Kustom Groove Bass 310 Combo

Built approximately December 2005 the Kustom 310c is a monster of an amp, packing 1200 watts of filling loosening power and a horn to make sure you dirt and fuzz really sizzle. This amp will fill anything music wise, I've heard it play Country, Rock, Jazz, and Blues with equal facility thanks to the simplicity of the head, 9 bands of eq and three eq knobs that let you hone your tone.

It has your effect loop, a switch pedal for Mute and Solo, and fear for the windows in your house if you dime the volume, and tap that solo button.

I've used this with a Washburn Bantam BB4 with Active soap bars, a Rogue LX205b with Passive P/J pickups, a Schecter with active J pickups, and ran it with a 12 pedal board in front of it, with fuzz dirt od wah chorus and reverb, and it's handled everything with no issue, reproducing the tone and not ever having an issue with the heavily modded signal it was getting. And when you dime it out, it's not muddy, the speakers just pound you with volume.

I've had it for a while, moved it, it's solid state, and heavy, oh so heavy at 160lbs but with the built in handle and casters it helps alleviate that. With the weight and durability, I fear not running without a backup.

Called Kustom to ask about the product, it is discontinued but the guy I talked to was very polite, had a good nature about him, and answered all questions put to him, I felt very good having purchased their product.

I've had a variety of players and myself go over this combo, some really super tech head guys and guys who just dime the volume and grind, and the conclusion we've all had is: It's got more than enough power, the portability is good, the facing profile is sleek, and the feature set is fantastic. You will not lack with this combo in your setup.

Bought in 8/09
Paid $520 Shipped (worked out a deal)
Gig small and big clubs.
I play 80's - 00's AltRock(Smith, Cure, Killers, Bravery type stuff)
Easy to use feature.

This is a very good sounding amp, with tons of wattage. I thought
only having 3 speakers would be bad, but it's not. The cab design
allows for nice low end bass with out farting out (heard this problem
on other bass amps).

The shape is awkward, and you might need two people to put it in you
car or truck. Aside from the weight (138Lbs) the dimensions make it harder to handle. And the wheels are too close together so if you
are not walking in a "Straight" line the amp will wobble and tip over.

The sound is great, good highs, mids, & Lows. The gain (over Drive)
is nice not too harsh, but I haven't had the need to max it out
(only less than half way, Morrissey - Boy Racer).
This amp is loud ! Your guitarist will need two full stacks to hang!
I have only taken the volume to ~65% max and the quality of sound
was good, no added distortion or farting out of the speaker.

Too new to tell.

Before I bought it I did call Kustom to see what the REAL wattage
was on this amp. The head is 1200Watts, but in the 310C configuration
it's more like 900-950-ish Watts. You need to add a 4 Ohm speaker
to get the 1200Watts. The guy I talked to did not know off the top of his head, but he found out and got back to me. They were cool !

Kustom sold there stock to Musicians Friend and currently are not
making more of these amps (I was told by the support guy).

I have a Carvin Stack 4x10's & 1x18, 300Watts. I've ran thru a
800Watt Yamaha PA w/ JBL 15's + Horn. This sounds the best by far.

So far the overall rating is a ten!

This set up is in a church that seats about 500. A lot of folks complain about it not having speakon connectors but I have it in a combo so I don't care about that. I do wish it was light for portability. (I know it's a combo but this thing weighs about 150 lbs. NO JOKE!) It's got a 9 and eq, passive/active switch, 3 10" Eminence speakers, effects loop, and a solo boost button (I hardly ever have to use it cause this thing cranks.

Mind you I only paid 240 bucks for this thing thinking it would just give me something just to get by until I got my Ampeg. Ampeg IS NO LONGER NEEDED!!!!! The sales guy here in Kansas City said they had been trying to sell it for 3 months. Their loss, my gain. I can get any sound I want out of this thing from a Jaco like sound to Flea to Larry Graham a smooth R&B and bright Gospel. This thing soundwise is like Shaft. It's a bad mutha (shut yo mouf) This thing retails for about $1000.

I no have a back up so I just use faith and this thing is a tank. I cranked it to about 3/4 volume just for kicks one Sunday and the Pastor said that he could feel the vibrations of the bass in his office (which is a bout 50 feet away) The only reason I gave it a 9 is because it's hard to move this thing even thought it has built in castors. If you get this thing plan on keeping it in one place unless you were in the world's strongest man competition or personally know the Incredible Hulk. lol.

I had to email them one time about new products and they answered back with in 24 hours with a ton of helpful information. They were nice and polite too.

