Good Amp for pub sized gigs.

[ambient]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1506877492' post='3381721']
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]

My Markbass 1x12 went all over the country with me on the train.

Given that the Trace 115 combo weighs 35kg or 75lbs, whereas the Markbass 112 weighs 11kgs, I know what I'd rather be carrying about.

[Dad3353]

... but the Markbass costs £800..!

[T-Bay]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1506882486' post='3381772']
... but the Markbass costs £800..!
[/quote]
Yup and my TE has wheels! If they can find a Markbass combo and cab for anywhere near the £175 I paid for mine I would genuinely be interested but can't see it happening anytime soon.

[Rick's Fine '52]

How about this?

Cool as....., and 350w of plug and go groove!

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/312740-fender-tv-bassman-duo-ten-350w-combo-amazing-vintage-loveliness/page__pid__3381773#entry3381773

Shameless plug, but sounds just what you're after.

Rick

[ambient]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1506882486' post='3381772']
... but the Markbass costs £800..!
[/quote]
[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1506882883' post='3381777']
Yup and my TE has wheels! If they can find a Markbass combo and cab for anywhere near the £175 I paid for mine I would genuinely be interested but can't see it happening anytime soon.
[/quote]

The Jeff Berlin players school is a 1x15, and costs a little over the OPs figure, but can be bought for less used on here or eBay.

Why would you need a cab? They're already plenty loud enough.

In fact I only paid £350 for my CMD121P from a guy on here last year.

Edited October 1, 2017 by ambient

[T-Bay]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1506885947' post='3381822']



The Jeff Berlin players school is a 1x15, and costs a little over the OPs figure, but can be bought for less used on here or eBay.

Why would you need a cab? They're already plenty loud enough.
[/quote]
I know sound is subjective but I have messed about with one of those and they aren't in the same league as a decent TE set up. For a beginner or 'school' they are fine (and I understand that is why they made a cheaper version) but they don't compare at all well with Markbass's usual offerings in my experience. As for the cab, it's not about volume, it's about where you place them as backline and also the different responses on a 15" and 2x10". Last gig I played my TE was on less than 4 on input and one click under 2 on output but I still took the cab. It's all down to personal choice but I know where my money would go (and did go).

[ambient]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1506886403' post='3381827']

I know sound is subjective but I have messed about with one of those and they aren't in the same league as a decent TE set up. For a beginner or 'school' they are fine (and I understand that is why they made a cheaper version) but they don't compare at all well with Markbass's usual offerings in my experience. As for the cab, it's not about volume, it's about where you place them as backline and also the different responses on a 15" and 2x10". Last gig I played my TE was on less than 4 on input and one click under 2 on output but I still took the cab. It's all down to personal choice but I know where my money would go (and did go).
[/quote]

Beginner?

I think you'd hate my Phil Jones combo.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1506887092' post='3381835']
Beginner?

I think you'd hate my Phil Jones combo.
[/quote]

[size=2] [/size][size=2]Not everyone plays at as low volume as you prefer. [/size]

[ambient]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1506887204' post='3381839']


[size=2] [/size][size=2]Not everyone plays at as low volume as you prefer. [/size]
[/quote]

I only play low for my stuff, it depends on the gig. This afternoon's jazz gig the guy likes it loud.

[Dad3353]

I'm just joshin' you, lad. You wouldn't like to cart our Hiwatt stuff around, whatever volume you play at..!

[Kebabkid]

I've been gigging a Roland Bass Cube 120XL for the last 2 years in pubs that fit 150-200 people and it's been fine.

Features:-
It can run an 8ohm extension cab.
It's fairly light and portable
The models on it are decent and varied
It has few in-built fx, like a compressor, overdrive, chorus, octaver, reverb, delay and a looper and it also has a tuner.
Auxillary for an MP3 etc

When we did an outdoor festival for about 1500, I just took a line out (XLR).

When I first started looking for an amp, I was told that 120w would not be loud enough and not offer enough headroom. However, two years down the line, it's delivering really well for the gigs I've described but any bigger and I think, well, feel, I should go with more watts and look to at least 300w.

