How low can you get...

[lownote]

... money wise and still have a quality gigrig? I'm currently at £150 each for the bass, head and cab (Revelation fretless, Ashdown 300 Evo 2 head and 210 RM cab). My saxes push values up a bit but even they're not dear. 

[TheGreek]

You've done well - the Ashdown gear is great VFM and high quality at that. I've heard good things about Revelation basses, again great VFM. 

[hooky_lowdown]

For less salubrious gigs I use a TE GP12 SMX combo (1x15) mainly as a monitor, which I picked up a few years ago for next to nothing, and an inexpensive bass.

 

Definitely a lot less than my markbass combo and Fender '62 reissue.

Edited August 12, 2021 by hooky_lowdown

[uk_lefty]

The prices of second hand gear are very low at the moment, on the forum and elsewhere. Even then there's not a lot of buyers. I think once more gigs are successfully completed they might creep back up. But then you've got the mega deals on things like TC Electronics 800w amp and 4x10 and all the TC pedals that could just be pulling the *rse out of the market too. 

[Newfoundfreedom]

I once slept with my teenage cousin.

 

Sorry. I may have misunderstood the question. 

[Maude]

I did six months of gigs with only a secondhand Aria STB P bass and a Behringer BDI 21, straight to PA. 

Total outlay £60, £70 if you include the lead. 

 

I never had any issues or worries and would happily do it again, even using the Cruiser P bass I picked up recently for £20.

 

Spending money doesn't necessarily mean you've got gig competent gear, spending time maintaining whatever gear you've got usually does. 

[Lord Sausage]

1 hour ago, Maude said:

I did six months of gigs with only a secondhand Aria STB P bass and a Behringer BDI 21, straight to PA. 

Total outlay £60, £70 if you include the lead. 

 

I never had any issues or worries and would happily do it again, even using the Cruiser P bass I picked up recently for £20.

 

Spending money doesn't necessarily mean you've got gig competent gear, spending time maintaining whatever gear you've got usually does. 

I once did a UK tour of a musical with a bass my parents bought me when I was 17. I spent a fortune on gin though.

[paul_5]

I regularly gig (well, used to) with a board full of home-made pedals. My basses are all bitsas, and my rack preamp is a home-made too. 

 

This all goes into a shop-bought (shocker) power amp, into a home-made 1x12" cabinet with a tweeter.

 

Dunno what it's cost me over the years, but I'd put money on it being a hell of a lot less than shop-bought stuff!

[Downunderwonder]

The cab and amp I use on less secure locations might fetch 150gbp each.

 

One time I had to leave old faithful at the stage door all afternoon. I was betting nobody would go get a truck to take her away. Nobody did.

[2020Jazz]

7 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I once slept with my teenage cousin.

 

Sorry. I may have misunderstood the question. 

I tried really hard but she wouldn't. Does that count?

[Nicko]

After gear failure when playing a charity gig at a school I borrowed an Encore Precision bass copy from the music department which would have been maybe £100 new.  No one noticed and it was OK to play.  I could have DI'd it to the PA so the total cost of the setup would have been £150 including the DI box.

[paul_5]

11 hours ago, 2020Jazz said:

I tried really hard but she wouldn't. Does that count?

I didn't think Newfoundfreedom's cousin was that picky.

[SteveXFR]

On 10/08/2021 at 15:05, hooky_lowdown said:

For less salubrious gigs I use a TE GP12 SMX combo (1x15) mainly as a monitor, which I picked up a few years ago for next to nothing, and an inexpensive bass.

 

Trace Elliot amps and cabs are dirt cheap and really decent.  I've got a GP12SMX with the higher spec 4x12 and 1x15 whichI got for £300. They sound amazing for such a low cost. It's a bit short on volume though so I'm using my Orange Terror 500w head with the Trace cabs. For someone in a normal band (not stoner metal) it would be more than enough.