Hartke B120

I got my B120 in 2000 as a gift. I didn't have a rehearsal space so i had no chance to actually hear the sound other than through headphones until one year ago. I use a bass with active pick ups and like a bright crisp tone, having some control over the EQ helps, but each controls range is too broad and i can't seem to get the exact frequencies I like peaked without overdoing it. I can hear myself over two guitar players, a drummer, and a loud singer, but we don't crank it (we want to be able to hear when we're older). It has worked at all our gigs though, even if i can't go direct or mic it.

I like a slightly distorted sound, I have to use an effects pedal (zoom) for this because the sound is very clean even at high levels.
I never hear and bad noise except or that loud crack as i turn it on. It provides enough punch for my bass lines to be clear and loud with out getting muddy or overpowering.

The only problem i have with this this for gigging is the casters that came with it do not stay in and are therefore useless. it's heavy and a pain in the ass to lift into a high truck bed. But i am a sissy. I've used it with out back up a some important gigs without thinking twice. In 4 years it's never given me any problems other than sore arms.

N/A never had to get it repaired.

I've been playing for 6 years. This was a good amp for me 4 years ago. Now i'd like to move on to a more versitile head and a large speaker cabinet, but it does the job and i'm not replacing it until i have to.

Amp is a year 2000 model. Decent features and sound. Reliable if you take care of it. One channel each for Active/Passive pickups, but only one at a time. It handles jazz pretty well, and rock rehearsals. Not really a loud amp for gigs, but still, it's got a line out, just FOH it. Maybe I'm deaf, I always seem to pass hearing tests though. Effects loop in back: Amp in/out. Headphone jack with solid sound. Shape Circuitry and 3 band standard EQ. It's solid state and pumps 120 watts into 2x12's. One 12 faces down, don't ask me why. Major air time there, it doesnt shake the floor like a downward speaker is supposed to. For the price, it's not a bad amp.

I use a Fender Mexi Jazz with stock pickups and a Schecter Stilleto Elite 5 string with 2 EMG-HZ's... I string the shecter EADGC. It sounds awesome with the jazz, and awesome with the schecter too, but blows with a low B... Forget about the low B with this amp. I've plugged in an upright to this sucker and handled it quite well, got pretty loud and boomy (unfortunately the pickup is an unreliable P.O.S. and didn't work for the show, that was the pickup, not the amps fault). Pretty quiet amp. Just dont stand next to it. HUMMM... It was really boomy when I first got it, it's lost its tone due to abuse/ignorance. See below for reliablity. It sounds awesome for a simple minded combo. Yeah, my amp starts distorting at 6, and I keep it at that (with pretty flat EQ) for jazz band rehearsals. If I cranked the bass knob up any more than I do, it would just fart. Basically, combos will distort after halfways; and plus, if you have to turn it up past 5 you need more headroom.

Gig worthy? It depends. I played a gig 5 months ago at a cabaret type thing and only had it at 2 (and was still asked to turn down)... Hell, 2 is what I practice in my room at! I've had 2 occasions. Again, i've had to crank it up to 8 for rock rehearsals and it started losing it around 6-7. I think I'm at fault for it's operation today (I used to crank the EQ, not good!)... But It never really blew up yet anyways, hehehe. it's reliable if you take care of it. Just don't expect it to manage a rock gig with a guitarist with a halfstack!

Last year I had to bring it to a show, it got shaken around a bit and the wires came unplugged from the speakers, they basically got tugged off some how. I had to open up the back and plug em' back in. I fixed it in time for the performance. happened once again too, fortunately nto at a gig. I went in and plugged em in again, and got some priers and just squeezed it on tight! Next time this happens (although I think its tight now), I'm soldering the damned things to the speakers!

Depends on your situation.

Decent customer support. I sent it in for repairs through Samash. Got it back a month later. Samash spent a week just having it lying around until I called Samson Tech to see how it was going, they said I neeeded an RA number. So I called samash for one, and they said they'd call me back in 15 minutes with it. They didn't ship it out until they had an RA number for it, and I called a day later asking for it, and they made it right there. Took Samash a bloody week to get off their asses and send it. Dumb F***s. The company was reasonable, 3 week waiting period for them to get other business with other repairs done. Still, 3 weeks for an input jack is quite long. I was stuck with a Peavey TNT15 which sucks compared to this tone-wise. I just had to pay shipping $35.

