#1936961 - 05/04/08 05:50 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass amp?
[Re: Smelvin7]
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Smelvin7
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is this thing any good?
http://www.zzounds.com/item--LINLD300
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#1936967 - 05/04/08 06:05 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass amp?
[Re: Smelvin7]
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Rocky MacDougall
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In a combo amp, everything is combined into one unit. The preamp, the amp, and the speaker cabinet. An amplifier has two main sections, a pre-amp and the power-amp. The PRE amp comes first in the chain it has the controls, volume, tone, etc. and it conditions the signal for the power amp which only amplifies the sound. You can get a combo or you can get "Seperates" a preamp, a poweramp, and of speaker cabinet. Generally speaking the highest quality sound will be produced by seperates but will cost much more money than a combo. For a starting musician doing occasional gigs in small venues, a combo is just fine.
Rocky
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#1936978 - 05/04/08 06:23 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass amp?
[Re: Rocky MacDougall]
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Luke73
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....just please use English.
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#1936979 - 05/04/08 06:24 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: Smelvin7]
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jeremy c
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That amp looks ok. It's a combo amp. That means that there really are two parts in one box: an amplifier and a speaker. How much does it weigh? Can you pick it up by itself?
Actually there are three parts because a typical bass or guitar amp actually is made up of two parts: the preamplifier (which shapes the tone) and the amplifier (which makes it loud).
A "head" is one box that has the preamp and the amplifier in it.
A "cabinet" or "cab" has speakers in it.
To add to the confusion, most amps are solid-state (meaning transistors) and some use tubes (which are called valves in the UK). Tube amps sound great but weigh much, much more than solid-state amps and also require regular (expensive) maintenance.
You can mix and match. I am using SWR heads and AccuGroove cabinets. I have a few of each.
There are some people on this forum who are using all separates: a preamp, a poweramp, and various cabinets.
I suggest you get a subscription to Bass Player Magazine, start reading all the ads carefully, and look at the websites of various companies. Most bass amp companies make combo amps, heads, and cabinets.
You also should go to stores and look around and also look at other live bands.
There's no other way for you to decide whether you want 10" speakers or 15" speakers or something else than to actually hear the difference.
Here's a head:
Here are a few cabinets:
Here's a combo:
Where do you live, smelvin? There have to be bands and stores somewhere near you.
Edited by jeremy c (05/04/08 06:44 PM)
Edit Reason: lost my head
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#1936980 - 05/04/08 06:29 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: jeremy c]
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Chewbubba
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Aaaah! It doesn't have a head!
Well, the picture of the head is missing...
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#1936988 - 05/04/08 06:45 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: Chewbubba]
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jeremy c
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I found my head.
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#1937065 - 05/05/08 01:16 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: jeremy c]
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jlrush
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Get Musicians Friend and American Music Supply to both send you a catalog. They will both have at least a small variety of basses and amps for you to get familiar with. Scour these catalogs until you become familiar with them.
You asked if the Line 6 is a good amp. It could be for you if you like it. I, personally don't care for all the modeling features they have, but you might like it. Don't buy ANYTHING that you haven't played first.
Probably though, your main goal should be to get the other band members to turn down. That will help more in the long run for all of you. There is alot to be said for dynamic control of ones instrument, and it could help all of you become better players sooner.:)
Edited by jlrush (05/05/08 01:19 AM)
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#1937068 - 05/05/08 01:36 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: Smelvin7]
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Bottomgottem
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Can i just get a bass amp, or is it better to get a combo? whats the differnce. What is a head. IM confused. Everyone is using fancy language  . I have no clue what the difference between speaker size is. All i no is the more watts the lounder. right? SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS AMP THING TO MEI'm probally gonna do some smaller gigs. I have a really loud drummer and a loud guitarst. Just plz tell me what to buy so I can hear myself!!!!!!
Just curious...if you are ready to gig, what have you been practicing with? 
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#1937148 - 05/05/08 07:34 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: Bottomgottem]
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getz76
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You need an Ampeg SVT-CL and an Ampeg SVT810, playing a quality American Fender Precision Bass to rock. There really is very little to discuss. That is what you need. You need it.
All said and done, it is still cheaper than playing a quality piano or brass instrument, so stop complaining about the cost.
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#1937227 - 05/05/08 09:29 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: Smelvin7]
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5 string Mike
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...I have no clue what the difference between speaker size is. All i no is the more watts the lounder. right?
SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS AMP THING TO ME
I'm probally gonna do some smaller gigs. I have a really loud drummer and a loud guitarst. Just plz tell me what to buy so I can hear myself!!!!!!
Kids... We tried explaining the amp thing to you. We tried telling you what you need to know to make a smarter decision, which was that there is more to it than wattage. If all you want to know is if more watts = louder, then yes. What to buy? Do what Getz76 said, because it sounds like all you want to know is how to be louder than the drummer and guitars, and that'll do the trick.
