Combo recommendations

[thebassist]

Combo recommendations - which ones have you tried, which are you currently using, which would you suggest and which would you purchase if you don't already own it?

Edited 2 hours ago by thebassist

[Jack]

I mean, I'm not saying that money is no object, but I've worked hard in my little life and bass amps aren't exactly Lamborghinis. So anyway I don't own a bass combo. 

 

Can we have just little context? 😁

[Dan Dare]

Probably an AER Amp 3. They are on the high side of affordable and I periodically wrestle with my desire for one.

[Skybone]

Context would be good...

 

However, if money were no object, then I'd go for an EBS Magni 502.

[Stub Mandrel]

I have a few small combos. Not convinced of them for gigging unless you like both the amp and cab sound.

[ezbass]

The bigger version of my current combo/head - Phil Jones Superflightcase.

[itu]

My Glockenklang Soul 2x10" is old, but it has been the best combo ever. 38 kg is the bad side. Before that I had a Peavey DataBass, around the same wattage (450), but one 15" BW.

 

A super combo would be 2x12", some 500 W - 1 kW / 8 ohm, two inputs, and under 25 kg. HPF. Built-in wheels.

[Hellzero]

I owned it, but ended up selling it, because I'm a BassChatter...

 

GR Bass AeroTech Full Carbon Cube 800 Combo coupled to a GR Bass AeroTech Full Carbon Cube 112+ cabinet.

 

Super light and super powerful with excellent definition and almost neutral sounding.

[thebassist]

Sorry for the lack of context - I’m mainly trying to see what others are using and do a bit of research based on people’s recommendations.

I’ve tried quite a few combos and so far the Eich BC112Pro has been the best for me - but I’m still not fully satisfied with anything I’ve used. I’m also not looking to go with a separate head and cabinet as I’d like to avoid carrying more individual pieces of equipment/cables around.

[Dan Dare]

1 hour ago, thebassist said:

I’m also not looking to go with a separate head and cabinet as I’d like to avoid carrying more individual pieces of equipment/cables around.

 

Given that weight and compactness are the main reasons people choose combos, separates can actually be a better proposition. One of the crop of class D heads plus a lightweight cab (or two/more) is often a lot lighter to carry. I prefer two journeys to and from the car with lightweight stuff, rather than one with a lump.

 

Separates are also scalable -you can add cabs for bigger jobs - and in the event of a failure, you have more options. The gear tart in me would still like an AER, though.

[Hellzero]

2 hours ago, thebassist said:

I’ve tried quite a few combos and so far the Eich BC112Pro has been the best for me - but I’m still not fully satisfied with anything I’ve used.

 

Try the GR Bass I mentioned, it's quite the same as the Eich, but simply better.

 

That said a Hevos combo if you can find one is an amazing little thing and also on the light side, particularly the Midget 10 in 300 or 400 Watts version, I've never heard such a small combo sounding this good.

 

But it's not cheap at all, Public Peace (Maruszczyk) still has some in stock: https://www.public-peace.de/hevos-midget10-combo.html

[JPJ]

My current combo is a bit of a rare beast in that is an Ashdown ABM Neo 400w 1x15 combo. I find it covers most of my gigs with support from the PA. It lives in its flightcase which rather negates the ‘Neo’ or lightweight bit of its name, but makes it super road friendly. I am dreading having to replace it, but my candidates would include the EBS Magni 210, and the humble but well loved Fender Rumble 500 or 800. 

[ped]

I think the sweet spot for a combo is to be loud enough for personal monitoring and small/light enough for one hand carry. Otherwise, what's the point?

 

As such, I love my Eic BC112pro. The tilt back stand makes it super useful on bigger stages where there's a good PA.

 

Interested to know what you think it's missing. it suits me very well, with EQ all neutral; the 'taste' control is all I use.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Hellzero said:

Try the GR Bass I mentioned, it's quite the same as the Eich, but simply better.

 

I would be tempted by one of these except I prefer having a hybrid amp.

[Lozz196]

My current combo is the Fender Rumble 800, chosen for weight and power. If Ashdown did a similar product I would have gone with them as although the Rumbles sound great I do prefer the Ashdown sound. But they don’t, and weight for me is a big factor, a 13kg 800w 210 great sounding combo fits my needs well.

[gjones]

I've owned a lot of combos and they all had their flaws. They were either loud but heavy, or light and not powerful enough. But my latest combo, which is a Markbass CMD 121P, ticks both the loud and light boxes. I got mine used but I'd definitely have paid the full price (whatever that is/was) for a new one, they're definitely worth it.

 

 

[thebassist]

5 hours ago, ped said:

I think the sweet spot for a combo is to be loud enough for personal monitoring and small/light enough for one hand carry. Otherwise, what's the point?

 

As such, I love my Eic BC112pro. The tilt back stand makes it super useful on bigger stages where there's a good PA.

 

Interested to know what you think it's missing. it suits me very well, with EQ all neutral; the 'taste' control is all I use.

I need something that can handle a huge amount of volume... maybe the Eich BC212 will be something to try for me. Main problem is that I live in the arse end of nowhere and I'm also mindful that going somewhere like Bass Direct, etc. to say "eerrrhhhh I need to really crank this at full volume while using multiple delay pedals, reverb, a Darkglass Alpha Omega while hitting an open B, fifth octave very hard" may not go down all that well with Mark.

[BassmanPaul]

Thinking on this, I came to the conclusion that if money was no object the last thing I'd consider would be a Combo! A combo by its very nature is a Buch of compromises in order to fit into the combo format.

 

That said I do love my Ampeg B15NF!

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by BassmanPaul

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, thebassist said:

I need something that can handle a huge amount of volume... maybe the Eich BC212 will be something to try for me. Main problem is that I live in the arse end of nowhere and I'm also mindful that going somewhere like Bass Direct, etc. to say "eerrrhhhh I need to really crank this at full volume while using multiple delay pedals, reverb, a Darkglass Alpha Omega while hitting an open B, fifth octave very hard" may not go down all that well with Mark.

 

If you want to try out a GR Bass combo, I'm sure he'll be accommodating. 

[Norris]

2 hours ago, thebassist said:

I need something that can handle a huge amount of volume...

Why? You're either through the PA and using your amp as a tone source and/or on stage monitor, or you don't really need more than about 500W - certainly not in your average small venue.

 

Your choice depends on the type of sound you're after - clean or coloured. I like a coloured sound that can sound a bit valvey, but is a light weight combo. The Fender Rumble v3 500 ticks those boxes for me