nicsim Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 So I have the chance to jam with a few mates after a long time apart and maybe turn it into a gig. I haven't owned an amp for years and I'm wondering - what's a decent non-nonsense Amp setup to play small pub gigs (hard rock, blues covers). I have an eye on a used Ashdown Mag 300 watt combo (1x15"). What do the folks on here think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 If youre thinking of an Ashdown MAG id for the ashdown ABM combos instead. Different league completely and ironically about the same price second hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Trace Elliot? Mine was stupid cheap 2nd hand, not light but sounds fantastic. Always a few up for sale on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 The Ashdown Mag combo should be fine, I`ve used a few recently as provided rigs and they`ve more than been up to the job. The ABM combos as mentioned by la bam are also great, in comparison to the MAG range I find the ABMs have more depth to the sound. Depending on budget and if you`re concerned about weight/portability I`d check out the Fender Rumble 500 combo - a 210 combo that sounds great, or at least when I heard one in a band setting I thought it did. Get a lot of good reviews and are pretty lightweight for an amp of its power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Fender Rumble or Ashdown gets my vote. Decently priced and usable overdrive too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 For many years I gigged with a Ashdown EB 150 combo (one down from a MAG series). It did the trick. I'm sure the MAG combo you're looking at will be more than up for the job. Once the band is up and running and you're back in the saddle, you can think of upgrading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 heres a used Peavey 200 Watt, 2 hours from you, reliable as they come [b] http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/peavey-tnt-115-200w-bass-amp-/253179619400?hash=item3af2ae6848:g:sWIAAOSwyjJZzV~4[/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 I used an Ashdown Touring 330 combo, which was about 300w into a 15" speaker (plus a horn, I think) and it was great for pub gigs, sound wise. I found it a bot heavy to load in and out of the car, though (due to a wrist injury) so moved it on in favour of a small Barefaced cab and Rootmaster head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gottastopbuyinggear Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 For blues and rock you could do worse that the Ampeg PF350 or PF500 and one of the matching cabs. They're pretty reasonably priced second hand, the PF500 especially as it's still tainted by all the talk of failures, but that only affected the early ones so if you get a 2015 or later it'll be fine. I have a PF500 and it's been fine. I find it really easy to get a good tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicsim Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 Cheers for all the comments and opinions. As luck would have it an ABM version has popped up as well. One thing that puts me off a 1x15 is the fact that if I put an extension cab into the mix (say a 2 x 10) it just looks (and possibly sounds?) odd. I've never had the luxury of a two-cab setup, but I always think it should be small speakers above big speaker. Unless anyone else has different experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gottastopbuyinggear Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 I'm still relatively new to this game - long time "bedroom" guitar player, but played bass for a few years and just into my second year of pub gigging (only a dozen under my belt so far). In my experience, for pub gigs you'll not need any more than a reasonable 1x15, and by reasonable I guess mean something with a few hundred watts and a fairly efficient speaker. That doesn't stop me gigging with a stack of two 1x12's, mind you, but need and want are two different things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 What's your budget? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 [quote name='nicsim' timestamp='1506795500' post='3381210'] One thing that puts me off a 1x15 is the fact that if I put an extension cab into the mix (say a 2 x 10) it just looks (and possibly sounds?) odd. I've never had the luxury of a two-cab setup, but I always think it should be small speakers above big speaker. Unless anyone else has different experience? [/quote] Buy a 1x15 extension cab. Sorted. For myself, I stuck a 2x10 Mag combo on top of a 4x10 ext cab and it looked awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 [quote name='nicsim' timestamp='1506795500' post='3381210'] Cheers for all the comments and opinions. As luck would have it an ABM version has popped up as well. One thing that puts me off a 1x15 is the fact that if I put an extension cab into the mix (say a 2 x 10) it just looks (and possibly sounds?) odd. I've never had the luxury of a two-cab setup, but I always think it should be small speakers above big speaker. Unless anyone else has different experience? [/quote] Trust me on this. If you are doing pub gigs, an ABM 1x15 will be more than ample