Gigging amp suggestions needed!

[JamieCooper91]

Well things have finally started to pick up, good news.
The bad news is that I don't have an amp capable of playing the venues we'll be playing shortly. Mostly small clubs and supporting in larger venues.

Anyway I need to cut through two loud guitars and a pretty loud drummer. So I was thinking of a 4x10" cab, at most of the rehearsal rooms I've been in it's been a 4x10 or 8x10 and as lovely as an 8x10 cab is, size+weight. The 4x10's always have enough headroom, some more than others..

As far as my budget goes I doubt I could stretch to a valve head to go with the cab. My favourite make so far has been Ampeg, a Hartke I used was not bad either. I've had a bad experience with Aguilar though...

What I've spotted so far has been the Marshall MBC410 and MB450H but I have no idea about the quality of Marshall bass gear. An Ampeg B5R and B-4x10 HLF used for £600 not too far for me to drive, and also this [url="http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/05/64864305.html"]http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/05/64864305.html[/url] but it's already sold and the guy didn't remove the ad!

It's going to be a MIM Fender P bass going into it, mostly alt rock but I play quite heavily. For tone think Brand New/Placebo.

If I've missed anything tragically obvious please be gentle, cheers!

[Marvin]

[quote name='JamieCooper91' post='966085' date='Sep 23 2010, 08:55 PM']Anyway I[b] need to cut through[/b] two loud guitars and a pretty loud drummer.[/quote]

Chainsaw?

[4 Strings]

Hartke, anything 2000 upwards, all incredibly cheap, very powerful, great sound, will cut through with a 4x10 no problem, give it some wellie and pin people to the wall. These go from £100-200 s/h and, in my opinion, are excellent value. For new, the 500W ones are only £250!

[51m0n]

What's the budget?

[Lozz196]

I had the Marshall MB set-up that you`ve mentioned, and I was very happy with it - only sold it once I got higher end Marshall gear. Some people have mentioned reliability issues, but I`ve had 3 different models of the MB range (still got one), and had no problems from any of them. I also use Precisions, and with the Classic channel on the MB, you get a nice "old-school" warm valvey tone, with the added bonus of "boost" which can then make you sound like Lemmy, if thats your wish. You can also blend the Modern channel in, with compression selected, so its a versatile rig, tho I only ever used the Classic channel. In my opinion, MB450H & MB410 is a great buy.

Hartke is good, versatile, fairly light, and not too pricey. I also had a Hartke rig - HA4000 with 2x10 XL & 1x15 XL cabs. Most versatile rig I`ve ever had. the LH500 gets a lot of love here on Basschat. One of those with a Hartke 4x10 would also be a great buy.

[Conan]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='966346' date='Sep 24 2010, 07:59 AM']the LH500 gets a lot of love here on Basschat.[/quote]

Yup. I used to wonder what that was all about - until I got one! Quality tones and loads of volume at a budget price. Not so many around second hand at the moment, but with such a low new price it may not be worth waiting for one to come up...


So now you just need to decide on a cab!

Edited September 24, 2010 by Conan

[Adrenochrome]

As above, also get something with a decent DI output so you can send a good signal to the PA.

[Musicman20]

If its a tight budget, Hartke LH500. Cab wise....maybe a Peavey or Hartke?

[chris_b]

I'd get the Ampeg. It'll put out 350 watts into that cab and is 2 ohm capable, which means that you can add an 8 ohm Ampeg 210 cab and you'll have a great 610 rig. Both cabs will be balanced with the same power going to each speaker chassis. Enough to take on most guitarists!

Also think about some moulded earplugs.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='chris_b' post='966483' date='Sep 24 2010, 10:32 AM']Also think about some moulded earplugs.[/quote]

+1 ... he's not joking, y'know.

The rig you're describing will be more than capable of leaving you with lifelong tinnitus by your 30th birthday.

Not wearing plugs is the equivalent of not bothering to brush your teeth and then wondering why they all fall out.

[mrtcat]

If it was me.......and of course it's not...... I would be sorely tempted with a Hartke LH500 or LH1000(both of which IMO sound better than loads of far more expensive amps)coupled with one of alex's barefaced cabs. I run a compact and it's incredibly loud, light and pretty. My old ampeg 4x10 was nowhere near as loud. You also then have the option to add another compact at a later date if you want to level the street.

