Concert bass (silver face) issues

[loserkid88]

Hi I'm new. I bought a early 70's concert bass head recently and it sounds like garbage. I have it running into a 4x10 8ohm cabinet and can barely get any volume out of it.  I realize it is at half power but is there any suggestions on whatthe Iissue may be? My little hartke 1x15 combo amp is louder. Thanks!

[Isaac]

The Concert Bass is rated at 150w into 4 ohms and 80w into 8 ohms. You're unlikely to be able to hear the difference in power. So the problem isn't power, as you surmise.

First thing is to either use another amp into the cabinet or the amp into another cabinet, or, better yet, both. That should make it obvious where the problem is.

[EdBass]

The Concert Bass is rated at 150w into 4 ohms and 80w into 8 ohms. You're unlikely to be able to hear the difference in power. So the problem isn't power, as you surmise.

First thing is to either use another amp into the cabinet or the amp into another cabinet, or, better yet, both. That should make it obvious where the problem is.

Amen to a popular misconception among transistor amp aficionados! Not so much here, but on some of the other forums I haunt it seems like a sizeable percentage of the SS posts deal with getting "full power" out of an amp by running as low an impedance as possible.
Just hearing the phrase "running at 2" in relation to a transistor amp makes me squirm a little...

[whitepaw]

i've had similar issues with my 72' concert lead. i took it to a repair shop and they replaced one of the transistors in the preamp i think. supposedly the transistors had a little bit of oil in them and it dries up over time or something? i read that somewhere but idk how much truth it holds. so my advice would be try replacing some of the trannies

[EdBass]

I'm pretty sure those drying out components are electrolytic filter capacitors rather than transistors, but that could contribute to weak performance.

[loserkid88]

I have used a 200w fender head through the cabinet before with great success. I ran the sunn through my other cabinet at 8ohm then  I ran it through my full stack at 4 ohm and it sounded weak with a hint ofa chorus effect like ring to it. It sounded like it wanted to go louder but then It would cut back down quiet. Needless to say it's currently at the doctor getting looked at. Anybody got an idea about what I'm looking at for repairs if its just the transistors?