Help choosing a new amp and cabs

[slowworm]

Hi,

This is my first post on Bass Chat and I am hoping to get some advice about what I should look for in a new rig.

I play in a covers band, mostly doing punk, rock and pop covers - some modern and some oldies thrown in too. I've been using a Mexican jazz as my main instrument but have recently upgraded to an American Deluxe Jazz, so have been left a little short of funds to upgrade my amp. At the moment I use a Hartke 2500 and have a Hartke 4 x 10 xl and 1 x 15 xl. I also have a 4 x 10 vx which I actually like better than the xl cabinets.

I am not an expert bass player and I think my meagre investment in a Hartke rig has been WELL worth the money I paid - I think the sound I get is pretty reasonable, however, in would like to upgrade to something that would be easier to carry around and would hopefully be more flexible - as we often play open mic nights, where a hulking 4 x 10 is too much. At the moment I play those gigs with a TC Electronic BG250-208 but I find it too boxy, weedy and not really what I want.

I would like to have a budget of about £1500 but I don't. I could probably stretch to around £600 at the moment. I think I would like to look at getting two 1 x 12s - I've played through some EBSs that sounded like they would be able to cope with the small pub gigs we play....but I'm not really sure what would be best. I would ideally like a rig where I could take one cab to a small open mic and two to a full gig. I thought maybe that my Hartke head would be worth keeping and upgrade bit by bit, first buying new cabs. Is this a good idea? I had seen some Gallien Kruger 1 x 12s at around £300 each.

Mainly, I'm wondering whether to upgrade now, trying to find something around £600 as a step up from my Hartke gear (which cost me £120 for the head and £50 for each cab) or just keep going with my current set up until I can stash away enough money to get a better rig.

Any thoughts would be very greatly appreciated. Thanks

[timmo]

I can give you absolutely no advice on this, except to look at the amps and cabs in the for sale section. I would imagine you would be able to pick up some nice gear for £600. That will use up some of your time while waiting for someone to come along who knows what they are talking about.

[Lozz196]

For £600 look at TKS cabs - I think you`ll be able to get two 112s for around that, and from reports, they seem awesome. That said, if you like the Hartke sound, the Hydrive 112 is a nice cab, and you can switch between 8 and 4 ohms, so still get the full power from your amp when only using the one cab. You can get a pair of these for your budget.

[chris_b]

Whynot has a TECAMP 212:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/247747-tecamp-m212-4-ohm-bass-cab-with-cover/"]http://basschat.co.u...cab-with-cover/[/url]

If you can stretch the budget this could be the last cab you'll ever buy:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/252541-barefaced-generation-3-big-twin-2-price-reduction/"]http://basschat.co.u...rice-reduction/[/url]

[hamfist]

I completely agree that changing your cabs is the thing to start with. THe GK neo cabs are OK (I have owned and gigged the 212 and the 115. I have a significant preference for the 1x15, which had a much less scooped midrange and a more balanced overall character. The 115 is also very portable, being just about a one hand lift. I have not played the 112.

However, if I had 600 squid to spare I would definitely be looking at a used high quality 2x12. There are a lot of really very light 2x12's out there, so not a huge burden to take to small gigs. THe shear tonal quality and volume you will get out of modern long-throw speakers in well designed cabs is in a different class to the GK neo cabs IMO.

Look out for Barefaced cabs, Bergantino, Genz Benz NX2. etc. Lot sof great, mint condition used cabs out there well within your budget