Bangs per Buck

[Dom in Dorset]

I'm getting back into bass playing after a few years lapse. I'm mostly playing acoustic at the moment , but I need to get some amplification so that I can advertise myself as an electric player.
The problem is (and this will probably shock some people) until now I never payed any attention to what equipment I was using. When I first started I had a 15"speaker cabinet and I borrowed a head from my brother, that was about 20 years ago and I can't remember what it was ! The last time I was playing in a rock band I had a Peavery combo that I bought from the guitarist , I think it was 100W.
I'm thinking of buying a head and building my own spearker cab(s), I've set an arbitray price limit of £300 (for the head), that's not set in stone, just a ball park figure. Second hand is ok, but I'm not thinking of buying anything until later in the year.
Or is it simply a case of "a bass head for less than £300, is this a joke"

[PURPOLARIS]

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' post='489507' date='May 16 2009, 07:41 AM']I'm getting back into bass playing after a few years lapse. I'm mostly playing acoustic at the moment , but I need to get some amplification so that I can advertise myself as an electric player.
The problem is (and this will probably shock some people) until now I never payed any attention to what equipment I was using. When I first started I had a 15"speaker cabinet and I borrowed a head from my brother, that was about 20 years ago and I can't remember what it was ! The last time I was playing in a rock band I had a Peavery combo that I bought from the guitarist , I think it was 100W.
I'm thinking of buying a head and building my own spearker cab(s), I've set an arbitray price limit of £300 (for the head), that's not set in stone, just a ball park figure. Second hand is ok, but I'm not thinking of buying anything until later in the year.
Or is it simply a case of "a bass head for less than £300, is this a joke"[/quote]

You'll pick up a very good second hand gigging head for £300. Have a look in the for sale section, there's always Trace Elliot's, Hartke's and Ashdown's in there for around that price and cheaper.

[Machines]

If you wanted new there is:

[url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Ashdown-MAG-300H~ID~3074.asp"]Ashdown MAG300[/url]
[url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/74717"]GK Backline 600[/url]
[url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/71563"]Peavey TOUR 450[/url]
[url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/profet-32/9218"]Warwick Profet 3.3[/url]

[Dom in Dorset]

Thanks for that Machines, I had done a few searches, but came up with the more expensive stuff.
I think that my eventual choice will come down to what can I get on the day I've actualy got the money in my hand.
The Peavey looks interesting.

[chris_b]

Go second hand and give combo's a miss! I think a good 300-500 watt head (200-300 watt at 8 ohm) and a 2x10 or 1x15 cab would get you going. Add another cab when you're gigging if you find you need it.

Ashdown, Peavey, GK are all good, then there's Markbass LM2 (approx £400) and a Barefaced Compact (approx £425).

Edited May 16, 2009 by chris_b

[MacDaddy]

Another shout for the for sale section here. Go on have a browse with no obligation to buy, but wipe your feet first .

[lemmywinks]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=48893"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=48893[/url]

EDIT as it's sold, but this is the sort of thing you should be looking at. Really good heads, try the Ashdowns and Peaveys too as they're really good bang for buck

Edited May 16, 2009 by lemmywinks

[Dom in Dorset]

[quote name='chris_b' post='489714' date='May 16 2009, 12:18 PM']Go second hand and give combo's a miss! I think a good 300-500 watt head (200-300 watt at 8 ohm) and a 2x10 or 1x15 cab would get you going. Add another cab when you're gigging if you find you need it.

Ashdown, Peavey, GK are all good, then there's Markbass LM2 (approx £400) and a Barefaced Compact (approx £425).[/quote]
that's almost word for word my eventual plan.
I've just heard of a Trace Elliot that is going for a song, it's owned by a guy who dosn't need it any more, I should run into him in the next few weeks.

[dannybuoy]

Hartke LH500 heads have received glowing reviews and were going for under £200 new last year, although the price has shot up since then!

[bassbloke]

you'll get a very good head for under £250, such as my rather spiffing Tech Soundsystems TVM350.

