Looking for a decent combo for my son

[JohntheVoice]

After cutting his teeth on a harley benton J bass and a cheap combo, my son is making very rapid progress and I'm looking for a nice combo to move up to. Been looking at Bugera bxd15 / bxd15a, Roland katana 110, Wawick bc80. Any reviews / critiques / suggestions? 

[PaulThePlug]

I'd first take a look at whats close on Facebook and Gumtree... Bargains to be had...

[lemmywinks]

If you're near Cardiff or can travel I'd get this:

 

And this:

 

 

 

Cheaper than those combos only smaller, lighter and much more useful if he wants to rehearse with other musicians or gig later on. Just add a 1/4" jack to Speakon cable.

[Marc S]

The Elf cab really is tiny & lightweight. Either an Elf head, or that TC 200 head would be great with it 

I've owned & borrowed 30w combos that are heavier & more bulky.

 

The other positive about opting for the separates, is that you can upgrade / uprate the head and add another cab at a later date, for gigging & band rehearsals. 

[goonerjoe]

Ampeg SVT and 8x10 cab, mate.

[Skybone]

The Marshall MB 15 is a fantastic little amp.

 

Bought one for my lad a few years ago, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded.

Edited September 16, 2024 by Skybone

[nekomatic]

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

The Marshall MB 15 is a fantastic little amp.

 

Bought one for my lad a few years ago, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded.

It does sound good, but it’s not very loud - I don’t think it’d keep up with a drummer and guitarist beyond very polite practice volume. 
 

People always rate the Fender Rumble combos, which on my limited experience is justified. 

[JohntheVoice]

thanks so far - nice trace - I do live near Cardiff but no transport etc. (big etc.!) will check out facebook etc. but to be honest I'm looking to get my son some new kit. any reviews welcome - he has a passion for fusion / funk - slap etc. 

 

[JohntheVoice]

4 hours ago, goonerjoe said:

Ampeg SVT and 8x10 cab, mate.

ashdown ampeg or phil jones ? or maybe a pair of hartke's? which svt? - svt-cl?

[Marc S]

11 hours ago, Skybone said:

The Marshall MB 15 is a fantastic little amp.

 

Bought one for my lad a few years ago, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded.

Yes, I had a Marshall MB30 and that sounded really nice too. But as @nekomatic says, these aren't particularly loud. The 30w was surprising for its' size - however, if you then start playing with other musicians these amps start to struggle. The 30w version was OK... but only as long I wasn't playing with 2 guitarists, or guitar & keys, and if the drummer didn't play too heavily.

Of course, they're great for home use but they can quickly become redundant if / when joining a band. There's no harm in keeping the small combo at home - but I found that once I'd re-started my playing and joining bands or jamming with mates, that MB30 suddenly became surplus to requirements.

Edited September 17, 2024 by Marc S

[Greg Edwards69]

The Fender Rumble is often praised in these parts for good reason. Great sound, easy to use, light weight, and enough volume if you play with other musicians.

[lemmywinks]

Given you can get very compact, lightweight combos and rigs that are reasonably priced and good enough for gig backline/rehearsals the low volume ~£300 combos just don't seem like a good deal any more. In truth it's a bit of an outdated progression route from the days where a giggable bass rig meant huge, heavy boxes and is now a step most people skip.

 

We've never had it so good really and if buying used just £300 can get you some serious kit these days.

 

 

Edited September 17, 2024 by lemmywinks

[Burns-bass]

8 hours ago, JohntheVoice said:

thanks so far - nice trace - I do live near Cardiff but no transport etc. (big etc.!) will check out facebook etc. but to be honest I'm looking to get my son some new kit. any reviews welcome - he has a passion for fusion / funk - slap etc. 

 

It really depends on budget and aspirations. If you want to gig you’ll need something large and portable (separates is better) and if it’s for bedroom practice a combo is probably a better bet.

 

Buying used will get you the most value.

 

Personally, I don’t think the Trace Eliot elf can be bettered. I’ve used it for gigs of all sizes and carry it as a spare to all gigs alongside a bigger amp.

 

Ideally you’d pair it with the cabinet Mark is selling and you’d have an amp capable of doing small venues. What I like is it’s simplicity and the fact it doesn’t colour the sound.

 

I match mine with a couple of Batefaced cabinets. 
 

I’m playing Tenby blues festival at some point and happy to show you what such an unassuming rig can do (if it’s nearby!)

 

 

[Phil Starr]

Honestly? Don't do it, there's always been a market for these 'next step' combo's but they make no sense at all for a bassist. Essentially they don't sound much better than the tiny practice amps we all started with, you don't need the extra power for home practice but they are not loud enough to play with a band, specifically with a drummer. It's a bit like buying him a half sized hammer, it may look like the real thing but he'll struggle to bang any nails home and will ultimately be frustrating. Your son is probably ready to move on and practice with mates and needs something functional for that job that will also eventually get him to his first gig. Something that sounds great rather than just OK will also encourage him to ply and practice more. You probably need a combo like the Minimark802, CMD121 or Fender rumble 200 or 500 and these are double the price you are expecting to spend. Seriously talk to your son and go for something better second hand. it's also the nature of musicians to move on quickly as they find out what they want out of an amp and it's likely this too will be upgraded in a couple of years time (or less) and you'll take less of a hit on buying used gear.

[gjones]

When I first started out I had a 90 watt amp but it couldn't keep up with a drummer. I then bought a 150 watt amp and that wasn't much better. My point is, if your son wants to play with others musicians (drummers) he'll need a combo with a decent output. 

 

My recommendation is a secondhand Fender Rumble 500 combo. They're cheap, light and loud. It would be a really, good, first proper amp and last him a long time. 

Edited September 17, 2024 by gjones

[Norris]

11 hours ago, gjones said:

 

My recommendation is a secondhand Fender Rumble 500 combo. They're cheap, light and loud. It would be a really, good, first proper amp and last him a long time. 

You may have to search for one. People don't usually sell them on, and with good reason

 

Yes, I have one 😁

[tauzero]

Every time I see this topic, I have to resist saying "seems like a reasonable swap if he's house-trained".

 

Oh, did I actually type that?

[Dan Dare]

2 hours ago, tauzero said:

Every time I see this topic, I have to resist saying "seems like a reasonable swap if he's house-trained".

 

Reminiscent of the old joke. Bloke goes into a motor accessory shop and asks "Have you got a set of wiper blades for my Skoda?"

 

Shop assistant thinks for a moment and replies "Sounds like a fair exchange".

[SimonK]

On 16/09/2024 at 11:47, lemmywinks said:

If you're near Cardiff or can travel I'd get this:

 

And this:

 

 

 

Cheaper than those combos only smaller, lighter and much more useful if he wants to rehearse with other musicians or gig later on. Just add a 1/4" jack to Speakon cable.

 

I agree - second hand everytime at this price point - I'm desperately trying not to be a dick and buy this Elf cab and TC head - absolute bargain and very giggable if combined. Would wipe the floor compared to the three amps the OP mentioned!

 

 

[Dan Dare]

1 hour ago, SimonK said:

Would wipe the floor compared to the three amps the OP mentioned!

 

Agreed and a bargain at the price.