Hartke KB12 Kickback 1x12" 500-watt Bass Combo Amp Reviews

Best small gig/practice amp I've ever had... Sounds amazing! There is a loud fan problem which obliviously isn't an issue on gigs where there's a full band. But when using for practice or quiet gigs, it gets a little annoying. I'm thinking of replacing or oiling the fan to see it I can get it quieter.

I have two of these. Great for bass or 6 string. I really like the sound. And plenty loud enough for gigging.

As soon as I plugged this thing in I was amazed by the sound that it had. Covers all tones and has a lot of punch when needed. I absolutely recommend this amp to pretty much anyone who plays bass. Love it so far.

Did a lot of research, before settling on this Hartke KB12. Needed a practice amp that was easy to move for quick jam sessions or serious practice. Gotta say, my main rig is an Ampeg Portaflex 500 watt with an SVT 410 classic cabinet...but this little dawg can hold up at 500 watts too. Small and light but has got some serious kick and bite.
I'm playing a Fender Jazz through it, and it has the thick bottom end puch, but also that slap pop for dance songs...This amp will give you all you need ! That single 12" kicks !
Totally satisfied... Thanks to Michael Duncan, Sweetwater rep !
If you are looking for gear, look no further than Sweetwater, they have it all at competitive prices, straight to your door with warranty....I give this sale: Five Stars ***** !

Outstanding Bass amp for confined space. Hell, It would hold it's own in an auditorium as well. Tons of power with Great Tone. Like to thank Alan Moon for his expertise in helping steer me in ALL directions music related!! Best Rep at Sweetwater!!!

It's easy to get tone I like with kickback amp. With the notch filter on and the knob at about 10:30, about 350 hz, and the mids knob at about 1:00 it's done. I like the kickback feature.

Just picked this amp up today and want to voice my opinion about the greatness of this little amp. I have 3 combo bass amps. Fender Rumble 500 2x10. Hartke HD 500 2x10. And now this Hartke KB 12. I have owned many amps through the years from all the names that we all know. I love the sound and simplicity of the Hartke combos. Plug and play. I agree with the good reviews about this kb 1x12. Good tone good power and portability what every bass player needs I highly recommend this amplifier

I use this as a personal stage monitor when playing at church. The venue holds about 300 people, I guess. It works perfect for this. I didn't exactly select it based on its tone, but rather because it "kicks back" (i.e. so I don't have to use a separate amp stand) and because of its power output ("500 watts" is probably the peak power, indicating that the RMS power is probably around 250 watts, which is plenty for its use as a monitor). However, even though I wasn't primarily interested in it for its tone, I will say, now that I have it, that the tone is superb. :)

Used for live country music. very light weight, plenty of power, line out, awesome tone. BANG for the buck!

I replaced an old Hartke 210 Kickback with this KB12. I'm very pleased. It has all the power I need. The Master was set on 4 and my band mates asked me to turn it down. The response is nice and tight, even on my low 5th string B.
I found a tone with the Sound Shaping that I like for my music, warm but still with some punch, for my Ibanez 5-string. I didn't use my active pickups, but for a few tunes, so I can't really comment as to how it will handle actives for you. But with the spectrum of tones available, I'm pretty sure anyone will find what they are looking for.
The weight, about 28 pounds, and the small footprint are a huge plus for me. I had played through a Peavey 18 X 2-10 once upon a time. That cabinet was huge, the amplifier very heavy. I don't miss it at all. This mini-might is filling the bill just fine. And I have no problem dragging this out of the band trailer, up to my loft, to practice on. It wasn't fun to do that with the Hartke 210, and I'd never do that with the 18210.

My genres are: older country; classic big band; polka. Ensembles are: 3; 4; 6; and 16 piece groups.
I hope, if you decide on this combo, that you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

I've been using the Kickback 12 since before it went class D (which is sooooooo light and powerful) from small club to stadium, and any venue bigger than it can handle I XLR through the house and it is my monitor. Fretted, fretless, and upright all sound great. Clean, flat response lets me pick the sound.

I've owned a KB12 for about 5 years now and I'm still amazed by the thunder that comes from such a small package. It easily cuts through the mix on stage and I never have to turn it up past halfway. It's my main amp for gigs and the light weight makes it easy to transport. Get one. You won't be disappointed.

This thing produces a super clean sound and Ethan is amazing to work with.

Just got this in and very impressed! Simple set up with great punch and clear clean sound! This is the first Hartke I have owned in 20 years. I really like the aluminum and paper cone combo. Can't say enough about this amp, great price, great sound, and loud! Was running it on 1 1/2 volume and rattling my windows! A 500 watt 1x12 amp and only weights 28 pounds. Good job Hartke! Thanks Sweetwater!

