SB112 Lightweight Combo Bass Amplifier (1x12, 200w)

With the Small Block Series from Traynor, we believe we've found a great new option. This offering is a big step up (and only a little more money) than the old favorite TB100 amp, which was a larger, heavier model with a 15" speaker that sounded quite good for both upright and electric bass. The SB112 is much lighter and more compact, more powerful, and features more extensive EQ controls and better i/o options. And yet it's still very affordable!

We know not everyone wants to (or can) spend the bucks to get a boutique amp for their upright bass. We proudly offer and recommend (and use) amps in the Acoustic Image, Euphonic Audio and Genz-Benz lines, which are highly respected, top-quality brands. But, let's face it - they don't come cheap.

We've always aspired to provide a decent amp option for buyers with more modest budgets. But as you may have read on our site, the gear we sell has to pass the "Bob and Mark Test" - meaning, if we wouldn't use it ourselves, we won't sell it. It takes an amp with particular character and the right technical specifications to reproduce the acoustic sound of an upright bass.

This amp's,little brother, the SB110, carries a surprisingly deep sound and doesn't exhibit as much "boxiness" as you commonly hear from speakers of that size and weight. However, a 1x10 combo with 100w -- even one that greatly exceeds your expectations -- does have its practical limitations. Some folks, especially those playing "aggressive" styles of music like Psychobilly and Blues-Rock, need a bit more "oomph" than a 1x10 speaker can provide. It's simple physics, really. Bigger speaker = bigger sound.

So here's the next step up - featuring twice the wattage and a bigger speaker, yet still eminently portable, lightweight, and affordable. All of the same features make it just a killer value.

Even more so than the SB110 (thanks to its larger cabinet and speaker) the amp has full, deep sound. It's only 14" x 15.5" x 17.5", but turning it up, we can rattle the pictures off the walls in our little showroom.


It's constructed in Canada with real plywood, not fragile particle board or heavy MDF. It uses a genuine brand-name Eminence driver. Its styling is clean and unassuming, not flashy, but classy. All this, and a solid 2-year warranty.

Not surprisingly, it also sounded great with electric bass; my 5-string had full-bodied tone all the way up and down the neck, and the extensive EQ controls made it easy to instantly dial in a contemporary electric bass tone. So this amp can do double-duty - it works equally well with electric or acoustic bass.

Controls

1. Status LEDs - Power (red for warmup, blue for "ready") and Clip
2. 0dB/Passive and -6dB/Active Inputs ¼-inch phone jacks
3. Gain (Volume) Control - One knob for volume control
4. Tone Controls – 4-band EQ includes Bass, Low-Mid, Hi-Mid and Treble
5. Low Expander Control - This is a Bass Boost/Mid "Scoop" control, which is best used by electric bass. But feel free to experiment, perhaps you'll like it!
6. Aux Input – ¼-inch phone jack - Line Level
7. Phones Jack – ¼-inch Stereo/Mono Headphone Jack
8. Ground Lift Switch for DI Output
9. Line Out – XLR jack for DI-style connection to a mixing board
10. Tweeter Defeat/Active Switch - reduce high-frequency "clack" by turning off the tweeter!

Features

• Lightweight, Compact and Durable Cabinet Design
• Made of Real Plywood
• Built in Canada
• 4-band EQ (Bass/Lo Mid/Hi Mid/Treble, ±15dB)
• Low Expander Control: boosts lows and cuts mids; not particularly useful for URB
• Active and Passive Instrument Level Inputs
• XLR Balanced (Post-EQ) Output
• 1/4" Auxiliary Line Input
• ¼ inch Headphone Output

Specifications

• Power: 200 watts
• Burst Power - 2 cycle: 250 watts
• Speaker: 12 inch woofer w/separate Tweeter
• Frequency Response (Hz +/-3dB): 50 - 15k
• Inputs: two ¼ inch (passive, active); 1/4" auxilliary jack
• Controls: one each Volume/Gain, Bass, Low Mid, High Mid, Treble, Expander
• Line Out: XLR Post-EQ
• LED Indicators: Power, Clip
• Headphone Jack: ¼ inch
• Speaker Jack: None, the unit is designed to drive the internal speaker only.
• Dimensions 14 x 15.5 x 17.5 inches / 35.5 x 39.4 x 44.5 cm
• Weight: 25 lbs. / 11.3 kg.

TIPS

• For best sound with the upright bass, turn the "Low Expander" control OFF. As in, all the way to the left (not at the midpoint.) This control "shapes the tone of the bass by extending the low frequency and reducing the mid frequencies (around 400 Hz)." That creates an unnatural "scooped" sound with exaggerated bass response - and while that can sound cool for electric bass guitar, it detracts from the neutral tone character that better serves the sound of an upright.
• Tilt the amp upward to hear yourself better.
• Is the sound of the highs too harsh? Too much finger noise? Turn off the tweeter, that will "round off" the top end and provide a bit more natural tone for upright.

7 Day Trial Period on Amplifiers and Speaker Cabinets

We know that it's tough to buy new gear over the Internet. So purchasers have a seven (7) day trial period during which they may return the amp in new condition -- NO QUESTIONS ASKED! -- for a full refund, minus all shipping costs and a small transaction fee to cover credit card processing. Call or email us first: returns must be preauthorized; a restocking fee applies if the unit is not returned in new condition.