gjones Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) The type of gig I do means that I very rarely get the chance to use my main amp. With the smaller gigs I take my little 150 watt Ashdown combo and for larger gigs I use whatever they have for onstage monitoring (usually the foldback is enough for that purpose and I end up turning the on-stage amp down). There's so many great amps out there capable of pumping out megawatts of juicy bass goodness but why have a 750 watt amp (like TC have just introduced) when nobody out front will ever hear it - the sound guy will tell you to 'turn that bloody thing down onstage!' so he can D.I. you through the P.A. I bought my 350 watt Fender TV fifteen Bassman about two years ago and, although Ive done 50 gigs since then, I've used it at about 4 of them. It sounds great but nobody ever gets the chance to hear it in it's full glory turned up LOUD. I know of a few bass players on this forum who turn up with a Sansamp or a POD and just plug straight into the P.A. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of those famous 'endorsee' bassplayers do the same. I know Geddy Lee won't be endorsing any amp manufacturers anytime soon (although I've heard he just got a new deal with Hotpoint recently ) This video illustrates my point. It compares the Ampeg Micro-VR and SVT with 32x10 (yes I said the 32x10) [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPWikFPwYFc&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPWikFPwYFc...feature=related[/url] I know which one I WANT.................but do I need it? Edited June 20, 2011 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Rehearsals? And of course those of us who play using just backline and rarely if ever DI into the PA... Horses for courses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) Why not just take the big amp for the small gigs? You dont have to turn it up to silly levels. Im one of those "lucky" ones who hardly ever use PA support so i get to choose how i sound out front. Edited June 20, 2011 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I think Geddy just brought those so he could sit down on them during the long drum and guitar solo's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 In the last two years, I've been asked to turn down once, for a lot of those gigs I've used a 1080w GK head and one or two 4x10s. There's no reason you can't take big amps to small gigs, it still sounds better IMO even if you can't crank it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Can't really see the point of bass amps and cabs, they are a pain in the arse getting them to gigs and in and out the van, people want to borrow them at gigs, rehearsal rooms usually provide backline anyway, they are almost never miced on stage, and they are very expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1275595' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:00 AM'][/quote] Time to eat my words methinks....you let me down Geddy, I'm very disappointed in you Edited June 20, 2011 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1275614' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:18 AM']Can't really see the point of bass amps and cabs, they are a pain in the arse getting them to gigs and in and out the van, people want to borrow them at gigs, rehearsal rooms usually provide backline anyway, they are almost never miced on stage, and they are very expensive.[/quote] Well i dont think my band would appreciate me turning without a rig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='1275622' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:23 AM']Well i dont think my band would appreciate me turning without a rig.[/quote] Sansamp and monitors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I've got a 900w amp that weighs next to nowt and has a lovely DI. I have two nice cabs that are an easy lift, but I usually only use one. And I quite often get mic'd up. More importantly, the amp has a volume knob that goes down as well as up. I'm a while away from going down the Pod + in-ears route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I had this problem so I sold everything and I'm in the process of putting together a heavy and a light rig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1275635' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:31 AM']Sansamp and monitors?[/quote] Not for my bands. See my post above. No PA support most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1275614' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:18 AM']Can't really see the point of bass amps and cabs, they are a pain in the arse getting them to gigs and in and out the van, people want to borrow them at gigs, rehearsal rooms usually provide backline anyway, they are almost never miced on stage, and they are very expensive.[/quote] Too many reasons to list, consistency, PA support, reliable on-stage monitoring, IMO you can feel a bass amp better than you can monitors, control over where the sound goes instead of relying on a monitor, additional height. If you're only ever playing venues that are garuanteed to have a good PA, cool, convenience can win. I've been playing loud rock for the best part of a decade and I've never been able to rely on PAs for bass. Either they struggle putting through enough bass to the monitors to compete with drummers or they're only there for vocals/keys. I also (as I said above) found that a bass amp gives much better vibrations, you can actually feel what you're playing rather than through the monitors in a mix with everything else where even if you can clearly hear it, you might not feel the punch. Case in hand, I played a gig last Thursday in Barnsley, lovely venue and they usually have a decent PA. There was another gig going on run by the same people who took the PA. As a result the PA we had was a mess, bass was distorting and we only had one monitor between the whole band. if I hadn't been using an amp, it would've been awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='1275643' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:37 AM']Not for my bands. See my post above. No PA support most of the time.[/quote] Ah, that would be a problem with my solution then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='gjones' post='1275619' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:20 AM']Time to eat my words methinks....you let me down Geddy, I'm very disappointed in you [/quote] It's only the amps he uses, no cabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Where would i put my cigarettes, lighter, towel and all my other sh*t if i didn't have my amp behind me??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='1275636' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:32 AM']I've got a 900w amp that weighs next to nowt and has a lovely DI. I have two nice cabs that are an easy lift, but I usually only use one. And I quite often get mic'd up.[/quote] I dream of having a 'loud but light' amp and cab. I got my bassman because most bass amps are anonymous black boxes while the TV bassman range are beautiful tweed covered retro designed objects of desire. But they are INCREDIBLY heavy, have one puny handle on top and are frankly a pain in the arse if you I live in a flat up 3 flights of stairs (like I do). The thought of getting a hernia puts me off using it for run of the mill gigs so I always take my ashdown combo, which is a lot lighter, for smallish gigs that need an amp. I hate the idea of getting a boring lightweight black box type amp and cab and getting rid of the Bassman but I hate the idea of a hernia even more. Personally, I'd go the Sansamp way if I could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1275652' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:44 AM']Ah, that would be a problem with my solution then [/quote] Indeed. Although i do have a BDDI, and occasionally do play bigger gigs with a full PA i hate not having my rig behind me so always take it. It may not make a difference out front but i prefer to feel the notes on the back of my legs, and the band do appreciate the fact that they can sometimes feel it in the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) [quote name='gjones' post='1275665' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:55 AM']I hate the idea of getting a boring lightweight black box type amp[/quote] Yeah.. me too. But I've got this, so IMO it's not an issue... [quote name='gjones' post='1275665' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:55 AM']...Personally, I'd go the Sansamp way if I could.[/quote] I hate SansAmps. Edited June 20, 2011 by wateroftyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipplebass Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 i got the micro VR and theres been time's when my marshall vba has blew up and i've ran this amp with my marshall cab and its the bollox! such a great little amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1275657' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:46 AM']It's only the amps he uses, no cabs.[/quote] He has a couple of 4x10s mic'd up offstage, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) [quote name='gjones' post='1275665' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:55 AM']I always take my ashdown combo, which is a lot lighter, for smallish gigs that need an amp.[/quote] My 500watt rig weighs less than my Ashdown MAG combo. I personally dont like owning gear if im not using it regularly, but thats just me. Edited June 20, 2011 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='1275679' date='Jun 20 2011, 11:07 AM']My 500watt rig weighs less than my Ashdown MAG combo.[/quote] Is that working now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1275682' date='Jun 20 2011, 11:07 AM']Is that working now?[/quote] It looks like it is. The band brought me a new driver for it last year. I only use it at work, and mainly as a cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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