It is always very satisfying turning up at gigs with the compact cab and seeing other bass players first snigger but then cry as it wipes the floor with their big heavy 4x10s.

[Conan]

[quote name='mrtcat' post='966552' date='Sep 24 2010, 11:52 AM']I would be sorely tempted with a Hartke LH500 or LH1000(both of which IMO sound better than loads of far more expensive amps)coupled with one of alex's barefaced cabs.[/quote]

Good call - but depends on budget again as there are few BFB cabs available second hand and they ain't the cheapest option when bought new!

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Conan' post='966571' date='Sep 24 2010, 12:17 PM']Good call - but depends on budget again as there are few BFB cabs available second hand and they ain't the cheapest option when bought new![/quote]

I agree. Id go for a semi decent 4x10.

At low-medium budget, weight cant really be a factor.

Ive tried the Compact and light it may be, but it couldnt keep up my 4x10....

[JamieCooper91]

The budget right now would probably be around £600. I've been trying to scout out second hand gear but it's not the easiest thing up here in the north.

A bassist in a local band I know loves his Hartke cab, which is a 4x10 but im not sure on the model or the head he uses.

That ampeg I spotted is on hold, for someone else!

On the earplug front, I do wear plugs in practice but haven't got to getting moulded ones yet. Unfortunately im stuck to the orange 3M ones, which will do as long as I stand far away from my amp! They can get so bassy.


Anyway cheers for all the food for thought!

[Conan]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='966581' date='Sep 24 2010, 12:28 PM']Ive tried the Compact and light it may be, but it couldnt keep up my 4x10....[/quote]

Hmmmm. That wasn't my experience, but I guess it depends on your particular 4x10! Are you talking about your Orange or your old Berg Gareth? Both are, incidentally, a lot more expensive than a Compact!

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Conan' post='966827' date='Sep 24 2010, 03:48 PM']Hmmmm. That wasn't my experience, but I guess it depends on your particular 4x10! Are you talking about your Orange or your old Berg Gareth? Both are, incidentally, a lot more expensive than a Compact![/quote]

Orange. The Berg would have eaten it alive for sheer volume....it is still more than likely the loudest most compact 4x10 Ive ever used. But I only compared it to the Orange.

I actually also used it at a gig where we had an Ampeg 410E on standby (8 ohms) and yes, the amp we were all using (SVT Pro 3) can seem to have a lack of volume, it was much more evident with the Compact. Lows? Yes. Sweet highs and normal mids? Not in my experience. The 410 was just punch central and provided a much fuller sound. The horn was off.

Its definitely light, and its pretty loud, but Id much rather use a 2x12 or 4x10. I actually preferred my Orange OBC 115 as well.

This is just my experience.

Edited September 24, 2010 by Musicman20

[Meenie]

[quote name='JamieCooper91' post='966822' date='Sep 24 2010, 03:43 PM']On the earplug front, I do wear plugs in practice but haven't got to getting moulded ones yet. Unfortunately im stuck to the orange 3M ones, which will do as long as I stand far away from my amp! They can get so bassy.


Anyway cheers for all the food for thought![/quote]


Doc's Pro Plugs are pretty good for budget plugs, most places stock them.

[thodrik]

A good cheap 4x10 cab that would do a good job would be the Peavey TVX series. Second hand would probably be the best option. Hartke is really good value for money too for amp and cabs (I don't really like the aluminium drivers myself but that is besides the point). Also there are loads of Trace Elliot amps and cabs around for little money second hand. If you can get on with the Trace Elliot sound its pretty good stuff for the most part. You could also maybe get hold of a second hand Ashdown ABM head. I quite like them (not as much as the Trace Elliot stuff), but some other just don't like them at all.

You have to remember about transport too, which if you don't have, makes getting a 4x10 and a head to gigs a bit of a pain! If transport is an issue I'd maybe suggest getting a 2x10 or 1x15 combo that has a good bit of power. So long as it has a DI and you can hear yourself onstage thats all you really need, as most venues have decent pa suppport and/or soundmen usually want to keep stage volume down to levels they are comfortable with.

