I also play a fretless.

I play custom Rickenbacker four and five string and fretless basses with their humbucking pickups in them. I use a pick as well as my fingers depending on what's required and the amp responds as it should to both. I usually play fairly clean with just a bit of distortion but if you overdrive the master gain, you can get the perfect Geddy Lee sound from "Moving Pictures". One thing about this amp, as well as other Ampegs, is that their is a lot more bass to begin with. If you start out with the bass on full, you will never be able to get it to sound crisp. I start with the treble on full for the definition I want and then add the bass(usually set at about two o'clock) and then fine tune the tone with the low and high mid knobs and of course the two gain controls. The amp is dead quiet, especially with humbucking pickups. By the way,never let anyone tell you that a Ric has too much treble. Not with this amp or my other Ampeg(a B4R).

Totally reliable. No issues yet in 14 months of use. At larger gigs I use this as the backup for my B4R.

Haven't had to call them.

I've been playing almost 30 years and have owned Peavy, Hartke, and Gallien-Krueger amps. This amp is most like the GK 400RB I replaced with this, but unlike the GK, it doesn't pop through the speakers every time I turn it on. Ampeg amps have been my favorite so far. I would definitely buy another if stollen. Love the light weight, sound and volume this amp puts out.

This little head has pretty much all I want; light weight, DI, active/passive inputs, semi-parametric eq, and tons of sound. It doesn't have the "in vogue" htings like a subwoofer out or distortion, but I didn't want that stuff anyway, and when it goes out of style, this amp will still be in. I like the actual look of the amp, too. Ampeg has really got the modern look going for them right now.

I'm beginning to think this amp can do a lot more than what I bought it for, which is mainly as a monitor in a church setting, DI-ing into the board for everybody else to hear me. I have used it on some small rock gigs, and I'm impressed at how loud it gets, and it's ability to still sound great at louder levels! I used to use an SWR Redhead, which I really liked, but it was heavy, and it sounded worse the louder things got. The Portabass head (and the 1x12 cab) outperforms the Redhead, and exceeds my expectations, which I had purposefully set really high.

I think it's gonna be my workhorse for quite a while. I've been using it for about 3 months now, and I don't think it even gets hot. Definitely there have been no problems. Plus, it's just so easy to pick up and take to a gig!

I haven't had to contact Ampeg about this head, but my dealings with them in the past has always been great.

If it got stolen, I'd replace it. If it broke, I'd fix it. I'm 40, and didn't wait for my back to tell me to get a lighter amp, but now that I have one that has the goods; I don't think I'd go back to 90 pound combos.

bass,low mid, high mid, treble. two inputs. one 0db one -15db. effects loop. 17 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!! 250watts. I use this whenever I dont want to lug my 52lb rack setup SVT3pro or my 40lb V-4BH to a practice. great for small gigs or practice with a band that doesn't play too loud

very true reproduction of your instrument. I use my geddy lee jazz and sounds good only when the strings are fresh. other wise its very dull sounding. not alot of tone. I plug in my Zon sonus RT and it constantly sounds amazing. bright, deep whatever I want. If you want a little more brightness and crunch in the attack I recomend getting a sansamp bass di and running that infront. then my geddy Jazz sounds good with less then new strings. It does sound better at low volumes then my svt and v4b. It has trouble keeping up with insanely loud drummers and half stacks. so the does the V4B. just alittle under powered for that application.

never failed me. never gets hot when I crank it on full for hours

havent needed it

I love it as a small practice amp with a lot of power. very portable hense the name. has that Ampeg tone that is never to harsh. very warm. I like the tone of my other amps bettter but I like its weight so much I probably use it more. It is good sounding reliable amp that I recomend to anyone. provided they use it in the manner intended.

Just enough to be able to draw out 250 watts of great Tones!!!!!! Simple is better. Why complicate the situation with a bunch of fine touch controls. At 14 lbs what a BLESSING, and not much bigger than my Bible. Easy to use. Plug in the power cord to head other end to AC power outlet. Speaker cord to head, other end to cab. Guitar cord to Guitar other end to input. Turn on Head, raise the volume and "Thump that Puppy"). Playing an Ampeg amp makes you want to practice and play better. Ampeg, when you mean business.

I use the amp with a 78 Fender Precision Bass. The PB250 works great for my style which is worship music in Church and some outdoor settings. The cab I use is an David Eden 2x10XLT...this is one great cab for this setup. I also have an Ampeg Portabass PB110H that I use mainly for home practice so I don't have to drag around the 2x10 cab. Not noisy. Very clean. Will not distort at high volume. I love the tones of these Portabass Heads. Great job Ampeg. These guys know Bass.

So far so good........no backup needed here, I have complete confidence in this head. Besides I can always direct to the PA if needed.

Have not dealt with them..........

