Best lightweight setup

[ezbass]

Why not go for your namesake whilst Guitar Guitar are having a clearance at daft prices? https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/phil-jones/amps/bass/

[T-Bay]

29 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

It's a real shame that they have stopped making the Terror 1000W and are now only selling the 500W version, which will be closer to 250 to 300W at 8 ohm, particularly when the BF Super Compact can handle up to 600W at 8ohm. Otherwise I'd be really tempted to try out this iconic British manufacturer's amps.

I was just smiling that I seem to have already sold 2 out of the 3 bits of my rig from a clip in the gigs thread I posted a couple of weeks ago, but will be holding onto the remaining item for a while yet. And yup it's a BF SC.

On the amp head front and speaking of best of British, in addition to Ashdown and Terror worth giving an honourable mention to Laney. I've not yet had the pleasure but their Laney Nexus SL is a hybrid with a tube preamp and D class power amp and whilst a little heavier, at 12 lbs, it delivers 1000W and has 3 band EQ with semi-para mids; they're around £660 new - don't seem to be a particular fav with BC'ers so you won't find them coming up used (if one does, I suspect I'll be on to it myself! 😁).

I think as @TheGreek rightly mentioned in his excellent post above, D class can sometimes be a little sterile and may require a little warming up with preamp and / or a drive pedal. My experience of hybrid amps on the other hand in the shape of my Mesa M6, is that they are anything but sterile and I would rate my Mesa as simply outstanding. It is not lightweight however, so my D class head is the one that ends up being gigged!  

I think the new one is switchable like the old so you would get a full 500w, but I would check just to be sure.

4 minutes ago, Paul S said:

I had one of the 500s.  It was much louder than the statistics would have you believe.  Especially as you can switch output between 8 and 4Ohm loads.  Can't imagine any scenario where you'd need 1000W with one of these.

I got the 1000w second hand off here as it came up at sensible money, it rarely goes above about 4/10 in any place we have played. I cranked it up to about 8/10 just messing about when we did a small festival once and the drummer who was late could hear me the best part of a mile away! I changed the valves to give a little more clean head room and that is supposed to lower the overall output a little but I can’t say I have noticed. But wind it right down I can use it to practice in a semi detached without upsetting the neighbours. They aren’t versatile in the way some of the TC heads are as the tone is the tone is the tone so to speak, but you can get a fair bit of variance from the basic controls so as long as you are happy with that then they are great. I would highly recommend them.

[theotherphiljones]

9 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Why not go for your namesake whilst Guitar Guitar are having a clearance at daft prices? https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/phil-jones/amps/bass/

Awesome prices!!

Whats the general opinion on this kit? 

[naxos10]

I believe from comments in these forums that the Phil Jones gear is more modern sounding than what has been recommended in the thread. This is probably due the use of multiple small drivers.

[T-Bay]

I tried some Phil Jones stuff and really liked it, but I don’t remember it as being particularly light, in fact I remember it as fairly hefty. Not TE heavy but a good weight all the same.

[Cuzzie]

You’ll get no arguments from me on Barefaced cabs of some flavour that suits you across the range.

A more than decent all in one head that will do clean through to overdrive and fuzz is the Tech21 VTBass500.

One amongst some very good suggestions

[ezbass]

28 minutes ago, theotherphiljones said:

Awesome prices!!

Whats the general opinion on this kit? 

I love it. Very clear and uncoloured to my ears. Takes emulating preamps very well (I use a VTDI) as well as pedals. 

[Al Krow]

40 minutes ago, Paul S said:

I had one of the 500s.  It was much louder than the statistics would have you believe.  Especially as you can switch output between 8 and 4Ohm loads.  Can't imagine any scenario where you'd need 1000W with one of these.

Yup indeed, but according to their website:

"The Terror bass is a Class D amp with 500 watts of power into 4 Ohms and 250 Watts into 8 Ohms, the limiter switch on the back prevents the output stage from being pushed too hard into 4 ohms."

And as the SC is an 8 ohm cab, I can imagine plenty of scenarios where 250W won't be enough. And certainly the best 112 cabs I've played through (e.g. the Fearless F112) will thrive on more.

 

[Chienmortbb]

Quote

I don't know what the support for Phil Jones stuff is like in the U.K. But a Canadian YouTuber had mega problems even though PJB is on the same continent.

 

[Paul S]

7 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Yup indeed, but according to their website:

"The Terror bass is a Class D amp with 500 watts of power into 4 Ohms and 250 Watts into 8 Ohms, the limiter switch on the back prevents the output stage from being pushed too hard into 4 ohms."

And as the SC is an 8 ohm cab, I can imagine plenty of scenarios where 250W won't be enough. And certainly the best 112 cabs I've played through (e.g. the Fearless F112) will thrive on more.

 

Well, according to my ears when I actually owned one it was plenty loud enough through a Supercompact.  Like I say, ignore the stats - there have been plenty of discussion on here about how loud various amps are, regardless of the stats.

