Portable amps to gig with

[Whacker94]

Hi guys, 

Been looking for an amp that is good enough and powerful enough to gig decent sized venues with, but still portable enough to carry on my own. 

I currently use the ashdown 4x10 combo amp, which sounds great but weighs a tonne! 

So far I’m liking the  ampeg Pf210HE (2x10) cab With the Pf 350 or pf500 portaflex heads.

 I’ve also seen a lot of people using the markbass gear, but don’t know much about it..

does anyone have any suggestions of any amps (combo or head & cab) that are  in the same price range etc as the ampeg. Any recommendations would be much appreciated 

 

cheers!

[chris_b]

Always go for separates. Then when you come to upgrade you only have to change one thing, not both.

[Japhet]

Had a Gallien Kreuger MB 500 Fusion head for a while and it was fantastic through a Barefaced Compact. Both very light and portable and very powerful. Wish I still had the GK.

[Danuman]

I regularly had to cart around my gear without any help, so after a near-death experience involving a flight of stairs and a 410 cab, I went for a pair of high-end 112 cabs. Even one of them is plenty powerful for most (sensible) gigs. 

Markbass isn’t really my flavour, but I’d confidently gig with their stuff. I quite like the LMIII.

I have no experience with the PF210, but the 350/500 heads sound really nice, although I must confess I thought most of the buttons on the 500 only made it sound worse...

[JazzBass4624]

+1 for the Little Mark III.

I use it with 2 VdK 112's and for me that's all I need (+ my pedalboard).

Like Danuman says; if the gig allows you can do with one cab.

[Al Krow]

Hi - if you would like to go for a combo option (and don't necessarily be put off by the naysayers - combos continue to be very popular and seem to be easy to move on if and when you decide to upgrade) then from what you are indicating in terms of budget and weight i.e. around £700 and 50lbs for the Ampeg 210 amp and cab, then there several choices. A few thoughts from me:

In terms of value for money the Fender Rumble 500 350W (8ohm) / 500W (4ohm) 2x10 £450 37 lbs is worth checking out - this has a lot of admirers on BC. 

Markbass are a great brand and the CMD 121p is again widely liked and used by many BCers. It delivers 300W as a standalone (500W with an extension cab) and uber portable weighing at just 26lbs. This incorporates the LM3 head which has been mentioned a couple of times already above. 

I've got a top-of-the-range Markbass AC 121 Lite combo which has never lacked headroom for any gig I've used it on over the last three years (500W standalone, separate bi amp to a tweeter and still just 37lbs). This uses a variation of the LM3 head but has the addition of very useful aux in and headphone out sockets which make it ideal for 'stealth mode practising'!  These don't come up very often second hand but there's an almost brand new one in the FS at the moment.

Good luck with your search!

[Dan Dare]

16 hours ago, chris_b said:

Always go for separates. Then when you come to upgrade you only have to change one thing, not both.

Sound advice and several smaller boxes are more portable. You can also add extra cabs, slave amps, etc if you need more power.

[Lozz196]

If you`re happy with the Ashdown sound, check out their Rootmaster range. Nice and portable, not very expensive, and a great sound.You can get a 500w amp head, and a 410 speaker for around £800 new - possibly less by shopping around used on evilbay or gumtree.

[BassBod]

I’m very happy with my 2x TKS S112’s.  One for smaller places/awkward load ins, and both when I need silly volume.  I use a few amps, but generally an Ashdown Retroglide (with Sansamp) or an early 80’s Trace Elliot AH150 ( no Sansamp required!) If I was buying now, the Rootmaster would be at the top of the list, followed by an old GK 400. 

[Westenra]

9 hours ago, Al Krow said:

I've got a top-of-the-range Markbass AC 121 Lite combo which has never lacked headroom for any gig I've used it on over the last three years (500W standalone, separate bi amp to a tweeter and still just 37lbs). This uses a variation of the LM3 head but has the addition of very useful aux in and headphone out sockets which make it ideal for 'stealth mode practising'!  These don't come up very often second hand but there's an almost brand new one in the FS at the moment.

Good luck with your search!

I never understood why MB didn't include headphones/aux in on any their combos, yet put it on one of their most powerful!

[Skybone]

Kind of in a similar situation as well. I have an old Hartke head & a 2x10 cab, but been thinking about getting a Class D combo (half the weight & just 1 trip to load in!).

Current faves are either an Ampeg BA210 combo, a Fender Rumble 500 or the new Hartke HD500 combo. Also been looking at the PF350 head as well & keep my existing cab as it's reasonably light (one hand carry). Main criteria is having an effects loop, as I'd be bypassing the pre-amp (using a HD500x as a pre).

Unfortunately, my budget says 'keep the Hartke'.