Having years of experience playing different types of amps like Hartke, Ashdown and swr we would like to offer unbiased reviews and opinions on the multiple amps and various set ups for those of you in the market for a specific amp. Getting the exact sound that you want from your piece of equipment is imperative; we have all bought amps guitars or some other equipment that we just weren’t quite happy with. For this reason, we offer unbiased reviews on Hartke amps as well as others that we are familiar with. I suggest purchasing from guitar center, they have the cheapest prices and they price match,or from amazon they also have Cheap Hartke Amps
Hartke amps were established in 1984 by Larry Hartke. Although Hartke make other types of electronics like speakers for electric guitars, keyboards, effect pedals and all sorts of other accessories, Hartke is best known for their amps.
Hartke amps are a favorite amongst many bass players for its versatility and punchy bass sound, they come equipped with aluminum cones and are a good bang for the buck. The aluminum cones are what really sets Hartke apart from most of the field giving that bright snap and some great presence on any stage allowing for the bass to be heard through any ensemble. This is especially helpful for all of you guys and gals that are in rock or metal bands where there is a lot going on at anytime.
Hartke heads and cabinets can be outfitted for just about any style of music that you wish to play. I personally play more rockabilly and metal types of sounds and the Hartke amps do just fine for me. Some other the setups have an aluminum and paper cone so you can get some really bright sounds but also the warmer sounds from the paper cones. Another great thing that I like about most Hartke setups is that you don’t really have to mess with too many other gizmos and tricky things. There’s a few knobs and with the slightest adjustment you can achieve that tone and sound that your heart desire. The less stuff I have to lug around the better. Hartke amps are really a middle of the road set up but they will do the job without killing your wallet. Hey, if Dave Ellefson from Megadeth uses one,that pulls a little weight in my book.
The Hartke b900 is an ok amp cab combo. People tend to purchase this combo more because of the price opposed to the quality of sound and options that it puts out. Here are some specs on the B900,
• Specifications
• 1×15 in. Paper driver
• Power: 90 watts
• Effects Send and Return
• Signal-To-Noise: 70 dB
• Dynamic Range: 90 dB
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 22.1 x 18.5 x 15.2 in.
• Weight: 47.5 lb.
For 90 watts and a 15 inch driver the price value for the B900 is hard to beat. There are some other similar combos for about the same price but the quality doesn’t really compare to the Hartke. The B900 is more geared for practice and the smaller gigs. Other high quality amps that produce the same wattage will more than likely drown out the B900 leaving you desiring more from the amp, those high quality amps will run you twice the price though. You can get some decent sound and loudness from the amp but when you turn the knob up past around 5 or 6 distortion will start to kick in. I have heard people complain about the setup when they are using a 5 string but for the people using a 4 string there haven’t been too many complaints.
I would probably not use this setup for bass playing but I did feel like it paired better with a standard guitar. After playing bass while using the same exact setup, switching to standard guitar everything just sounded better and there wasn’t any twangy sounds that I would occasionally get with the bass. The amp does have a popping sound when you first turn it on which can annoy some people but that doesn’t really make a difference to me if the overall amp is a good buy for the money which most Hartke amps are.
Overall this is a good amp from Hartke, and if you can get it for a decent price it would serve good as a practice amp or for some small gigs/garage playing.GuitarCenter.com usually has the best prices for most music equipment, I usually purchase from them.
The HA5500 is the big brother of the Hartke HA3500 . It features 500 watts of power at 4 ohms, a 10 band EQ which in my opinion is almost a must have for any amp, a few pre amp out puts as well as active and passive inputs. A great feature for being a sub 1000 amp is the DI output which allows you to plug straight into the mixer. Even though there are not as many features on this bass amp that you might find on higher priced similar amps, the price range is around 600 bucks compared to similar amps with a few more bells and whistles that cost more than a grand.
The Hartke HA5500 has a real clean tone and just captures the sound of the bass rather than just the sound of the amp, if that makes sense. Ashdown amps are known to have the same kind of sound regardless of what bass was being used but with the HA5500 the sound will definitely differ depending on what bass is being used.
A problem with the HA5500 that a few people have had incidents with would be the breaking of the fan. I personally have never had a Hartke fan break on my but I have heard a few tales of the problem, just keep that in mind. Sometimes the buzz and back feed can get a little annoying but nothing that is really too bothersome. If you leave the amp on and say you get a drink or something the buzz is definitely there, and for those of you that are very anal about things like that well, that’s life.
Many people take these amps on tour and have not had too many complaints. The amps stand up well and deliver some good quality and a decent price. Overall a good amp for taking on the road and doing just about anything you want with it. 8.5 out of 10.
