300w bass head - small gigs

[thodrik]

1 hour ago, gjones said:

New Warwick heads are incredibly tiny and incredibly cheap, 

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Warwick_Amp_GNOME.html

I am temped to get one of those or the TC Electronic BQ500 as an emergency back up to my main amps for gigs. Previously my back up was a Trace Elliot SMX 300 amp that weighed more than my main amp!

Also, I LOVE the feature list for the Gnome amps:      

6 Switchable Pad: No

7 Switchable Low Cut: No

8 Integrated Effects Processor: No

9 Internal Effects: No

10 FX-Loop: No

11 Tuner: No

12 AUX Input: No

...

14 LINE IN: No

15 LINE OUT: No

...
18 Tuner out: No
...

22 Foot Switch Connection: No

23 Incl. Foot Switch: No

None of the Gnome range have any of these features, so why even bother listing all the things the amp can't do? 

Edited March 4, 2021 by thodrik

[Marty Forrer]

A Genzler Magellan 350 is my choice. Fantastic tone and grunt to Africa.

 

[MacDaddy]

I used to have a 350w Trace Elliott combo.

It was loud enough for any gig, and I mean any gig 😎

[Lozz196]

8 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

I used to have a 350w Trace Elliott combo.

It was loud enough for any gig, and I mean any gig 😎

In an old band I was in the other bassist had a 150w 1x15 TE combo that I’m sure was louder than my Markbass 500w 2x12 set up.

[Eddie Mac]

You don't really need 300 watts for small room gigs.  I use a Gallien Krueger MB200 when great power is not needed  -   it hasn't failed me yet  -  pretty decent tone and power to spare..

[BassmanPaul]

Rock music plus 300W cries out for an SVT!

[Lfalex v1.1]

On 02/03/2021 at 17:11, chris_b said:

IMO the best 300 watt head is a 500 watt head turned down a little. Especially if you are using a single 8 ohm cab.

Definitely this. 

My 300w head was barely enough into 4ohms (2 cabs) into 8, it was only just enough for practice. 

When I started using a 600Wrms  power amp I had more headroom to play with, despite using the same cabinet/s.

Edit- Perhaps I shouldn't mention that the 300w head was a Trace SMX/1153 & 2103H cabs!

Edited April 4, 2021 by Lfalex v1.1

[TimR]

On 04/03/2021 at 17:20, thodrik said:

I am temped to get one of those or the TC Electronic BQ500 as an emergency back up to my main amps for gigs. Previously my back up was a Trace Elliot SMX 300 amp that weighed more than my main amp!

Also, I LOVE the feature list for the Gnome amps:      

6 Switchable Pad: No

7 Switchable Low Cut: No

8 Integrated Effects Processor: No

9 Internal Effects: No

10 FX-Loop: No

11 Tuner: No

12 AUX Input: No

...

14 LINE IN: No

15 LINE OUT: No

...
18 Tuner out: No
...

22 Foot Switch Connection: No

23 Incl. Foot Switch: No

None of the Gnome range have any of these features, so why even bother listing all the things the amp can't do? 

It’s probably a website database. For comparing amps. Plus it probably stops some people asking ‘does it have DI’. Although some people will read the list and still ask. 😂

[TimR]

Now I’m looking at amps. My Warwick proFET5.1 weighs a ton but it’s an awesome amp and I remember listening a fair few years ago to many different heads and just not finding something I liked. 
 

Are these Class D amps really what they’re cracked up to be? Most seem to be quite low power. 
 

Tenpted by the Mark Bass one. 

Edited April 4, 2021 by TimR