Save my sanity! Am looking for the prodigious lightweight rig!

[Raslee]

Ok, if you see my rig to the left then thats proper back breaking heavy!-i call it 'Wom' as it makes that sound at gigs, i think the 'W' may stand for Wom! - This rig is used in a eight piece reggae band and another heavyweight Dub band in which they all help to carry at gigs etc, otherwise it generally lives in our studio (thankfully).

Anyhow, about 3-4 weeks ago i bought a EA Iamp350W combo, from a B/C er, in the hope that it would be suitable for doing some other stuff mainly funk, light reggae, and ska with another band. I had used an EA head before so was quite excited at owning one which lead me to this purchase.
Now understandably the EA Iamp 350 (1x10) will not compete with a Warwick 6x10, thats obvious science, but i am looking to get some warmth in a small rig but in some thing that will go upto 350W ish. So i thought to myself i'll keep the EA head and perhaps buy a 2x10 or 1x12 that is lightweight, or at least significantly lighter than the EA Iamp 350 Combo (trust me looks are elusive as it weighs a ton!). I read and totally agree with B/C er Warwickhunt in the lightweight cabs thread that 2x10, 1x12's can give as much lows as 1x15"s therefore i am probably preferring this to a 15" (anyhow i have a heavyweight Fender 15" cab when the need arises). Interestingly i have met so many so called reggae bass heads that insist you need at least a 15" cab or 18" cab to get good reggae bass sound...this frankly is a load of twoddle as most reggae bassists that i have seen use mainly 'the fridge' Ampeg 8x10 or similar, with Bob Marley's bassist (Familyman Barret) being an exception using a 4x10 & 15" generally these days (granted years ago he used 15"s and 18" but that was before the science bit was done about more smaller speakers can move more air more efficiently).
So i digress, can anyone recommend a decent lightweight 2x10, or 1x12 or if small and light enough a 15" at 4ohms or alternatively i have seen a Markbass combo Berlin for sale in the for sale section which i believe is a 15' and lightweight...would this be a better option??? (which would eventually mean the EA would be up for sale) - Lightweight and a bit of phat are my needs.

My current budget is about £400 + whatever i could get for the EA and + i have an Ampeg 4x10 for sale too which is in the for sale section and has been for a while so i think that'll be off to the evil bay very soon. The wifey may lend me some dosh for the Markbass Berlin combo at a push, and cooking for a fortnight, but only as long as i pay her back after selling the EA etc.

Save my sanity....give me direction, guidance, support, therapy, advice...even sheer help! If i'm to keep the EA iamp head then a cab would need to be 4ohms and i need something soon too as i have some of these funk gigs coming up (this will see me having to carry my new rig for the first time in a long time....real bummer, must be light man !)

I shall now return to rocking franticly in my chair whilst listening to 'Bitches Brew' backwards!

Edited October 25, 2008 by Rasta

[bass_ferret]

lots of choice out there and I have listed lots of the currently available 112 cabs on the basschat wiki. I would be inclined towards the Aguillar DB for your sound but its not that light.

[Raslee]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='293765' date='Sep 28 2008, 10:10 AM']lots of choice out there and I have listed lots of the currently available 112 cabs on the basschat wiki. I would be inclined towards the Aguillar DB for your sound but its not that light.[/quote]
Thanks for that Bass-ferret, the Wiki made for a good read. I have had another BCer offer the DR bass cabs, does anyone have any experience of these?

[alexclaber]

See signature!

Alex

[Born 2B Mild]

£400 should sort out the cab side of things. This year, I bought a 4 ohm Schroeder 1210R for £400 from a BC'er, then sold it on to another, as I decided to go for a two-cab solution (so one small cab only for rehearsals and quiet gigs). I ended up with two Bergantino 1x12's from another BC'er, also for £400. With my Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0, I have a rediculously loud rig that I can carry in one trip from the car. Good luck with your quest!

[redstriper]

I recommend you sell the EA combo and use your Eden amp with a new 15" lightweight cab from barefacedbass.com.
I use the same driver as the one in the Big Deep One and it goes very low at high volume and is amazingly light.

[Raslee]

[quote name='redstriper' post='293913' date='Sep 28 2008, 02:57 PM']I recommend you sell the EA combo and use your Eden amp with a new 15" lightweight cab from barefacedbass.com.
I use the same driver as the one in the Big Deep One and it goes very low at high volume and is amazingly light.[/quote]
Niceness, just been checking their website-looks very interesting! What do you reckon to your Big deep one? Did you get the hartke head in the end mate?

[redstriper]

[quote name='Rasta' post='294194' date='Sep 28 2008, 09:43 PM']Niceness, just been checking their website-looks very interesting! What do you reckon to your Big deep one? Did you get the hartke head in the end mate?[/quote]

I haven't got the big deep one, I just use the same Eminence 3015LF driver in my old trace cab.
It's a good speaker for reggae because it goes low without distorting and I hope to buy an ultra lightweight cab to house it one of these days.
I tried a lot of single 12" and 2 x 10" cabs and none came close to the sound of this single 15 for depth and warmth.

I got the Hartke LH1000 but sent it back after 2 days - it's a great amp but I just couldn't get 'my' sound - see this thread for details -

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=28129"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=28129[/url]

What I realised after trying loads of new amps and speakers, is that I've already got the sound I love and that tone is very subjective.

Your Eden isn't too heavy and you like the sound, so match it with a lighter cab and you're sorted and don't discount 15s, the 3015LF is super light and really does the business.
I think it would sound good in any resonably designed cab.

I've also tried the markbass jeff berlin combo you mentioned and that has an excellent reggae sound, (much better than the 2 x 10 or 1 x 12 combo for me) but the price put me off.

Another good combo for reggae is the Line 6 350 watt lowdown, but that is one heavy mutha!

There's a Bergantino HT115 for sale on this forum which I have tried and I can recommend that too, it goes very low and phat, but it's not ultra lightweight and not as smooth as the 3015LF to my ears, although you might prefer it's rich growly tone.

The nice thing is that there's lots of choice out there and I definately recommend you try before you buy.

irie ites.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='redstriper' post='294283' date='Sep 29 2008, 01:40 AM']Your Eden isn't too heavy and you like the sound, so match it with a lighter cab and you're sorted and don't discount 15s, the 3015LF is super light and really does the business.
I think it would sound good in any resonably designed cab.[/quote]

With a WT800 pushing it a 3015LF will blow down walls! You're talking similar max output to an Ampeg SVT+810 rig, which as we all know is crazy loud.

Alex

[bassbloke]

What about these

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Warwick-WCA112ND-WCA115ND_W0QQitemZ330273689177QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item330273689177&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Warwick-WCA112ND-WCA...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url]

[thedontcarebear]

I got a lightweight Zoot 1x12, but my Warwick 2x10 just sounds so much better to me, so I sold it, it's not the lightest cab ever, but sounds better then quite a few 4x10's I've owned too, and they are only around £200 new.