If you had to build a rig from scratch

[rOB]

So this might be a fun thought experiment.

You suddenly have no equipment. No bass, no amp, no pedals. Imagine a calamity of your choice.

What would you buy to get you playing again in your current band/project/situation? Would it be the same as you currently use? If not why not?

For the sake of argument, let's say we have to keep to roughly the value of your current rig.

[Dad3353]

Assuming funds were available..? The amp/cab part would be easy enough, as there's a very nice Laney Nexus rig for sale at the present moment in these very pages, so that would be snapped up in a shot, to replace my Hiwatt 200w head and HH 2 x 15 cab.
A bass would be more difficult, as there are no longer that many Hofner Verithin basses around, certainly not in as good condition as is mine. I'd be patient, although, in the meantime, I'd get by with a gold-top Jack Casady from Epiphone. The Verithin is much lighter, though, and at my age... 

Pedals..? Nah, I plug directly into the head, s'all. Did I mention I was 'old school'..? No..? Hmm, how odd...

Edited October 3, 2018 by Dad3353

[joeystrange]

I’d buy the same bass (Fender P) and pedals (SansAmp BDDI and EHX Big Muff) but for the amp I’d go for different gear to what I currently have. I’d get an Ampeg SVT-CL or SVT II with an Ampeg 8x10.

Although I’d have to buy a bigger car too. That’s the main reason I don’t have that setup anymore.

[skidder652003]

Hmmmm..probably Aguilar 750db into a Bareface twin 12?

Need a new bass...possibly a sandberg of some sort?

Pedals? A helix?

So much choice!!

[Lozz196]

I`d just get the same again, I know what works for my current needs so no point trying with other stuff. If funds were limited I`d probably save a few quid by getting Vintage V4 Precisions but if unlimited funds, exactly the same again.

[Guest aDx]

Same again

Markbass combo head into 1x12 extension cab = 600w

And Cort action jnr (short scale)

I have a Fender jaguar short scale and a tele bass copy (Thomann) relic'd as well but the Cort is so much better

May have to sell the other two (then I can get another Cort)

Edited October 3, 2018 by aDx

[jacko]

Assuming the insurance company didn't play silly buggers, bass would have to be another Alembic. I've not played any other instrument that I've bonded with as much. I can't replace my rig as Mesa have now stopped making the powerhouse cabs and the titan was discontinued a few years ago so I'd probably end up with a d800+ and a couple of 210 subway cabs. Pedals would stay the same - it's taken years of experimenting to find what works best for me so an MXR envelope filter, a pair of bass soul foods and a tech21 bass boost chorus. 

[Stylon Pilson]

In terms of amp, cab etc I'd keep exactly what I've got at the moment.

In terms of basses, I've currently got 6 of which I only really regularly play a couple. So obviously I wouldn't replace the ones I rarely play, and I'd probably replace the ones that I do play with slightly higher-tier alternatives.

S.P.

[kyuuga]

Depends on what music I'd be playing...

Some Rock/Hard Rock originals?

Then I'd get a Gallien Krueger MB Fusion 500 paired with a GK NEO212 with a Spector Euro4 LX going through a VT Bass Deluxe and an EBS Multi-Comp. That's sound monstrous.

For some Funk/Pop/R&B/classic Rock covers?

Same amp/cab combination but I'd opt for a Sandberg TT passive bass paired with a few situational pedals - EBS Multi-Comp, MXR M82 (Envelope), MXR M83 (Chorus) and whatever the songs would need.

Blues/Country?

Again, same amp combination, but with a classic Fender Precision bass (probably a 50's reissue MiM) and little to no pedals - just the EBS Multi-Comp perhaps.

 Basically I'd use the GK setup (very, very versatile in my opinion but I might be a bit biased) and a small pedalboard that'd change according to the gig. The main differences would be the basses I use.

Edited October 3, 2018 by kyuuga

[chris_b]

The only thing I'd change would be to get a lighter Jazz bass.

My gear has all been bought for a reason. It's all the best for me that I've found, so I would replace like-for-like.

[uk_lefty]

I'm fairly easily pleased on amps and cabs. If weight and transport weren't an issue I'd trade in my Ashdown RM500 set up for a 500 watt trace Elliot set up. Or anything by GK. Or a nice SWR. Or a Fender Rumble 500. But thinking smaller I might just go from the RM500 to 800 for extra oomph.

Guitars wise I could sacrifice my MIM Jazz, my MIJ precision and my five string Sire Vintage V7 all for a custom made Zoot or a Sandberg. That may happen in future, funds permitting. My fretless Kramer stays forever. I loved the sound from my headless Hohner with EMGs (now departed) so have a hankering for a headless just with better string spacing.

Pedals wise I'm seriously considering binning all of mine for a Boss multi effect and just learning how to program the bar steward. I keep buying pedals then having to sell them on hunting for the "right" chorus/ distortion/ whatever and then they get used very rarely anyways.

I don't have lofty dreams with this, it's guaranteed we will play another outdoor gig in the rain, my drummer will kick over something and dent another bass... Quite chuffed that my Sire is there because at its price I won't have kittens every time I see my drummer rise from his stool.

[AntLockyer]

Oh this a very interesting thread indeed.

Someone basically gives me a bunch of money that is the equivalent to buy back my current equipment. My situation is a fairly expensive guitar, fairly inexpensive 2x12 and a quite inexpensive class D amp.

