Founded by Larry Hartke and Ron Lorman in the late 1970s, Hartke began as a hi-fi speaker company before pivoting to bass amplification in the mid-1980s. The brand's origin story is inseparable from Jaco Pastorius — in 1984, Larry Hartke built a custom 8x10" cabinet loaded with aluminum cone speakers for the legendary bassist, and the resulting sound sparked a revolution in bass tone. By 1985, Hartke was mass-producing aluminum cone bass cabinets, offering a brighter, more articulate alternative to traditional paper cone speakers. The company's distribution moved to Samson Technologies in 1986, expanding its global reach.

Hartke's product line centers on bass amplifiers, cabinets, and combo amps. Landmark products include the HA3500 amplifier head (introduced in 1991), the XL Series cabinets, and the Kickback combo line (1996). The HyDrive speaker technology, which pairs a half-aluminum, half-paper hybrid cone in a single driver, represents the brand's effort to blend the clarity of aluminum with the warmth of traditional paper cones. The HyDrive HL Series extends this with lightweight neodymium magnet drivers. On the amplifier side, the LX Series offers Class D heads producing up to 800 watts while weighing under nine pounds, and the TX300 packs 300 watts into a five-pound chassis.

Hartke has been the backline choice for a wide range of prominent bassists, including Victor Wooten, Billy Sheehan, Jack Bruce, Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones, Nate Watts, Will Lee, James Genus, David Ellefson, and Frank Bello. The brand occupies a distinctive niche in the bass world — its aluminum cone heritage gives it an instantly recognizable visual identity and a reputation for punchy, articulate tone that cuts through a mix.

Hartke has 105 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Bass Amplifier Cabinets, Bass Combo Amplifiers, and Bass Amplifier Heads. Their gear is featured by 64 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Metal, and Pop. Notable users include David Ellefson, Frank Bello, and Billy Sheehan. Hartke's catalog spans the full price spectrum — from entry-level options to high-end flagships.