New amp and cab required

[Johnnyzbass]

I’m currently looking around for a new head and cab and would appreciate some advice. Now 67 years young carrying big cabs or heavy combos are days gone by. I play in acovers band 70’s rock, Santana, Steely Dan etc. My main playing is at home now, but need the kit to be light for rehearsals and gigs( only small venues). I have listened to the Reidmar 470 on YouTube and it sounds pretty good, any comments welcome and just come across Barefaced bass speakers. All suggestions welcome.

[FinnDave]

I've had to change to lighter gear due to a recent injury, and my small gig rig is now a Barefaced Super Compact ( 1 x 12) and Ashdown Rootmaster 800. I have been very happy and it is easy to carry. I also have  Super Twin (2 x 12) and use that and the same amp for larger gigs, 2 speakers and 4 ohms, so plenty of volume and punch.

It would make more sense to have two separate 1 x 12s, I know, but I already had the 2 x 12 and didn't want to sell it.

[casapete]

No experience of the Reidmar although they seem to be well liked on here. For me, the Gallien Krueger MB amps work very well, and are very loud for their ratings. I have an 800, but the 500 would have still been enough I think.

Cab wise, the Barefaced range is ideal for you. As FinnDave says, a Super Compact would do the job perfectly, and weighs around 22lbs so your back will thank you very time you use it.

 

Edited December 30, 2017 by casapete

[spongebob]

Fender Rumble cabs and amps are great and lightweight IMHE.

Well priced too.

I haven't said this because I'm selling my 1x15 in the marketplace...I'm still running a Rumble 500 head, and if I had more space, would be keeping it! Super range.

[Paul S]

I am in a general if odd covers band and a Bon Jovi tribute.  I use a variety of amps but always Barefaced Supercompact cab.  Either one or two depending upon how decadent I feel

 

[JazzBass4624]

You will get a variety of cab/head suggestions so I might as well let you know what this 71 yr old bassplayer uses; a LM III and Vanderkley 112ext cabs. 

The bass in one hand, the cab (if I only use 1) in the other and Little Mark in an old laptop bag around the shoulder. I guess I can handle most of the gigs with just one cab.

[Lozz196]

Many lightweight amps/cabs to check out, but for lightweight amp heads my recommendation would be the Ashdown Rootmaster as FinnDave said. It`s the nearest I`ve found to that weighty big amp "feel" in the smaller amp heads. Cab-wise, well Barefaced have it covered here - the style of music suggests an old-school sound to me, so the Retro Two10 would be a great cab to look into. Most of BFs range is very neutral/flat sounding (not a criticism btw), whereas the Retros are pretty much as described, Retro with a softer top end. Having had cabs from both ranges, for 70s rock I`d choose a Retro.

[Adrenochrome]

Yes there are loads of good options. Many of us have downsized; my current rig is an Orange Terror Bass amp with TC Electronics K212 cab (2x12). Tiny and loud.

[Lozz196]

2 hours ago, spongebob said:

Fender Rumble cabs and amps are great and lightweight IMHE.

Well priced too.

I haven't said this because I'm selling my 1x15 in the marketplace...I'm still running a Rumble 500 head, and if I had more space, would be keeping it! Super range.

Of course, forgot about these. Probably once of the nicest sounds for bass imo, rich and warm. Would work a treat for the music specified, and even the 500 watt 210 combo isn`t weighty by all accounts.

[chris_b]

2 hours ago, Johnnyzbass said:

I’m currently looking around for a new head and cab and would appreciate some advice.

Hi. Been there, done it.

The logistics and requirements of a bad back and shoulder is a PIA. I have to cover gigs with a lot of different bands and my minimum requirements are 2 112 cabs (maximum weight under 30lbs) and a minimum 500 watt amp. There is a lot of good gear to chose from these days and if you do your homework it's pretty hard to buy a bad amp or cab. A few years ago I was provided with a Reidmar back line on a gig and it sounded pretty good. You don't see many of them about though.

I owned lightweight Bergantino 12" cabs for about 8 years. I usually played through 2 112 cabs and never got a bad sound out of them on any gig. Then moved to 2 Barefaced Super Compacts for the last 2 years. IMO Barefaced is the only  serious 1 cab option if you're looking for a 112, because they each move as much air as most 212's. They are the lightest, loudest (due to designing their own driver) and they put out whatever tone your bass and amp put in. I also have a One10 and Two10. As Lozz says the 10" sound pretty good too, with more of a vintage sound. I use Aguilar TH500 and AG700 amps.

I'm not a "one trip from the car" guy. I'll make as many trips as it takes as long as I'm not carrying more than 30lbs at a time. I also have a trolley for when I can't park close enough to the gig.

 

[casapete]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

Of course, forgot about these. Probably once of the nicest sounds for bass imo, rich and warm. Would work a treat for the music specified, and even the 500 watt 210 combo isn`t weighty by all accounts.

Yup, good call. The Rumble 500 2x10 combo weighs in around 36lbs, and they do sound great.

[pete.young]

6 hours ago, Johnnyzbass said:

 I have listened to the Reidmar 470 on YouTube and it sounds pretty good, any comments welcome and just come across Barefaced bass speakers. All suggestions welcome.

There's a Reidmar 750 in the classified ads at the moment.

[fleabag]

There's  also a Carvin BX1600 weighing 8.5 Lbs, which is light for an amp with lots of power

Edited December 30, 2017 by fleabag

[pete.young]

39 minutes ago, fleabag said:

There's  also a Carvin BX1600 weighing 8.5 Lbs, which is light for an amp with lots of power

I think if you're trying to sell your own amp you should be upfront about it, and maybe confine yourself to the for sale forums. I mentioned the Reidmar because OP had expressed an interest.

[fleabag]

 

He didnt mention Reidmar in his initial post. Just an amp and cab

There's  no difference  in  say, putting a sale in signatures.   Remember those in the pre change over ?

[TheGreek]

15 minutes ago, pete.young said:

I think if you're trying to sell your own amp you should be upfront about it, and maybe confine yourself to the for sale forums. I mentioned the Reidmar because OP had expressed an interest.

 

11 minutes ago, fleabag said:

 

He didnt mention Reidmar in his initial post. Just an amp and cab

There's  no difference  in  say, putting a sale in signatures.   Remember those in the pre change over ?

The OPs only been a member here for 9 hours and he's already started an argument. As for you two, you should know better!!

Do we need to send you to your rooms??

[fleabag]

I wouldn't want to be in a room with him. Grumpy  oik

[JohnDaBass]

+1 for the Barefaced Super Compact 1x12 great cab and will produce any sound you want, very neutral. I use a Mesa Subway D800 as my main amp but before acquiring the Mesa I used a Fender Rumble 500 head, both good amps but the Mesa D800 has real H**t ( oops). Two Super Compacts sound HUGE. 

[Delberthot]

The Fender Rumble combos sound great but I would still use another 2x10" cab if there was no pa

If I left my function band and went back to playing in rock bands then I would keep my amp and get something like 2 Barefaced Two10s. The main reason being that I couldn't get a 6 x10" or 8 x 10" in my car

[Guest gazzatriumph]

I use TC Electronics RH 750 and have two RS210 cabs,  only use one cab most the time plenty loud enough great tone and easy to carry around.