EBS Fafner (Rackmount bass head)

I recently acquired this latest model Fafner power amp, with tube pre amp. Gorgeous looking and unbelievably great sounding amp with lots of nice and useful features. I play jazz, funk, soul on an Alembic Series 1 bass. I run the Fafner through EBS Evolution Proline 410 cabs (Fantastic!!!). This amp is the best I've heard. It is very versatile and loud. The filter section of the amp works like a dream. Features: effects loop, compressor, tuner out, XLR DI output, Speakon sockets, Phantom power. The only thing I'm missing is a headphone jack.

I play an Alembic Series 1 bass. This is a bass that can produce a very hifi sound, with growling lows and glass shattering highs. With the combination of the Alembic controls and the controls on the Fafner I can handle just about any style of music. I just ordered myself an Alembic SF-2 Bass Superfilter that will be added to the chain. That should be the ultimate combo.

The Fafner is very loud and I haven't experienced any distortion yet. Slapping on this baby sounds incredible. This amp seems to be made for slapping and so is my Alembic bass, so that's great (for me ;-).

I do hear a little hiss when the highs of the amp are turned up, but nothing that bothers me at all.

This amp appears to be built like a tank and to last a lifetime. Change the tube once every two years (whcih is very easy) and this baby keeps on going. It is rackmountable, so that also contributes to it's durability. No backup required.
High quality Swedish equipment!

Contacted EBS once and they replied very fast and were very helpful. No complaints here.

If this baby got stolen, I would replace it by a new Fafner, without a doubt. This is the best amp I've come across. I have tried many, such as Trace Elliot, SWR, Eden, but none of these come close. I love the versatility and the looks of this amp and I also love how it does my fantastic Alembic bass justice.

This is my second Fafner, made early 2005 with the blue base line, my first one had the grey base line and no D.I. output. I obviously love this amp, I run it on stage with 2 EBS410 for a 2 Ohm load and I just love it. The EQ section is incredible, especially the treble and midrange which provide all the variety one could dream. The compressor does its job well and the 12ax7 circuit colours the sound nicely, you can even get it to distort if required. Only quibble is the side mounted fan which makes it hard to rack the unit when running a 2 Ohm load. It has a huge power output, I never pass 2-3 on the master volume because above the band gets blown away on stage.

I use an Alembic Series II, a Neuser Courage and an older Trace Elliot T-bass with my stack. I play in a cover band and change sounds quite a bit depending on the songs. The Fafner allows for all kinds of excellent sounds from dirty to crystal clean, reggae works and best of all the funk and slap sound is unmatched as far as I know. Its natural tendancy is towards a hifi sound, you hear your instrument, but making it sound like an SVT or a Trace head is quite easy. The thump it provides is humongous, and it does have its own sound if you bother looking for it.

The front ported D.I. is very handy and most importantly sounds great.

This is my second one, no problems so far except for the orange lamp on the first one (an early model), but it was easily fixed.

I also own 2 EBS410 cabs as well as a HD350 head and nothing ever went wrong, EBS is sturdy and feels like top quality.

I mailed EBS about various things and always received rapid, friendly and efficient feedback. For instance I had them identify the year of make of my first Fafner by sending them a picture and they immediately complained about me encasing the amp in a tight SKB rack ;) and gave me some advise on the subject (The rack now has a hole on the side for the air exhaust from the fan)

The Fafner is expensive but it is unmatched and worth every penny IMHO. I've had lots of amps before this one and it tops them all by a great margin. I did try a bunch of amps in the same price range and this own blew and still blows me away!

The damn thing keeps falling to bits

The amps sound is very good, unless you are using effects pedals throught the effects loop,and want a very distorted effect.
The build quality is absolutely diabolicle, the worst built amp i have ever owned. Bits keep falling off it. I feel really ripped off.
Stay away from this amp,grossly overpriced.

Bought it new in 2005 together with a 410 cabinet. I play alternative rock, pop and fusion, both fingerstyle and with a pick, depending.
What first attracted me to this amp was it's great versatility, I just love the way just a little turn of the knob can make so much difference. 440 watts @4 ohms (in my case) is more than enough for both gigging and rehearsals as loud as you can stand. Other EBS products I've tried (HD 350, Drome, GormET) weren't quite to my liking but Fafner was, for me, a big positive surprise. The amp has great features which I am getting more and more fond of as I learn how to fully take advantage of them. I wouldn't mind a footswitch for drive and mute, though.

