Kustom Groove Bass 1200 Head

So far so good!

I use an Ibanez SR900,SR1005 and a Mesa Boogie 2X15 cabinet and it sounds great on this amp. Suprising being all solid state. Very loud.

Have not run into any issues yet.

Have not had to use.

Recommended for a lower cost, good tone.

Typical bass head features nothing more except a footswitchable solo boost, nice looking unit, chrome and aluminum face. Only Speakon outputs mean you need adapters for older cabs.

I use a Fender Jazz with passive pickups, Mesa 1x15 and 4x10 cabs 8 ohms each for a 4 ohm load, this is 750 watts from this head, my vintage Peavey (1980) 210 watt head has more volume, my Sovtek Mig 100 bass head (100 watt tube) has even more than the Peavey. The Kustom sounds and looks good but its not the step up I expected from my old Peavey.

Haven't had it long enough.

Although its not as loud as it should be for its wattage rating it sounds good, looks good, and was a good value in a mid level bass head.

OK, there was no place to rate the Kustom Groove 1300 Amp Head, so I am adding mine here. I just got the amp new from Kustom along with the 4x10 cabinet. The amp does exactly what I need it to. The 9 channel eq really gives flexibility in customizing your sound. The amp head allows you to choose settings for active and passive bass guitars. Along with that, there is also flexibility in the bass, mid and high tones not only with a knob adjustment but switchable levels as well.

I am using a Rogue 400Pro 4-string bass with active electronics and two pick-ups. One is a humbucker and the other is a single coil pickup.
This bass hits the bottom end very well and has a great punchy sound. The mid and high end tones are crisp and clear. I play a variety of musical styles, from classic rock to country, to blues and every once in a while I get froggy and try jazz. The Kustom Groove package allows me some flexibility to adapt my sound to those styles. Although I haven't been in a situation to blast it out, thus far I have had no problem with distortion or unwanted clipping. Bottom line, it gets the job done.

I haven't had it that long, but this IS my main amp package. I don't forsee needing a backup for this baby. The construction seems solid and I would guess the inside is as tough as the outside appears to be.

I would definitely buy another Kustom Groove system and would highly recommend them to others. The only downside to this baby is the weight. The amp head is about 40 lbs and the 4x10 cab is over 100 lbs. I live in an upstairs apartment and when it needs to go gigging, well, it's a long way down and then back up the stairs! On the upside, it did come with casters which help once you get it on a level surface!

I rate this amp 9 out of 10 as the only downfall it has is that it doesn't have 1/4" output jacks. That doesn't really phase me as I also bought the Kustom 4x10 cab. It is a rack mountable head and the fact that it doesn't have a compressor is understandable as you buy rack mountable compressors that are much better than the ones built in.

Sound quality is excellent. The EQ lets you design your own unique sound. I play in a metalcore band as well as a little easy listening music like sister hazel. I play a RBX774(active pickups) for the 'nicer' stuff and a Thunder IV in classic white for the heavier stuff and they both sound great. The cabinet you play through also makes a huge difference and the Kustom Cabs use eminence speakers which sound great.

So far it has shown to be very reliable. I think it has a three year warranty which is great. I still bring my other amp for backup (laney B1).

Haven't had to speak to them. I have heard they are great.

I recommend buying this amp for those who want serious power and great sound. I also recommend getting a compressor as well. It looks professional it sounds professional it is professional. For those metal fans, Trivium bassist uses a full Kustom setup from Ampeg! I compared it to the GK 1001RB and found the Kustom to be a bit more daring hence why i bought it. Best sound through the Kustom cabinets. If it were stolen I would buy another one, but I am a uni student and I don't have that much cash flow.

I'm giving this an eight because it does have all the necessary stuff to sound good, but it doesn't have a compressor or 1/4" outputs. If it had these, it would be an easy 10. As it is, I have nothing to complain about.

I'm running the Groove 1200 into one or two Tech21 B410 cabinets (depending on the gig and space in the van). I play an old Fender P-bass with an ash body and DR strings (I'm very anal about keeping my strings fresh, it makes a world of difference in your tone) through a BOSS ME-50B into the Kustom. I play in a metalcore band tuned CGCF (in the vein of Haste the Day and As I Lay Dying) and at my church tuned in standard E. This amp covers both of these quite well. In fact, a friend of mine has an Ampeg SVT-4 Pro/SVT810 setup (which is considered the premier metal/hardcore setup by a lot of bassists in the genre), but my rig just sounds better. Granted, I have mine dialed in better than he probably does, but in general, my Kustom/Tech21 setup cuts through and fills the room better than his Ampeg (that he probably paid twice as much for). I generally go for a good low-mid grind with a bit of overdrive from the BassDriver setting on the ME-50B. There isn't much distortion to speak of from the preamp itself, but adjusting the input gain really brings out the overdrive from my pedal.