[Al Krow]

7 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Well, according to my ears when I actually owned one it was plenty loud enough through a Supercompact.  Like I say, ignore the stats - there have been plenty of discussion on here about how loud various amps are, regardless of the stats.

I know, I know, all true Paul. But...I'm still stuck in my caveman view that a watt is a watt is a watt. Unless the output is being measured wrong. 

I also totally get that the complex harmonics of a tube pre-amp will cut through more than a clean tone.

But I like to have have 350W+ (at 8 ohms) on tap simply so that I don't have to drive my amp hard, which I think folk agree results in greater wear & tear on the amp circuitry. Guess I've been a little spoiled with my DG M900 / AO900 heads on that score.

Edited October 13, 2019 by Al Krow

[theotherphiljones]

Soooooooo,

Sorted the cab from some lovely chap on here. 

I’m looking at this ashdown rm500 which people think would pair nicely with the BC super compact. But the spec states the head being 4ohm and the cab is 8ohm. I don’t understand how they merge?

[Al Krow]

3 minutes ago, theotherphiljones said:

Soooooooo,

Sorted the cab from some lovely chap on here. 

I’m looking at this ashdown rm500 which people think would pair nicely with the BC super compact. But the spec states the head being 4ohm and the cab is 8ohm. I don’t understand how they merge?

Should be fine in terms using the two together. The amp delivers 500 watts into a 4 ohm cab, so if you're using an 8 ohm BF SC you'll get around 250W to 300W.

If you add another 8 ohm cab down the line in 'parallel', the combined 'load' of the two amps will be 4 ohms and you'll get the full 500W from two 12" speakers (rather than 250W from one 12" speaker), which will be considerably louder. But I suspect that's an issue for another day!

Only point I'd raise is that 250W to 300W may not leave you much headroom if you're part of a full rock band playing at volume - if you are maybe worth considering the RM800 instead?

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, theotherphiljones said:

Soooooooo,

Sorted the cab from some lovely chap on here. 

I’m looking at this ashdown rm500 which people think would pair nicely with the BC super compact. But the spec states the head being 4ohm and the cab is 8ohm. I don’t understand how they merge?

Unless you’re a super loud band it’s unlikely to be a problem, I’ve used my RM500 with loads of different cabs, 4ohm, 8ohm, never been an issue, never needed more power (and we’re an Oi/punk band so not quiet). As above you’ll probably get 300 or so watts at 8ohms but with the Super Compact being a very good, efficient cab I’d doubt you’ll need the amp anywhere near full volume.

Edited October 13, 2019 by Lozz196

[Al Krow]

Yeah definitely go with Lozz on this one, given that he's actually using the RM500 live with his punk band and finding it does the job well. That's about as good a volume road test as anyone is going to be able to provide! 

[dave_bass5]

On 12/10/2019 at 19:29, theotherphiljones said:

LOVE the look of that quilter. No fuss. Thinking maybe 4x10 may be a little too large for my spec currently. Thanks tho!!!🤘

Ive just ordered a B-stock Quilter BB800 from Thomanns  for £425. They have a couple left at that price. 

[theotherphiljones]

8 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Ive just ordered a B-stock Quilter BB800 from Thomanns  for £425. They have a couple left at that price. 

Holy moly!! Looks like the deal breaker!! Thanks👌

[dave_bass5]

2 minutes ago, theotherphiljones said:

Holy moly!! Looks like the deal breaker!! Thanks👌

No problem. I was going to get a BB802 but when I saw the BB800 for this price it was a no brainier. Not worried if it's got a few marks on it, and it still has full 12 month warranty. 

[theotherphiljones]

1 minute ago, dave_bass5 said:

No problem. I was going to get a BB802 but when I saw the BB800 for this price it was a no brainier. Not worried if it's got a few marks on it, and it still has full 12 month warranty. 

Absolutely. I’m all in on this

[tauzero]

Tecamp Puma 900 is also worth looking at if you can find one second-hand.

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said:

Ive just ordered a B-stock Quilter BB800 from Thomanns  for £425. They have a couple left at that price. 

Wowzers 

[Tradfusion]

I use the BB800 with a Supercompact and its a great versatile light weight rig for pretty much any genre 🙂

[theotherphiljones]

10 minutes ago, Tradfusion said:

I use the BB800 with a Supercompact and its a great versatile light weight rig for pretty much any genre 🙂

That’s good to hear. Especially as I just bought this exact setup!!

[Tradfusion]

2 minutes ago, theotherphiljones said:

That’s good to hear. Especially as I just bought this exact setup!!

Excellent congrats.. you wont be sorry!!

[dave_bass5]

My BB800 just arrived from Thomanns.. Perfect condition. Very happy. Ill get to try it out tomorrow night with my F112.

I dont plan on using the little bag but was surprised to see a a fitted foam bottom in it. Very nice touch.