matttimms Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] Hi basschat,[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] I need some advice about getting a new bass rig. I'm playing an Ibanez SR1200 with active pick ups.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] So, I'm looking to get a new amp. I live in a small flat, so I'm looking to get something that is lightweight and doesn't take up too much floor space. Ideally it would be great to be able to use it for home practice as well as being able to use it for small 'pub' size gigs and band practices with a noisy drummer etc. My old amp was a 500 watt Trace Elliot beast. It wasn't massive but it weighed close to 40 kg I think. so something lighter I could possibly cart about on a bus would be great.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] So my dilemma, I guess its trying to get something that will fit multiple criteria for me.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] I want to get a separate head and cab. Because I move about every year or so for work. I thought it would be good to have a separate head so that if I take my bass with me I can take the head, sell the old cabs and then buy a new cab in my new location.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] I'm looking to do home practice with it. So a headphone input is a must and an aux in for a mp3 player would be really useful. It also needs to be loud enough to play with a full band and do gigs with.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] I've been looking at these so far:[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] ashdown rig:[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [url="http://ashdownmusic.com/products/1/Bass-Amplification/5/MiBass/43/MiBass-20/"]http://ashdownmusic....s/43/MiBass-20/[/url][/size][/font][/color][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [url="http://ashdownmusic.com/products/1/Bass-Amplification/5/MiBass/44/Mi-10-/"]http://ashdownmusic....Bass/44/Mi-10-/[/url][/size][/font][/color][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [url="http://ashdownmusic.com/products/1/Bass-Amplification/5/MiBass/45/Mi-12/"]http://ashdownmusic....iBass/45/Mi-12/[/url][/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] The idea of having the 10 inch for home practice and storing the 12 in a cupboard or something. Then using both for a gig. This comes out about 28KG in total though so is still quite heavy but may help in terms of floor space at home. I'm not sure if the tiny cabs will give a enough of a 'bassy' sound though.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] tc electronic rig[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [url="http://www.tcelectronic.com/bh550/"]http://www.tcelectronic.com/bh550/[/url][/size][/font][/color][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [url="http://www.tcelectronic.com/k-212/"]http://www.tcelectronic.com/k-212/[/url][/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] amp looks good. inbuilt tuner and effects which would save space as well. cab can stack vertically to save space. reasonably light weight, about 23kg i think?[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] GK rig:[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [url="http://gallienkrueger.mivamerchant.net/products/mb-heads/"]http://gallienkruege...ducts/mb-heads/[/url][/size][/font][/color][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [url="http://gallienkrueger.mivamerchant.net/products/cabinets/"]http://gallienkruege...ducts/cabinets/[/url][/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] Would be looking to get the MB500 and the CX210 cab. really low weight. think it total 19kg in total! but the cab is a little large for my flat i think. Not sure where I could fit it. Also the MB500 doesn't have an aux in so no jam along practice with headphones [/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] The price ranges are similar depending where I get them from i think between £550 to £700ish.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] It would be great to see what people think could be my best option. If anyone owns any of the above or can generally advise if these are good options that would be amazing. Or if there are any other options out there that I don't know of?[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] Cheers,[/size][/font][/color][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] Matt[/size][/font][/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Add the Fender Rumble 500 to your list, I'm really liking the cab and the combo is getting some great comments on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Depends on the sort of tone you are after? There is a world of difference between Ashdown and GK... Opposite ends of the spectrum really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttimms Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 I hadn't looked at the fender amp head. It looks pretty decent though. Will have to add that to the list. In terms of tone, I guess I'm too much of a newbie to really know the difference between them. I'm playing in a rock/soul music outfit but like to lay some slap and funnk stuff also. I used to play a lot of Jamiroquai/RHCP but more recently have gotten into some pino. Does that help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Well going by the description above I think I`d be looking at the GK gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1428688147' post='2743854'] Well going by the description above I think I`d be looking at the GK gear. [/quote] Yes definitely. There is basically a spectrum of amp / cab types with old school on one end and modern on the other. There are amps that can do both but I find that amps have a core character and it's best to go for one that was made with your intended tone as the standard. Tone is subjective obviously but using some generally accepted adjectives "old school" amps are warm and soft sounding with an emphasis in the low MIDs (think of most pre 80s recorded bass) "modern" or "HiFi" amps have a deep bright scooped character, with punch and zing (think RCHP, jamiroquai etc). Of the amps you've mentioned I'd order them from old school to HiFi; Ashdown - Fender - TC - GK Its all down to personal preference and one man's "best" amp is another's "worthless pile of crap". Edited April 11, 2015 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttimms Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 Amazing. Thanks for the description that makes a lot of sense! How much does the cab have a deciding factor on the tone? I would imagine the amp head with have more say over the sound. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 I've always been impressed with the Markbass tone if you want a lightweight. Their heads seem to work especially well with Ampeg cabs, which ain't light, sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funky8884 Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Some great offerings in the classifieds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 [quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1428682335' post='2743791'] Add the Fender Rumble 500 to your list, I'm really liking the cab and the combo is getting some great comments on here. [/quote] Definitely try one of these. I have just bought a 500 combo and it's very impressive. Light as a feather (36 lbs or 17kg) and plenty of power for pub gigs. Also available as just a head. It has sockets for headphones and mp3 player too. Very affordable too - you'd need to spend a fair bit more for a noticeable jump in quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttimms Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 So I went to a few shops today and I th ink I have made a choice. For now anyways! Might change in a day or two. I think I'm going to go with the tc electronic amp and the two small ashdown cabs. I just don't have the space for a bigger cab in my flat. This way I van keep the 10 out for practice and store the 12 somewhere and pull it out for gigs. And the tc electronic amp will allow me to move to different countries and the use it. Although can I even connect the amp head to both cabs? ? The amp only had one speakon output and I think the cabs arnt speakon. Can this still work? Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 [quote name='matttimms' timestamp='1428795009' post='2744689'] Although can I even connect the amp head to both cabs? ? The amp only had one speakon output and I think the cabs arnt speakon. Can this still work? [/quote] Depends on the impedance of the cabs and how you connect them up, there is a sticky all about it on here somewhere. I'm unfamiliar with tc gear but I'd imagine it would run down to 4 ohms to allow you to connect two 8ohm cabs. I would say it's a good idea to match the cabs though, two 110s or two 112s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matttimms Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Thanks for the help. The cabs are 8ohms and the TC head says to use a cab combination with a minimum load of 4ohms. Would this be ok? I'm new to this ohms game :S Also may I ask why its good to match the speaker sizes in the cabs? Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to get two of the 112's for size reasons but I could possibly get 2x110s may not be bassy enough though. Cheers, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I've just modded an Ashdown Mi10 cab from the single jack socket to two parallel Speakon/jack combi sockets. Cost me about a tenner in materials and a tenner in getting a few beers for a friend who did the metalwork The alternatives with only one amp output and no link sockets on the cabs are: 1. Get Dave (OBBM on here) to make you a splitter box, so amp output goes into the box and that has two parallel outs for the cabs 2. Get a special lead made up. 3. Wait about a month for Ashdown's new RM110 cab, this is similar in price to the Mi10 but will have parallel speaker sockets so you can daisy chain from one can to the next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepEnd Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I would suggest you to have a look at EBS Reidmar + 2x112 CL Cabs, they have amazing tone and plenty of power, thomann has a bundle including EBS Reidmar head+1x112CL cab and later you can add a 2'nd cab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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