One more thing... This amp is freaking LOUD. Running both of my 4x10 cabs (for a total of 750 watts into 4 ohms), my band hasn't let me turn it up past 4, even for outdoor gigs and in large rooms without good PA. I don't care what your musical environment is, this amp is loud enough. I have no problem competing with a Mesa Boogie DC-10 and a Peavey 6505, even when things get loud and hairy.

So far it hasn't let me down. I've been actively gigging with this amp for about 5 months now, and it's worked great for me. The one gripe I have about it is the footswitch. For one thing (and yes, I know this has nothing to do with reliability) the buttons are way too close together. It would be hard to step on your solo boost without hitting your tuner mute as well. There was something weird going on with my pedal, too, so that there really was no effective solo boost. It doesn't matter which button you step on, it always mutes the signal.

This is really a minor issue with me, though, so I'm not too upset about it.

This is an easy 10. Kustom has some of the best customer service I've ever spoken to, and I have dealt with a lot of brands. I called them up and described the problem I was having with my footswitch, and they promptly sent out TWO new cables that were there within the week. Granted, that didn't solve the problem (and I didn't press it), but I also knew a guy who had the same problem, and Kustom not only sent him a new cable, but a new footswitch as well.

I've been playing for almost 8 years, and I have owned Fender, MTD, Warwick and Hamer basses and Ampeg and Crate amps. I also spent the last year working at a guitar shop. This means I was basicly locked in a room full of Mesa/Boogie and Rivera amps and ESP, G&L, and Ernie Ball basses and guitars. I know what sounds good. If this amp were stolen, I would definitely get another one. I have yet to see any other amp in this price range (except for perhaps the GK 1001RB) that has this much power and tone. When I was looking for a new rig, it was basicly between the Kustom and the GK. I ended up going with the Kustom because it was more musical sounding, and it fit my needs better. The GK was a little too sterile and hi-fi sounding for me.

One piece of advice I have for people thinking about this amp is this: get a good rackmount setup. This head is rather heavy, and it's very unweildy without a case.

Overall, I really like this amp. In fact, I can't think of many amps I've played through that I have liked better. For the price, you really can't beat it.

Purchased this amp in 2005, used. Has everything I need, although I wouldn't mind having the option of 1/4 inch jacks along with speakons. Other than that, I love this amp. I run mine with a 4 ohms Avatar B212, which gives me 750 watts. This is plenty of power for me. I've never even had to turn the gain or master past 12 o'clock during gig. Great EQ as well, gives me many tonal options.

I use mine with an Ibanez RKB900 (P/J bass, passive), and a Yamaha RBX 775 (two humbuckers, active). This amp compliments both basses very well. It gives me a nice crisp, clean sound through the Yamaha with only a little EQ dialing to add some low end. And with my Ibanez (strung with flats), I can get that nice round warm sound. I never have any problem cutting through the mix. I was able to find almost any type of sound that I like with this thing. I do run a Sansamp BDDI through it to add some tube warmth, but alone the Kustom sounds great as well.

Construction feels very solid. I only recently racked it, and before that it was being move around in a college environment, and i've had 0 problems with it.

Haven't had to call their customer support, which is a positive.

I have been playing bass for about 4 years. This was my first real rig, but I have played through numerous other more expensive setups. I was able to get an awesome deal on this, but I had been planning to buy one anyway even without the awesome deal I got. For the price/power, this head cannot be beatem, IMO. I still can't believe how much I paid, yet how good this thing sounds. If it was stolen or lost, I probably would not buy another one, but that it simply because I am saving up for an all tube head to compliment this. I would definitely miss it, though.

New and modified head (don't know what the modification was but that is what the guy at Kustom told me when I ordered it). I play punk/ska and was looking for a powerful enough rackmount to compete with two guitar half-stacks and the drums of a loud punk drummer. All kinds of eq options, neat passive/active switch instead of separate jacks, and more than enough power to compete, if not drown out the rest of the band.

Sounds very good, so far. I have not had much time to tweak it around, but it cranks. Typical solid state sound, but the many eq options are very neat so you can dial in different tones

No problems yet

My local guy knows all of the people who work at custom, so I go through him for warranty or other questions.

Awsome, powerful, and rackmount for convience. I replaced an old Ampeg V-4b and have no regrets. If lost or stolen, I'd go srtait to my local guy and get another.

