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TC Electronic BG250 Bass Combo Amplifier (250 Watts, 1x15")
No ordinary bass combo amp, the TC Electronic BG250 comes loaded with 250 TonePrint models of amps and effects. Explore the tones of your favorite artists!
Overall User Ratings (based on 9 ratings)
Submitted November 5, 2012 by Paul A in Denver, CO
"Great Mid-Sized Combo"
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Looking for a 1x15" combo I narrowed it down to this one or a GK MB115. Since I already have a GK MB112 you might have thought that another GK would hold the edge but after trying both and reading some reviews from other players I chose this BG250 instead and I'm quite happy I did. The power and the features are top notch and were a bit better for my needs.
I've used this little guy as a stand alone rig in medium sized clubs both with a 7 piece blues/soul band and in a fairly loud rock trio with a guitarist playing a 100w Marshall and it's held it's own without even breathing hard. I've yet to play a gig with the master above 5 with the gain set around 7 and the Tube Drive at 2 to 4.
I've also used it as a backline monitor in a much larger club in lieu of their GK 800RB 4x10" house rig and liked it a bit better. It's done all I've asked of it so far.
It's not only quite a bit louder than I originally anticipated but it also has a nice full round bottom end and with the use of the Tube Drive a bit of an "old school" tube like tonality to it. I play both a PBass and a Jazz Bass and I've had no trouble at all dialing in a stage and a room sound that fit and cut through the mix. At higher volumes I can even feel the amp on stage even sitting on a slight raised stand.
There's really a lot here for the money and at 35lbs it's a breeze to haul around but IMO it's no "lightweight" as far as sound goes. It pushes air very well for a 250w 1x15" combo. I can't conceive of many gigs I would play that this amp couldn't handle and they vary from medium sized clubs without sound reinforcement to larger 300-500 person halls with FOH PAs. It's quite easy to run a line to the board or a powered sub when even more bottom end is needed.
I haven't gotten in the Tone Print features yet because I really never use much in the way of effects but for those who do this would seem to be a nice feature being to download the desired effect before a gig or even change it during the course of the gig. The built in tuner is a nice add on and it's effective enough although it would be nice if it was chromatic in order to accommodate non-standard tunings. The choice of a pre or post eq balanced out is also a nice feature not always found on mid priced combos.
Just one precautions. The tolex covering is very soft and leather like and the grill is plastic so I'd advise getting a padded cover for it if you're going to be transporting it around a lot. It will dent or mar a little more easily than some other amps I've owned. Other than that it's been a champ for me so far.
I've rated as a 4 to a 5 in every category except support and there I really don't know how to rate it. I've not had to depend on that so far so I gave it a neutral 3. The bottom line is this amp gives you a lot of "bang of the buck" and I think that it's tonality, volume, and fullness will surprise a lot of players. It has a much bigger sound than it might appear to at first glance. I'd happily recommend it to players looking for a well built lightweight mid priced, mid powered combo that doesn't sacrifice on sound or features.
Musical Background:
35+ years as a pro bassist, guitarist and vocalist.
Musical Style:
Blues, R&B/Soul, Country Rock, Classic Rock, Latin, Reggae
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Submitted October 22, 2012 by Pat M in Bay City, TX
"BG250 Rocks"
I love this amp. I have been playing bass for almost two decades and I have owned several different rigs. Most recently I had a Ampeg Svt 3 pro with a svt 410hlf cab, I just got tired of lugging that monster around so I was looking for a good combo that wouldn't break the bank and still match up with my Ampeg rig. Well I found it in this combo. I have been a fan of TC amps for awhile now and this combo does not disappoint. I love the features. I am not much for the tone print I think it is fun, but the meat and potatoes is in the tone of this amp. The solid bottom end pairs wonderfully with the 1" tweeter. I play P&W mainly, but this amp works with any style. Slap, finger funk, plectrum, it all sounds great.
Musical Background:
Bass, Guitar, Drums, Keys
Musical Style:
P&W, Texas Blues, Rock
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Submitted October 13, 2013 by Jim S in Seattle, WA
"Useful Features, Good Sound, Very Lightweight ..all at a good price."
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I bought this in September 2013 and received it very quickly. Order process & shipping went flawlessly. Packaging was effective without being excessive. Everything that was supposed to be in the box was there. Good Job AMS/ZZounds & TCE. A lot of things can go wrong in the fulfillment process, but my order was handled perfectly from start to finish.
Now to the product itself: Nice industrial design work on this unit. Everything looks great and is easy to access. User interface is about as intuitive as it can be - You really don't need to crack the manual. In fact, even the Toneprint feature is easily done on the fly using the Android app. No USB cable needed.
Tone control is quite good. I'm using with a Ken Smith Design Jazz Bass w/Aguilar OBP-1 preamp, and these tone circuits work well together. The amp has a very usable Gain & Drive section, while the Tube Emulation circuit really impressed me. I'm not new to amps - tube or SS, and I've heard plenty of mediocre tube emulation circuits. This one was close enough that I decided to run my LP through it. It made me smile, even with the 15" driver and bass-optimized tone centers.
The light weight is also nice. I've had class D amps before, but always rack-mount style. I really appreciated the lack of copper & iron in this combo rig.
Toneprint... Builds on some good ideas that have been around for some time. This one is unique that you can program a new effect easily - like at at a gig. And many of the custom effects that are out there in the Libraries are quite good. I'm using the compression, as it fits my style of playing better than the others. That seems to echo the sentiments of other users, and I think the message there is to include a basic compression circuit in a future model, keeping an open Toneprint bank available for something more colorful.