Since 1963. Stolen: I would buy another. I love being able to carry this unit in a Bag over my shoulder, music in one hand and Fender Bass in the other and the cab at the Church. Who says you need 800 watts and a 4x10 cab to sound good? I owned an SWR amp for a while which was a good amp. I wanted to upgrade. An Ampeg Portabass Head for my situation was the right thing to do. You can not go wrong with these heads. Go out a grab one before they quit making them.

It seems to have everything I need. it includes a DI out, effects loop, and quite a few control seetings such as bass, low and high mid shifts and treble. I have been using it on small to medium sized gigs with one of the matching 2 X 12 PortaBass cabinets. It supplies a lot of power. It is loud. Now I hope Ampeg is reading this. Here is the problem with this amp: First of all Ampeg uses small black square push buttons under each of the tone controls which are designed to enhance each setting. This is great, no complaint, however most of the time you cannot tell if the push buttons are activated or not! Ampeg should have added a micro LED in the center of each button to light-up when activated. Secondly the white level indicators on all the knobs are impossible to read when the stage lights reflect off the knobs. The amp is hard to setup under poor lighting conditions, period. I have to put my face in front of the amp and double check to make sure everything is properly set. Also the silk screened lettering is too small. Hey, my eye sight is good, but the guy who designed the front of the amp must be able to see in the dark! I don't have any problems reading and setting the controls on any of my ohter Ampeg amps. Finally, I think Ampeg should have offered this amp with a set of rack mount ears. Why put a portable amp in a rack? Why not, when you have connections on the back for external effects! hasn't anyone heard of a small effects rack to be used to keep all their equipment in one place. The amp weighs only 14 Lbs. So why can't I put it into my small light weight portable rack with my effects? The bottom line is that I have purchased a rack shelf to mount the amp on. It will require some drilling of the shelf to match the mounting location of the amp's feet, but it will be a simple modification. However, it would have been nice if Ampeg supplied some external rack ears for the PB250.

The amp sound great without a doubt. It takes a litle time to get used to operating the low and high mid controls.My other Ampeg amps only utilize a mid control or an EQ section. Also the buttons to increase the range of these shifts were new to me too. However, after a few practice sessions I think I have it down, so to speak. The amp is loud! I can push some large cabinets with it. It works great with my Ampeg 2 X 12" PortaBass Cabinet. It will handle anything 4 ohms and above. The sound is very clean, but you can increase the gain in order to bring in just a little warmth. I have used it on many gigs now from small to medium size venues without a problem. The size of the amp is great too. it fits inside a small carrying bag. The amp is also very quiet and would be ideal for studio use too. On large gigs I do bring a seperate compressor and a bass expander. These effects really warm up the sound alot. All in all this baby can really put out! I play both active and passive basses through the PB250. They both sound great. I am a finger-style player and I also tend to tap the strings a lot too. The sound I get is both deep botom and a nice high end snap combination. I am very pleased.

So far so good. I bought this used as a floor model. It works perfectly. I have brought it to many gigs without a backup.

Ampeg repair shops are all over the place. However, the amp utilizes some micro components and most likely the boards cannot be fixed in a timely fashion if ever required. However, so far so good, as mentioned earlier.

I really have said it all in my earlier comments. If the amp got stolen I would buy another one. The reason I bought it in the first place was due to the fact it was an Ampeg and its small size along with its weight of only 14 Lbs. I needed a good sounding portable amp for the small gigs.

The Portabass 250 head is made by Ampeg. It features a regular input and a padded input. The controls are pretty simple, they are: a gain knob, four rotary knobs for eq(low, low mid, hi mid, hi), boosts for each eq knob(low boost, lo-mid boost, hi-mid boost, hi boost), an effects blend, and master volume. It has a peak indicator, as well as a limiter. It has a direct line out on the back(XLR or 1/4"). It also features a knob on the back(you have to use a screwdriver to adjust it) that controls the direct out level. Also features 1/4" and Speakon outs to the cab. Effects loop, standard features. Single channel. I would assume it was made in 2003, as that is when the owner purchased it. It belongs to an older man in my church, and I use it because I am without an adequate amp. I play everything from blues to heavy metal on it. It's pretty versatile for all of those. The only reason I give it a 9 instead of a 10 is because there are times that it seems to not be as loud as other times. That might be because I am competing with two other guitarists, a keyboardist, and a drummer but it does seem to change volume from day to day. Pretty decent features overall. I do wish that it had two channels, but from what I understand it was pretty inexpensive, so oh well. Also, it's extremely light(14 lbs)

I use an Alvarez 5-string(passive) going directly into it. It suits all of the styles I've played, as it can produce very clean tones as well as nice overdriven sounds with the gain turned up. It's got the Ampeg growl to it. As far as noise, it's really quiet. I've never had any noise issues with it. I use it through a 15-inch Ampeg cab, and it can rumble and growl very nicely. I used a smaller Ampeg before this, as well as an old Sunn amp, and various homemade amp solutions. This amp blows them all away. I give it a 9 because it sounds beautiful if it's tweaked right. I've been told by professionals that it's the best sounding amp they've heard(not sure if I believe that, but it is certainly one of the best amps for under $500).

