Choosing an amp

Dear Andrew,
I have been looking for a new bass amp, for mine is going out on me.  I was looking at combos and cabinets and heads.  Which way would be better?  Is there any product you'd prefer over another and why?
Thank you very much,
-A

Dear A,
Well, at least as a way to maybe cut down on trips from the car to the bandstand, a combo can be more convenient, especially if you only need something large enough for a small club.  But the head/cabinet scheme is fine too.  I use a small head and cabinet myself.  The amp I usually use is actually not available anymore -- it's the old design of the Gallien Krueger 400RB.  I like it because it lets the instrument speak clearly (some bass amps sound to me like they have a cheap compressor circuit built in that "squashes" the sound) and has a mimimum of controls.  I'm a fan of amps with just volume, gain, three tone controls and that's about it.  It usually means you get to a sound you like more quickly.  In many years of use I have only needed to get it serviced once.  I use that head with a Bag End 15" cabinet.  Again, very musical, full-bodied, and simple.  It doesn't reproduce the very highest top end (no tweeter) but I don't go for that anyway.
The best advice I can think of to give you about amps is to go to your bass-playing friends' gigs and rehearsals and listen to their amps in action.  Do your research anywhere besides music stores and magazines.  Your best information comes from people who are not trying to get your money for an amplifier.
Find out as much as you can about how you want to sound through an amp, and what amps you like, before you get to a music store.  If you go in with a pretty solid idea of what you want, a salesperson is less likely to confuse you or lead you to an unsatisfying purchase.  Also, music stores can be pretty unrealistic places to listen to an amp sometimes.  Use YOUR bass with any amp you try -- it's a way to reduce variables.
And take your time.  You need to hear yourself play through a wide variety of amps to get a sense for how they're different and what your personal preferences are.
Hope this helps,
Andrew Pfaff
http://www.andrewpfaff.com