First of all it`s the lightest of it`s class that I looked at, and that means a lot to me. The XLR direct out on the front is also a feature I love.

I have heavier equipment, including a Hartke 350, with a 1x15 Hartke Bass cab. The KB 12 is surprisingly, and unbelievably powerful! Other musicians are always surprised by the volume, and tone. A great practice, and small venue amp.

Great sounding, powerful and light-weight. Love the way the controls are very interactive as well as intuitively laid out. And the sales and support team at Sweetwater is the best around!

I was definitely surprised by the quality, volume, and tone shaping abilities of this bad a— bass amp. First, it"s a heavy, well-built piece of equipment and looks beautiful on stage (in my home studio). Second, the kick back aspect gets the sound up and off the floor, and makes a huge difference in the loudness and clarity department. Third, it"s super clear and deep, and sounds like a studio-pro amp — kicking bass that has depth and richness. You can shape the tone nicely, and it"s easy to find exactly the sound for which you"re searching. I love the balanced out, which you can send to another speaker or even an audio interface for direct recording. I saw it in use first at Berklee College of Music this past summer, and knew right then that I needed it for my jam room. Quality amp for an incredible price tag.

The Hartke KB12 Kickback fits my needs in a small studio setting. It sounds great and has a lot of volume for such a small amp. Looking forward to putting it to further use in jamming with other musicians.

This is a great amp! No bells and whistles, just meat and some really loud potatos. Its very light wieght, tilts back so i can hear it on stage and has the clearist tone ive heard in a combo in ages.
Stright forward controls, xlr, headphone out, and one input so i dont have to worry about hitting the "bass boost" or "treble boost" or the passive active buttons and not be able to see what i did on a dark stage to make my tone suck. I can even let a guitarist borrow it and know that they can figure it out without having to call me.
Loud is an understatement. This thing is insanely loud and crystal clear. I can hear the different tones that each of my basses have threw this amp. Other amps make my basses all sound somewhat the same. Not the hartke.
I like to give a big shout out to Israel Foster my sales rep at Sweetwater, he is always a joy to work with and helps in so many ways.

I have had this for some good months now and it still serve well to my need. The KB12 is my first owned bass amp, I've played with different ones but this does so much with just the few knobs on it. You'd be surprised what you could do playing with it. I've used it on numerous jam sessions, and it performed as expected. I got this because of the size, something I can easily move around, it's a plus it got ridiculous power. I suggest getting the KB15 if you perform a lot outdoor. And again the weight, impressive and amazing what such size could bring. Serves very well for studio work. This can do it outdoor but I think its more efficient with studio sessions, and indoor performance, this size in particular. Maybe if you turned up the volume high you could but on high volume all the time you could put on terrible mileage quick on the new amp. At max you could probably shatter a window if on close contact. It's 500w, do not let the size deceive you.

Besides the overwhelming light weight of the 28lb little monster, thanks to the rare earth magnet speaker, the sound that you can pull out with the sweeper are just plain fantastic. I had been using the HD 75 12" for our hosted jam nights at a local pub until guys kept showing up with 212 cabs and no self control. Now I can keep up when necessary. The shape (notch) filter really makes some serious change to the sound and the thump from this little guy. The three band EQ can be used, but to engage the shape and then gently tailor the EQ just slightly you can really get some full warm tones that defy this design - seriously. The gain from zero to about 12 o'clock is pretty standard, but every little bit above that is very significant volume. It is 500 watt peak and really a 250w average but with an active bass, it is not hard to get very LOUD. Want to be heard, want good tone that makes you sound bigger - and easily carry it around, then get this gem.

I cannot believe the clarity of this amp. I work 46 weeks a year on stage. This amp has the lows for the punch you need and a perfect mix of highs and mids for a healthy crispness and clarity. This amp is perfect for any casino or moderate size stage.

Literally blown away by the sound and volume of this pint sized bass amp. FYI, I have a 1100 watt stack with 8 10s but i wanted something to put in my living room to make it easier to just pick up a bass anytime without having to run down to the basement where the big amp is. I also thought I should get something with enough power for small gigs but it needs to sound nice. Not like some cheap practice amp. This thing has a marvelous tone, plenty of power and only 28 lbs. Incredible. Also, at the sale price, they sold out. I had to wait 10 days for them to come back in, 2 days later, they are sold out again. Its sounds so good, I'm rethinking my big amp. I may have to pick up some hydrive cabs as well.