I've been using it for about a year. It's never had any problems like fuses blowing, or just going kaputt. I've babied it pretty much, as it's not mine, so it hasn't been dropped or had a two-liter of Mountain Dew spilled on it, so it hasn't been put to the test in that sense. However, as I have to compete with 4 other people who are very capable of getting loud, I do push it to it's limit at almost every gig. It has yet to fail me. I use it at all of my gigs without a backup. If it died, I'd probably have to go direct or not play. As far as heat goes, it stays cool no matter how long or loud I play.

No idea

I've been playing bass for two and a half years. I play in an alternative rock group that covers the entire spectrum of musical styles. It certainly blows away everything I've used to this point. I plan on buying a different amp as soon as I get the money for it, but that is simply for something louder. If it were lost or stolen, I would be very upset, and probably buy a replacement. I love the signature Ampeg growl at a reasonable price. I recommend this amp totally, if you're looking for something to play small to medium venues.

Interesting mid-shift control on the tone knobs, just gives you more adjustment possiblities. Basic amp features nothing fancy, this is good. Very small and lightweight, great to carry to gigs. Wish it came with rack tab mounts to put in a standard rack bag, Does not have these. When you get tired of carrying Big amps to gigs you to will look into something smaller with good power, this is it.

Clean, clear, articulate. I play everything, Jazz, Rock, Blues, Folk, acoustic, I want my Bass to sound like a bass not anything else. I use Fender Fretless Jazz Bass, or Yamaha TRB 5 string, sounds very good with both.

So far great, but I've only had it a few months.
Like the feel of the knobs, seems very solid.
Played a few gigs with it, reherse twice a week.

Have no idea, this is the first piece of Ampeg gear I have owned.
I've Had Gallen-Kruger, SWR, and other gear over the past 20 years.

Got a great deal on this amp, saw it everytwhere for over 600. then found some crazy deal for over 200. less than the regular market retail. Had been looking at the small Mesa head but it was alot more money. It's all about downsizing for quality of sound and easy transport. In this way this is the ultimate amp head. Check the ratings you will see this amp is 150 watts into 8ohms, or 250 watts into 4 ohms. Looks like I may buy another small cab just to lower the ohm load. Currently use it with a Avatar 210 which sounds very good on all types of music. At this price it is a fantastic VALUE.

Can get any tone you want out of this thing. It has a pretty basic Ampeg setup. I love the blue LED light they use too =P

I was looking at this and the Mesa Boogie Walkabout, both were really tempting. But I ended up buying the Ampeg Portabass just because of its crystal clarity and I could get just about any tone I wanted out of it at the store. The Mesa Boogie Walkabout is great too, but after testing it against the Portabass for about an hour, I came to the conclusion that the PB250 is better hands down! It doesn't sound like a lot of Ampeg's stuff, but still sounds great and beats all the competition in terms of portable amps. An amazing achievement for Ampeg, to fit so much power into such a little box.

Great amp, would definetly buy it again if it were stolen. It just suits my style so perfectly and doesn't stress out my back. Now, all I need is to get rid of my 8X10 cabinet for one of those Portabass cabinets.

Many other people have said this, but I woulda liked some on board effects like Compression. But it DOES have all the standard Ampeg mid shift, etc... Which are awesome for dialing in the tone you're looking for. I think the main feature that this head excels in is portablity as the name suggests. It's only 14lbs, I can carry it my right hand, roll my cabinet behind me with my left, and carry my bass on my back. It saves me the mulitple trips I use to have to make for shows etc... This amp also sounds amazing for being so small and solid state, but I will get into that in the next section. All in all, a really compact head with pretty standard features.

The sound of this head is amazing, you can do whatever you want with it. I'm using a Peavey Cirrus 5 string and can get an amazing slap tone and low growl for fingering. It's quite the versatile amp, and is just about the BEST head you can buy for gig'ing. It's ridiculously convienient, lightweight, and sounds great. What else do you need?

I've had it for 2 months and seems to be holding up really well. It's a really solid amp, and would be hard fairly difficult to drop with the small size, handle, and optional gigbag.

Great amp, perfect for gigging, especially if you get one of the Ampeg Portabass cabinets. The cabinets are a bit pricey, but are well worth the convenience. I think they built this amp to be a gigging amp, but I would gladly record with it too. The amp is so clean and doesn't have any hiss, buzz, etc... All in all, the this amp is a great buy for the price.