Ajoten

Yes, gammy tendons have sparked this off. Can't lift the Trace out of the boot... 

24 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

...An example of this is the Ampeg PF350. It outputs 350W into 4 ohms and 250 into 8 ohms...

This is where I get in a tangle thinking about a Wattier replacement. For any given amp sold as (i.e. @ 4 ohms) 350W how much discernible difference would there be between the expected 175W in 8 ohm and Ampeg 250W? Or for that matter between 175 Ampeg Watts vs the expected 150W from a 300W like the Ashdown Original HD-1?

(To which everyone will say "no, go for 500W" I bet, although my intention at the mo is simply to not be quieter than the combo I'm replacing 🙂.)

Oo, interesting. Yes will try that, ta.

Hmm, something's not right here.

• I could gig with my Trace 1x15" 150W combo, 4 ohm speaker. Loads of oomph.
• I removed the amp and put it in MDF box to use as separate head.
• For lightweight solution am putting it through a shiny new 300W 2x10 8 ohm cab.

This cunning strategy hasn't worked, as at rehearsal last night it really struggled. I was told that although an 8 ohm cab is only going to get half the power the difference in volume wouldn't really be noticeable. So - given it's not a powerful amp, could it be that there's a bigger difference between 150W split between 4 or 8 ohms, compared with doing the same to a 500W amp?

Or have I sh@gged the amp with my faffing about? I can't believe there's much drop in quality between an entry level 90s Trace and a 2018 300W Laney.

I'm hoping it's all about the ohms, otherwise I've been stupid.

Oo ok. Is the effect of running them in series the same as in parallel? I feel that's a question answered several times elsewhere in this forum... 

EDIT: Ignore that question, it doesn't matter. Just finding out I can indeed run 2 cabs from my current amp is extremely helpful. Thanks!

Sorry, I did, didn't I? The one with the plug in it to stop you using it isn't connected to anything. It's just a hole... 

Nope, also need to buy an amp with 2 speaker outs. 

I know, annoying I can't have one. 

The manual I'm looking at says:

"The 715 combo produces 150Watts into its internal 4-Ohm speaker and it is not possible to add further speaker cabinets."

Damn. I briefly got my hopes up as the manual for the 715 (no following letters) said no cabs, but a generic one for the SMC range simply didn't mention it.

So where does that leave me? I can plug "anything" in but it has to be 4 ohm?

Quick (hopefully) question. 

I have a Trace 715 SMC combo, 150W, which has 2 extension speaker sockets saying "min 4 ohms". However all the manuals I can find online say you can't use an extension cab. So can I or can't I?! 

Think it's from 1999 if that makes any difference... 

Thanks everyone. From my investigations it seems to get closest to the B tension you need a 27-28 gauge C string, which is presumably v light indeed. Sounds like best plan is to get regular gauge (I'm guessing 30-32) and if I have to faff with truss rod so be it.

Truss rods scare me. Were I to change from low B to high C (given stock Ibz SR strings currently, which I don't know so might be difficult to er gauge hoho), is there a high C gauge whose tension is close enough to a standard B to enable a mere saddle tweak to set up properly? 

Trace. I bypass the graphic, leave pre-shape off, ignore compressor, and it nails it. 

A smart dust cover and table it can neatly slip under might work...

@Chris_b, I note your cautionary italics re good quality cab. Anything to avoid? 

1 hour ago, LukeFRC said:

... what is acceptable to keep in the house - something more modern and not as wide might work better

I'd just like to point out BTW that's a random pic I found online and is not representative of curtains/skirting chez Ajoten.

Aaargh! Could do without all the music shops round closing down.

Feel I asked the wrong question to start with, really. My current amp, a 1999 Trace 15" 150W (I think) combo is 61x61 front on, but sounds beautiful and been brilliant at unPAed gigs. I'm really nervous of changing it tbh, given criticisms/inadequacies I read of alternatives. (But the garage is being converted to a little living room etc etc etc...)

Often done gigs without PA support myself.

But still, if I can get a similar sound out of a 1x10 vs 1x15 that would be handy. Just doesn't look as cool as the Minimark I've been talked out of... 

The Barefaced Two10 has caught my eye too. Nice. 

So what application does a 300W 2x8 amp have then? 

Oo, looks good. I always associate 12" speakers with guitars so never consider them. As per above comment, I'm sure no longer an issue in this day and age.

It's about storage not transport.

Just wondered if technology had moved on so much that modern superior 300W of small speakers could compete with lesser quality 250W old large. 

The wife has had a grumble about the size of my amp, it only being a 1x15 combo, showing an ignorance of physics let alone the marketplace...

So I'm idly musing on this being permission to get something new of quality. My question is, given there are some nice looking 2x8 things of decent wattage (Trace, Mark bass), is such a device going to cut it on stage vs drummist and at least 1x distorted guitar? In a non DI/miked up environment, with no support from extension cab with fatter speaker. I fear a lack of er bassiness. 

I need a little practice amp to take the place of my acoustic bass - so doesn't need to be any louder really, playing-along-with-the-stereo volume. It needs to be small so I can whip it out from behind the sofa kinda thing.

Are these Blackstar Fly or Eden Micro Tour amps worth considering or are they just gimmicky daft?

In case anyone stumbles over this thread in the search for featherweight basses:

As a little follow-up, over the w/e I tried a few new and used basses vaguely around the same price and found: a thru-neck Peavey Cirrus 4 that was really good and really light (v tempted), a pointy Jackson that was light (and v tempted for 80s nostaglia reasons), Ibanez SR600 (obviously v v light and I was surprised how acceptable I found the narrow skinny neck), a Yamaha RBX that wasn't quite in the same league in terms of weight and playability, a Cort thingy that felt good but a bit lacking in character/appeal, and a Gibson EB4 which was loads lighter than I was expecting and said "Gibson" on it hurrah, but the design and build quality wasn't up to ANY of the others. I don't know if it's because I'm so used to playing 13lbs of bass, but all would have done the job tbh, and it is great how you can get such a choice of fab basses for that kind of money. But even though I was prepared to spend a tad more, I walked out with an SR505. The ONLY drawback with it is the dodgy colour, but I went with it anyway. The 5 because wanted the extra neck substance and was still 1lb lighter (in more ways than 1) than the 1-string-fewer-and-identical-hardware SR600. FWIW the 2nd choice would have been the Peavey.

So thanks to everyone who chipped in here, it meant I took seriously some options I'd never have thought of otherwise. And the bonkers weight and quality of the Ibanezes is exactly as everyone says, so I didn't feel there was any compromise.

Thanks for you comments, everyone. Heavy bass is sold and search for new lightster has begun.

@Dan Dare, I did like my bass, but it wasn't just playing it but carting it about that had started to do my head in.