Absolutely amaaaaazing for a 12 speaker. Crystal clear, butt kicking bottom end and light as a feather. Never thought it would be this good. (Much better and cheaper than the single 12 mark bass that's double the price) Keep in mind, it's a single 12 lol.

I received this amp from Sweetwater as a birthday present from my band. It is replacing a much beloved older Hartke Kickback 15 that I have been using for the last 5+ years. I have a bad back and could barely lift the old almost 50-pound Hartke. This is the perfect solution; 28 pounds and a lot of power. I play both a passive Fender Precision and an active Ibanez Talman. This works for both. I can barely turn up the amp when using the Ibanez. I appreciate the simple controls (the same as my old Harke). So far it has been wonderful in practice and performance; both inside and outside. The smaller footprint helps on small stages as I play sitting down, run sound, have foot pedals, a music stand, and sometimes a monitor. Thank you Hartke.

Consistently amazed at this little amp. Originally I bought two, one for practice and daisy chained two together for gigs. Found out one was plenty. Always! So i sold one. The amp sounds great! Plenty loud. light weight. Had nine about 4 years with no problems whatsoever. I something happened to it, I would immediately buy another.

Like another review on here, I have also been waiting for an amp like this. Portable, powerful and it sounds great! This is my first time using 12" speakers for bass and I am very pleased. This one is a winner!

This is what I've been waiting for. Combo amps are always so heavy, but not this beauty. It has big Hartke sounds coming out of a little box and it only weighs 28LBS. Again I say, it weighs 28LBS and it sounds like a Hartke, case closed.

The basic design tradeoffs of bass guitar amplification are that: if you want a cabinet that is lightweight, loud, and goes low - you can pick two.

That's just the laws of physics. Speaker designers are pushing the boundaries every day, and there are tricks to make you THINK you're hearing more lows than are actually being created, but the laws of physics don't bend very much.

This amp is no exception; it is lightweight and puts out a great sound focused on the upper bass to lower treble region, which works REALLY well to represent the sound of a normal bass guitar. But it doesn't go down to E0 or anything crazy like that.

It also isn't super loud - it'll definitely get up to shouting volume and sound good, but it won't bury a Marshall stack or a blast-beat drummer.

Unplugging the internal speaker and hooking the amp's speaker out up to a larger cabinet shows what the amp section is capable of; it's clear, loud, and sounds great.

The speaker has a great tonality, and I like the fact that there are no crossovers or multiple drivers - the fact that all
of your sound is coming from a "point source" gives a lot of clarity and coherence on stage - but the speaker is not supernaturally efficient.

But within those limitation this is a GREAT sounding, capable, and portable amp - well-worth the asking price!

This a great sounding, extremely versatile, powerful and portable amp.
My purchase is a replacement for one of the older versions that I had and gigged with for many many years.

My only caveat is that the fan on this amp is loud. It's loud to the point that I can't imagine recording it with a mic. But considering it is so compact and 500 watts what would you expect. It does have the direct out so recording is not totally ruled out but being able to have a direct and mic would be nice. The majority of my playing is at rehearsals and live gigs so the fan sound is not an issue.

The purpose for this, at least for me, is to have a great sounding amp that is portable at an affordable price and this amp accomplishes all of the above.

This is a nice amp because it doesn't cost a lot of money It's compact lightweight and powerful. Sounds great to. I just love to play it. With its simple controls it's easy to dial up the tones you want..This amp is simple, no need to pay extra money for all the bells and whistles that other amps offer.

I love playing through this amp because it sounds HUGE for its small size. The first minute of each practice is spent just being amazed at how much sound comes out of such a small amplifier. In my opinion, the 90's era Hartke all-aluminum cone speakers sounded awful, but these new paper/aluminum hybrid speakers are amazing. Hartke has really redeemed themselves with me. I docked it a half-star for the one and only gripe I have about this amplifier... The cooling fan is loud. This probably would't be the best amp to record with if you are using a mic. Other than that though, this amp is impressive!

Checks all the boxes. Light. Powerful. Clean tone that quickly and easily adjusts to different settings. All controls and ports on front for easy access. Kickback position very useful for hearing what the crowd hears. Just wish it came with a cover like amps used to do.

This amp offers a minimal feature set– there's no effect loop or speaker extension options– but what you do get makes it an extraordinary value at this price. Very loud, punchy amp for its size... I may pick up a second one to run in stereo.

