Laney Pro Tube Bass Head

This is a two channel all-tube bass amp head with about 100 Watts RMS output. The output takes 4, 8 and 16 Ohm speakers with the switch on the back. It was built back in the 80's.

Both channels have high and low sensitivity, so you can use it for bass guitar or for keys. Controls on the front are Bass Mids Highs Presence and two volume controls for the two channels. That's all Folks! No fancy stuff, no loops and no headphone outs. This is a keys and bass G amp head and that's that.

But having said that, the four tone contols do everything that you need to create every bass or keys sound. Although it is labled a bass amp, it has lots of presence to give those Rhodes samples 'bite.'

I tried it on lead guitar (yes I know this is a bass amp, but I tried it anyway) and it was just not suitable.

I have just finished using it to record my old MS20 synth throbbing like mad. Usually we use it for bass guitar or for keys feeding a JBL full range 4 Ohm speaker.

What does it sound like? Let me put it this way, I have worked with bass amps for the past 35 years and this is the best so far. Crank it up and you will get infinite sustain. You know, that go-for-a-dump, make-coffee, check-your-emails and then come back and it will still be playing that note you gae it to play half an hour ago, sustain.

I use this baby when someone comes into the studio with a solid state bass amp and I say "use one of our tube amps please" and they ask why.

I play one note through this and let it hold that note for a couple of minutes or even longer. Then I say "That's why!"

I bought it used for next to nothing about a year ago. I have never opened it up and I have never done anything to it. We use it nearly every day and it has never let us down. When we do use it, we usually crank it to the limit. The guy I bought it from said he sold it because it was too loud, but that he had never had it serviced and he had bought it used himself.

I suppose it would have to break first!

Someone left a Fender Bass head from the 60's here and it was lovely soft and warm. But I knew that one day he'd be back for it, so I bought this on a whim on eBay. It was so good that I ad to call the vendor and thank him again for a fantastic amp.

I then called the owner of the Fender amp and told him that he had left his amp here several months back and could he please collect it. (I didn't tell him that we'd been using it all the time!)

If I have a niggle, it is that it does not do lead guitar, but for that it is a great keyboard amp.

It gets its sound and sustain from being LOUD. It is the sound of four EL34s on the output being driven hard. As our nearest neighbour is about half a mile away, we can put it in another room or even outside. If you don't like loud, then this is not the amp for you. But if you do, then boy is this baby a winner!