for any gig. I gigged a 1x15 MAG 300 for years and it never went above half way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 I had a ABM 1x15 combo and 2x10 ABM ext cab and it sounded awesome. You can put the 2x10 on top of the combo if you like. Ashdown confirmed the 2x10 is the perfect addition to it. [quote name='nicsim' timestamp='1506795500' post='3381210'] Cheers for all the comments and opinions. As luck would have it an ABM version has popped up as well. One thing that puts me off a 1x15 is the fact that if I put an extension cab into the mix (say a 2 x 10) it just looks (and possibly sounds?) odd. I've never had the luxury of a two-cab setup, but I always think it should be small speakers above big speaker. Unless anyone else has different experience? [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicsim Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 [quote name='CameronJ' timestamp='1506796730' post='3381228'] What's your budget? [/quote] For now - as I'm only dipping a toe - max £250. So, second hand really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicsim Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 Another "opinion/experience" question - what's the feeling on TC Electronic Combos? They look reasonable spec and weight-wise, but am I right in thinking they don't have external speaker sockets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 (edited) The 250 runs at 4 ohms to the internal speaker so no additional speaker option. I owned one a while back and it went up in smoke (as did a few others) but that was an early one and they must have solved the issue. It was a decent amp with some useful features. Second hand, I would go for the Ashdown as they provide power at a decent price especially second hand. Or how about an old Trace combo? Loud but lots of people don`t like the weight so they can be found for a decent price second hand. Edited September 30, 2017 by jezzaboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 I did a year and a half gigging a TC BG250-12 and had no complaints with it, has toneprint too which is more useful than it sounds. No external speaker socket on the 12 or 15 (only on the 8 I think, which is different anyway). I would be happy to gig one of those any time. Only reason I changed was I got a TC head so went for separate cabs. I also have a Ashdown 300 evo head. Its ok too, but preferred the TC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyquipment Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 [quote name='nicsim' timestamp='1506806901' post='3381303'] Another "opinion/experience" question - what's the feeling on TC Electronic Combos? They look reasonable spec and weight-wise, but am I right in thinking they don't have external speaker sockets? [/quote] DI out into the PA I would go for the 2x8 one. That's small and potentially very loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 £250 would get a Trace Elliot rig good enough for any pub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 A Markbass combo is perfect for just about anything. Re the Trace Elliot suggestions. There's a reason they can be had cheap. They're fine if you've got a plenty of room at home, a car and help both at home to load the thing in to and out of your car, and at the gig to unload and load it back in. They weigh loads, something like the equivalent of four Markbass combos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 [quote name='nicsim' timestamp='1506806700' post='3381301'] For now - as I'm only dipping a toe - max £250. So, second hand really. [/quote] There's loads of bargains to be had in the for sale ads on basschat. Also the bass-related facebook groups seem to be quite busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 I mostly play pub gigs and use two 2x10 cabs stacked "portrait". Not saying this is essential; but there have been one or two pubs Ive played with such small stage areas that Id have struggled to fit a 1x15 cab on stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1506863963' post='3381568'] A Markbass combo is perfect for just about anything. Re the Trace Elliot suggestions. There's a reason they can be had cheap. They're fine if you've got a plenty of room at home, a car and help both at home to load the thing in to and out of your car, and at the gig to unload and load it back in. They weigh loads, something like the equivalent of four Markbass combos. [/quote] I keep hearing how stupidly heavy they are but they aren't as bad as the urban myth would have people believe. They aren't light but they aren't a two man lift either. Last Friday we were up two flights of stairs, our rhythm guitarist took my combo and I took the 2x10 cab, I noticed the weight but it wasn't a problem. Size wise they aren't massive - roughly the same size as any other 1x15 combo or 2x10 cab (guess the clue is in the name). As for having a car, not sure pretty much any combo and cab would be transportable by bus or tube so having a car is a given really. They are cheap because they have fell out of fashion and aren't the 'new big thing' anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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