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#1937258 - 05/05/08 10:07 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: 5 string Mike]
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jeremy c
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Hearing yourself and having the audience hear you are also two different things. You can learn to hear yourself through the roar of a band. I remember the first time I played on a stage where everyone had Marshall stacks. All I could hear was a huge roar and I felt like I couldn't hear anything.
Nowadays, I really don't need to hear myself, I know what I am playing. I need to hear the other people (in moderation, of course).
The rest of the band needs to hear me (although of course, I've never had anyone ask me to turn UP). The audience needs to hear me as well (and once again, I've never had anyone ask me to turn up.)
Just get the SVT rig and you can rock on for ever. Buy a van too and get a few friends to be your roadies. Get curtains and a mattress for your van and you'll be ready for anything.
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#1937281 - 05/05/08 10:29 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: jeremy c]
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Bumpcity
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I am curious to know your age. I really hope that you're about 14. Anything older than that and I'm going to have to start systematically wiping out humanity because all hope is lost.
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#1937282 - 05/05/08 10:30 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass amp?
[Re: Smelvin7]
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RicBassGuy
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Can i just get a bass amp, or is it better to get a combo? whats the differnce. What is a head. IM confused. Everyone is using fancy language . I have no clue what the difference between speaker size is. All i no is the more watts the lounder. right? SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS AMP THING TO MEI'm probally gonna do some smaller gigs. I have a really loud drummer and a loud guitarst. Just plz tell me what to buy so I can hear myself!!!!!!
You're about to start a business venture with your partners. If you were starting a construction company and it was your job to order, say, a bulldozer, one that you would use every day, would you blindly buy one without learning anything about how they work?
You will have to educate yourself about electrical amplification systems. You will have to learn the "fancy language" that everyone uses, because that's the only way you'll be able to understand what other people are saying.
Where you're at now is like going to a car dealership and asking for a red vehicle. A red sports car? minivan? econobox? And that's just the beginning of all the choices.
Learning even the most basic concepts of electricity and electronics will help, too.
1. The electric signal that comes out of your electric bass guitar (EBG) is very weak. It is the nature of the beast. By itself it cannot create wall-shaking sound. It needs help.
2. The first EBGs used a passive electric circuit. Some bass manufacturers started using an active design to boost the signal coming out of the EBG. Active or passive, your bass still needs help to be heard.
3. A preamp (short for pre amplifier) boosts the signal from your bass to something called line level. This is just an industry standard used to connect audio equipment, like a CD player to a home stereo amplifier. Line level is still not powerful enough.
4. A power amp takes a line level input and makes an exact copy, except it is many, many times more powerful. The amount of amplification is commonly reported in Watts, a unit of power.
5. A driver (commonly called a speaker) turns an electric audio signal into actual audio that you can hear. They do this by literally "pushing air". In general a larger driver, as measured by its diameter in inches, is more efficient at producing lower frequencies. Like those from an EBG. Common sizes for bass are 10", 12", 15" and 18".
6. All by itself a driver isn't very loud. It takes a properly designed cab (short for cabinet) to hold the driver(s). The overall cab design is probably more important than the size of the drivers in it in determining if it will support the lowest frequencies of an EBG.
Why don't we just use one amplifier? Why do we have to use two? Short answer: that's the way the industry designs and manufactures them. However, for musical instrument amplifiers they do combine both the preamp and power amp into one box. This is called a head. A head may have other features, like an EQ, but it will always have the two amplifiers you need.
Another simplification is the combo. Just like ordering a combo meal at a fast food joint gets you a whole meal, a combo amplifier gets you everything you need to make sound from your EBG. (You just need a patch cord or instrument cable to connect your EBG to the combo.) A combo has all the features of a head plus a cab and drivers all in one box.
Combos are convenient but they are the least flexible. If you want to upgrade or change your sound you have to sell the whole thing and buy another.
Using a head and a cab gives more flexibility as you can upgrade the head or the cab independent of each other.
For example, most combos try to keep the weight down by including only one or two drivers. More drivers push more air, which you'll need for larger clubs or outdoor shows. So combos aren't really good for those situations. However, you could pair a head with a small cab (like a 2x10) for small venues and larger cabs for larger venues.
The guitar players in my band use Line 6 amps. That brand seems to be decent. Would the 300 W combo be loud enough for you? I don't know. It's always hard to hear the bass in a metal band.
But it would certainly be loud enough for all of the smaller venues around town here. If you need more than that to be heard above the drums and guitar then you'd better be passing out earplugs to your audience as your band will be too loud.
Of course you should also consider if you like the sound of any particular amp, too. Each one will sound different.
And that is actually the schtick for Line 6: buy one amp but it can sound like any of the popular amps. Except it's only an approximation. If you really want the SVT sound, for example, you're better off getting an SVT.