Caveats– there's no pre/post EQ switch for the XLR out. Most sound engineers prefer a pre-EQ feed, and I don't think that's an option here. Also, the Shape control can be a little heavy handed, especially if you use an active bass. It did wonders for my little Gibson EB-3 and sounded fine with the Fenders, but was unusable with my Music Man and Sadowsky instruments. If you're already using a good quality preamp, you probably won't use the Shape control much.

All told, a very sweet deal. Wish they had gear like this when I was starting out 37 years ago. Kudos to Sweetwater as it arrived with lightning speed...

Bought this amp recently and im very impressed,it works beautifully. Its a powerful little amp! The tone is exceptional. My only dissapointment was the lack of an aux imput bcuz i bought it with practice and mobility in mind. Somehow i took it for granted that it would come with this feature but bcuz im very pleased with this amp ive decided to keep it. I would recommend that an aux imput be added to future 12" models to accomodate easy practicing.

This is a great little amp. It has a much larger sound than I would have expected, and at 28 lbs., it is ideal for practices and small gigs where I don't want to kill myself lugging around my stage rig. Everything you need is here, and it gets a solid bass sound for any gig.

I'll make this quick , great little combo amp...the shape switch is awesome . Now if you want to get the full use of that 500 watts you will need a split y cable and add a second 8 ohm cabinet and when you do, you will have a little monster rig.

I've had it for a few weeks now, and put about 20 or so hours on it, and I am pleased. Keep in mind that it won't do what a 410 cab will do, but it doesn't weigh what a 410 cab weighs either. I have tried a few small combo amps with 12's and 15's, like Acoustic B100, and Behringer BX1200 Ultrabass, and this Hartke smokes them both. It also has impressed a few of my friends too. The XLR direct output is not run through the controls, but that works for me, as I use the Harke often for a monitor and run the XLR direct output straight to my mixer then to the PA. I can adjust my volume and it doesn't affect the sound to the audience. It's a keeper....although it does lose a half a star for not having a mute button.

I had one of the early versions of this amp and was always very impressed with the sound and the features, especially the shape knob. I sold it to one of my students, which I have a tendency to do if one of them needs some gear. Here I am several years later missing that amp and looking at the new version. So I pull the trigger and use it on two gigs the weekend it arrives. The new one sounds great, weighs next to nothing, looks great, and still has the coveted shape knob, only now with lots more power. I think this is a great amp capable of doing a lot more than the relatively small size would indicate. I do wish that it had a mute button, and maybe a tuner out connection, and a gain/master volume type preamp, but other than these minor things, it's very near perfect.

This is a nice sounding amp, and it is lightweight compared to some amps. The fan does make some noise, so it wouldn't be good for using a mic with it in a small room recording environment. I use it in small clubs and bars with a band, so the fan isn't a problem.

Everything. Expected from reviews and more... this thing will break windows ****..only reason for 4 stars is no high range sound..this things a beast tho and the shape wow

Currently retired from gigging after 35+ years. I bought one of these for sitting in on bass with a band I played lead guitar in for several years - I switched between bass and six-string in a lot of bands over the years to increase earning potential.

Always been a Peavey guy on guitar (Classic 50s and 30s) and bass amps (Max 700 and MiniMax) and started there, having sold all my equipment two years ago. But I found the KB12 to have a hi-fi thump that the new PV max combos lack. It is loud enough on its own for a four-piece classic rock/new rock group and stays clear and clean up to noon on the volume (haven't gone higher yet). I was very surprised that it kept up and stayed clean. We also ran it thru the board for one set and except for it being a pre-eq line level signal it worked perfectly.

Lightest combo I've ever used. Surprising volume. Easily dials in modern slap to muted Motown and everything in between. Very responsive controls: small increments on the knobs yield noticeable changes. My only grips are the pre-eq DI and the 1/4" headphone out. And another speakon connection while still using the internal speaker would be nice.

That's just small stuff. Overall it's an amazing little amp.

Had the buyers regret thing at first, played the
Original one many years ago and loved it
So my expectations were very high after a few
Hrs of playing I warmed up to it .now I honestly
Love it and would recommend it .love the shape
Feature , I play different than I did years ago so
Do you .give it a chance, sits great in the live
Mix . I am also a sound tech and my bass
Guys and my audience are very pleased.

I"ve always wanted a light weight little bass amp that sounds good and this one fits the bill. The kickback feature is great, this amp sounds great in a duo or trio setting. I play a 6 string and the low B sounds solid, but it lacks the sparkle on the C string. Running through the sound system helps achieve that. Thank you Hartley for making such a nice amp.

