12stringbassist Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 (edited) It must be 2017, that I first saw a huge HiWatt rig in a shop not far from me. New. Maxwatt 300 amp plus 4x10 and 1x15 cabs. I sent a mate a pic in 2018 to tip him off, but he didn't bite. I had an excursion away from my regular Hartkes into Blackstar, which didn't go well. I was reluctant to change over but before covid struck, I started to think a spare rig might be useful. The shop was closed since early last year. It wasn't in their online store. After a few attempts to get to the shop to try the rig, I managed to get there today and (ringing to check the shop was open), the rig was still there. I played through it with an active Jazz bass and it sounded great. I haggled for a deal, but it was already reduced as far as it would go. I was sorting out purchase of the head and the 4x10. Some one came along to lift the head down and he said how heavy it was. I picked it up and it was REALLY heavy. Oh... I asked what the 4x10 cab weighed. Two guys got it down onto the floor. I could only lift it 3" off the floor. Damn. If I couldn't get it in the car, what use would it be? I left the shop dejected and cash unspent. Damn. Edited May 7, 2021 by 12stringbassist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dankology Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I am stupidly tempted by this, despite the likelihood of having exactly the same issue as you. Is this at Chase, going off the tags? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 Reminds me of that time me and Kelly Brook ... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I was in Angel Music in Denmark Street some years ago (when it was above Macari's) and noticed an Orange AD200 on top of several other amps & combos. Foolishly, I was tempted and asked if I could play through it, and the epitome-of-a-Denmark-Street-sales-assistant behind the counter said "sure". I tried to move it down to where there was an appropriate speaker, but the angle was awkward and I have a dodgy back, so I suggested that the assistant move it for me. He was considerably bigger and much younger than me, so it made sense. He grabbed the amp by its handle and started to swing it across to the cab, at which point the two screws/bolts/whatever holding the handle on ripped straight through the wood, leaving the assistant holding the handle and looking foolish while the all-valve head plummeted over a metre onto the wooden floor with an ear-splitting crash. For some reason, I lost interest in trying the amp at this point. As I left, the assistant was carefully putting the AD200 exactly where it had come from, with the handle replaced as if nothing had ever happened. 2 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilebodgers Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 LOL. IMO the time for gear that requires a risk assessment and a manual handling training course to move around is over. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 23 minutes ago, nilebodgers said: LOL. IMO the time for gear that requires a risk assessment and a manual handling training course to move around is over. Same for me, the teenage/early 20s me says what a great idea, the 50 plus actual me acknowledges defeat. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steantval Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 11 hours ago, 12stringbassist said: It must be 2017, that I first saw a huge HiWatt rig in a shop not far from me. New. Maxwatt 300 amp plus 4x10 and 1x15 cabs. I sent a mate a pic in 2018 to tip him off, but he didn't bite. I had an excursion away from my regular Hartkes into Blackstar, which didn't go well. I was reluctant to change over but before covid struck, I started to think a spare rig might be useful. The shop was closed since early last year. It wasn't in their online store. After a few attempts to get to the shop to try the rig, I managed to get there today and (ringing to check the shop was open), the rig was still there. I played through it with an active Jazz bass and it sounded great. I haggled for a deal, but it was already reduced as far as it would go. I was sorting out purchase of the head and the 4x10. Some one came along to lift the head down and he said how heavy it was. I picked it up and it was REALLY heavy. Oh... I asked what the 4x10 cab weighed. Two guys got it down onto the floor. I could only lift it 3" off the floor. Damn. If I couldn't get it in the car, what use would it be? I left the shop dejected and cash unspent. Damn. Buy that and receive a free membership. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 11 hours ago, Dankology said: I am stupidly tempted by this, despite the likelihood of having exactly the same issue as you. Is this at Chase, going off the tags? Yup. It is at Chase. Head £399 4x10 £299 1x15 £299 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I'll just leave this here ... (The cab has the nickname 'Giggles'; the bassist who sold it to me explained that, whenever he would ask for a helping hand with it, all would burst into a fit of giggles ...) 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steantval Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 (edited) Just out of interest I moved from Trace Elliot rigs to Markbass several years ago, the TE stuff was just too heavy and I suffered a hernia due to lumping it about. Is Markbass still the lightest gear out there or is there now other stuff that is lighter on a like for like basis? Edited May 8, 2021 by steantval Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 Any idea what make the odd looking six strings on the left are? pressumably the vol and tone mounted at 90° as some sort of 'roller' control? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicbassman Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I've just offloaded a faithful old Peavey Megabass cabinet on ebay and replaced this with a Vanderkley 212, which not only sounds better but is literally half the weight. The annoying thing is, I pulled my back whilst trying to weigh the b####y Peavey on the bathroom scales, so I could state the weight in the ad. 