If you have a car or something though I'd go with what the others have said and get a half decent 4x10 and a good amp that sends a good signal to the desk.

Good luck!

[JamieCooper91]

We have three cars/drivers out of the four of us. A 4x10" would be alright, although I doubt it would fit in my "petite" boot without the seats down or the shelf off.

Im not sure if I can try bass amps out in Guitar Guitar in Glasgow, I've only ever tried instruments out from there. My actual local music store has a very small amount of bass amps and none of them I would be interested in, shame.

The Marshall and Hartke setups both look good to me, one of the rehearsal rooms we use has a Hartke setup. I'll pay more attention to it next time.

I have no problems with buying second hand it's just that it's harder to find stuff that is close enough for me to drive and collect.

[JamieCooper91]

New developments!

A guy in Glasgow is selling a Hartke 4000 head and and 4.5XL cabinet for £380.

It's not been gigged/left his house, is a few years old.

Sounds like a great deal to me, does anyone have experience of the 4000 head?

[Doddy]

The HA4000 is a good head. It's Solid State with a parametric EQ and 400 watts @ 4 ohms(although with the the 4.5 cab
it'll put out 220). I've had one for years and never had any problems.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='JamieCooper91' post='966983' date='Sep 24 2010, 05:59 PM']New developments!

A guy in Glasgow is selling a Hartke 4000 head and and 4.5XL cabinet for £380.

It's not been gigged/left his house, is a few years old.

Sounds like a great deal to me, does anyone have experience of the 4000 head?[/quote]
I also had the HA4000, was a very good versatile amp, plenty powerful enough, on board parametric, tuner out, great sounding amp. Used it with 2x10 XL & 1x15 XL cabs. The XL speakers gave great performance too. For info, the band I was in at the time were a Motley Crue type band - big low down holding bass lines, and this setup did this with ease, tho of course, Hartke can also do the "toppy" basslines, which its gear is famed for.

The deal yr describing above sounds very good, definately worth checking out. Other thing to think of as well, the 2x10 XL can be picked up for £220 new, so with yr budget, you could get this as well. For pracs, use the amp with 4x10, but at gigs, use the 2x10 as well, to get the max performance from the amp.

400 watts into 6 10-inch speakers - now that will easily hold its own against 2 half-stacks and a loud drummer.

Edited September 25, 2010 by Lozz196

[JamieCooper91]

Im going to check it out sometime this week when im in at uni.

Im guessing for now it would be loud enough but in the future if I wanted to get the full power out of the head, would I need to add another cabinet like a 115XL?
My best friend/guitarist is a student sound engineer and im sure he would be able to explain this all but he is too busy fondling his new bloody iPhone.

I have no idea why im thinking of another cab when this cab+head is nearly as heavy as myself

[Lozz196]

You can add a 1x15, but I`ve found that when adding those to a 4x10, the sound changes a fair bit - to the bassier side - so you need to look at eq changes, whereas with an extra 2x10 (and the 2x10 XL is very light, btw) yr settings can stay the same. Just makes things that bit easier.

You should be fine with just the 4x10 though. I had the Marshall MB450H with the 4x10 and 1x15, and ended up selling the 1x15 as I found I didn`t need it. That was 280 watts with one cab, in both punk and rock bands, both with 2 guitarists/half-stacks.

[JamieCooper91]

I tried the amp out today, must say the guy who owns it is such a nice guy and totally living the hipster dream.

At first there was crackle coming from the cab but after he swapped the instrument cable for a speaker cable this went away.
It was just my bass going into the head, no pedals through it first. Hopefully I'll be adding a Fender Sublime and a few other pedals into the fray soon.

Anyway I was hoping if anyone who has used the HA4000 (Lozz + Doddy!) could tell me a rough EQ setting for the head or something that roughly worked for them.
I was pretty much baffled by the settings when I tried it today and although I had a mess around I didn't really have that much time to experiment. Hopefully next time I go through I'll drive in at night and have more time to play, but do any of you lovely people have any advice about the EQ?