Adequate Bass Rigs

[shug]

I did New Day festival in Kent with Atomic Rooster a couple of years back with an Aguilar 412 and a rack with a Crest CA9 and a Demeter pre in it. The rig weighs a fkn ton and is a bit of a beach to move around, especially over any kind of rough ground. It sounds great, of course, but the fact is The Dub Pistols were on the bill and their guy was using a tiny class D amp and a 1x12 - might have been two 1x12's - and his sound was IMMENSE. 

 

Of course, it didn't look nearly as intimidating as my rig but, Jesus, it sounded dam' fine and the PA does most of the heavy lifting. I mainly use a Rumble 500 combo with or without an ext cab these days with an honourable mention for an Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal for the DI. Sounds pretty good to me. Naturally, my tech rider for gigs where backline's provided still says 'SVT / Aguilar 750/ Marshall VBA400 + 8x10 or equivalent ' - I'm not mad - but if I got to move it myself or there's limited space onstage it's the Rumble for me. Plus, you look a bit daft dragging the Full Monty fridge and head into a wedding gig or similar.

 

To get back to Oneshot's OP, those Eich 212 combos look like they'd do the job in pretty much any circumstance, though they're expensive and don't come up used very much. Failing that, the Rumble 500 covers it all for me and they're dead light and pretty available and affordable. Nowt sounds like a well-sorted old SVT rig but  you gonna find/store/maintain one of those?

 

Good luck in your search. New gear's great, innit?

[Downunderwonder]

Adequate is enough to match the unamplified drumkit. Any more than that means there is a PA doing boof boof duty. In a pub you probably have to turn down.

[dclaassen]

This is a great topic! Back in the 70s and 80s, are used a Music Man head and a 18 cab for rock/country. I now have a Hartke KB12, but have not yet gigged with it. Gotta admit that it feels weird not having a massive amp behind you, but one easy trip.

 from car to gig is nice. I do like the Rumble combos, and would probably be happy with the 200/15.

[paul_5]

23 hours ago, MrDinsdale said:

I love my tiny GK Fusion s and Barefaced two10 rig but I have to say I felt very self conscious stood across from the guitarist with his ridiculously oversized Mesa dual rectifier rig and floor covered in pedals. 🤣

 

 

[Doddy]

18 hours ago, Cat Burrito said:

Small amps *can* do if they aren't really up to the job in the first place but I mostly agree with you here. I don't think it matters if it is quality gear and most punters don't care / don't know. Some rigs do look amateur though - by his own admission my singer's guitar amp is amateur and it shows. We did two tours in 2019 with name bands where they complained about the size of my bass cabinet, which is partly why I upsized again. Both complaints came from singers, one of whom didn't even play the bass! I took my Terror bass around the UK on several occasions and it delivered every night. On the first tour the headliners kept telling the bass player it was the best he'd ever sounded so I think it's mostly around old school visuals. But I'm 100% with you on small amps can look cool on a big stage.

 

18 hours ago, Cat Burrito said:

PS I probably should add the genre is a factor. Having played a lot of rockabilly and americana, amp size never really appeared to be a thing. I'm sure there are plenty of other genres that this would apply to. I did those shows on the rock scene and those rock boys do like a big cabinet to stand in front of! 

I get you. I think it can look amateurish if you were to turn up with a small, old Carlsboro combo or something but I think most modern small amps look pretty good. 

 

I'm sure genre is a thing, especially old school rock bands. I'm currently playing a lot of punk/new wave stuff in decent sized venues, and I'm just using a small Ashdown head with one Schroeder cab. In fact, I'm using the same rig for everything lately. I've also played big theatres and arena shows with a single 12" cab and it's always been cool.

[Cat Burrito]

8 minutes ago, Doddy said:

I get you. I think it can look amateurish if you were to turn up with a small, old Carlsboro combo or something but I think most modern small amps look pretty good. 

 

I'm sure genre is a thing, especially old school rock bands. I'm currently playing a lot of punk/new wave stuff in decent sized venues, and I'm just using a small Ashdown head with one Schroeder cab. In fact, I'm using the same rig for everything lately. I've also played big theatres and arena shows with a single 12" cab and it's always been cool.

That is exactly my point. I think we're in 100% agreement here. 

[Supernaut]

Until someone carries my rig for me, I'll use the smallest, lightest and best sounding rig going. 

 

I'm not getting a bad back for some old boy who says "Back in my day!". 

[alexa3020]

When I had a small bass rig, I ended up carrying more of the Drums/PA in & out of venues. So I figured I may as well have a bigger rig

 

[Newfoundfreedom]

7 minutes ago, alexa3020 said:

When I had a small bass rig, I ended up carrying more of the Drums/PA in & out of venues. So I figured I may as well have a bigger rig

 

 

Same. I recently changed all my gear to lightweight stuff, and at the same time put up for sale a 2x12 vox guitar amp that weighs about a thousand pounds because I never wanted to hump heavy stuff around again. 

 

The guitarist in my band bought it and it takes two people to carry. So that didn't work out as expected. 

[KevB]

I bought a Rumble 100 for a small pub gig when asked to dep at short notice and my back wasn't up to taking my usual TE 1x15 combo + SWR 2x10 extention cab. I found it rather underpowered, I probably should have gone with the 500. I've kept it as a practice amp. However I also now have a TC Electronics 250W 1x12 combo and that can just about do the job for pubs so if at some point the heavy rig has to go I could still manage small venues. The TE rig still sounds great though even at low volume in pubs. Hauling it in and out of the pubs is becoming less of a thrill though.

