Who's Playing Old, Heavy, Outmoded Gear that No One Wants?

[Count Bassie]

Listening to the bands who were hot when I grew up helps remind me of why I started playing. I know the trend is cleaner and more hi-fi these days, but there's no replacing that simpler, earthy, somehow more 'flawed' sound...

 

For instance:

 

Peavey MK-III into an SWR Big Ben (Bag End) 1x18. Not high wattage, but sounds like an 800lb toad with teeth, with my Epi Thunderbird (Classic Pro, Gibson clone) driving it.

There's a Goliath-II to stack up if needed, someday...

What's in your basement?...

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Phil C]

Yep - I have a Mark Bass 2x12 plus 800w head for deps and wedding gigs, but for Rock'n'roll you can't beat my back breaking Mesa Boogie 400+ with 1x18 and 2x10!  

 

[Bridgehouse]

If this wasn’t against the docs instructions right now I’d use this all the time…

 

 

[Bridgehouse]

And, this gets used at home more than anything else…

 

 

[Count Bassie]

Nice pile o'cartage we've got! I think I've got the only garage-womper here so far, you guys have some nice pedigree going on. 

 

I can't pick my favorite...

Edited December 7, 2021 by Count Bassie

[Lozz196]

I’m not, but only due to the acceptance that my back won’t permit it anymore. My rig in my last band was Ashdown ABM600 with ABM 410 & 210 cabs but it got too much, so now have two ABM PRO NEO 210s instead. I’m there in spirit!

[Skybone]

2 hours ago, Bridgehouse said:

If this wasn’t against the docs instructions right now I’d use this all the time…

 

 

 

Must admit, I was quite tempted when this rig came up for sale...

[Downunderwonder]

If I would rather leave gear overnight unsecured I sometimes cart out the old stuff in preference to setting up twice. One time I left my 80's 215 outside where anyone with a good back could have thrown it in their car and made off with it all afternoon.

[Count Bassie]

11 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

If I would rather leave gear overnight unsecured I sometimes cart out the old stuff in preference to setting up twice. One time I left my 80's 215 outside where anyone with a good back could have thrown it in their car and made off with it all afternoon.

Hm. Depending on the neighborhood I guess, I've done similar. But overnight, not even in my car.

If I don't want it I'd rather get some bread for it than lose it.

[Downunderwonder]

1 hour ago, Count Bassie said:

Hm. Depending on the neighborhood I guess, I've done similar. But overnight, not even in my car.

If I don't want it I'd rather get some bread for it than lose it.

For a very long time my gear was worth more than my car! I didn't even have a car for a bit.

 

Stuff is sort of not really safe in cars around here. Every now again there is a spate of kid burglaries on vehicles. They think it's kids because they take the cash and phones and leave expensive tools and the cards. I think a choice bass or amp would be gone on the wrong night. The old 215 would probably be fine.

[Count Bassie]

1 hour ago, Downunderwonder said:

For a very long time my gear was worth more than my car! I didn't even have a car for a bit.

 

Stuff is sort of not really safe in cars around here. Every now again there is a spate of kid burglaries on vehicles. They think it's kids because they take the cash and phones and leave expensive tools and the cards. I think a choice bass or amp would be gone on the wrong night. The old 215 would probably be fine.

It's always been quiet in my neighborhood, but that's changing unfortunately... Even my old dingy boxes might get expressed out of my 15 year-old Toyota hatchback.

 

I am considering swapping out for a couple of those GK things- the combo/powered cab stack, just for the easy 3 a.m. car-to-house chore. Just had two hernias repaired, and I'm 60 (though being 60 isn't bad at all really). But that SWR stuff is kinda hefty.

[police squad]

I've still got a BLX80 and a hartke 2x10 HA1400 combo.

Everything else is class D and neo.

 

Even my guitar amp is new technology. Vox MV50 AC. It's awesome but it goes into a vintage 30 loaded cab.

My pedal board weighs more than the 1x12 cab, now that needs addressing.

 

I still have all my old guitar amps, an early 80s 50 watt Marshall head, Vox AC30 CC2X, WKZ Little Devil 50 watt head, WKZ Little Devil 50 watt 1x12 Combo and last but not least (you guessed it ) WKZ El Diablo 18 watt 1x12 combo. Various 4x12 cabs (all WKZ of course). None of which will probably be used in anger ever again. All far too heavy for my aging shoulders

[Count Bassie]

41 minutes ago, police squad said:

I've still got a BLX80 and a hartke 2x10 HA1400 combo.

Everything else is class D and neo...

 

 

That little Trace machine is pretty heavy! Certainly for it's size.

[uk_lefty]

20 hours ago, Bridgehouse said:

If this wasn’t against the docs instructions right now I’d use this all the time…

 

 

I wanted one of these when I was a teen. Had to settle for the Bass State B150 which was a hefty lump, but not the prestige DBS line!

20 hours ago, Bridgehouse said:

And, this gets used at home more than anything else…

 

 

Used to have one of these with a 2x10 extension cab. 

 

Also until recently had a fantastic Trace 2x10.