I bought the HS 1200 back in 1997 and loved the tone and power for such a small package, and had trouble free operation, however it was not meant for large venues, great at home and peoples houses, I always thought why couldn't you have this at great power and stage ability in the same package, and here it is! the KB12.
I bought it immediately without hearing or seeing it in person and to my surprise it was lighter weight and had that old school Peavey covering that is ever lasting will look like new 20 years from now if moderately taken care of.

I was looking for a "do-all" solution for my live sound, and this seems to be promising so far. It's got the excellent portability (28 lbs!), being 5 lbs lighter than my old MB 2x10 cab, a GREAT tilt-back design that really helps clear up what you're hearing, and just a LOUD and in-your-face sound...500 watts...huh? Our bandleader doesn't really say much about my gear. and after last night's acoustic show, he said, "Man, that sounds really good!" He also said a few times, "You're way loud, gotta turn down." ;-) It's usually never loud ENOUGH! So, these were good signs, imo.

The sound is certainly brighter than my Peavey MAX158 combo, and I think it's simply more flat-sounding, as my bass is naturally a scooped, bright-sounding bass, so I'm guessing the amp here is more accurate (it's definitely more refined for costing how much more than my micro Peavey). The controls are straighforward, and the only reason that I didn't give a perfect rating, is that Hartke really could've added a mute button, along with an AUX IN jack...that would've been IT.

All in all, a very nice little brute of a combo. I will review further when my band does a full-on live setup (drums and all).

So I debuted this last weekend with the full band. The sound and power are CRAZY for a single 12"...plenty of roar and cut against an acoustic guitar/banjo/keys, electric guitar, a loud drummer, and four vocals. The portability, again, is fantastic, and the build quality is like a tank. BUT, besides no mute and aux-in features, I really dislike that the DI is set to PRE (before the eq). Why would a company make the DI not be able to show it's own amp's eq? Luckily, my EWS BMC and Zoom MS60B (both pedals HIGHLY recommended) take care of that, as I just run the Hartke's eq flat. It's a shame, because the SHAPE function is awesome for a scooped slap tone, and I never use those buttons/knobs, either.

Hartke, at least make the DI post-eq!!

All in all, this combo still can't be beat for sound quality, weight, and volume...btw, this thing gets loud at not even 9:00, and when you do push it hard, it doesn't even flinch...impressive.

I purchased this amp a few days ago after trying out a Fender rumble 100/200, Hartke HD150/500, Ampeg Ba and Rocket, and also a Blackstar u500. To my ears the KB12 sounds amazing!! Very clear and clean. It worked will with my Fender Jazz and Precision bass, but I ran into a problem. I purchased this amp with the intent to do some recording…. That's when I found out that the DI output is pre eq only so no way of capturing the tone of the amp.…. no option for a post eq signal. So I figured that I would mic the amp but the problem with that is that the amp's fan would kick on after about 15 or 20 minutes and it was loud like a hair dryer. Even though I really love the tone from this amp, I just couldn't keep it because it's not studio friendly in my opinion. I ended up with a Fender rumble but would rather have the KB12. To bad. Hartke needs to redesign this amp and add a better fan, pre/post DI output option and a fx loop

When I read about the KB 12, I was interested by its power rating of 500 watts. I curently was using a GK 400 which has 400 watts rms. When I received the KB 12, I was impressed by its small size, weight and good look. I then went on to try it with my Sting Ray 5 (20 th anniversay). I had all controls centered on the amp. The sound was good and principally for slapping. However I found that the output was a little weak for 500 watts. I called Sweetwater support staff and was told that the 500 watts was peak power which is approximately 170 watts rms.

I bought it because it is a scombo at 28 lbs compared to my GK head and a 12" cabinet (Legend speaker) for a total weight around 55-60 lbs. But the GK has a lot more power and a deeper growling sound for funk and blues although not as bright for slapping.

I would suggest that the rating be more specific. It is not a full 500 watts but peak power.
It remains that it is a good practice amp and I am not sure using it as a stage amp with screaming guitars and a loud drummer.

After having had this combo for almost two years, it's alright. Aside from my gripes before, the speaker seems to fart and warble when you go past 12:00 on the volume. Yes, eq is dependent on the room a good bit, and this combo is not too efficient for larger rehearsals and especially shows. My band rehearses in a theater, and I've had to dial back most of the eq on the amp, and even some on my bass, or else the speakers wants to wimp out. It's fine for rehearsals, as long as they're not too loud, or just for a monitor wedge. Don't think that this can carry you through a medium to large show, with numerous band members, because it'll be pushing it's limits.

I think I'm going to try the HD500, sometime down the line....