Your favorite combo bass amp (for them that roll that way)?

[Groove Mama]

I'm not in the market...yet...but would someday like to trade up in the amp department. Since I am a hobbyist, a combo amp seems the best fit for me.

 

Any suggestions?

[picker]

I had a 100 watt Hartke Kickback 12 that was really a great amp. It kept up okay with several different drummers, was a reasonable weight, very compact and easy to haul around, sounded wonderful to my ear, and had a good XLR out if I ever needed to use it. It was also a very "containable" amp, by which I mean I could hear it well and it sounded rich & full, but the low-end didn't bloom out into the room & make life hard for the sound man. It's the perfect bass amp for a church worship team of just about any size.

 

If you aren't going to play out with it, or just do smaller acoustic band gigs, you could probably get by with a Kickback 10, the same head with a 10" speaker. But, if I was going to suggest a combo amp for playing live, I'd kick it up a notch and get the Kickback 15. I always said if I ever needed a loud live rig for bigger gigs, I'd have two Kickback 15s, and run 'em with some sort of stereo output pedal. If I could afford the cash outlay, I'd buy that setup right now.

[b5pilot]

Look into those GK ultralight combo amps. I tried one at the local GC and it sounded really nice and was extremely light! The price isn't bad either.

[fingertalkin]

Look into those GK ultralight combo amps. I tried one at the local GC and it sounded really nice and was extremely light! The price isn't bad either.

 

This. See my gear thread. It is fantastic and I can carry with one arm.....blew away the Markbass 2x10 combo by a longshot...plus you can plug in your headphones and ipod (or whatever..I use my computer) and can practice quietly if need be.

 

I have yet to have it distort and I have had it at some ridiculous levels. The Markbass combo farted out and the Fender Bassman 400 Pro combo I had distorted like crazy. The more the speakers break in, the more low end that I am getting. I like low end, but some won't like as much as it puts out, but their is a nice little eq section and a "Countour" button that if is off, cuts some of the low end. It also has a button to turn off the tweeter and a limiter button, as well as boost pot which can give you a dirty tone if you are looking for it.

[jlrush]

I like my Genz Benz M Line 200 a lot. It' 200 watts with a 1x15 speaker. At 60 lbs it's a bit of a chunk though and might be heavier than you want. While you're looking, try to find out the weight of anything before you buy, unless of course you have a son to haul your gear for you. :grin:

The Genz Benz Shuttle amps are nice too and you could find a cab with neodymium speakers. The neo cabs are a lot lighter. You could get some ideas on eBay.

[Richard W]

always been partial to SWRs. Currently using a 2x10C combo amp with 260 watts and extendable to 400, which I did for an outdoor gig once. Really nice tone, five band equalizer, easy to use. I'm no gear head either.

[Richard W]

PS--I will say the SWR Workingman amp I described above is HEAVY--about 75 pounds. If I were playing out more often I'd probably look for something lighter.

[wraub]

IMO you'd have much better luck with a smaller head + a cab.

Currently I have a 1x12 cab with a nice pre and power amp on top, but a small head and cab would most likely be as useful to you as a combo and would be more readily expandable when you need.

 

Just sayin...

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[jlrush]

IMO you'd have much better luck with a smaller head + a cab.

Currently I have a 1x12 cab with a nice pre and power amp on top, but a small head and cab would most likely be as useful to you as a combo and would be more readily expandable when you need.

 

Just sayin...

 

Peace,

 

wraub

What wraub said.

[SteveC]

Wraub is probably right, but I find a combo very convenient. I use a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0-12T combo and find it nice to grab the handle on top and going. I have my Korg CA-30 tuner velcro'ed to the head as well. I plug in the head, plug in my bass and I'm ready to go.

 

I know setting up a head and cab isn't much more work and you gain some sonic value, but honestly, no one really notices where I play, and I'm almost always i n a PA anyway.

[jcadmus]

I vote present. I used to be a combo guy, but found there's an inherent problem -- to be big enough to be truly useful, they end up weighing a ton.

 

Which makes them difficult to move around, somewhat defeating the purpose of having a combo in the first place.

