First Stack, Help!

[PhoenixBass1]

Hey everyone. I've been playing bass for a couple of years now through a very old, often crackly 60w combo.
My band have recently started gigging and I need something that will hold its own on stage.
Up until a couple of days ago I knew nothing about bass amps but I've been doing my research and I understand the whole watts and ohms issue. Although I'm still not sure how much power I will need and I don't wish to spend fortunes as it will be my first stack. In the next couple of days I'm planning on going to a couple of local music shops and trying a few rigs, but I can't try everything so it'd be helpful if people could suggest good first time stacks.
Currently I've gauged that something like a Laney RB9 would be a good starting point or maybe the Ashdown Mag 300h Evo II. I assume these will generate enough power for my needs when paired with an average 4x10" cab, but advice would be very helpful, thanks. (Sorry for the essay)

[JMT3781]

hi there
my first stack was a laney r4, which was the fore runner to the rb9

one worth considering is the ashton all valve head, its 300w valve and is fairly cheap..

whats your budget ?

[PhoenixBass1]

[quote name='JMT3781' post='847820' date='May 25 2010, 07:25 PM']hi there
my first stack was a laney r4, which was the fore runner to the rb9

one worth considering is the ashton all valve head, its 300w valve and is fairly cheap..

whats your budget ?[/quote]

Is that the BTA 300 hybrid you're talking about? Because that's way out of my price range lol.
Budget wise I don't think I'd buy a head for more than £300ish, the main reason being I'm only 17 and money doesn't come easily
To be honest I don't think a valve amp would interest me mainly because although the tone is amazing, I don't think it's worth the hundreds of pounds more, especially when i'm fighting to be heard over the guitarist.

[Ian Savage]

Whereabouts are you Pheonix? I'm currently selling an eminently giggable Laney/Marshall half-stack, which I'm willing to let go for comparative peanuts as 1/ I need it out of the living room, and 2/ I've damaged the sodding tolex on the Marshall cab a bit so now can't sell it as 'excellent condition' (which it previously was) even though I can easily patch it up

[PhoenixBass1]

[quote name='Ian Savage' post='847851' date='May 25 2010, 07:45 PM']Whereabouts are you Pheonix? I'm currently selling an eminently giggable Laney/Marshall half-stack, which I'm willing to let go for comparative peanuts as 1/ I need it out of the living room, and 2/ I've damaged the sodding tolex on the Marshall cab a bit so now can't sell it as 'excellent condition' (which it previously was) even though I can easily patch it up [/quote]

Thanks for the offer but I'm afraid I'm in Essex so I can't really come get it.
Although I have been looking second hand and I've found a 'Ashdown ABM EvoII 900watt bass head' locally, you guys got any opinions on it? Thanks

[JMT3781]

the reason i mentioned that head is cuz its on special offer where i work, didnt realise what the RRP was lol!

get something secondhand, its the best way

[PhoenixBass1]

[quote name='JMT3781' post='847904' date='May 25 2010, 08:52 PM']the reason i mentioned that head is cuz its on special offer where i work, didnt realise what the RRP was lol!

get something secondhand, its the best way [/quote]

Oh kl what's the price where you work? and yeh seems like a good idea

[basshead56]

[quote name='JMT3781' post='847820' date='May 25 2010, 07:25 PM']my first stack was a laney r4, which was the fore runner to the rb9[/quote]

Me too.
Great budget stack! and seriously loud!
Can´t recommend it enough.
There are the usual suspects in this area too- Ashdown MAG stuff, Marshall B, but for the money- get yourself either the laney, or even better, some Trace Elliot gear. Its mean, green and ugly, but no one can argue with the very loud bang for the buck!

Try the marketplace section here on BC-there are some seriously good bargains to be had.

Trace Elliot stuff is the best value for money overall, IMO

Best of luck,
Colin

[Prime_BASS]

I would try a few valve heads just to see what you and your bass could sound like, then get what ever is cheapest and recreates this sound the best.

There is a lot of hybrid heads out there, but you can alway buy a cheap solid state amp with loads of power and then stick a bass driver or para driver in it for IMO the best valve emulation without valves.

Things like the ashdown little giant 350 or superfly are dirt cheap used and the pedal won't cost loads used either, the only trouble with those 2 heads is no matter what cabs you buy you still need two to get the full power.