I have two favourite basses that I use to try everything on, both are custom made jazz bass-like instruments with EMG active pickups, but very different characters. First one is made of alder with a rosewood fingerboard, has great 'vintage' tone but lacks low end (because currently I have only one set of pickups (humbuckers) which are great for #2 but #1 could IMO really use a P/J combination). The second one is ash with maple fingerboard, great for slap and that balls-to-the-walls sound. Fafner reacts very differently to these two. It is a very mid-orientated amp so with #1 it turns into a mid overkill, producing an almost annoying sound (luckily, this can be dealt with using the great sweepable mid control) and the amp's bass is just not 'round' enough to give this instrument what it needs. Still, the sound I managed to get with a little bit of experimentation is not bad at all, I'd give it 7/10. #2, however, having plenty of both lows and highs, produces an amazing sound with little or no tweaking at all! It sounds warm and powerful but still very clear and cuts through the band perfectly. With a little drive it gets close to an all-tube sound, which is something I like a whole lot, hence the rating. I did get a bit of hiss when playing with a lot of treble, but nothing unusual. Honestly, to me, the only better sounding amps I've heard were all-tube and a lot more expensive models.

I've only had it for a few months now, but EBS has a pretty strong reputation over here. Comments from other, experienced, users I trust left me with very little room to doubt the quality of this product. I would use it without a backup, but only as long as I don't play an important venue. On such occasion I'd even like to have a backup for myself! :) The only problem I had was with the decorative red lamp dying on me...

I've never dealt with the company directly because the local dealer was very friendly and helpful. I pestered him a lot and he answered all of my questions. I had one small repair which was done under warranty, in a very professional way.

I've been playing for 8 years now. I used to have a thing for collecting crappy gear but there was nothing in it I wouldn't been ashamed to mention here! :) Just some low cost/low quality guitars and amps. If it were stolen I would cry, because I cannot afford a new one! :) I compared it to all the different amps I could find before buying. Mesa and Eden - I couldn't afford :) Trace and Ampeg - I didn't like (ok, there were some models but the sound/price ratio was IMO awful) Hartke and Ashdown - I considered, but the versatility of the Fafner and it's sound with my #2 is what really got me to come up with some extra cash. Even though I believe it was superior compared to others I don't think it was AS superior as the price suggests it, I only bought it because I really NEEDED to have that sound so I have to go with a lower rating here.

The day I bought this amp I had two gigs - one with a etno rock band and other with an aggresive avant jazz band. The members from every band was congratulating me on my new sound (SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH) It was great, I finally heard every note I played. The funny thing was, that the guy who bought my Ashdown ABM 300 Evo II amp, he was playing on Fafner before. But he played Yamaha 6 string bass which is more treblish, where I am playing G&L L2500 bass which is generally lower in its original sound. Oh, I also use Ebs 410 cabinet which is fantastic, but this is not an issue here. My G&L did not like my Ashdown, but his Yamaha did, and reverse.
What I am trying to say is, Fafner (like all Ebs amps) is mids oriented amp, which is great if you have bass contoure oriented guitar.
There are enough features on this amp. Two problems: if you turn hi eq over the half, there is a lot of hiss and noise. Also the signal from balanced output (D.I.) is too weak if you take into consideration that this amp is very powerful.

What is great is that eq`s are very precise - with just a little turn you get a lot. The drive knob is fenomenal. With it you engage tubes and this adds a lot of warmth to your sound. I must agree it is the best amp for slap, althougt I rarely slap. Some people complain they don`t get enough bass out of this amp. It all depends on your guitar!!! I get great, punchy bass even on low B. I still have some problems when I am playing chords (and I do that a lot), but I think this is mostly my fault. I have to set eq` right.

Needs a rack, otherwise it is build like a tank.

I played on Trace, Ampeg and Ashdown. Ebs is giving the best sound if I compare it to these amps.

Mine is a Gold limited edition. Otherwise it has all the same features as the standard Fafner. Bought second hand, only one month old and I think I got a great deal out of it. The previous owner had an EBS 810 also but he had to sell it due to backproblems (an 810 can do that) I use it live and on rehearsals with my band (Tud Russel). I love to play funk and stuff but with the band I play it's a mix of metal and hardcore.

I use a Spector Euro 5 str. and a Warwick Tumb bass. For the moment I use it with my Eden D410T and it just blows everything away. Thinking about adding another 410 though (just for stagepresence) Soundwise I play all styles from Level42 to Mudvayne and I just love the clarity and grunt of this amp. I use the drive just to warm up the sound a little, for heavy distorted tones I use a BOSS bass OB3.