Edited by RicBassGuy (05/05/08 10:35 AM)
Edit Reason: because I do proofread my posts
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#1937368 - 05/05/08 12:27 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: rizzo9247]
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Smelvin7
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im only 13 which is why i type like im on aim-cause i dont care. i practice with a 100 watt amp now. thanks for the nice explanations
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#1937376 - 05/05/08 12:39 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: Smelvin7]
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Bottomgottem
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im only 13 which is why i type like im on aim-cause i dont care. i practice with a 100 watt amp now. thanks for the nice explanations
Care, Smelvin7!
Edited by Bottomgottem (05/05/08 12:40 PM)
Edit Reason: punc.
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#1937394 - 05/05/08 01:05 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: Bottomgottem]
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getz76
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Why doesn't Johnnie care? Anyone who can place that very obscure reference gets my eternal respect.
Smelvin, if you do not care, why should we? You start yelling at people over the internet that are giving you free advice. Do we owe you something? I gave you the answer in the first thread and was kind enough to repeat it herein. What is the problem?
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#1937397 - 05/05/08 01:15 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: getz76]
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forceman
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If that cat is 13 I'll ask getz76 to eat his shorts.. 
Methinks Troll he be.
Several of them posting lately--must have been the full moon... 
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#1937399 - 05/05/08 01:17 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: getz76]
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Nicklab
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Why doesn't Johnnie care? Anyone who can place that very obscure reference gets my eternal respect.
Hmmm. Methinks the film Airheads, with the song "Degenerated" performed by the Lone Rangers. What other movie references a walnut Zon bass?
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#1937401 - 05/05/08 01:18 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: getz76]
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kenfxj
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Why doesn't Johnnie care? Anyone who can place that very obscure reference gets my eternal respect.
My guess:
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#1937457 - 05/05/08 02:45 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: kenfxj]
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getz76
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Nice try, Nick.
Ken, that is pure and utter genius. Fantastic. I will call you next time we have a viewing of an all-time classic. Best. MST3K. Ever.
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#1937461 - 05/05/08 02:52 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: getz76]
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jeremy c
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I don't think a troll could write like a 13 year old.
By the way, one of my 13 year old students was selected to be the bass player for the high school jazz band when she gets there in the fall. She will also be playing in the school's Motown show band.
Both of those bands are great, I saw them play yesterday. The show band opened with Squib Cakes. Then a ninth grader sang Would I Lie To You by Annie Lennox and tore the house down.
My student can read most anything and walk over changes. Not bad for three years of lessons. She'll be replacing the graduating senior bassist (who also has been taking lessons from me for the past four years).
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#1937481 - 05/05/08 03:22 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: jeremy c]
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forceman
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Re troll--right. Well if you want to deal with this BS then fine.
Doesn't matter to me either way.
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#1937507 - 05/05/08 04:04 PM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: shortbastid]
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Kramer Ferrington III.
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Well, I don't know if he IS a troll, but really... there's no point going over the same stuff over and over again for the same person, when all they have to do is read the thread until they understand it.
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#1937972 - 05/06/08 10:22 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: Kramer Ferrington III.]
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5 string Mike
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If he didn't read the thread well enough to understand, maybe he didn't read the title of the site he was posting on well enough either. Maybe he thought it said bassposer.com or bassholder.com or basslouder.com. Maybe it will sink in some day.
This place is a wealth of knowledge, and I have learned more in the last 9 months or so I have been visiting here than the 5 years since I started playing.
Smelvin, if you want to learn how to be a musician who plays the bass, this is a great place to learn from. But first, you have to decide what you want. If you want to learn what the world of bass guitar is all about, people here will help you learn. If all you want to do is play a few cool songs in your little band with your buddies, then this might be a waste of time for you and the people on this forum. Go to your local music store, wave some cash at the salesman, ask them what a head is, and they will hook you up. Go online, find the tabs, go on Youtube and make a bad video of how to play it, like all the other little wannabe's.
It's up to you. Just rememeber that if you act like a punk in here, people might not be too friendly the next time.
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The real art of conversation is to not only say the right thing at the right time, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
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#1937989 - 05/06/08 10:49 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: 5 string Mike]
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getz76
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I do not have a problem with the kid not understanding. Everyone has to learn these things. Technical knowledge is like that.
It would be nice to see a bit of effort, though.
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#1937993 - 05/06/08 10:57 AM
Re: I'm still confused. Whats a head have to do with a bass
[Re: getz76]
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natobasso
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For more stage volume you can:
1. Put your combo or amp/speaker cab set up near one or more walls. Walls amplify and reflect bass
2. Plug into your PA (sound system) and 'reinforce' your bass sound.
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Thx Joe Mergens at Mojotone.
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like i said to my wife these cats are a wealth of knowledge call me a troll or lurker i'm trying 
who you callin' short 