[fekalizatorius]

I, IMHO, would never really go S/H unless the item is really cheap and or is a rarity, that I can't get usually (IE, Spector basses are nowhere to be found in Lithuania).
Refering to Machines's list, I can easily say that the MAG will deliver. Never dissapointed me, toneshaping is quite versitile, has enough punch in it's arsenal, and all in all, it looks quite nice.
I've hear that GK Backline's are good amps also. That was really my second choice instead of the MAG.
The Peavey head... Dunno really. To me, Peavy refers to the 1990's Swedish death metal scene (A Boss HM-2 thru a 60w Peavey amp's miced from behind were the basis of the sound). At least I can tell, that their guitar stuff is really good.
Can't really comment on warwicks, since the only time I've had experience with them was the black label stringset (The B string core snapped not even properly wound) and their straplocks (Really good ones).
Good luck getting back on the low end,
Cheers,
Fek.

[bassbloke]

[quote name='fekalizatorius' post='490331' date='May 17 2009, 06:40 AM']I, IMHO, would never really go S/H unless the item is really cheap and or is a rarity, that I can't get usually (IE, Spector basses are nowhere to be found in Lithuania).
Refering to Machines's list, I can easily say that the MAG will deliver. Never dissapointed me, toneshaping is quite versitile, has enough punch in it's arsenal, and all in all, it looks quite nice.
I've hear that GK Backline's are good amps also. That was really my second choice instead of the MAG.
The Peavey head... Dunno really. To me, Peavy refers to the 1990's Swedish death metal scene (A Boss HM-2 thru a 60w Peavey amp's miced from behind were the basis of the sound). At least I can tell, that their guitar stuff is really good.
Can't really comment on warwicks, since the only time I've had experience with them was the black label stringset (The B string core snapped not even properly wound) and their straplocks (Really good ones).
Good luck getting back on the low end,
Cheers,
Fek.[/quote]

Maybe the 2nd hand market in Lithuania is very different to here, but I guarantee you that a sizeable proportion of the 2nd gear offered on this forum is in fantastic condition. Only in the past few weeks I've bought and sold 3 Tech bass cabs and with the exception of a bit of fluffing to one bit of carpet and a paint chip less than 2mm on one of the grilles, you would be hard pressed not to think the stuff was new.

New gear always has its place and there are times when you have no choice, but don't dismiss the benefits. For example, all of the gear you've listed is towards the budget end of the market - GK backline, Ashdown MAG, Peavey. By going second hand you could seriously raise your game to an amp you won't grow out of. That's money that could be put towards a nicer bass, transport, effects, better case or put to one side and used to service your gear when needed.

[Adrenochrome]

I've had bad experiences in the past buying 2nd hand heads on the open market.
However I'd suggest that buying from a trusted forumite would be a heck of a lot safer, and you'll get a lot for your money.
<£300 a joke? - absolute cobblers.
My MAG 300r was only about £170 and has done hundreds of gigs and practices, travelling the length of the country, and has never missed a beat. I think the rack was about £40, so total spend of £210.

[skankdelvar]

Full rig for £300 - easy! Got a nice, nearly new Mag 300 2x10 combo for £220 and a hartke 4x10 tp for £70. Bargain 6x10 rig. Maybe not to everyone's tastes, but needs must, etc.

Both off the BC amps for sale forum. It's the way forward.

edit for: and there's this - an abm for £200 [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=46389"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=46389[/url]

Edited May 17, 2009 by skankdelvar

[Dom in Dorset]

I'm not in a position to buy right now, I'll check out the for sale section as and when.
I've emailed the owner of the Trace Elliot, I've got to follow this up, it's potentialy a good deal.

[Stan_da_man]

Out of those heads listed above, the Peavey is by far the best. I own the Tour 450 and it is a really good head, underated IMO. If you can, look to buy a BFM Omni cab in the For Sale section. I use an Omni 10 with my head and it sounds great.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Stan_da_man