The Hartke VX115 cab features A speaker that is 15 inches and can handle 300 watts at 8ohms. This cab is not too heavy which allows it to be handled and moved by one person which can be a plus. Another added bonus is that there is an input jack as well as a jack for an extension cab. A negative for the VX115 is the lack of a tweeter control knob, and the paper speaker cone.
The Hartke VX115 can handle high power with ease. The few people who I know that use the VX115 usually implement a 200 to 500 watt amp and they have no complaints. I have heard of people that use single coil pickups getting a buzz under certain circumstances but I have not personally had this problem. The speaker itself will distort at high levels and while many people do like the cab, the speaker does tend to get some poor reviews. Another thing to note is the stock speaker cone is a paper cone which I am not a huge fan of.
Even though the cabinet is not made of real the heavy duty particle board does a great job of producing sound and protecting the goods., durability with the VX115 is a plus. The metal grille is also a nice added touch, the cabinet can take a beating. The carpeting is pretty thick and the wiring is a thick gauge which is always a good thing.
Overall this is not a bad cab for the price. I have seen and played worse/better but these are pretty easy to find on a poor mans budget. I wouldn’t necessarily use this setup for big time gigs or anything but for playing in the garage or for some personal jamming the Hartke VX115 is sufficient. Save on Hundreds of Items at the Guitar Center Outlet Store
The Hartke HA2000 is a great amp especially for the value. Even though the HA2000 is a bit older, its still a great buy. Another benefit of Hartke amps is the customer service. The customer service department has always been great in my experience and does factor in when deciding to buy any product.Online Only Free Shipping Exclusives from Guitar Center
The HA is full of features, not as many as the 3500 but the price is much easier on the wallet. Having a 10 band EQ allows for vast amounts of adjustment which can suit any playing style and ability. Pumping out 200 watts is sufficient for any player. The two preamps are great and sound decent but at high volumes they do tend to distort a bit.
Where the amp shines is at mid volumes. High volumes will definitely cause a distortion but depending on the style of music that you are trying to achieve this can be a good thing. Sometimes I prefer a little grit when im playing. If I don’t want that gritty slightly distorted sound I can just bring it down a notch and problem solved. Another thing to note is the cooling fan can be a bit noisy but that’s a small price to pay for such a good sounding piece of equipment.
As far as the controls are concerned, there are just so many. This can serve in your favor or against you depending on your experience level. Just keep in mind that every little knob that you play with will definitely alter the sound. If you are one of those people that must have control over every little aspect of the sound and know what your doing, then have at it. If you want to get even more particular, go for the 3500, that thing will keep fidgeting for days.
Overall a great amp, do consider that everything was used and reviewed using a Rickenbacker 4003 and VX 115 cabinets. You can pick the Hartke HA2000 second hand for a decent price so they are definitely worth checking out.
The Hartke A100 amp is a great little amp that packs a good punch for only 100 watts. Although Hartke amps are not very well known, in general they are very dependable and can last you a long time.
The Hartke A100 has all the standard controls that one would expect from any bass amp, effects loops, treble and bass controls a head phone jack, as well as a CD input jack. The one feature that it is missing is an input for some extension sound in the form of some cabinets or something. You can definitely get some big sound but I would use this amp for small gigs and such.
HARTKE A100
Obviously the better the bass that you are playing with any given amp, the better sound you are going to get. Having said that, the budget bass will sound just fine on the A100 producing some good bass all around, whether that be a good solid rock bass or some jazzy slappy bass.Online only rebates at Guitar Center!
Hartke amps in my experience have always been pretty a rugged and dependable bass amp. The A100 stands true to that assumption and doesn’t let down in the durability and toughness, if you do any type of gigging you understand the importance of having an amp that can take a beating. Unlike many speaker grilles, the A100 has a solid grille and will withstand some random mishaps in the form of kicks and bumps. If you just shelled out some cash you would like to know that any little thing will not break your investment.
I like this amp for the style of music that I usually play, which is rock and metal but I feel that this amp would also be decent for some mellow playing or jazz. The range of sounds that can be obtained are pretty decent so you could pretty much play any style of music. If you specialized in just one style of music other than rock and alternative I might try another bass amp just for the fact that this amp is designed more for those styles of music.
Overall this is a solid bass amp from Hartke. Its not too expensive and is ideal for the bassist that is not going on a world tour anytime soon. The 100 watts and 15 inch cone are plenty for any garage jamming and small gigs. I would give this amp a solid 8 out of 10. Its worth a look.
