The Hartke LH500 Bass is a Hartke amplifier. Close alternatives include the Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 and the Gallien-Krueger Fusion 115 Combo. It pairs well with the Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature and the Colorsound Overdriver.

Hartke LH500 Bass

Hartke · amplifier

The Hartke LH500 is a 500-watt tube-preamp bass amplifier head from Hartke, combining a 12AX7 tube preamp stage with a 500W solid-state power amplifier. The LH500 provides tube preamp warmth and harmonic character over the clean, punchy Hartke solid-state power section for stage-capable bass amplification at medium-to-large venue volumes. It is the mid-power version of the LH series, positioned between smaller Hartke heads and the flagship LH1000.

What stands out

  • “The 12AX7 tube preamp softens the solid-state edge and adds organic harmonic warmth to Hartke clean, punchy bass character”

    — from the community notes

  • “The LH500 provides tube preamp warmth and harmonic character over the clean, punchy Hartke solid-state power section for stage-capable bass amplification at medium-to-large venue volumes”

    — from the listing

  • “combining a 12ax7 tube preamp stage with a 500w solid-state power amplifier”

    — from the listing

  • “A dependable, warm-punchy hybrid bass head for regular professional gigging”

    — from the reviews

  • “the hartke lh500 is a popular mid-power hybrid bass head for players who want tube preamp warmth with hartke solid-state power at 500w”

    — from the community notes

  • warmth
  • harmonic
  • solid state
  • punchy
  • gigging
  • organic
  • stage

Good for

  • Live

Genres the Hartke LH500 Bass is commonly used in

  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Gospel
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Blues
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Country
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Jazz
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Pedals that stack with the Hartke LH500 Bass

Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature

Ashdown

27% match
$234.20via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Run Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright

Goes in front of the amp

Colorsound Overdriver

pedal

26% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Colorsound Overdriver's bright balances out the warm tone

Goes in front of the amp

Beetronics Swarm

Beetronics

25% match
$249via Reverb

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → fuzzy)

Beetronics Swarm leans this high headroom tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own

Goes in front of the amp

Walrus Audio Lillian

Walrus Audio

14% match
$219.39via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put Walrus Audio Lillian after Hartke LH500 Bass in the signal chain, clear of Hartke LH500 Bass's own gain stage

Goes in front of the amp

EarthQuaker Devices The Warden

EarthQuaker Devices

10% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

What EarthQuaker Devices The Warden brings here leans toward smooth — that's worth building a pairing around

Goes in front of the amp

Strymon El Capistan

Strymon

8% match
$379via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Strymon El Capistan in Hartke LH500 Bass's effects loop, clear of Hartke LH500 Bass's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Neunaber Wet Mono Reverb Pedal

pedal

8% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Neunaber Wet Mono Reverb Pedal's pristine voice goes in Hartke LH500 Bass's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Hartke LH500 Bass's own warm character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes

Electro-Harmonix

tonal match

Goes in front of the amp

Into Hartke LH500 Bass, Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end

Alternatives

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210

Gallien Krueger

69% similarity
$1849via Reverb

Shared character: punch, solid state, punchy

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 115 Combo

Gallien Krueger

64% similarity

Shared character: punch, solid state, gig

Gallien-Krueger GK Fusion 112 Bass Combo

Gallien Krueger

63% similarity

Shared character: solid state, punchy, gig

Gallien-Krueger GK Fusion 2x12 Bass Combo Amp

Gallien Krueger

59% similarity
$2099via Reverb

Shared character: solid state, punchy, gig

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 212

Gallien Krueger

53% similarity

Shared character: punch, warm

Orange Terror Bass

Orange

52% similarity
$754.36via Reverb

Shared character: solid state, gig, warm

Ampeg BA300

Ampeg

47% similarity
$724.07via Reverb

Shared character: solid state, gig, middle

Aguilar Tone Hammer 210 Combo

Aguilar

45% similarity

Shared character: solid state, middle, warm

Ampeg SFT Ampeg Inspired Overdrive

Ampeg

44% similarity

Shared character: warm

Blackstar Unity 500

Blackstar

44% similarity
$678.92via Reverb

Shared character: punch, solid state, headroom

Ampeg Rocket Watts

Ampeg

44% similarity

Shared character: solid state, warm

Peavey TKO 115

Peavey

44% similarity

Shared character: solid state, punchy, gig

See all alternatives to the Hartke LH500 Bass (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Hartke LH500 Bass?+

The closest matches in character are the Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210, the Gallien-Krueger Fusion 115 Combo, the Gallien-Krueger GK Fusion 112 Bass Combo.

What pairs well with the Hartke LH500 Bass?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature, Colorsound Overdriver, Beetronics Swarm — Run Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright.

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