Can anyone Recommend Good Combo??

[thebigyin]

Hi Folks, Just started playing Bass again.....Not ready to take the plunge just yet gigging wise.....although I did play about 10 years ago.....Ideally i'd like to play Blues, Rock/Blues, RnB, Soul ect.......So looking for a decent Combo for future.....currently playing thro' a Marshall Bass State 65w.....which I bought for Home use and possibly Rehearsals? Any help would be greatfull and much appreciated......I don't really fancy a half stack as i'm limited to space ect.....hope to hear from you, Thanks Bob.

[chris_b]

I'd suggest starting with a Markbass 112 combo and then adding a 112 cab at some time, but the current Genz Benz deals might make them a better prospect.

[Lozz196]

Agree with both points Chris makes. Having a Markbass 112 combo plus 112 ext cab they are very good indeed, but are costly new. Whereas those Genz deals at present look a very cost-effective way to get a very good rig.

[thebigyin]

Thanks for the advice so far....i'll check the Genz Benz deals out, Cheers.

[stingrayPete1977]

You wont beat a genz contour combo right now imo, crazy bargains!

[paulie]

its hard to beat Markbass for combos
Light, tones of power, great tone and decent speakers

[chris_b]

I don't know what came over me... recommending a combo!!!

I'd actually check out the Markbass LM3, Aguilar TH500 or GB Max 9.2 amps and the Barefaced Compact in the BC For Sale section.

[stoker]

I've got a (don't laugh) Harley Benton CB-110X combo. Used it for rehearsals and gigs including an outdoor one and its a great little thing, 110 watts, 1X12, very well appointed with a 4 band EQ, a couple of built in effects, Di out, extention cab out etc etc and all for around the £100 mark from Thomann.
Well worth a look.

Edited November 7, 2013 by stoker

[gsgbass]

The Markbass Mini CMD 121P Combo is a little monster. 300 Watts @ 8 ohms. 500 Watts @ 4 ohms with a 8 ohm cab.

[xgsjx]

+1 for the Markbass combos. I've got the 2x10 & couldn't be happier with it. Light, loud & sounds great.

I'd certainly be looking at the Genz Benz deals though.

[thebigyin]

Thankyou to everyone who's made suggestions.

[Old Fakir]

Oh, well. I've been a GK MB150 fan for yonks (a 'yonk' is about ten years). Not too expensive (about £1,000 for the complete set-up: combo plus extension cab), light (about 30 pounds), small, good sound.

However, I've just retired it. Replaced it with a stonking great Trace Elliot 1 x 15 500W combo. Yes. 500W. Weighs about as much as a blue whale. If possible, my wife hates its presence in my life even more than the GK combo.

The reason(s) are simple: this is the second GK combo that I've had. The first blew a transistor and GK couldn't have cared less. Eventually an amp tech fixed it, but I could never trust it after that. This one began to rattle. I tightened every screw I could find, and took it to an amp tech for a speaker check - no problems there - but still rattling away like mad. I play in a jazz orchestra - not exactly the loudest band in the world - and the little GK stack was always cranking away at about 90% just to keep up. OK through a PA, but really only just good enough for even moderate volumes. Quite hopeless in the soul band.

The Trace Elliot is just magnificent. I'm not quite so happy with the tone without a lot of modification from all those sliders, but the amp has loads of 'headroom'. I've never got the volume control above '2'. Lifting it is likely to cause a double inguinal eventually, but the conclusion is this: you just can't beat all that extra mass and that whacking great speaker, or the brilliant amp technology. It sounds great, it is reliable, it is loud enough (and it was cheap because I got it second-hand nearly new). If you're seriously thinking about lightweight gear do a few checks about longevity first, or resign yourself to only playing at low to moderate volumes.

If you want advice: go and listen to a few amps in the shop. Make sure that you hear them at the volume you want to play at. Check the online reviews beforehand. Stick with a tried and trusted name if you think you might upgrade it later - it's much easier to sell old high-quality gear than stuff that nobody's ever heard of.

best,

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='Old Fakir' timestamp='1384254810' post='2274418']
Oh, well. I've been a GK MB150 fan for yonks (a 'yonk' is about ten years). Not too expensive (about £1,000 for the complete set-up: combo plus extension cab), light (about 30 pounds), small, good sound.

However, I've just retired it. Replaced it with a stonking great Trace Elliot 1 x 15 500W combo. Yes. 500W. Weighs about as much as a blue whale. If possible, my wife hates its presence in my life even more than the GK combo.
....
GK stack was always cranking away at about 90% just to keep up. OK through a PA, but really only just good enough for even moderate volumes. Quite hopeless in the soul band.
....
If you're seriously thinking about lightweight gear do a few checks about longevity first, or resign yourself to only playing at low to moderate volumes.

best,
[/quote]

A GK MB150 is hardly representative of state of the art small/light gear. For the same weight as that GK you could for instance pair a BF Compact with a GB Streamliner 9 which I'm pretty confident would toast any Trace rig for tone and volume.

[Old Fakir]

Hmm. OK. You sound an awful lot like Mark from Bass Direct - that's more or less the rig that he's tried to sell me on both occasions that I've visited. He didn't like GK combos either.

thebigyin: I guess you'll just have to go and see. Decide on your maximum price. Go and try it out and if you like the sound it makes. See if you can lift it. Ask lots of questions about durability and willingness of the manufacturers to service it. Best of luck, mate!