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Post subject: Re: Don't bother buying and then lugging an amp!
Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 3:27 am
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nrlincoln wrote:
I'm in a gigging band. We play in pubs of varying sizes.

All I take to gigs is my Geddy Lee bass, spare strings etc, a guitar stand and - vitally - my Tech21 SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI.

If the other bands playing let me use their amp, then i use that for on-stage monitor purposes. Route the bass via the SansAmp straight into the effect return input of the amp (thereby turning the amp into purely a power amp, bypassing all the EQ and tone altering characteristics of the thing). The amps are always XLR'd into the PA to get the bass volume "out" to the crowd.

If there is no onstage bass amp I XLR the SansAmp straight into the PA and ask the sound engineer to boost the bass signal through the PA monitors so myself and the drummer can hear something.

The point is, with the SansAmp I get a consistent, repeatable sound (mild overdrive, analog warmth etc) at whatever venue I play. I don't have to lug an amp around London and can get to and from venues by train (meaning I can have a pint or two during the night!)

I know amps look lovely with their knobs and flashing EQs etc but I came to the conclusion about 12 months ago you JUST DON'T NEED ONE!


nrlincoln - yes, I've fantasised about doing the same thing. The sansamp is a great sound. The thing stopping me is crappy PAs, with underpowered monitors, that are so common around town. If your gig has two powered wedges with a 12" and horn in each, on one send, then you end up sharing speakers with the singers, not getting enough volume, and not being heard by the drummer on those (many) stages without a drum fill. Also the foldback is EQ'd for vocals, usually with all the low end pulled out, so it just doesn't give me the Phat onstage. Not ideal.

So I run my Fender bass through a Hartke 3500 head into a single 15 Ashdown box. It's nice and deep, plenty loud enough, and the box is on wheels! Yay for wheels. I was using a 1975 Ampeg V4 120 Watt tube head until recently, but it was soooooo heavy, and the Hartke was the most bang for buck when I went looking for a replacement.

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Post subject:
Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:41 am
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I have been using a Euphonic Audio Wizzy 200 combo for the last 4 years and it has handled everything I have tried with it. I play in a soul covers band and various jazz bands up to a 17 piece swing band. I'm also old enough now to appreciate a compact, light, do-anything combo and save my creaky old joints for the standing-up-and-playing bit.

What I like about it is the even tone across the frequencies and I suspect the bass-reflex cabinet has a lot to do with that.

What I don't like is the complexity of the tone controls - especially as I tend to use the amp flat most of the time. When they are needed though they are superb in their ability to take out unwanted resonances.

The other thing I didn't like here in the UK was the price... I seem to have got what I paid for though. :D


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Post subject: Sans-amp
Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:48 am
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I also like Sans-Amp and occasionally use it to dirty up the EA sound. I would feel vulnerable with just the SA going into the PA though, even if the amp is just used as a monitor (no room for fold-backs in some of the pubs we play in). Also, how else am I going to make my trousers flap and frighten the brass section? :wink:


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Post subject:
Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 4:07 pm
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Location: NoHo in SoCal
I have three options: Bassman 135 (tube) head and a 2 X 15 cab that's deep and moves lots of air. This is for old school, rock, jazz, etc. I also have the solid state Bassman 210/250 for more modern sounds, smaller rooms and for when I'm doubling on guitar/bass.

Something I got just a couple weeks ago (GC green tag sale) is an Acoustic B20. Terrific for practice and when you're jamming with friends who only have acoustics. But it also holds up with my SCXD and my old mid-80s Champ for an in-condo electric jam. It's also reasonable if not ideal when I plug in an acoustic or electric 6 string.

I travel a few times a year and am limited in how much I can squeeze into the car. In past years, that pretty much left me either just bringing an acoustic guitar or an electric and my Champ. The B20 nicely solved the "can't bring a bass" issue. It's small enough that I can squeeze in two guitars (bass and 6) and the amp.

I jam with friends I visit while traveling but we're all in our 50s and well beyond our Marshall stack with amp dimed days. So the B20 should also work well with their collection of small amps.

Of course a B20 won't work if you're talking about gigging or at least much beyond a largely acoustic coffee house gig. But in that case, I've also been impressed with the bigger amps from Acoustic. I've tried the B200, B200 combo (I think it has a bit more bottom than the Bassman 210) and the B600. All worth checking out.


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Post subject:
Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 7:52 am
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Gigs: GK Backline 600

Home: Roland Cube 60


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 4:45 pm
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Location: Cooperstown, N.Y.
Used A Fender Bassman 50 with 2- 15 cabinet in the 70s. Tubes still work!I use a Mesa M-Pulse 600 with 1-15 and 4-10 Powerhouse cabs. Our gutar player plays a Telacaster through a very old Fender Twin that totally rocks. What I like about Mesa is the tone I can call my own.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 1:44 pm
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Ampeg BA210SP for most gigs, including outdoor festivals my swing band appears at; Peavey Firebass 400 when I need more power in or outdoors.

I like Fender amps; never could raise the money for the better models.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 3:22 am
yep


Last edited by 6163asfj on Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: I really like the weight on this
Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 6:31 pm
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djflats wrote:
I decided to try out one of the new GK combo's. I got the GK MB210, 350 watts with 2x10. I'm waiting for the 2x10 extension cabinet, that will jack it up to 500 watts. So far I'm liking it. Sounds good but it's nice and light too.


I really love the weight on this too.