I push this thing real hard and in the 6 months I have had it it has never let me down (yet)

Never had to deal with the EBS company (yet) See "reliabilty".
They seem nice folk though, those Swedes ;-)

I have been playing for 12 years and this is the most inspiring piece of equipement I have ever owned. I have always used good gear from the makes of Hartke, SWR, Trace Elliot and Eden but this amp realy is the best thing I have ever used. I am thinking of getting in to the speaker line of EBS also (two 410) If stolen or lost I would be on my way to Sweden right now ;-)

I bought my amp brand new 2003. I play hard rock and funky rock. I always play with my fingers, never use a pick. I have used this amp for rehearsels and gigs and the power is more than enough! Its have great filters and features, this is a hightech amp.

Well, this is the tricky part! I use a Fender Jazzbass with passive pickups, and I play with my fingers only. The slap-sound is amazing! Very clear and distinct. But when you play fingerstyle the tone sounds hard and dead. I have tried to play with a pickup and its gives a great sound used with a little distortion. So, if you are playing rock with your fingers, I would not recommend this amp.

Its not noisy, very well built with great components. The amp can make the most kinds of sound, the filters are great!

Swedish quality! Cant be better, I have never heard of any problems with this amp. Easy to change the tube if its breaks down.

Never needed to deal with EBS, I have used several products from EBS and never had any problems!

I have been playing for 13 years. I use two fender jazz basses and a EBS 410 cabinet. I I lost this amp, I would not buy this again, I play rock and this amp its better suited for slapping (Marcus Miller). I love the slapsound and the quality and hates the dead tone when playing fingerstyle.

If you play rock: Buy a solid valve amp!!!! I have tried the new Fender bassman solid valve amp, and that is the sound I am looking for!

This amp has some great features. The drive knob allows you to dial in tube grit for fatness, or flat out overdrive. Really impressive. My favorite feature is the compressor.It really gives you a tight, smooth sound, and is the bomb for slapping!! The fafner also can power ebs effect pedals or battery powered basses if you choose to do so. It also runs 440 watts @4 ohms, or 620 watts @2 ohms, so you have an incredible amount of headroom for anything you like.

This is where the Fafner shines. You can go from super fat, clean slap to agressive rock grit with the turn of the drive knob.As bass player mag. says it is "the" slap amp.I agree %100!!! It is also the loudest amp ive ever heard, unbelieveable sound. Amazing!!!

I just acquired it, and played a couple of gigs, and it is dead quiet, works flawlessly.

They always respond to my emails.

I know they are pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for with the fafner. I honestly cannot find any faults with this amp. It is incredible!!!

I bought my (used)fafner for about 2 years ago.This one is an early model,which has been completed whith the balanced output on the front.
Heavy metal mixed with late 70:s rock is our game. I must say that i have never met an amp who can do everything, untill i met this one!
Cant think of anything this one not can do? The power is enough to put most (all)of the bandmebers in the shadow. Easy to change from a "fat slap" to real massive "heavy metal" growl..
There is only one thing i'm missing... A fotswitch for the EQ..
Not a major prob, but thats the only thing i ....:-)

I'm using a Yamaha bbg5 bass (J-style) and an Trace Elliot 8x10"cab..
That combination make my rig undefeatable!

I trust my fafner to 100%

My name is Hank and I play bass in the Swedish rock'n'roll group Whyte Seeds. Our music has its roots in 70's rock, like Led Zeppelin.
The EBS Fafner Bass Head gives me everything I need to play the way I do, which is using a Rickenbacker bass and a pick. Fafner has a great (over)drive feature and compressor which I value a lot. The sound is tube-warm yet with an edge to it as well. I use this head together with a EBS 4x12 cabinet, and it usually blows everybody away. I use this gear live, in the studio and at rehearsals. Still haven't found anything better. It also has a great line-out for on-stage usage. Makes all sound technicians very happy.

I can play everything on EBS Fafner. Blues, Country, Jazz, Rock and Super Heavy Headbanging Mega Rock as well. I've played mega concerts in Germany with EBS Fafner and my EBS 4x12 cabinet, and it rocks all over the stage. I've also played small clubs in Gothenburg, my hometown in Sweden; had to keep the volume down a bit there, but the sound never loses any quality.

Only had it for a few months, but let me tell you this much: I'm the only one in the band who hasn't had a problem gear-wise yet. Almost lost hold of it once while carrying backline down a narrow staircase while drunk, though. Don't like to think about that. Hasn't broken down yet anyway.

The guys at EBS seem very friendly.

I have been playing instruments as long as I've lived. Right now I play the base in one of the best rockbands in Sweden. I've used lots of different bass equipment; Orange, Ampeg, Trace Elliot, whatever. They all made my Choice of EBS so much easier. Thank you. Bye. See you later this year.