Conservatively lets say 3 grand

I'd probably spend about £900 on a Fender P of some description, ideally a Japan made PB62US or if I couldn't find one some MIA P, the best Aguilar amp and cab I could afford with the rest. Maybe AG700 with a DB212

 

Edited October 3, 2018 by AntLockyer

[Hamster]

I think I'd go for a Fender P/J to replace my Fender P/J

For a cabinet I'd try a Barefaced 6x10 to replace my Barefaced BT2

I might rack up for the amp and get a Tech 21 SansAmp RBI into a power amp of some kind to replace my Markbass 800Tube

 

[la bam]

Id get the following:

x2 Vintage V4 basses - cheap as chips and very versitile.

then id have x2 rigs, that were all interchangeable with each other - a light & small one and a big & heavy one - both able to give out and handle a lot of power.

Heavy Rig:

Cab: 6x10 - i love these. SO much power.

Head - Tech 21 VTRM rack head. Literally ALL the sounds i could ever want and very easy to use. Loads of routing options for PA.

Tuner - Korg pitchblack pro rack. Makes tuning on stage so quick and easy.

Amp - any A/B heavy duty 800-1000w amp. Matrix/QSC etc.

Light Rig:

MarkBass EVO (contains all fx and tuner) and weighs 3kg.

Cab: Any barefaced - super compact / super twin etc.

 

This means they can be interchangeable too, so i can use the small head with the big cab or the big head with the small cab, depending on venue/load in/transport.

 

[Leonard Smalls]

I wouldn't change to in-ear monitoring, but otherwise I'd swap to something like an older Warwick Thumb, going into a Line 6 Helix Floor as pre-amp and FX, then a pair of Crown XLS 1502 bridged into Markbass 102 and 115, with crossovers set at HP 100Hz and LP 300Hz respectively, unless only using one cab for small gigs... Won't need 2100W then!

The left over couple of grand would go on hookers and coke, obviously.

[Roger2611]

I would go back to my old Mesa Boogie 1516E cab and Trace Twin Valve head so I could trash my back again and would hopefully have the sense to buy a decent Precision bass and a tuner pedal, but knowing me I would waste thousands of pounds trying everything but a Precision bass before realising that actually it is the prefect bass for me!

[bassbiscuits]

I'd go for the same again please - a decent vintage spec P bass, a lightweight amp head of about 500w (currently a Little Mark III) and some sort of cab capable of handling it all, that won't break my back, probably a 2x12 or 4x10.

 

[thebassist]

Its nice reading a lot of folks more or less have their perfect set up already and wouldn't change much.

That's where I am too... I wouldn't say no to a post-2012 American Standard Fender Jazz mind.

[TheGreek]

17 hours ago, rOB said:

You suddenly have no equipment. No bass, no amp, no pedals.

I would have a lot more space in my flat though.....

Funds permitting. I would like to get my hands on an Alembic SC - apparently not as complicated as the 6 controls suggest. I'd still have a Trace Elliot for an amp.

Edited October 3, 2018 by TheGreek

[Jono Bolton]

Assuming I was going to get the cash equivalent of my rig's current value, I'd probably stick with what I have. My bass was £200, my head was £100, and the cab I'm considering is about £180, so for under £500 I doubt I could get better. I could maybe get equivalent, but not better. The issue would be finding the same head and bass (Peavey Mark IV and Squier Matt Freeman) for those prices again.

Ignoring the price but remaining realistic as to what I could afford, I wouldn't mind getting something like an Acoustic 220 if I couldn't get another Peavey. If I could arrange transport, there's a very nice old Peavey 4x12 in the north of England on ebay just now that I'd like. I'd probably be satisfied with a Squier CV P Bass or James Johnston Jazz if there wasn't a Matt Freeman available.

[Marvin]

Sire V7 bass.

2 Barefaced One10 cabs. I can take just one to practice and small gigs, take both when needed.

MarkBass head (or the Fender Rumble head).

The Sire is the best feeling bass I've played and as for amp and cabs I need small and light, partly as the band I'm in is low volume and the places we play aren't large.  

 

[Bigwan]

An ACG bass, the forthcoming Arkham Sound amp and 2 x Barefaced Two10s.

[machinehead]

I'm another one who would replace all my gear with the same as I have now - Quilter BB800, Barefaced cabs and some variety of US Fender Jazz or Precision.  No effects at all.

Actually, I have a USA Fender Vintage Hotrod Jazz (P pickup in the neck position, J pickup in the 70s bridge position.) in Candy Apple Red which I've gigged 99% of my gigs since I got it a couple of years back.  That one was only made for a year or two so it might be hard to find another.😨

Frank.

[PatrickJ]

Basses: I'd rebuy my Sandberg VT4 but, I'd replace my Mayones Jabba 5 with a Sandberg TM4.

Amps: I just recently purchased a Little Mark Tube which I'm really impressed with so I'd stick with that - would swap my 4*10 cab for two 2*10s.

Pedals: I'd stick with the MXR Octave and Env. Filters , would probably replace the Pork n Pickle with a grizzly bass and look for a new preamp.  I'd also try and find funds to upgrade my compressor.

[Rich]

I'd get another Sire V7 to replace my current one. I'd get something sexy from Jon Shuker's current stock to replace the custom one I have. And if the reason for my Wal's disappearance was theft, I would tirelessly scour the four corners of the globe, knocking on every door if I had to, till I found and reclaimed it.

Rig-wise, probably Genzler; a Magellan 800 head, and a 212T cab or maybe a pair of Bass Array 12-3 Slant cabs.