🥺 I then decided maybe it would be best NOT to state the weight. in the advert 😁 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 5 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said: Any idea what make the odd looking six strings on the left are? pressumably the vol and tone mounted at 90° as some sort of 'roller' control? They look like Mavericks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 Back in the day our bassist used a 2x15 WEM ported bass cab. It took two roadies to lift into the van. But, the heft, the heft. Trouser flapping bass my friend. Bass amps today? Pah. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonse Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 6 hours ago, Happy Jack said: I've had 3 of those buggers and the handles were dodgy on all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 Is the head a 300w valve amp or solid state? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spencer.b Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 1 hour ago, la bam said: Is the head a 300w valve amp or solid state? Solid state 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 5 hours ago, steantval said: Just out of interest I moved from Trace Elliot rigs to Markbass several years ago, the TE stuff was just too heavy and I suffered a hernia due to lumping it about. Is Markbass still the lightest gear out there or is there now other stuff that is lighter on a like for like basis? Loads of really light stuff now. Almost everyone does a Class D amplifier head of similar weight. GR Bass and Barefaced make cabs that are even lighter, and as the speaker tech has moved on they sound better too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, la bam said: Is the head a 300w valve amp or solid state? This is a sales blurb from a site I just found at https://reverb.com/uk/item/7087494-hiwatt-b300h-300w-bass-head-solid-state-maxwatt-series-brand-new-boxed "HIWATT B300H 300W Bass Head Solid State Maxwatt Series DESCRIPTION The B300 Head puts out 300 watts into a 4-ohm output or 200 watts into an 8-ohm output. The Head includes: passive and active inputs, gain control, master volume, shape control (push/pull flat/boost) and a 7-band EQ with push/pull - on/off control. There is also a built-in LIMITER with ratio and push/pull - on/off controls. Outputs include XLR balanced line out and a headphone jack. This amp, again, is a tried and tested solid state modern classic. This is the most popular and the only solid state head that we make for bass in this price range. In fact, some bass players swear by this for full on LOUD! The pre-amp has high & low sensitivity switch. There is simply no better sounding, looking or engineered solid state bass head amplifier in the world in this price bracket! FEATURES Front Panel Controls: INPUT, PASSIVE/ACTIVE SWITCH, GAIN, BASS, TREBLE, ON/OFF EQ, EQUALISATION, MASTER VOLUME, LIMIT SWITCH, MP3 IN, PHONES INPUT, MAINS SWITCH Back Panel Features: LINE OUT, 2 X SPEAKER OUTPUTS, XLR OUT, AUX IN Output Power: 300W. Please note this amp can be used for keyboards as well. Dimensions (Unboxed) L x H x 😧 59 x 32 x 26 cm Weight (Unboxed): 19 kg" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ As for the guitars in the picture, it's an old picture that I took of the HiWatt rig, before the lockdowns started, so I honestly don't know if they still have those in. They have lots of weird and wonderful looking guitars. Edited May 8, 2021 by 12stringbassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I remember going to some guys house, to check out the Hartke 410 combo he had for sale at a ridiculously low price. I had the cash burning a hole in my pocket but first I decided to check out how much it weighed. About the same as a small planet. I left without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 The 'net says somewhere between 41 and 46 kg dependent on model. A Trace 1048h is about that, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 20 hours ago, 12stringbassist said: It must be 2017, that I first saw a huge HiWatt rig in a shop not far from me. New. Maxwatt 300 amp plus 4x10 and 1x15 cabs. I sent a mate a pic in 2018 to tip him off, but he didn't bite. I had an excursion away from my regular Hartkes into Blackstar, which didn't go well. I was reluctant to change over but before covid struck, I started to think a spare rig might be useful. The shop was closed since early last year. It wasn't in their online store. After a few attempts to get to the shop to try the rig, I managed to get there today and (ringing to check the shop was open), the rig was still there. I played through it with an active Jazz bass and it sounded great. I haggled for a deal, but it was already reduced as far as it would go. I was sorting out purchase of the head and the 4x10. Some one came along to lift the head down and he said how heavy it was. I picked it up and it was REALLY heavy. Oh... I asked what the 4x10 cab weighed. Two guys got it down onto the floor. I could only lift it 3" off the floor. Damn. If I couldn't get it in the car, what use would it be? I left the shop dejected and cash unspent. Damn. So that's where all those unsold Mavericks ended up... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 1 minute ago, Cosmo Valdemar said: So that's where all those unsold Mavericks ended up... Mavericks, that was the brand, thank you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 (edited) Wasn't the bass version of those guitars something like a Marlin Sidewinder? Talk about mixing your animal metaphors. Edit- Nope. That's something else. It's just a Maverick bass. Still with the Volume controls in the edge though. Edited May 8, 2021 by Lfalex v1.1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I had an Ashdown Klystron head and 8x10 at one point. It sounded awesome but the thought of transporting it to gigs made me weep. People coming home from the pub past my house used to offer to help me struggling up the stairs to my front door. I sold it for an Aguilar GS410, which also sounded lovely but weighed about 45kg as well. Ive ended up with a Genz Benz neo cab and some Markbass heads and cabs. It’s what I can be bothered to drag around these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.