Hands down this thing is one of the better built combos out there. This may sound weird but I'd take another one of these over an Ampeg or any other well know brand.

My Kustom Groove Bass 310C was purchased new in 2005 ($999.00 shipped!). First off, I couldn't be happier with this "combo," if you want to call it that. Surprisingly, it sounds very much tube-driven, although it is solid state. I've read some people's complaints about versatility, but this amp was built to be simple, straightforward, and very, very easy to use. Coincidentally, this is why I really like this thing. The 310C's simplicity doesn't imply inferiority, though, as the 9-band EQ can mold your sound any way you can think of. The EQ shift selectors switches don't change the sound too much, but they do provide helpful minor changes in tone when you're shooting for one exact sound. An effects loop is always appreciated, etc. Nothing too fancy, but then again, why complicate things to make something look fancier?

The only thing I don't find myself using is the included footswitch, but that is only because I rarely, if ever, need to mute or boost my signal completely. I use a volume pedal for that, and that's about all I need. I've used the XLR out for direct recording, and it sounds pristine, couldn't be happier. I use this the 310C at home (when I feel like lugging this GIGANTIC piece of equipment around), but mostly at anything from small gigs to larger outdoor events. It can easily, and I mean easily, provide enough sound for a rather large indoor or outdoor gig by itself, without even being hooked up to a house system. I honestly didn't think the 3 10" and tweeter could handle the 1200W this thing is supposed to put out, but I haven't gotten it to spew out any distortion. Anything past 50% volume WILL rattle your ENTIRE house. Don't say I didn't warn you!

I am currently using a 2005 Ernie Ball Sterling with the 310C, and of the 30 or so basses I have used with it, I'd say this is my absolute favorite. I do have to add, however, that I strongly recommend using a higher-end active bass with this amp because it really allows the amp to show its true colors and raw power. Not that passive basses sound bad at all with this thing; active basses really just take the cake here.

I play various styles, but my main focus is an mixed genre (imagine mixing Mr. Bungle, The Mars Volta, and older Incubus), and I play some heavy, intricate bass through this. The response is stellar, and I can drop from a screamingly high notes to rumbling lows without a single problem. The only reason I gave sound a 9 (would've given it a 9 and 3 quarters) is that when turned up really loud (as in, far too loud to ever play in your own home, seriosly), I get a bit of white noise in between songs. It not noticable unless you're listening for it, but being a very demanding bassist, I do notice it occasionally.

The amp is basic with no "effects" but the EQ works wonders, and does its job beautifully. Like I said, I love the simplicity. And again, the amp does not distort at high volumes, even when pushing the limits of ear damage. Be careful pushing this thing, as I've had my hearing level reduced for a few days after playing very, very large outdoor venues that needed a alot of volume to carry all the way to the back.

Awesome. 10 out of 10 so far. Been playing it for a full year now, and I have never, ever had a single problem. Not once. I've used it at over 60 gigs without a backup. And this thing is built very solidly, so I don't expect to have any issues in the future. Kustom has been building monsters of amps for a loooong while now (albiet under different ownerships), so I am very confident in the 310C's ability to last, and last, and last...

I've never had to contact Kustom, but I've read that their CS does a great job. I doubt I'll ever have to contact them just because of the sheer toughness of this beast (see above).

I've been playing bass for 16 years, and have probably owned at least 20 other amps throughout that time. Besides practice amps and vintage pieces (gotta love that tuck & roll vintage Kustom), this is the only amp I am currently using. I wouldn't have it any other way. If my 310C was stolen, I would buy another, right away, no questions asked. I could easily see myself buying one of these used because I think they could easily survive a career long beating.

Basically, I love everything about this amp. I love that it is a combo and I don't have to worry about a head falling or being dropped. Nice a neat, in one sleek looking package. The sound is perfect and very maleable, and it has no problems pulling every bit of tone out of a massive array of effects. The ONLY think I really dislike is the massive size and weight of this thing. The tilt-back caster design is very helpful, but don't try to get this thing up or down stairs by yourself; it is nearly impossible.

I've read some negative reviews regarding the Groove Bass 1200HD head, but I highly suspect a lot of the problems are coming from the cab set-ups and not the head itself. I think the 310C is so damn responsive and amazing because the enclosure, speakers, and design were specifically designed to get the most out of the Groove Bass 1200HD head (which is what powers this combo). Kustom really knows what they're doing, and they sure as hell know how to build the ultimate, use-in-any-situation combo.

If you are shopping for a bass amp in this price range, look no further. This is the best value for under $1,000 new I have ever found, end of story. Do yourself a favor and find and try one out and see for youself. You won't be disappointed.