I gigged a Roland Cube guitar amp for about 10 years and now the guitarist in our band has it and they're reliable little things. I can also recommend the Roland D-Bass amps (discontinued).

All the best with your search

Edited October 1, 2017 by Kebabkid

[geoham]

I've gigged with a variety of amps at different price ranges and configurations over the years, so I'll share my thoughts on how I got on with them. My overall view is that I prefer the sound of modern 12" speakers, and portability is a huge deal. I find that I can't properly hear a 15 in a pub setting, since I need to stand quite close to it. Regarding portability, some might say old and heavy is fine - but if you need to park half a mile away from a city centre pub to then get your amp down a narrow stair case, then the reality is very different!
[list]
[*]Laney 1x15 combo (can't remember model) - heavy and awkwardly shaped, but did sound quite good (in a vintage sort of way!). Didn't have a car and quite difficult to get in boot of friends' cars or taxis.
[*]Behringer BX1200 1x12 combo - wedge shaped. Again, quit awkwardly shaped, but a bit smaller and did sound 'tighter' than the 1x15.
[*]Ashdown Mag 300w head + 2x10 cab. My expectation was that a modular setup would be easier to transport and I could extend it. The reality was this was still difficult to move around - the cab weighed a tonne. The tone was quite wooly - which I liked at the time. It was also good to take my own head to rehearsal rooms.
[*]TC Electronic BH500 + 2 BC210 cabs. Much lighter than Ashdown and overall a clearer sound. Still fairly bulky though. Often used just one cab, and eventually replaced the head with the tiny BH550, then one cab with an RS112.
[*]TC Electronic BH550 + 2 RS112 cabs. I eventually rid myself of the 2nd BC210 and replaced it with another RS112. It's a really versatile setup. A single cab is often enough, and when I have to park a distance from a venue I can move my gear in single trip. A bag with effects and the head, a bass on my back and a cab I can easily carry with one hand. The tone is fantastic - really clear, loud and punchy, though I can make it sound wooly with EQ or amp-sim effects. The opposite is rarely possible!
[/list]
I play in pubs most weekends now, so small and light is important to me. If you are gigging less often - a heavy 1x15 may not be a problem to you. Definitely look at used gear - if it doesn't work out, you won't lose too much if you sell it.

Happy shopping, and enjoy the gigging life!

George

[chris_b]

[quote name='nicsim' timestamp='1506768806' post='3380977']
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). [/quote]

Just make sure, if you get a combo, that you buy one with an extension cab socket so that you can add the second cab if you need it.

Personally I'd go for an amp and a cab. That's the most flexible and will allow you to upgrade all the parts separately when you want to. . . . and you will at some time.

[charic]

I would look at separate amp and cab (if the opportunity arises), some hartke stuff can move about stupidly cheap and so can ashdown.

Both are great in their price bracket.

As mentioned, Trace Elliot can also be had cheap but personally I bloody hate the sound of everything I've ever heard from them and they generally weigh in heavier than the competition

[Stylon Pilson]

I used to gig with a Ashdown EB 12-180 combo. For many gigs I thought "this is great, plenty of power, and I never need to turn it up past half way." It was fairly cumbersome, as it only had a single handle on the top, and weighed about 27kg. The last gig I did with it was when I needed a little extra volume, and so attempted to turn it up past half way. The key word here is "attempted". The knob turned, but the volume stayed constant.

Whenever people say of an amp "I never need to turn it up past half way", you should not automatically assume that this means that the amp can provide enough output to fill a pub twice over. You can not extrapolate an amp's behaviour in the second half of the volume knob from it's behaviour in the first half.

After the Ashdown combo, I got a Hartke LH500 & Barefaced Compact. The LH500's volume control couldn't have been more different to the Ashdown's. Rather than conking out above 5 and refusing to give any more, with the LH500 there's this magic transition point at about 5.5 to 6, where it's as if the turbochargers kick in and the output doubles in a very short range. It gets loud, very very loud.