I've been playing bass for long enough (4 years) to know a good amp from bad. For the price, I think this is a great step up from a beginners amp. Great tone, boomy, tangy, whatever... Beats the living crap out of Crate tone anyways. I'm being tough on these ratings, I know. If your going to choose a hartke combo, get one of the kick back 15's. They are better. Trust me. You'll get enough boom and high end. If it were stolen, all the better, a good reason to buy a better rig. Like a 15" cab and single 12 and seperate head. Hartke isn't bad stuff, I'm just not impressed with this amp. Does the job, hasn't "failed" me yet. 120 watts... not enough. I dont care what you play, your supposed to be able to turn down, and it's never gotten loud enough in a rock setting to be told to turn down, I've been told to turn up though. And couldn't...

What do I know? Im just a bassist. Get this amp if your looking at it. It's not bad, just dont give it abuse like playing a low B on it and cranking the lows while keeping the treble down, not good idea...

I believe the amp was made in 2001.

The amp is not really versatile. It has bass/mid/treble controls and a "shape" knob and that's it. One channel only. It has an effects loop and a headphone jack and a direct out, but no more. If you want to modify your sound you need to do so with effects. It has a padded input for active basses, but I plug my Ibanez SR640 (active EQ) into the "low" input since its louder and does not overload the amp.

I use the amp for everything except practicing with headphones. For that I use a Zoom 708 pedal because it has stereo out through the headphones and sounds unbelievably good. If I could obtain the sound I get through the headphones out of the Hartke I'd be in heaven. But that would be asking quite a lot from a 120 watt amplifier with 2 12" speakers.

The Ibanez with passive pickups and an active EQ. It suits my music style only when I use my effects. I have a Tech 21 Bass DI and the Zoom pedal. With both of those I can get sounds I really like out of the Hartke.

The amp is not particularly noisy and is quite loud for its size. It does weigh about 75 pounds though. And the sound quality even at volume is pretty good.

It seems reliable. What I do not like is the loud sound the amp produces when I turn it on. And I back down the volume and EQ to zero and unplug the guitar and it still makes it - every single time I turn on the amp. I hope this is not a sign of impending failure.

But other than that I've had it for a couple of months, used it frequently and had no problems. I think I would have to wait a year to honestly give an opinion on reliability though.

Haven't tried to contact them, so I'll give a no opinion rating.

Seems like a good solid amp. As the other reviewer said it is heavy. But it puts out a lot of sound and the quality of that sound is pretty good. I have no problem being heard playing with a drummer and a guitarist using a Line 6 Flextone II. Its not "cool" looking like the expensive boutique stuff (Nemises, etc.), but it gets the job done for a decent price.

made in 2000, this amp is very simple and versatile - has one channel , effects loop, line out, headphone jack, etc. I wish it had a gain of some sort - although the controls are very basic and straight forawrd. I use this amp to practice with and play medium sized gigs - 120 watts into 2 12" speakers make for a VERY loud bass amp with tremendous low end.

Im using an ibanez bass with active electronics, i like to play heavye metal and rock - works with both very well. amazing even with the very good low end the speakers dont distort at high volumes - not necessarily as clean as at low volukmes but the sound doesnt distort. the amp has a contour knob which is really kinda worthless to me - it supposedly knotches out certain frequencies.

well its heavy as a damn tank. i would depend on it mainly because i have no backup, but i dont think im gonna have any problems with it. its in brand new shape and ive had no problems with it

n/a

ive been playin it for a few months now - ive used a zoom bass effects pedal with it. this amp is very simple and straightforward. the for money you get an excellent base amp, but nothing snazy. if you want any special sound you will be buying pedals for your bass. if it was stolen i would first of all be pissed because i had to work my ass off for the money, but i would buy another one because the value is excellent. i compared it to a crate setup and was much less $$ and wasnt as jumbled. i also compared it to a peavey with a single 15" and they compared pretty equally, except the peavey was about $200 more. this amp rocks - good quality and worksmanship. only complain is that its heavy as hell.