 

My first proper amp was an 80s Peavey. It was knackered. It had weird dials for "pyramid" and other craziness. But it was "150 watts", 80s Peavey watts, and I'm fairly sure it was radioactive. I don't have any photos of it unfortunately.

 

I'd love to be playing a Marshall DBS set up, or a good old Peavey set up, but I don't have the skill to repair or maintain these things, sadly and I'm all about having the job done reliably. I'd be stressing too much if I thought something could go wrong with my amp or bass at a gig.

 

Love seeing these though, fantastic that they're still in use!

[Quilly]

20 hours ago, Bridgehouse said:

And, this gets used at home more than anything else…

 

 

I had one of those , great amps 

[Dood]

5 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

I wanted one of these when I was a teen. Had to settle for the Bass State B150 which was a hefty lump, but not the prestige DBS line!

Used to have one of these with a 2x10 extension cab. 

 

Also until recently had a fantastic Trace 2x10.

 

My first proper amp was an 80s Peavey. It was knackered. It had weird dials for "pyramid" and other craziness. But it was "150 watts", 80s Peavey watts, and I'm fairly sure it was radioactive. I don't have any photos of it unfortunately.

 

I'd love to be playing a Marshall DBS set up, or a good old Peavey set up, but I don't have the skill to repair or maintain these things, sadly and I'm all about having the job done reliably. I'd be stressing too much if I thought something could go wrong with my amp or bass at a gig.

 

Love seeing these though, fantastic that they're still in use!

 

Yes! The same! I remember playing a hefty ole P bass (that I did ended up buying) through massive 7400 stack! (Gosh to think that P bass was only 400 quid back then) - the Marshall stack was of course a considerable amount more. I was obsessed with it, but I was actually very pleased with my (rather unfortunately named) Marshall IBS 200W head that I used for years. The cabinet I used was a secondhand 2x15 with Celestion speakers. Awww, maybe I should recreate that stack one day, it was lovely.

 

I have a 32Kg SVT 2 Pro on my shelf. I love it, it sounds incredible, but like @Bridgehouse, I can't imagine it will go out to many gigs these days!! 

[fretmeister]

All my heavy gear went on Doc's orders after lots of surgery.

But it was two Marshall VBC412 cabs. one powered by a Hartke HA3500 and the other by an Ashdown MAG400H (red one). Split signal bass.

 

Best sound I ever had. Never needed a rhythm guitarist!

[Bridgehouse]

I did put that Marshall amp and cab up for sale a little while back (collection only!) or for trade for something (anything!) but didn't get any takers. 

 

It's a shame really because I wish it would get some usage. It's just way beyond too heavy for me at the moment and I'll be sticking to the Helix and QSC K10.2 for the foreseeable. I might get a Barefaced with a lightweight head, but for home use the TE is superb. 

[Dood]

3 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

I did put that Marshall amp and cab up for sale a little while back (collection only!) or for trade for something (anything!) but didn't get any takers. 

 

It's a shame really because I wish it would get some usage. It's just way beyond too heavy for me at the moment and I'll be sticking to the Helix and QSC K10.2 for the foreseeable. I might get a Barefaced with a lightweight head, but for home use the TE is superb. 

 

Yes, I did look at it many times!

[Bridgehouse]

2 minutes ago, Dood said:

 

Yes, I did look at it many times!

 

I suspect the potential market is actually limited to those with the backs and stamina to cope with it, those who have very tolerant neighbours, and those who have a vehicle suitably sized to cope with the beast!

Edited December 8, 2021 by Bridgehouse

[Dood]

2 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

 

I suspect the potential market is actually limited to those with the backs and stamina to cope with it, those who have very tolerant neighbours, and those who have a vehicle suitably sized to cope with the beast!

 

Yeah ha ha! My back wouldn't let me take it out the house, my neighbours wouldn't want it in the house ha ha!

[Bridgehouse]

2 minutes ago, Dood said:

 

Yeah ha ha! My back wouldn't let me take it out the house, my neighbours wouldn't want it in the house ha ha!

 

I certainly don't want to be regularly trying to get it into the car. The neighbours are a reasonable distance away, but I suspect the missus might have something to say about me using it at home regularly (not that I'd be able to hear a word she was saying...)

[Dood]

22 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

 

I certainly don't want to be regularly trying to get it into the car. The neighbours are a reasonable distance away, but I suspect the missus might have something to say about me using it at home regularly (not that I'd be able to hear a word she was saying...)

 

But I do want a 7400 and an IBS 400... a Trace V8.. and A Trace V-type Preamp, an Ampeg SVP Pro, two Hartke 4.5XLs, an Ampeg 810, Bergantino HD212's, Barefaced Big Twin 2 (or a pair of BB2's) and ummm... a new back.

[Dood]

Just now, Dood said:

 

But I do want a 7400 and an IBS 400... a Trace V8.. and A Trace V-type Preamp, an Ampeg SVP Pro, two Hartke 4.5XLs, an Ampeg 810, Bergantino HD212's, Barefaced Big Twin 2 (or a pair of BB2's) and ummm... a new back.

 

and another solid northern Ash P bass, just to really wreck my back.