Genz Benz STL60 Shuttle Bass Amplifier Head (600 Watts)

Feature:
The cut and boost switches are great to have whenever you need a little more of something, and having a mid frequency knob is always nice. I haven't had the opportunity to try it out with a proprietary footswitch, but it does have that capability. It only has Speakon outs, which you may find annoying if you don't own any of those cables yet, but those are quickly becoming commonplace on bass amps. There's also an onboard DI which I typically don't use, but will do the trick in a pinch.

Quality:
Has been very reliable whenever I take it out to a show. There are a couple paint chips flecked off the top by now, but after 7 months of transport to and from shows, that's of course liable to happen to anything. Solid metal construction. It's extremely light, though, and I'm sure dropping it could be seriously harmful depending on the height. It's 4 pounds, though! Put it in your backpack!

Value:
Given its tone and ease of transport, this head would be an asset to just about anybody. Its 600 watt output, though, makes it downright indispensable! Being able to get a tube sound with ample power for this price is absolutely crazy, and I would recommend this to anybody looking for a good head for a compact rig. One annoyance is that it cannot go down below 4 ohms, so consider that when selecting your cabs.

Desirability:
When my friends and bandmates see this thing, their first reaction, without exception, is one of disbelief. The thing is powerful and sleek. Again, it doesn't have the vintage appeal of, say, a Sunn, but people will be shocked once they hear it in action.

Sound:
Highly versatile sound out of this. Of course, it's got that clean tone Genz Benz is known for - but I like a grittier rock sort of sound. The preamp gain lets you push the onboard 12AX7 as much as you like to get just that. Of course, it's not going to sound quite like an SVT, but as these compact hybrid amps go, it's very versatile and has a wide variety of good tones available.

Ease of Use:
Very much plug and play. The tonal palette is wide enough that just messing with knobs, you'll be able to find a variety of tones to suit you.

Support:
I have not had to deal with the company, but I did look into support options before I bought this item. Genz Benz has customer support above and beyond what the vast majority of amp companies can be counted on for. I've seen product managers and even Jeff Genzler himself (guess who) on Internet support boards helping out users. Really a company that takes pride in their work.

Overall:
Depending on which way the wind blows, I may get some high-level or vintage head in the future, but I do not plan to ever sell this head. It's the cornerstone of my rig, and too versatile and powerful to just stop using. Highly recommended.