As far as bass amps go...
Ampeg is all too sweet on bass guitar. The 400W all tube pre amp and tube power heads. Are much PHATTER than the mosfet power amps. And my 2nd pick would be a MESA boogie all tube bass head.
As far as speakers.
The Ampeg classic cabinets sound really nice. I always use at least one 4X10 cabinet, and I also like my 18" Ampeg (classic) cabinet as well.

Just chimming in...

Lets see...my preferences for only two of each? Like Noahs ark or somethin?

OK (chomping nails and grimacing). Actually, The Fender Hot Rod Deville four x 10" fits the bill nicely for both amp and speakers, except the cab is crap...the speakers should be re-housed in something better, but its still great as-is. Great stock 10" speakers. This amp has inserts to get to the power section only. This is nice to insert your favorite outboard tone machine here, other preamped gear, or even a modeller will work well there. The Hot Rod 4x10 also has a lot of character and punch as a bass amp(low power only). Its powered by 6L6's, but you can put some genuine GEC Gold Lions or Groove Tube KT-66's in there for some fat clear tones(make sure to bias). I'd also have some high gain 12AX7/ECC83S and low gain 12AT7's to swap in and out of the pre-section. Groove tubes special applications group(SAG) actually sells kits that are optimized for swapping and changing tone character of the amp on the fly. About sixty bucks street.

Then a hemp cone one X 12" in a sealed cab with a removeable back, for chugging, greasy low end. The Eminence Patriot Cannibas Rex(yes thats the name, 'cause thats what its made of) is a great choice and also has some sweet high end after it breaks in.

That should take care of your valves. Now a solid state setup for the other amp. Actually a solid state bass rig with a one X 15" JBL would do well for jazzers on guitar and bass players alike. SWR or Ampeg. Da Dog should be along with recommendations, he's the man.

Thanks

I love recording forums, thanks for the input.

Tommy P. wrote: one 12" speaker in a sealed cab with a removeable back, for chugging, greasy low end.

Hey Tommy P, are you saying to build or install a 12" speaker in a small cabinet? So it's not a combo amp, but rather just a little speaker box with the 12" in it?
I'm just trying to keep up with all these great ideas here on RO, and I happen to be working on my guitar set up more so now adays than any other aspect of the studio.

StevenColbert wrote: [quote=Tommy P.]one 12" speaker in a sealed cab with a removeable back, for chugging, greasy low end.

Hey Tommy P, are you saying to build or install a 12" speaker in a small cabinet? So it's not a combo amp, but rather just a little speaker box with the 12"".....

Well, the right sized enclosure.

Combo's are great, but ideally, to eliminate the possibility of tubes becoming microphonic, its best to separate the head from the vibrations of the speakers. Solid state amps don't have this problem.

Check out Avatar's G112 http://www.avatarspeakers.com/
Harry Kolbe has a nice single 12" design for guitar too.
These should give you some ideas.

As I said my fave as of late is a Cannibas Rex. Its great in combinations with other speakers. It brings out a round smooth smokey fat tone in registers most guitar players don't dwell in, because, well there isn't usually much articulation to be found there. The action is usually in the top three strings. This speaker will let you have fun soloing around the bottom three strings, where there was usually only mud to be found. Clean or overdriven the Rex remains under the creative command of your fingers.

One of my bandmates has been building 1-12 guitar speaker cabs lately out of plank pine, dovetailed and glued just like whats under the tolex or the tweed of your basic fender amp. The speaker board is floated and there is only real wood...no plywood, no particle board etc.....They are sweet. Put a Weber in one of those, get out the Blues Jr., plug in the Strat.....Instant blues God.

Cabinets are all about the design...its true! But theres the materials too. Bass cabs have to be tight and they must be the proper size and properly vented for speaker loadings and response.

I have found with Marshalls especially, the older cabinets , when they were all high grade wood, sound so MUCH better than the new crap. The heads are ALL different. And I'm not talking just model to model, but unit to unit.

As for two of each, I would choose the Bogner Uberschall head and a late 60's 4-12 Marshall cabinet with it, and for the other it would have to be a Blackface 1962 Fender Super Reverb or a 1950's Fender Bassman 4-10.

We've had a Bogner Metropolitan onstage now with the Dixie Wrecked Band for 3 months. Nothing....NOTHING comes close to it for just PURE FRICKIN TONE and FEEL. nothing. The Uberschall is its daddy.

Ah yeah! You guys rock.

Thanks for all the great input. I think I need to take the time to listen for myself now, decide what I like, but you have given me a great starting point. Thanks again.