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Bass amp advice please


Bassman andy
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Hi all,

My names Andy and I'm new to this site, so hello to all my bass friends out there :)

I have just joined a really popular covers band in the Midlands. Mostly weddings and the odd pub gig. I want to invest in a new amp. Around the 300-400 pound value with atleast 300 watts output. Got an Ashdown at the moment but starting to look a bit battered.
Amps that have caught my eye are the Marshall mb4210 but it's getting mixed reviews. Ideally I would like a head/speaker combo but that's looking a bit pricey...
Any advice would be great....Thanks all!!!

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[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='898043' date='Jul 18 2010, 01:42 PM']For that kind of budget i'd reccomend Hartke amps / cabs

Great value for money and great all round performance

:)[/quote]
Hi Andy. Got to agree with that, for funds available, and depending on your requirements, Hartke is probably yr best bet for all-round versatility. I had a Marshall MB4210 and in my view, it excels at the "old-school" warm valvey-sound, tho it isn`t a one-trick-pony at all. My backup rig is the MB450 head with MB410 cab, and its been very good to me. I didn`t answer this thread as a means of touting for business, but am in fact considering selling it, just gotta get a couple of gigs with my new set-up under my belt, to see if I prefer it, or not. If not, will keep the MB as I find it to be very good. Something to maybe bear in mind, if yr not in a hurry. Would price it to sell, at £300 for both.

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[quote name='Bassman andy' post='898041' date='Jul 18 2010, 01:40 PM']Hi all,

My names Andy and I'm new to this site, so hello to all my bass friends out there :)

I have just joined a really popular covers band in the Midlands. Mostly weddings and the odd pub gig. I want to invest in a new amp. Around the 300-400 pound value with atleast 300 watts output. Got an Ashdown at the moment but starting to look a bit battered.
Amps that have caught my eye are the Marshall mb4210 but it's getting mixed reviews. Ideally I would like a head/speaker combo but that's looking a bit pricey...
Any advice would be great....Thanks all!!![/quote]

I use a Laney RB8 1 x 15" combo for pub-sized gigs and add an ext. speaker for outdoor events.

About 180 watts as it stands @ 8 ohm and 300 watts @ 4 ohm with ext speaker - never needed the gain or volume past halfway . . . ever . . .

Its never let me down - I've had it 3 years and it comes with a 5 year warranty.

Its a great sounding and very versatile combo that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who enjoys plug and play reliability from a UK based company.

A head and speaker setup should be well within your budget if you shop around.

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This is great advice!!

Yeah! I've been banging my head against the wall about having a Hartke combo, but the pennies are not there. I was looking at a Hartke hydrive 210c with 2 x 150 watt 10 inch speakers, but I'm looking at £560.
I did have a Laney many years ago and got some great use out of it. I've been looking at a LANEY RB7 300-WATT 2 x 10-INCH RICHTER BASS GUITAR COMBO AMPLIFIER priced at £354 from Dolphin music...Looks good.
Lozz196, Cheers for the offer mate, but I'm gonna go new on this one....The Marshall MB4210 does appeal to me though, I played one at a charity gig not long ago and the sound was very sweet and powerful.
I have got a Behringer head in the attic, maybe I could add a Hartke 15 inch speaker cab??? Possibilities all round


Cheers

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[quote name='Bassman andy' post='899251' date='Jul 19 2010, 06:44 PM']This is great advice!!

Yeah! I've been banging my head against the wall about having a Hartke combo, but the pennies are not there. I was looking at a Hartke hydrive 210c with 2 x 150 watt 10 inch speakers, but I'm looking at £560.
I did have a Laney many years ago and got some great use out of it. I've been looking at a LANEY RB7 300-WATT 2 x 10-INCH RICHTER BASS GUITAR COMBO AMPLIFIER priced at £354 from Dolphin music...Looks good.
Lozz196, Cheers for the offer mate, but I'm gonna go new on this one....The Marshall MB4210 does appeal to me though, I played one at a charity gig not long ago and the sound was very sweet and powerful.
I have got a Behringer head in the attic, maybe I could add a Hartke 15 inch speaker cab??? Possibilities all round


Cheers[/quote]


my advice is never ....never ................. behringer head in the attic ............its always best to deal with things!!!!


