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AMP FOR ROOTS REGGAE/DUB


chazwondon
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Years of borrowin amps and DIing must stop now! My spector has served me well but need to up the anti and really define my sound more with my own amp (and stop pissin people and my band off with the constant nag of borrowing eqipment and worryin about backline all the time!)

I play roots reggae, so need a warm subby, but defined tone. Am relatively clueless about amps so any suggestions would be really appreciated - combo or not? valve? make/model? etc. Looking to spend as little as possible! But can push to 800/900 quid or so.

Cheers!

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Markbass LM11 does it for me after trying quite a few, it's very clean, warm and deep and it fits in a laptop case.
I use one or two 15" cabs depending on the venue and sometimes just use the amp as a DI box if there's a big PA with good monitors.
I don't like the markbass cabs so much and I'm not keen on combos cos they limit flexibility.

LM11s or similar models often come up on here for about £350 which is what I paid - I wouldn't buy new if you can avoid it.
I got my cabs here too and fitted Eminence 3015LF woofers in them - they are the business for dub and weigh almost nothing.

Edited by redstriper
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I play alot of Reggae in my band Ali & The Beachcombers, I used to have an ampeg stack (2x10 + 15 + SVT 3) which was awesome but a pain to move around. I now have a Markbass 2x10 combo and it is amazing. I was skeptical about the bottom end but when I tried it i was blown away, it competes with the ampeg no problem. Its a great amp and best of all I can lift it with one hand!

Kev

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  • 2 weeks later...

The SVT does seem to be the popular rig for reggae. Here in RI, at a particular bar that hosts a lot of touring reggae acts, they have an SVT that's been there for years. A great classic rig/sound that never goes stale. Thing is, if you're buying your own, well there's maybe 90 lbs of cartage, and that's just the head. Rasta has that right- you better be feelin' good about pullin' that monster around!

Your amp, if you have FOH, is really just a stage monitor. It might be reasonable to at least consider a smaller rig than the 'Peg. Markbass does a tight, very 'plain' tone for reggae with some nice rubbery 'snap' in there. I personally think it's an odd, unique sound... I also think it's great for reggae. If I were just doing reggae full-time I'd think about it.

I'm using a Trace SMX head with a Sansamp VT pedal in front, and I'm a convert. If that's not the best SVT imitation I've ever got sucked in by, then I'm a drummer's uncle! Serious heft and the conservative rating/healthy punch of the Trace amp. Running into 2 Bag End cabs- plenty for stage. I can go anywhere with that little brick house. Just another wrench for your engine there!

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Lots of power and lots of speakers, it doesn't need to be refined. If your bass is going through the PA, which already has lots of power and speakers, you don't need a big amp at all.

I use a Squier Jazz strung with flats into a Hartke 500W head and a Schroeder 2x12. Works great for that old Studio One sound. It wouldn't be loud enough to fill a big room but show me a big room without a PA.

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[quote name='andyjingram' post='889535' date='Jul 8 2010, 02:18 PM']I'll +1 that!

The filters are great for really dubby stuff, one is really a master tone roll off, and the other boosts the very low frequencies (whilst also cutting the mids and boosting highs). Used in conjunction they can make for some really deep tones.[/quote]

Another +1 to the Mark Bass option.

Possibly more controversial on here, but I would also try out Ashdown for a deep dubb tone.

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I might be able to help. I have a Markbass Combo mini cmd151 (1x15) that I'm looking to sell to get different amp. It's a 300w @ 8ohms, add another cab and you've got 500w.

It's very light and great for that style and very gigging friendly with weight. I guess I'd be look about half-ish the retail price...

If you're interested, let me know.

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Pick up a little giant head. It won't cost you more than £150/200. If you like it, keep it. If not, pass it on...

You can get very nice deep tones from it! It may not match some of the more upmarket rigs, but it's certainly worth considering :)

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I must admit for recording i'm using my Ashdown Electric Blue 180 combo with a 12 inch, loving the sound i get from it DI'd. However I gigged my Ampeg SVT rig the weekend, nuff power and the right sound for me-although i swear the ampegs are not as loud as stated on the amps. I guess it depends what sound you like on stage-i like it to sound on stage as i'd hear it out front so very warm dubby phat but defined-it's surprising how much power you need to get that defined low end! People think its crazy asking why you need so much power? but us reggae players need speakers that push that low end without farting and the power to get it heard & felt....it's a very different science/art compared to many other genres getting 'the reggae sound' - and then there is technique but thats another thread..... :)

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If anyone's interested in roadtesting the first [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=94895"]Barefaced Dubster[/url] then let me know! Would be good to find what it can handle in the context of authentic reggae bands (as opposed to my weird reggae influenced rock-ish outfit).

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  • 9 years later...

Well now its 2020. So what cab/head

 would you recommend for playing alot of reggae these days??? Playing out alot at bars and such but looking to have plenty of power for that as well as some slightly larger venues???

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48 minutes ago, Sk1 said:

Well now its 2020. So what cab/head

 would you recommend for playing alot of reggae these days??? Playing out alot at bars and such but looking to have plenty of power for that as well as some slightly larger venues???

Gosh this thread from the dead has just made me realise how much B/C is part of my everyday life, and how old I am now 😂

In regards to your question, and having tried a billion amps since 2010 I’d still go with Markbass for the reggae. LMT is a favourite but quite happy with my current LM800. I was also very fond of the Eden amps for reggae like the WT800.

Speakers, Barefaced Dubster, Markbass 15”, the Ampeg SVT410HLF is a beast and prefer over the 8x10 but still weighs as much as a gastric band failure. Currently got 2x Hartke Hydrive 12” separate cabs at the moment but yet to gig them. 

Edited by Raslee
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Agree about Markbass if you want a modern rig. They have a nice combination of warm/old school but not dull. You still get good note definition, which is very important for reggae because the rhythm/timing is so critical in the bass.

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1 hour ago, Deedee said:

Not quite reggae but when I saw The Selecter at Rock City a couple of years back the bass player was using a Genz Benz Streamliner with a Barefaced 2x15. It sounded immense!

Yeah I forgot the Streamliner, that was a nice warm amp and 900W for the dub 😊

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3 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I’ve gone full circle, I used Ashdown for years then switched to markbass for a number of years now I’m back with Ashdown and 2x15 markbass cabs 😄, but I’m looking next for a barefaced dubster or a gen 3 supertwin .

I must admit I’m intrigued with big Ashdowns like the ABM’s. I’ve seen a few come up fairly cheap and feel the GAS building. I had a Retroglide briefly which was nice but it didn’t excite me so that one went. However a Ashdown Blueline 12” combo was my favourite amp to record with many moons ago, lovely DI sounds.

i also quite fancy a Markbass Traveller 15” again, loved the lightness and the tone was great - not too wooly but phat with definition and one was perfect for the smaller gigs 😊

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On 30/03/2020 at 21:54, Raslee said:

In regards to your question, and having tried a billion amps since 2010 I’d still go with Markbass for the reggae. LMT is a favourite but quite happy with my current LM800.

I know a reggae bassist who uses an an EBS Valvedrive, into an MB LM800, through a Barefaced Super Compact. Sounds just right.

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6 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I’ve gone full circle, I used Ashdown for years then switched to markbass for a number of years now I’m back with Ashdown and 2x15 markbass cabs 😄, but I’m looking next for a barefaced dubster or a gen 3 supertwin .

Barefaced dubster & gen 3 Supertwin? Time to reinforce the neighbourhood windows 😁

You thought about a pair of BF SCs as a flexible alternative to the Supertwin? 'Cos it seems to me that is exactly what a ST is...two stacked SCs.

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