I've still got the LH500 as a backup amp, but I use a TC RH450 for my main gigging amp. It's small, light, loud, and has plenty of tonal flexibility. I think the most that I've run it at was 8, and that was antisocially loud. I usually use it with the master volume set between 3 and 6, depending upon the circumstances.

S.P.

[b7l4s]

Lots of good comments in this thread, but to chip in my 2p...

Definitely go used, and if it were me I would be looking for a combo rather than head and cab(s). The reasoning - your budget will get you something really nice on the second-hand market, and combo's are just less of a faff when you are dealing with a tight space and poor light i.e. the usual conditions in a pub. Arguably using separate amp and cab(s) is more flexible, but I like to rehearse and gig with the same gear, so a one-box-for-everything solution is right for me.

Most of the options mentioned already are loud enough for pub gigs, and if you are going to have any kind of PA support then a DI pedal in reserve will get you out of trouble in most circumstances i.e. more volume required or even total amp failure.

I'm a TE guy myself so I'm biased, but for over a year I used a 150 watt Trace amp in a classic rock covers band and never needed more - of course it didn't stop me wanting more, and I now use a 250 watter, but really that was more for bragging rights than anything ;-) Absolutely all my gear was bought used by the way, apart from cables.

As for weight, yes it's quite heavy, but so is a PA, drum kit, lights and all the other stuff we move. If I had a featherweight rig it wouldn't save me much hard work because we all move all the gear together.

[nicsim]

Thanks for all the input on the question I started with (and the follow up!).

Going forward, it's given me something to think about, but in the meantime - that Ashdown ABM EVo II 1x15 Combo dropped just nicely earlier this week!
- A tad under £130 on ebay - tested and it's absolutely fine for now. Maybe a 2x10 will be added if things get more serious.

[SpondonBassed]

I bought one of these new a couple of years ago.
https://www.thomann.de/gb/ashdown_toneman_c115_evo_iii.htm

I love the sound but I haven't used it in anger yet as I am more of a home enthusiast. The few times I've played out of the house I've been able to use the equipment supplied. Even so, I fitted a pair of side handles to make it easier to move about the house. It helped enormously when I took it to the EM BB4 earlier this year. The single stretchy handle is not really enough to get a secure grip.

I use a TE 1818 as an extension cab. Appearance is not an issue but I think it looks fine with the fifteen combo sat on the eighteen cab. They're a very heavy pair though.

One day I might get as far as half way on the master volume...

[xgsjx]

[quote name='nicsim' timestamp='1507146335' post='3383632']
Thanks for all the input on the question I started with (and the follow up!).

Going forward, it's given me something to think about, but in the meantime - that Ashdown ABM EVo II 1x15 Combo dropped just nicely earlier this week!
- A tad under £130 on ebay - tested and it's absolutely fine for now. Maybe a 2x10 will be added if things get more serious.
[/quote]
You'll find the 1x15 will be more than ample for most gigs. If you need more of the same & like the sound of the combo, get the matching 1x15 cab. You'll get more of the same.
Adding a 2x12 will give you a different and unpredictable sound. Some venues it could sound great, other's it could sound awful.

As for your query about driver size earlier, the driver diameter has no bearing on the sound characteristics.

[charic]

[quote name='nicsim' timestamp='1507146335' post='3383632']
Thanks for all the input on the question I started with (and the follow up!).

Going forward, it's given me something to think about, but in the meantime - that Ashdown ABM EVo II 1x15 Combo dropped just nicely earlier this week!
- A tad under £130 on ebay - tested and it's absolutely fine for now. Maybe a 2x10 will be added if things get more serious.
[/quote]

Sounds like you got a good little bargain there!

If you're ever going to look at expanding personally I would look at either a 1x15 or a 4x10

[la bam]

£130 for an ABM evo combo.

Thats a great price.

The market is crazy right now!

[Hutton]

If a well meaning friend or relative increases your budget for your birthday you might consider a pre-owned Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout. Huge sound for a 1x12 300 watt combo.