I`ll get me coat!

Edited by jhk
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Your best bet is to get a decent cab and run this with your Berhinger and, when funds permit, get a better head. You won't get much new for £400 with power and decent quality. And for £300 - £400 I would look for a second hand cab 'in as new' condition from this forum - you should pick up something that will last you many years

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Cheers Guy's,

Yeah..Alanbass...Looks like I might go with your idea, run the Behringer through a Hartke amp. The actual Bass head was in a Behringer all in one ultra bass but it all blew up and I took the head out...Gotta get some bit s of wood and some carpet to make it look a bit :) :rolleyes:

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[quote name='Bassman andy' post='899503' date='Jul 19 2010, 10:21 PM']Cheers Guy's,

Yeah..Alanbass...Looks like I might go with your idea, run the Behringer through a Hartke amp. The actual Bass head was in a Behringer all in one ultra bass but it all blew up and I took the head out...Gotta get some bit s of wood and some carpet to make it look a bit :) :rolleyes:[/quote]
Those Behringers aren`t bad amps by any stretch. Not played one, but the bassist in a band I see regularly uses one, with a Fender Jazz, and his tone is great, very much like JJ from The Stranglers, really powerful. Think he has a Behringer cab as well. Get hold of a good quality cab, and you`ll be sorted.

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Ashdowns only give half there rated power through the internal 8ohm speaker so adding another 8 ohm cab will give you roughly an extra 6dB. If you buy a cab you want to keep then this could be the start of a new rig and in the meantime you have something gigable. If you buy a top quality cab then you can add a head when you can afford it.

If the state of the Ashdown is troubling you then they can usually be cleaned up. Stick any loose covering back down (sometimes it can be ironed back down as the heat melts the adhesive) Clean carpet with carpet shampoo and a suede brush for stubborn stains. Any vinyl comes up a treat with a wipe with a clean cloth and WD40. Replace any damaged corners with a new set.

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[quote name='charic' post='899850' date='Jul 20 2010, 11:43 AM']Line 6 Lowdown 300pro pretty much meets all specs :)[/quote]

I was looking at Line 6, a good alternative but no real reputation.
The Ashdown I have is borrowed as I've only been filling in with this covers band, prior to that I have been writing my own stuff with another band and the backline is usually provided. Saying that I played a lovely laney Rb-9 head with cab the other week, looked online and not a bad price.
The Ashdown was uncared for by the the owner, he left it in the garage over winter the idiot. Makes a crackling sound if you go to far on the gain and volume, so I can't really risk it at gigs this important.

The Behringer head I've got is from a 450 watt Behringer ultrabass...Need advice on the cab because I don't want to blow the arse off it!! Also If I can get a reasonably priced cab then I can probably look at getting some other stuff. Space is a issue too!!

Cheers guys

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If you like the Ashdown you could get a Little Giant for £199 (http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Ashdown-Little-Giant-350~ID~8586.asp) and then pick up a used cab on here (something like this? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92570)"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92570)[/url]

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[quote name='RussFM' post='900491' date='Jul 20 2010, 09:17 PM']If you like the Ashdown you could get a Little Giant for £199 (http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Ashdown-Little-Giant-350~ID~8586.asp) and then pick up a used cab on here (something like this? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92570)"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92570)[/url][/quote]
Cheers Russ, sent a PM...Looks good and local. :)

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I have a Hartke 2500 amp that I run through a 12-inch Schroeder cab. The amp is 250 watts; through my single cab, it's 180 watts. The amp is amazingly powerful, in my opinion, and cost much less than comparably powered amps-- $250. The Schroeder was expensive, but you could go with a less expensive cab (and you'd probably want more than a 12) and keep well within your budget of $600.

tg

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