Movin' on up

[northstreet]

Hi. I'm after some words of wisdom about what gear I should buy, rather than what the guy in the shop needs to sell this week.

I've recently started playing again after a gap of about 25 years. I bought an Ibanex GSR200 and a Crate BT100 - both of which are fine for auditions/rehearsals/small rooms. I've got in with a couple of bands that gig occasionally and for live work they are using 300W+ stuff and some expensive guitars. I don't want to spend a fortune but I reckon I need to trade up in order to get some gigs. What do people think would be some good gear to move on to?

With my existing gear, I really like the neck and light weight of the Ibanez, and was looking at something else from the range, but is a £750 Ibanez good value - or should I follow the crowd and get a P-bass? Or is OK to stick with a cheap guitar for now?

I will definitely need some louder gear. I like the depth of sound from the 15" speaker in the Crate, so I was looking at some of the Behringer stuff, which seems reasonable value - but again, what's the general opinion on mid-price gear?

Thanks for any help or advise you guys can give.

[Cantdosleepy]

Cheap bass will be fine for now - if you're thrifty you don't need to worry about getting a nicer bass until you're in bands that are headlining. Maybe not even then. I played recently with a Peavey Milestone. It didn't sound fabulous, but nobody in the audience is actually listening out for how warm/punchy/defined the bass is sounding. It's almost a better idea to play with a crappy bass for a while longer - when you do upgrade you'll know more about what you like. You only really need to worry about being loud enough.

Maybe keep an eye out for a second-hand Peavey 115 TNT? Something that's loud enough to gig with, that's near bullet-proof, will be fine for the short-medium term.

There are two parts of the bass hobby - bass playing and bass gear. The gear side of the hobby is fun and interesting, and buying the right things WILL make you sound better if you know what you're up to, but all you really need is a workable bass (and the GSR200 is certainly that) and a loud enough amp with working EQ.

Depending on where you live maybe this fella:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=33318"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=33318[/url]
Should be loud enough to do small gigs, and by the time you get to bigger places you'll be able to use the venue's PA...

Edited December 2, 2008 by Cantdosleepy

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='Cantdosleepy' post='343264' date='Dec 2 2008, 05:28 PM']Maybe keep an eye out for a second-hand Peavey 115 TNT? Something that's loud enough to gig with, that's near bullet-proof, will be fine for the short-medium term.
.[/quote]


+ 1 not a huge fan of them but I played through one on Sunday and it had a lot more options and volume than others in that bracket.

[OldGit]

Hi and welcome to Basschat.
This Is a fairly regular topic so there's a number of threads on it already, We also have a Wiki (look right at the top of the home page) where there's advice on this sort of thing.

Anyway, boiled down the advice is usually:
Your Ibanez is fine, any band that says you should play a specific bass is probably too much hassle to worry about (unless you're playing the blues with Chris Rea and trying to do it on a 9 string)

In fact a 50 quid P bass copy can sound fine as gear these days is very much higher quality than stuff was 20 years ago. If you think you should get a P then look at getting a Squier.

Whatever you do don't buy new For a set budget used will get you more bang for your buck.

Same with a combo.
Yes 300+ watts are considered a comfortable minimum for gigging with a band with drums. There's loads of options, especially if you buy used. What you get will depend on taste, budget and availability.

There are several Behringer fans on the forum. My preference for starter kit is used Peavey (TNT minimum, TKO is a tad small. idea is a "Combo 300 Brilliant amp, a bit rare but well underpriced, usually.) Peavey is not that fashionable and thus you get more for your money.

You may like to look at Ashdown, Hartke, Laney, Carlsboro,

Trace Elliot 300 watt combos have been around for a long time, older ones are cheap, tough and loud ...

Have a browse through the eBay categories and see what comes up.
Also keep an eye on our amps for sale section, after searching it, as there's always loads of stuff flying around here (some of it never actually touches down )

A kickback style cab is a good idea so that you can point the speaker at your head.

Edited December 2, 2008 by OldGit

[OutToPlayJazz]

If you're happy with your existing bass, then carry on playing it I have found that g*****ists are noisy bastards, aren't they?? I used to have a 300w Trace rig which was ample for many years, but then my guitarist for The PHD got a couple of the Line 6 Spider II combos, pushing 150w. Completely buried my sound. Now I've got the Markbass stuff, I'm running 500w at 4ohms & life is sooo much easier. The answer? Perhaps get a cheapish 500w combo. Ashdown MAG series, perhaps? I think they do a 600 for reasonable money, don't they?