There were not problems out of the box - and that is definitely a good sign. Modern electronics are very reliable once you get past the "infant mortality" window, so I'll give TCE Quality points for getting the thing all the way through the supply chain and to my doorstep in working order. With about 10 hours on the unit now, I'm confident that this one is going to last as long as I need it to.
The Wow Factor.... This one is tough. For the price, the Wow factor is high. 4 starts, maybe 5. The BG250H deserves credit for delivering massive bang for your buck. But it didn't cause the same reaction I had when I first plugged in to an Aguilar DB750. Then again, I had to use a Fender Rumble at a gig last night, and the BG250H sounded much better and had more control, imo. In short, my 3.5 star rating in the Wow Factor compares this product with many other amps I've used over the years.
Musical Background:
Bassist, Guitarist & Trumpeter for 30+ Years. Berklee '90, USAF Band, Theater & GB
Musical Style:
Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk, Big Band Swing, Broadway/Theater
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Submitted August 30, 2012 by Scotty Lindley in Indianapolis, IN
"ABSOLUTELY AMAZING !!!!! COMPLETELY UNDERPRICED !!!!!"
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Get one NOW !!!! This amp is amazing !!! The sound is great !!! Love the tube drive. The tuner is accurate. Plenty of power !!!! Not to mention this amp is light as a feather. I was skeptical because of the weight, but I was wrong!!!! This amp has it all. I really believe this amp is under-priced !!! I bought the Switch3 pedal for easier muting and to kick in tube drive. Hope this review helps. I am very satisfied and would recommend this amp to my best friend !!!!!
I haven't had to use manufacturer support yet, but judging by the amp I'll take a guess and give them a 5 star.
Musical Background:
Professional use
Musical Style:
everything from pop, country, rock and hip-hop
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Submitted November 7, 2013 by a customer from verizon.net
" TC Electronic BG250 Bass Combo Amp "
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Excellent amp light weight, sounds great.
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Submitted September 21, 2012 by david Minton in Woodburn, OR
"A big explosion for your buck!"
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This amp is way past "bang for your buck". I wanted something lighter for small gigs. Forget small gigs! The TC BG250 is good for all gigs. After a few rehearsals with it I took it to a country club gig and found the full bass tones were spot on at low volume. The next night our band hosted a charity show with 7 bands in a 1400 seat room. We did use the XLR out to the PA for the FOH but the amp kept up as a stage monitor with hot modern country bands and rock bands. The bluegrass bassist ran her stand up bass through it and loved it. It is very loud and smooth across the range of notes. Whether you play and open string or hammer on the high frets the tone remains superb. I purchased the foot pedal and use the chorus a lot on slow songs or to fill dramatic breaks. The tube function adds warmth and also make a good switchable boost. The advance tone circuitry makes getting your favorite tone a snap. This is the amp I have been looking for for years. The only negative is that a lot of us would like an extension speaker out for sending to the drummer.
Musical Background:
Pro player for 50 years, bass, drums, guitar
Musical Style:
Modern Country, classic country, vintage rock, blues.
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Submitted May 17, 2013 by Rick W in Raynham, MA
"Better than expected"
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I purchased this amp from Zzounds for two reasons - first, because of the great customer reviews and second, because of Zzounds wallet saving payment plan. Let me say that the positive customer reviews are all on the money. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the amp (don't know why but I expected it to be smaller). It's a typical combo size for a 15" but surprisingly lightweight. Can carry this easily and at 60 years old, I'm done carrying heavy gear around. The sounds are more than enough for what I need and the Toneprint feature is pretty miraculous even though I may never need it...the built in chorus is enough to keep me happy. his amp looks cool too. It's pretty self-explanatory and has easy to use features. I've only used it at one acoustic type gig so I didn't have to have lots of volume but I'm sure this thing will be more than adequate if I ever do need to be loud (the XLR direct out was also a buying feature for me). o far, I love it. For all you techies out there...remember to bring your cell phone if you use this at gigs. You'll understand...just check out the videos.
Musical Background:
Gigging for over 40 years on guitar with the last 20 on bass.
Musical Style:
Classic rock, Country, Americana
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Submitted June 4, 2013 by Artel Rumber in Havelock, NC
"Awesome Gig combo amp"
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This baby may be small but dont let that fool you. This thing packs alot of punch, I play for my church every Sunday and its a decent size church and this thing rattles windows with gain at 4 and master at 5. If you are looking for an amp to gig with, look no further, this should be your choice, especially since its so light. I can get this puppy louder than the church PA system is I really wanted to, if you are on the fence about the product well come on over and buy this thing you wont regret it, I promise.
Musical Background:
12 years
Musical Style:
Christian, Gospel, Neo-soul, Jazz, Soul, Funk
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Submitted April 10, 2013 by Ronald A in Oceana, WV
"Best combo for the price!!!!"
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I have had my BG250 amp combo for about two months now. I loved it right away. The look, feal, and the sound this grate amp has going for it is just impressive. Im still getting the right sound Im looking for on my own project. I have been trying out all the cool features the amp has. The only major thing I have had done is do a software upgrade that was extreamly simple for most ppl. Over all I am very pleased in the amps performance. Thank you zZounds for making such a grate amp so affordable!
Musical Background:
I started in schooll and played in a couple local bands ranging from rock, metal, to contemperary, and progressive.
Musical Style:
Hard Rock, Thrash, and Gothenburg style Metal. Played everywhere from bars, talent shows to churches, and benefit occasions. My
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