+1 on searching the marketplace here, a lot of good deals to be had.

[howieee]

my first stack was an ampeg B2-RE with a 410 and a 115 classic series cabs. it was and still is a monster! try out some ampeg heads with maybe just a 410. iv not heard the B-series cabs before so i cant tell you anything about them, but the classic series cabs rock!

cheers howie

[howieee]

[quote name='PhoenixBass1' post='847850' date='May 25 2010, 07:44 PM']To be honest I don't think a valve amp would interest me mainly because although the tone is amazing, I don't think it's worth the hundreds of pounds more, especially when i'm fighting to be heard over the guitarist.[/quote]

oh and by the way it DEFINITELY is worth the hundreds more. trust me! haha. iv just got an ampeg svt vr and its one of the best things iv ever bought! although like you said... money doesnt exactly grow on trees... unfortunately.

Edited May 26, 2010 by howieee

[Conan]

[quote name='PhoenixBass1' post='847850' date='May 25 2010, 07:44 PM']Budget wise I don't think I'd buy a head for more than £300ish,[/quote]

You can get a brand spanking new Hartke LH500 for less than £300 - including delivery!!

That's the one eyed get... as I said last week just before a passing cyclops took offence!

[fxpedal.co.uk]

As mentioned on the other thread, we have the Laney RB9 in stock and available for demo. If required, we can also supply Hartke. We're happy, where we can, to offer special prices to the Basschat community.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Conan' post='850330' date='May 28 2010, 02:06 PM']You can get a brand spanking new Hartke LH500 for less than £300 - including delivery!!

That's the one eyed get... as I said last week just before a passing cyclops took offence! [/quote]

+1 the not reason I didn't get this head wad because it didn't do full power at 8 ohm.

It's a great soundng piece of kit, it will give a nice transparant tone so literally the tone is "in the fingers"

[Paul S]

+1 for getting secondhand. It is impossible to know immediately what sound you like or how to make it without trying lots of different things so almost inevitably you'll want to change whatever you get initially. If you buy new you'll take a hit on the purchase price. I know I did when I didn't listen to the advice on here - I bought Ashdown MAG 300 combo new plus ext. cab which I was happy with right up until I tried a Trace Elliot rig at rehearsal one night..... But whatever you go for you will stretch your funds considerably by getting secondhand. EBay/Gumtree can be a lottery but you can buy with confidence from here.

And, of course, +1 for getting Trace Elliot. You can't really go wrong with these. There are 300W combos/ head + cab popping up all the time secondhand that are plenty powerful enough to keep up with loud drummers - I play in 2 rock covers bands and the rig in my signature has no volume issues. You can add another cab as and when funds permit. Assuming you are happy with the sound the TE gear should see you through right up until your back gives out in 30 years time.

Ashdown stuff is good value also - it often gets bad mouthed for 'wooliness' and so has a poor resale value but for £300 you should be able to pick up a 300W ABM combo - the ABM range is significantly better than the MAG (which I had )

All in my extremely limited experience, I should add.

Edit [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=83914&pid=848177&st=0&#entry848177"]Link here to one for sale at the moment in Ipswich - bargain![/url]

Edited May 30, 2010 by Paul S

[Ian Savage]

[quote name='Paul S' post='851641' date='May 30 2010, 09:38 AM']Ashdown stuff is good value also - it often gets bad mouthed for 'wooliness' and so has a poor resale value but for £300 you should be able to pick up a 300W ABM combo - the ABM range is significantly better than the MAG (which I had )[/quote]

Indeed - I picked up an ABM300 head from these parts for a couple of hundred quid, very happy with it.

[Delberthot]

There's a Trace 800w @ 8ohms 4x12" floating around the for sale section somewhere. You could use this with almost any amp without PA support for almost any situation you may find yourself in.

I'm using the lower rated 500w 2x15" version which is the same size through a Gallien Krueger head so its putting out something like 300w at 8 ohms and its mental loud. I use it for every gig no problems at all

there's also a Trace AH150 or it may be 250 and contrary to what you may hear elsewhere this could drive the cab no problems at all as the older trace stuff is generally very underrated powerwise

[Conan]

[quote name='fxpedal.co.uk' post='851608' date='May 30 2010, 08:37 AM']If required, we can also supply Hartke. We're happy, where we can, to offer special prices to the Basschat community.[/quote]

It's required I think! You have PM!