[simon1964]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='343458' date='Dec 2 2008, 08:19 PM']The answer? Perhaps get a cheapish 500w combo. Ashdown MAG series, perhaps?[/quote]

+1 to the Ashdown MAG. I gigged with a MAG combo for a lot of years, and found it a really nice bit of kit.

[leschirons]

[quote name='northstreet' post='343247' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:20 PM']Hi. I'm after some words of wisdom about what gear I should buy, rather than what the guy in the shop needs to sell this week.

I've recently started playing again after a gap of about 25 years. I bought an Ibanex GSR200 and a Crate BT100 - both of which are fine for auditions/rehearsals/small rooms. I've got in with a couple of bands that gig occasionally and for live work they are using 300W+ stuff and some expensive guitars. I don't want to spend a fortune but I reckon I need to trade up in order to get some gigs. What do people think would be some good gear to move on to?

With my existing gear, I really like the neck and light weight of the Ibanez, and was looking at something else from the range, but is a £750 Ibanez good value - or should I follow the crowd and get a P-bass? Or is OK to stick with a cheap guitar for now?

I will definitely need some louder gear. I like the depth of sound from the 15" speaker in the Crate, so I was looking at some of the Behringer stuff, which seems reasonable value - but again, what's the general opinion on mid-price gear?

Thanks for any help or advise you guys can give.[/quote]

Bass guitar wise, there are loads of great options now for not a lot of money so I reckon it's down to you to get to a shop and try as many as you can. No point in buying a bass that everyone else has got if it may not be right for you.

Re the amp side of things, although I don't use one, I suggested to a mate of mine with a budget of about £400 that he try out the new 350 watt Hartke 4x10 combo. Can't remember the actual model number. He's a bit of a lazy ba****d so I did all the review reading thing for him. Anyway, he bought one off of GAK on the web and last Saturday in the UK, I went to see his band in a pub. It really kicked out a great sound. It only cost him about £399 + delivery. It has a DI out for recording, a great, useable graphic, effects send and return, built in castors and for pub and medium size club gigs you wouldn't need anything else. No mute switch though. Got up and did one number with them, strapped on his Jazz V and it took about 10 seconds to lose his Jah Wobble shaking the glasses off the bar sound and get a really nice MM type funk sound. Really user friendly and quick to achieve a good usable sound. Check it out. If that's a bit more than you want to spend, you can find a Peavey 300watt 1x15 combo on ebay for next to nothing now days. For no money, great value. Down side is you need 83 people to get in in your car.

Keith

Edited December 7, 2008 by leschirons

[Buzz]

Moving on Up you say?



No? Aww.

Amp is the way to go, I'd say something like a Warwick Profet 3.2 coupled with a 1x15" Hartke or their 2x10, Peavey is also a good cab brand. Gives room for expandability later.

[OldGit]

Nah he must have meant Move on Up!

[nick]

No, he does mean Movin' On Up!

[OldGit]

[quote name='leschirons' post='343633' date='Dec 2 2008, 10:47 PM']you can find a Peavey 300watt 1x15 combo on ebay for next to nothing nowadays. For no money, great value. Down side is you need 83 people to get in in your car.

Keith[/quote]

ha ha +1 they are very solid and Old Skool
Get one with a 1x15 Black Widow speaker if you go this way.
Looks like poo, sounds great.

And no, you can't buy mine

Not to be confused with teh Combo 115, the TKO or the TNT. All are 1x15 combos

[OldGit]

[quote name='nick' post='343674' date='Dec 2 2008, 11:27 PM']No, he does mean Movin' On Up!

[/quote]


Nah can't be that one. No bass amp!

[northstreet]

Thanks for all the advise. I'll be keeping the Ibanez. Re the amp, I've decided on a Behringer 1x15" cab (I know the quality may not be the best but there's not too much to go wrong with a cab) and a Peavey Tour 450. That will give me 300W and should be loud enough. I need more volume I can throw a cheap 2x10" cab into the mix and get the full 450W.

Cheers

[budget bassist]

FYI if you do want a nice bass, deaver is selling an ibanez SR900 in trans black with neck thru, barts and 3 band EQ on here for £315 + postage.