 

I had mid-90s Peavey Combo 115 which I loved -- Black Widow speaker, 300-watt amp, great onboard compressor, graphic eq, etc. They also made a 210 version of that amp which was great too. But the gosh darn things weighed close to 100 pounds.

 

So I went back to being a components guy -- I don't own a single piece of gear that weighs more than 70 pounds, meaning I can handle it all myself. Plus it lets me mix and match however I want.

[SteveC]

See, I think my combo is very useful. It's loud enough, it sounds pretty good, and it's easy to move. Yeah, I give up some things, but at this point, it's worth it...for me.

[Groove Mama]

Thanks, guys, for all the interesting perspectives. I hadn't really considered getting separate components, because my needs are not great. I doubt I will ever play with live humans -- just recordings in the privacy of my own home (although my teacher disagrees vehemently with this assertion) -- so I really don't need much...at the moment, anyway.

 

I currently have a Stagg 40 BA UK, which, truth be told, is probably adequate for my aspirations. I would just like someday to be able to get something with a little more muscle and better sound quality...but I guess ultimately the better sound quality needs to come from me, rather than the amp.

[Nicklab]

What Wraub said.

 

 

I only have a single combo amp right now. And that may very well wind up being sold soon. But my Eden micro head and a 1x12" cabinet have proven to be a really flexible setup for me. I can use that rig to practice at home, and I can also take that out for club gigs without breaking my back. And if the club I'm playing has house cabinets, I can just bring the amp head in my messenger bag along with my cables and other sundries and it's all good!

 

At this point the only combo amps that hold any interest for me are geared towards recording. Something like an Ampeg B-15 or an SWR Baby Blue. They're not terribly high powered, but for studio work they don't need to be.

[biguglyman]

Love my Eden Nemesis RS410. 320 watts, 4-10" speakers, lots of tone shaping and output options, and CASTERS!

[jcadmus]

I doubt I will ever play with live humans

 

I think that's the saddest thing I've heard today.

[Groove Mama]

I doubt I will ever play with live humans

 

I think that's the saddest thing I've heard today.

Just trying to have realistic expectations. I've come a long way since I first picked up a bass in Dec of 07, but it's an infinitesimal distance compared to how far I have to go before my playing is fit for human consumption.

 

To paraphrase Woody Allen, I wouldn't want to be in a band that would have me as a member...at this point, anyway.

 

[jlrush]

I'm sure you'll have a opportunity to play with a group some time in the future. When that happens you'll need a bigger amp. The Stagg is fine for home practice but you'd be drowned out by anything more than two unplugged acoustic guitars.

When I went amp shopping 2 yrs ago I settled for my combo, but what I wanted was a Genz Benz head and Schroeder 12/10 cab (one 12, one 10). I couldn't spring for the head and cab so I got the combo. It's a trade-off of price vs. weight. The light weight stuff is expensive.

You could check out your local Craigslist. Gear can go really cheap there sometimes.

[Groove Mama]

Hey, I guess it ~could~ happen someday. My teacher is pretty pushy & really won't take any crap from me. He's bound and determined that I will play with others...whether I want to or not.

 

Unfortunately, I have a lot of performance anxiety, even back in the day when I was a fairly accomplished pianist. But maybe if I keep my little practice amp, the others will drown me out. :-)

 

[5 string Mike]

I'd go for one of the GK neo combos. That's on my radar for the next week or two. I plan on getting the 200W 1x15 flavor- it's in my price range, gets pretty loud for 200W (the 10 mins or so I spent with one), has a pretty good tone and at ~38 pounds, light enough to handle.

 

I've been looking at a bigger rig for awhile, and looked at a lot of different solutions. Ultimately, these are the questions I have to answer

 

1) What's my budget?

2) What am I going to do with it? (practice, gig indoor/ outdoor, etc)

3) Where am I going to use it?

4) How am I going to store it? How much room do I have?

5) How am I going to transport it? (including vehicle, up and down stairs, etc)

6) If I need to upgrade in the future, what will this be worth?

