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I cannot speak to using that specific amp as a bass amp but I think generally-speaking the conventional wisdom is that if you need one amp to do dual-duty, a bass amp is going to do a better job for both.

flyinghouses wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2023 12:42 pm

Nico Adie wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:46 am

flyinghouses wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:03 am Can anyone speak for the Yamaha G100II solid state head?

Yes, they’re absolutely great sounding.

I am considering picking one up. I recently missed out on an opportunity for a Sunn 200s and thought I would be better off with tubes. Just need something that is good for both bass and guitar.

Garth is right, playing guitar through a SS bass amp into a cabinet with guitar speakers > playing bass through a SS guitar amp into a bass cabinet.

If you mainly play guitar, then I'd say go for the Yamaha because it is a genuinely good-sounding SS amp (sorry, zom-zom). I've used my G100ii for bass and synth (into a 1x15 bass cab), and it's functional. But if you mainly play bass, an actual bass amp (into guitar speakers, with attention paid to EQ settings) will cover guitar duties much more handily.

Nico Adie wrote:

flyinghouses wrote: Can anyone speak for the Yamaha G100II solid state head?

Yes, they’re absolutely great sounding.

Seconded. I have that head and every time I turn it on I'm struck by how beautiful it sounds.
I have also seen the G100 combo as 212 and as 210 (!) which I am told by both the friends through whom it changed hands that it is really nice.

Garth wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2023 1:41 pm I cannot speak to using that specific amp as a bass amp but I think generally-speaking the conventional wisdom is that if you need one amp to do dual-duty, a bass amp is going to do a better job for both.

That is conventional wisdom that I disagree with heavily. 1) the specific bass/guitar amps will matter *especially* with combos. 2) plenty of legendary bass sounds came out of guitar amps.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Wed Oct 11, 2023 8:42 am

Garth wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2023 1:41 pm I cannot speak to using that specific amp as a bass amp but I think generally-speaking the conventional wisdom is that if you need one amp to do dual-duty, a bass amp is going to do a better job for both.

That is conventional wisdom that I disagree with heavily. 1) the specific bass/guitar amps will matter *especially* with combos. 2) plenty of legendary bass sounds came out of guitar amps.

Sure but a lot of those sounds (on record) were likely recorded at pretty low volumes. I think it's more of a practical matter of prioritizing power and headroom first, then many options for 'tone shaping' from there.

From a practical standpoint, you're certainly going to have less of a chance of damaging something by playing guitar through a bass amp.

Bass through an open-back guitar cab, for example, is a recipe for speaker cone over-excursion.

Right, speakers and cabs are a different thing. I suppose there are lots of exceptions and nuances but i'd rather play bass out of a Hiwatt DR103 than play guitar out of a GK-800RB.

Agree for the most part with Tony

For dual duty I highly recommend one of the following amp heads with separate cabs: a bass cabinet when wanting bass, and a guitar cabinet when wanting guitar.

Solidstate
Kustom K-200B (the one with 4 knobs on each side)
Peavey Musician Mark III
Lab Series L11, L2, or L4
Traynor TS120B maybe?

Tube
Ampeg V4
Ampeg B25 or B25B (both are the same head)
Fender Bassman AB165
Orange OR120

The Ampeg B-15S (not B-15N, but it might be okay too) is about the only thing I can think of that sounds decent for bass or guitar with the same built-in cabinet

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:29 am Right, speakers and cabs are a different thing. I suppose there are lots of exceptions and nuances but i'd rather play bass out of a Hiwatt DR103 than play guitar out of a GK-800RB.

Coincidentally FM penningtron has gotten great guitar sounds out of a 400RB, and I’ve known a few other folks who’ve used it for guitar when their sound is mostly pedal based.

tallchris wrote: Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:45 am

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:29 am Right, speakers and cabs are a different thing. I suppose there are lots of exceptions and nuances but i'd rather play bass out of a Hiwatt DR103 than play guitar out of a GK-800RB.

Coincidentally FM penningtron has gotten great guitar sounds out of a 400RB, and I’ve known a few other folks who’ve used it for guitar when their sound is mostly pedal based.

Yeah, but those were with the Bit Commander. So it’s basically synth guitar. You aren’t going to get AC/DC unless you use something like an amp emulator in front. Which is an option! Get that UA Deluxe thing for guitar amp sounds through a bass amp.