[bass_ferret]

Your bass is good. Peavey Tour 450 is good. I gigged with Peavey for 20 odd years. Not sure if the Behringher cab has the best rep for longevity. Every Peavey rig I had was Black Widow except the last (2 2x10XF or whatever) but not sure if they still do Black Widows.

I might see if I could stretch to a better cab.

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='353299' date='Dec 13 2008, 01:06 AM']Your bass is good. Peavey Tour 450 is good. I gigged with Peavey for 20 odd years. Not sure if the Behringher cab has the best rep for longevity. Every Peavey rig I had was Black Widow except the last (2 2x10XF or whatever) but not sure if they still do Black Widows.

I might see if I could stretch to a better cab.[/quote]
+1

There are some good cabs for sale on Basschat at the moment that might be worth looking at, like a Trace 410 for £150 IIRC?

[redzombie]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='343268' date='Dec 2 2008, 05:30 PM']+ 1 not a huge fan of them but I played through one on Sunday and it had a lot more options and volume than others in that bracket.[/quote]


Word. My 150 watt (IIRC) TNT115 kicks my Ashdown ABM300EVOII's arse volume-wise when the Ashdowns's run at 8 ohms/235watts. Those amps have some serious headroom for their rating.

[BassBunny]

Hi NS,
I can really empathise with your situation as I had a similar 25 year sabatical, but as a guitarist. When i took up playing again, I switly moved to Bass and will neve go back to guitar.
I looks like you are going down a similar path and I wouldn't normally put my "10 Penneth In", but you have got some really good advice from BassChatters and you have obviously done the right thing by joining us........
I know there are some Behringer Fans on the forum but I went a similar route as you are thinking and it was the worst, (and most costly), mistake I made. Behringer DO make some good products but I had massive problems with mine and was treated like a leaper when I sold the stuff.
There is some really good kit on here at the moment. Not sure if BigD still has the Neo loaded Ashdown ABM115 and Carlsbro head still for sale, but that was once mine and is bloody awesome. Pretty light, ply construction and has your trousers flapping like a good un. The head is one of the last British made ones before they shipped production to China.
The other suggestions above are really great and you will obviously get More Bang for Your Buck by buying 2nd hand. Electronics are pretty realiable these days, so you shouldn't have a problem.
Good idea to stick with the Bass until you know what you want. Not sure how many I went through before I stopped looking at the Basses For Sale section, but it is a good few. One make that really impressed was Cort. As well as making for Lakland/G&L/Fender and i believe some Ibanez products, they are fantastic instruments. Very well made and they have "borrowed" some of the ideas from the production lines of the Big Boys. The GB74 is awesome.
As ever this is only my personal opinion and at the end of the day it is your money and your choice. Good Luck and I hope you don't end up doing as much "Wheeling and Dealing" as I did to get the set-up I craved.

[lonestar]

[quote name='northstreet' post='353274' date='Dec 12 2008, 11:48 PM']Thanks for all the advise. I'll be keeping the Ibanez. Re the amp, I've decided on a Behringer 1x15" cab (I know the quality may not be the best but there's not too much to go wrong with a cab) and a Peavey Tour 450. That will give me 300W and should be loud enough. I need more volume I can throw a cheap 2x10" cab into the mix and get the full 450W.

Cheers[/quote]

Hartke will give you a lot of watts for your buck. I haven't tried Behringer backline kit but there other stuff is cheap and not necessarily that well thought of in the industry.
What I've seen of their products when photographing them for a magazine is a bit cheap and nasty.
I spent £60 fitting a Celestion driver to an Ashdown Mag 1x15 a few years ago and it transformed the sound and output. That could be another route for you.

[ardi100]

FYI if you do want a nice bass, deaver is selling an ibanez SR900 in trans black with neck thru, barts and 3 band EQ on here for £315 + postage.

This is a great bass, I nearly sold my American Jazz for one of these when they came into my shop!

[lonestar]

How about This

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=34184&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=34184&hl=[/url]

[bassmansky]

i would stay clear of the behringer cab as well.lots more to choose from secondhand like ashdown,trace elliot,peavey etc.imo you dont have to spend hundreds of pounds on a bass guitar.there are many what cost 2/300 quid that are as good as those that cost three times that.if i had tryed a classic vibe 6o's pbass before i bought my fender j bass i would have saved myself over £500!but thats just my opinion!