Need help choosing a stop gap before getting my 'dream rig'

[ChickenKiev]

A while ago I sold my old gigging bass amp to buy a six string. I had ambitions to be the next Johnny Marr. I wanted to join a band and be the lead guitarist but I'm a bit pants. I've recently picked up my basses again and it felt like coming home. It was extremely stupid for me to sell my amp as now all I have to play through is an extremely lousy Laney HCM15B combo practice amp.

So I want to join a band but I'm scared of getting laughed out of auditions when bands see the piddly amp I'm playing through. Not only that but I'm not going to be heard during gigs.

I've seen the Fender Rumble 500 V3 combo, heard all the positive feedback people have said about it and definitely want to pick one up eventually as I'm a massive Fender nut and want Fender everything. I'm going to run a Fender Rumble 115 extension cab with it. That's my dream rig.

Unfortunately money is pretty tight at the minute, so I can't afford both the Rumble combo and cab. As a stop gap I wanted to buy the Fender Rumble 115 cab for now and use it as an extension cab for my piece of crap Laney, until I can afford to get my hands on the Fender Rumble 500 combo.

Is this worth doing? The Laney combo is 15 watt. Will I get a substantial volume increase by doing it?

Do I have any other options? Should I just hold out for the Rumble 500 combo? I've even been seeing if I can find a PA speaker and use that as an extension cab for now. Please give me all the options. I'm not very technically minded so apologies.

Thanks in advance.

[Lozz196]

I doubt you`ll get much extra volume by adding in another cab, seeing as the Laney is only 15 watts . I`d look at however much the Rumble 15 cab is (just lookked, nearly £300) and look to spend that on a used Hartke/Peavey/Ashdown combo of at least 150 watts. That or a head/cab. £300 should get a giggable rig quite easily, there have been Hartke 410s up for £100 recently. Ashdown Mag 300 watt heads are about £100 - £150, easy gig with those.

In fact, thinking about it, there`s an Ashdown set-up on here at present, head, 4x8 & 1x15 cab, all for £300. I`ve no affiliation with it, but that`s a deal and plenty for anyones gigging needs.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Lozz196

[Muppet]

If I were you I'd aim for a second hand Rumble 500 combo to begin with. I've seen some on Gumtree go for £300 or so. As a combo it'll hold its own without the extension cab and by doing that you've got what you're after and can try out the various Rumble extension cabs after that to find if the 115 is best for you (my point being you may think the 210 or the 112 works better)

[Dan Dare]

Good advice from Muppet and Lozz. 15 watts just not adequate for more than home practice. Look for used kit to tide you over.