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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 1:23 am
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Location: Albemarle, NC
Home practice? I plug the instrument into a cheap Behringer BDI21 pedal that has an XLR output that feeds a little mixer that runs into the Turtle Beach soundcard on my computer and slap on some sealed ear phones. Prior to getting this cheap but workable little pedal I was using my pedalboard into the mixer at home. Now I leave the pedal board in the case except for gigs. Does it sound as good as my Tech 21 Bass Driver? NO. But it works.

Band rehearsal? Line6 Studio 110. Small, light and keeps up with the drummer. It doesn't move a lot of air but is loud enough to rehearse with. I have also used the xlr out on it into the home mixer for home practice. I used it for home headphone practice into the computer for about a year. Then I figured I was maybe wearing out the amp using it several hours a day. Is it a full fat sound? No but you can hear it no problem. I also used it for a stage play orchestra gig. It was loud enough for that. Wouldn't gig with it with my band though.

Gigs? Another Avatar cab fan! 1x15 Neo and 2x10 Delta cabs. On top Ampeg B2RE USA rack head. In the rack is also a Fender RT1000 tuner which I like a lot. I downsized heads from SVTII about 5 years ago. Too heavy for old men to move. I've gigged with Ampeg heads since 1971. Next I might try the big USA made Carvin or something else USA made. I'm NOT buying an AsianPeg.

Pedal board is a Whirlwind Selector Optical A/B/Y pedal (so I can select from two basses) into an Aphex Punch Factory compressor pedal into a Tech 21 Bass Driver Deluxe. The Tech 21 Deluxe also has an A/B switch so you can have 3 presets on 2 different basses or it also allows you to use 6 presets on one bass instead. I like having 6 presets and using the Selector A/B/Y pedal instead. There is also a Morley on/off pedal for muting the amp during tuning. I feed the PA from the Tech 21's XLR out. At gigs the amp is really just a stage monitor for me more than anything else. We have 2 subs in the PA so most of the bass the audience hears is coming from the PA unless they are pretty close.

I don't switch basses up a lot at gigs, but it is nice to have a choice. I have my number 1 loaded with Thomastik-Infeld PowerBass EB344 rounds, number 2 is either active with Thomastik-Infeld JF 344 Jazz Flats, or passive with GHS Precision Flats. Number 2 depends on whether I am inside or outside and what kind of mood I'm in at the time. I try to avoid taking high dollar basses to outdoor gigs anymore.


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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:04 am
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Just my thoughts...... :), but I think the type of equipment to be used is a compromise of the sound you want, how convenient the equipment is to haul, the type of gig, how often a person is playing, and cost.

I use a Sansamp Tech 21 bass DI connected to a Line 6 Studio 110. I use this at home and at smaller venue gigs. 110 is 75 watts and easy to haul to gigs. Usually use the "clean" setting on the 110 and use the effects of the tech 21.

At gigs on stage, I mount the 110 on an amp stand slanted upwards at 45 degrees. I XLR out of tech 21 to FOH and have some signal sent back to the monitor. If no monitor from FOH, I use the subwoofer (100 watts, 2x10") of my Roland Personal Drum monitor in addition to the 110 to round out the bottom end. I let the sound tech get bass sound to others on stage that need to hear it through stage monitors.

For church gig, use only Tech 21 XLR to FOH sound and line out to large Roland keyboard amp (150 W, 15" speaker) that is shared with electronic drums for monitor. We also have line from vocals, piano and guitard into the keyboard amp for monitoring those people.

If need for more wattage occurs at outdoor gig, I currently rent large amp and cab from music store. Use whatever brand they have available. Nice to have friends at a music store.

I applaud equipment manufacturers for developing the newer enclosures to save weight and the lighter weight amps that still provide higher wattages. I hope to purchase some of this equipment in the future.

I do enjoy listening to those that prefer the larger heavier amps and cabs, they will always sound great.


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Post subject: MArkbass
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:01 am
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Location: Tampa FL
I use a Markbass II 500 watt amp. It is a great tiny little amp. I hook it up to an ols SWR Bigfoot 2x12 cab. I play in a prog rock band and an Americana rock band and the rig can handle any needs. The cab is 60 lbs and the amp weighs 6.5 lbs. I also use a POD Live xt. This image is a year old I

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:08 am
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I use a GK 1001RB head with a GK 4X10 cab. The rig sounds great and can really crank in a small to moderate size club if needed. My only regret with this setup (and reason to soon upgrade) is the 10" speakers have some limitations. I may trade in for a different cab that will allow more flexibility in the use of a few pedals that I have on my board.

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700W GK 1001RB Head into a GK 4X10 cabinet and GK 1X15 cabinet


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:26 am
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I use a Laney Richter, sounds very direct and I love the built in compressor, gives an extra punch...


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:20 am
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Location: Tampa FL
ba5080 wrote:
I use a GK 1001RB head with a GK 4X10 cab. The rig sounds great and can really crank in a small to moderate size club if needed. My only regret with this setup (and reason to soon upgrade) is the 10" speakers have some limitations. I may trade in for a different cab that will allow more flexibility in the use of a few pedals that I have on my board.

Hey try a 2x12" if you can. Really awesome for rock due to the different "flavor" of midrange. Nice lows, though not as deep as a 4x10". The upshot is I shed 40 lbs off my rig when I leave the Goliath at home. Avatar builds a nice one I've heard.


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