[peteb]

2 hours ago, Supernaut said:

Until someone carries my rig for me, I'll use the smallest, lightest and best sounding rig going. 

 

I'm not getting a bad back for some old boy who says "Back in my day!". 

 

That's fine if you are gigging at a level where that is acceptable. If there is a gig where they want you (for whatever reason) to use a bigger rig, then you just won't get the gig. Simples! 

 

[Supernaut]

12 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

That's fine if you are gigging at a level where that is acceptable. If there is a gig where they want you (for whatever reason) to use a bigger rig, then you just won't get the gig. Simples! 

 

 

Have you ever played a gig where the condition of joining the band was that multiple Marshall stacks were required for every show? 

[peteb]

6 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

 

Have you ever played a gig where the condition of joining the band was that multiple Marshall stacks were required for every show? 

 

Yes, pretty much... 

 

Not playing pubs of course. 

 

[Supernaut]

1 minute ago, peteb said:

 

Yes, pretty much... 

 

Not playing pubs of course. 

 

 

Did you have to purchase them?

 

Were you your own roadie? 

[peteb]

1 minute ago, Supernaut said:

 

Did you have to purchase them?

 

Were you your own roadie? 

 

Yes / No

 

[Supernaut]

So someone else was shifting around your rig...

[peteb]

6 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

So someone else was shifting around your rig...

 

Yes and after I left that particular band I had to get rid of that rig (great as it was) because I could hardly lift it on my own and couldn't fit it into the hatchback that I had at the time. The point is that some gigs expect you to have certain types of gear... 

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by peteb

[Supernaut]

Thanks for backing up my point. 😂

[peteb]

34 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

Thanks for backing up my point. 😂

 

I think that the point that I'm trying to make is that you may need certain types of gear if you want to play certain certain types of gigs. 

 

In regards to the OP by @Oneshot, there are compromises with whatever gear you end up using! This could be in respect to weight, power, performance or whatever. FWIW, I have never found a Class D amp that I am happy with (gawd knows I've tried enough of them). I once spent a lot of money on a Mesa D800,which I thought sounded great. However, it just didn't work that well in certain live situations so it went back to Bass Direct to be sold on commission. To quote Mark when I took it back, "it's not just the sound of an amp, it's how it delivers that sound". I bought a Handbox hybrid amp instead, which is certainly heavier than the D800 but to me is an acceptable compromise of weight, portability and performance. 

 

I now have two rigs (a Mesa hybrid amp in a rackcase and a Berg 410 w/ceramic speakers / the Handbox and a Berg 212 w/neo speakers). I'm using the lighter weight rig for most gigs these days. If I had to say what is the better rig, I would go for the bigger amp & 410 (that I will still use for certain gigs), but the HB & lighter cab is a reasonable compromise and is a bit easier to take out of the car at two o'clock in the morning! 

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by peteb

[Mudpup]

Exactly my experience as well @peteb 

(Even down to the Mesa 800) 

And funnily enough I use a hybrid Mesa BB750 and Handbox R400 as the main amps now 

[bassbiscuits]

Been playing theatre gigs since last summer using a 500w Markbass LM2 and two Markbass 2x10 cabs. It’s all very lightweight and modular, never been short on volume onstage, and easy to transport. 

Gigs that size will have a big FOH system and decent monitors or IEMs anyway, and for smaller gigs I can get by with a one of the cabs. 
 

Im also from the era of “big is best” cabs, but having lugged around 8x10s, 4x10s and various combinations thereof over the last 30 or so years I just don’t want to do it anymore. 
 

[peteb]

10 minutes ago, bassbiscuits said:

Been playing theatre gigs since last summer using a 500w Markbass LM2 and two Markbass 2x10 cabs. It’s all very lightweight and modular, never been short on volume onstage, and easy to transport. 

 

The thing is that these days, to some people, that is considered to be a big heavyweight rig...! 

 

[peteb]

4 hours ago, Mudpup said:

And funnily enough I use a hybrid Mesa BB750 and Handbox R400 as the main amps now 

 

The R400s are great amps aren't they - easy one hand lift, 15" casing with a flightcase style front and they sound great (once you get to grips with the EQ section). I am amazed that Lezik hasn't been approached with a deal to increase production, because it does seem to fill a gap in the market (although I'm kinda glad that he hasn't as that would inevitably lead to mass production, then production being moved to the far-east)! 

 

I can see why people are looking for lighter and more portable gear, but the obsession with how just how light amps / cabs are these days is quite astonishing. It seems that as soon as a weekend warrior bass player hits 40, then they suddenly they become complete weaklings, infatuated with featherweight gear and then kid themselves that it sounds a lot better than it actually does. The D800 was so light that I had to put it on a rubber mat, otherwise it would literally bounce off the cab mid-gig!

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by peteb

[Lozz196]

I love the “all my gear in one trip from the car” statement. I’m so knackered I have to carry my plectrums in single trips 😠

[paul_5]

23 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I love the “all my gear in one trip from the car” statement. I’m so knackered I have to carry my plectrums in single trips 😠

'Carry'?!?! My plectrums come with wheels these days. 😢