Made in 2005, solid state head, claims to be 750 Watts at 4 ohms.
Made in China.

Bland sound, tough to dial in a good tone.
Not as loud as a 750 Watt amp should be.

Only had it for a day before returning it.

I sent this amp back to Zzounds.com since it didn't live up to the claimed power rating and the tone of the pre-amp wasn't that great. Can't get the SVT type tone at all.
The footswitch is a joke, the mute button is so close to the boost button it is hard to hit just one. So if you were going to use the boost for solo part, there is a good chance you could hit the mute.
The knobs and jacks on the amp did not seem to be high quality, I would not expect this amp to last very long.

I am extremely satisfied with my purchase. when i looked at the specs on the page and saw 1200 watts at 2 ohms and graphic eq and a solo boost and a mute and all of these ampeg/mesa type features, i was expecting a 900-1200 dollar price range and was stunned and delighted to see a 5-600 dollar figure.

i play various kinds of metal (dream theatre, as i lay dying, black dahlia murder, etc.) but i like to mix it up, i play slap a lot. always been able to get the exact tone i wanted out of it, i play through a hartke 410 transporter and a behringer hpx 118, and the tonal range is amazing. the i can get earth shaking low end, and just out of curiosity one time i turned the volume down and plugged in my les paul and it played as well as my line 6 guitar amp. awesome versatility. i play through a Reverend Rumblefish J bass (amazing bass, i highly recommend) and it sounds better than any other combination of anything ive ever tried

this is the only area where i cant give a 10 because whenever i first purchased the amp i could not get it to work with my 410 so i took it in to my local music shop and they took it apart, and there was just one wire that wasnt connected so they snapped it in and i was good to go, no problems since.

havent talked to them, havent needed to, but ive heard positive things

me gusta. a lot. if it were stolen or lost, i would get another one once i got some $$ and who knows how long that would be. i wish it was a little lighter, thats about it. i love it, strongly recommended.

It's got everything you need. FX loop, footswitch w/ mute and solo boost, 9-band graphic eq, Bass, Treble, Mid dials and shifts . . . etcetera. The only thing I wish it had were 1/4 inch jacks in addition to the speak-ons. However, it costs about 2 bucks to buy an adapter so this really isn't an issue.

This is an incredibly powerful head . . . 1200 watts at 2 ohms. It is much louder than any ampeg or SWR head that you get for the same price. In fact, it has more wattage than even some of the top of the line SWR and ampegs. Like any amp with a 9-band graphic eq, it takes a little while to figure out how to dial in the the sound, which has a lot to do with bass type (I use a P-bass) and cab type (SWR 4/10). The beauty of the eq settings, though, is the control over the mid-range . . . everything from punchy, growly mids to warm and smooth low end. The mid shift switch is particularly useful for obtaining a nice growl for when I play rock. Quickly flipping the switch off and cutting the mids a little bit makes it really nice for Jazzy and bluesy sounds. It sounds far better than I thought a solid state amp would ever cost. And here's the coolest thing about it, I got it for about 500 dollars. Even if I decide I want some tube warmth, I can buy a SVP-pro or an SWR interstellar overdrive, hook it up to the Kustom, and still have paid less than buying an SVT-4 pro straight up. Plus, I still have tons of power. Yet while the pre-amp is something I might use in the future, it is not necessary as the amp sounds great as it is.

I got the amp in december (it's now the end of February) and have used it for about 6 shows and a number of practices. So far, no problems. It seems well constructed. Nothing loose, nothing rattling. Nothing even feels weak. But I'll hold off making a judgement for a little while just in case.

The warranty seems nice. I registered my amp and they sent me a confirmation card with basic info/advertisements and a number to call in case of any problems.

I have been playing for about 6 years and have just recently begun playing in larger venues outside of the bar/club scene. I wanted an amp that could easily work in either setting for a good price. This amp is absolutely perfect. For smaller venues, a 2x10 or a 1x15 works perfectly to keep the ohms low and the tone perfect. For larger venues, I use my 4x10 (though I rarely need to use any other cabinets) to get a bigger sound. It comforts me to know that I will never play anywhere that is too big for the Bass Groove 1200. It has the versatility, both sonically and volume wise, to work anywhere. I am so glad I wasn't sucked into the brand name game. There's no reason to drop more money on an Ampeg, Fender, or SWR of lesser power and versatility when all the sound and power I want can be found at a much lower price. There is no drop in quality, there just isn't the "Ampeg" name. And that saves me tons. If you are looking to upgrade to more professional gear but have limited funds, do yourself a favor and check out this amp!