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Combo wanted, help please


Bob G
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Hi bassists, I have need of some kind of bass combo, preferably small and light for portability and space reasons, yet loud enough to be heard in, say, smaller club settings or playing with jazz combos. What would you recommend, and what wattage would suffice? I've seen various upright bassists using what look like very small combo's with small speakers (8 or 10 inch at a guess) which seem to be quite punchy, and wonder if something like this would be ok for bass guitar. Bearing in mind my last bass combo was a big old Peavey TNT I am somewhat out of touch with the latest technological developments, so any help would be appreciated. One of my main considerations as I said is that I would like it to be quite small, also it would be nice if it had a headphone jack and line in for home practising playing along with CD's or MP3's etc, but that isn't an essential. Cheers, Bob

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There are so many combos out there, that we should start narrowing it down.
So:
budget?
weight?
tone and/or music style?


As an example, here's a tiny MarkBass combo with 8" speaker, CD input and headphones output:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/markbass_micromark_801.htm

Small speaker size IME generally makes for a very punchy tone, due to the demand for a lot of excursion of the tiny cone. I'd be careful with 8", and not buy untested.

MarkBass for example also do a still compact combo with 12" speaker that I'd buy unseen:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/markbass_mini_cmd_121p_lm3.htm

I thought they did a 10" combo as well, but can't remember right now.

The wattage needed depends most on how much of the very low frequencies you want and on how effective the driver is. Physics have decided that running two speakers with less cone excursion each is a more effective way of doing it, and that way one could get a whole lot of noise out of a 50 W tube amp.


Anyway, tell us some more, and we're on your case.

best,
bert

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I love my Gallien Kreuger MB210.

Very light 2x10 combo. 350w at 8ohms and the full 500w with an 8ohm extension cab. Plenty of volume, responsive EQ, small footprint and seems to be built pretty well.

Easily expanded aswell; loads of cabs built to match the combo (1x15, 2x10, 2x12, 1x12). Cheap also. I picked mine up in a trade worth £250 and I got a 2x10 extension cab for another £185.

Would happily use it in any scenario!

Truckstop

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AER Amp One could fit the bill - small, compact and reasonably powerful with a 10" driver. Very expensive and not light (32lbs) but extremely high quality with all the OP's requirements. Pro gear - lovely compressor and tight tone with staggering bottom end - I couldn't understand where the bass was coming from on the initial encounter. Not many around but worth consideration.

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I use the Markbass Mini CMD121P as recommended by BassTractor. Admittedly it`s with electric bass, not a double bass, but this little amp is great. Plenty of power - I use it on its own in an 8-piece glam-punky-type band - plus its small and light, so easy to cart about.

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1364293409' post='2024331']
Admittedly it`s with electric bass, not a double bass,
[/quote]

No worries. Bob asked:


[quote name='Bob G' timestamp='1364250827' post='2023988']
and wonder if something like this would be ok for bass guitar.
[/quote]

Easily overlooked, and I had to read several times myself.


best,
bert

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Whoops, maybe I wasn't too clear, it's for a bass guitar rather than upright! The Gallien Kruger MB210 sounds interesting, especially as various expansion speakers are available. My budget I guess would be up to about 400-ish, and the sort of sound I am after would be more-or-less the traditional Fender thump - I love the feel and sound of a Precision although my last bass which I swapped for my current saxophone was a late 80's Fender Jazz with actives which I loved. I didn't over-use the actives, it just meant it could replicate the sound of a Fender with new strings all the time. That is the sound!

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