 

I was originally looking at a half-stack setup. There were some good ones in my price range. But I tried to take a practical approach, especially with 4 young kids. At the end of the day, the deciding factors for me on the GK combo were the budget-to-volume- ratio, the size (big enough to project well, small enough to transport in the back of my minivan), the practicality (I don't play big clubs and big outdoor gigs, so I don't need big size/power) and residual value/ reputation (GK seems to have a good reputation and would probably be worth more used or trade-in than, say, the new Acoustic).

 

Mama, as far as the perception of being 'band ready', just about all of us here can tell you that we were all in the same place you were at one time.

 

When you sit around and listen to all these good players, it's easy to think 'I'll never be good enough to play with others'. But we all had to start somewhere. Playing in a band is a lot like driving- you can take all the lessons and drive through all the cone courses you want, but you won't learn to be be a good driver until you get out on the road and drive around other people.

 

The only way you're really going to get to the next level is to get out there and jam with others. Yes, the learning curve will be steep to start with and you will make some rookie mistakes. But soon you will get the hang of it, and you'll figure out that you do have what it takes. You'll also learn a lot of new things, make some new friends and it will drive you to practice harder. It gives you that reason to push yourself.

 

So get out there! Your teacher thinks you're ready so don't hold yourself back.

[RalphM]

My "go to" combo amp is an Eden Nemesis 2x10. If I need more it'll drive another cabinet or DI into the PA. About 55 lbs. Sweet.

[Nicklab]

I doubt I will ever play with live humans

 

I think that's the saddest thing I've heard today.

Just trying to have realistic expectations. I've come a long way since I first picked up a bass in Dec of 07, but it's an infinitesimal distance compared to how far I have to go before my playing is fit for human consumption.

 

To paraphrase Woody Allen, I wouldn't want to be in a band that would have me as a member...at this point, anyway.

 

I think you probably don't give yourself enough credit. Get together with some people with comparable levels of experience and just play. Play for the fun of it for yourself.

 

And another thing to consider? When I started to jam with other people I was amazed at how much more my playing improved. And from what I've seen from other musicians over the years, that kind of experience isn't isolated. Give yourself the chance and I think you'll be surprised by what you can do in a group setting.

 

But you're gonna have to upgrade that amp first.

[jcadmus]

 

To paraphrase Woody Allen, I wouldn't want to be in a band that would have me as a member...at this point, anyway.

 

I on the other hand prefer to the be the worst member in the band (which, as you might guess, is not difficult). I forces me to get better.

[Paul K]

I doubt I will ever play with live humans -- just recordings in the privacy of my own home (although my teacher disagrees vehemently with this assertion)

 

Fixing that situation is much more important than what amp you buy. Get your bad self out of the house and over to a blues jam, or something similar. Just take a deep breath and do it. Honest.

[Davo-London]

I'm rather partial to the Trace Elliot 15" combo. Old one at that. Has beautiful fretless tone with EQ bypassed.

 

I'm not an Ampeg fan. Nemsis 2 x 10" is a good package but doesn't really have enough b a s s.

 

Davo

 

 

[wraub]

Mama-

If your only goal is to play with recorded music and do your lernin' , you don't really need an amp at all. A headphone amp would probably suffice, something with built-in effects and a line-in, perhaps.

 

But you'd be limiting yourself.

 

In much the same way, not playing with others is limiting yourself.

Just as reading a recipe tells you how to make a dish, but it's not truly made until you get in there and make it, you gotta get out there and play with other people.

You won't learn truly how music is made until you do.

 

Just sayin'...

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[Eric VB]

I think you probably don't give yourself enough credit. Get together with some people with comparable levels of experience and just play. Play for the fun of it for yourself.

 

[...]

 

But you're gonna have to upgrade that amp first.

+1

 

1. There are others who live near you who are at at the same level as you are, and you're all sitting at home alone instead of having tons of fun together.

 

2. Bass players are always in demand. Many groups would be happy to have you aboard.

 

3. Playing popular music in a guitar group is worlds apart from a classical piano recital. If you flub a note here or there nobody is going to care, especially a bunch of musicians whose music is "not fit for human consumption" and only get together regularly to have fun.

 

4. Nobody says you have to perform in public.

 

Consider the analogy that you're a student of a foreign language but you're too embarassed to speak it, even with your peers. Sure, we're not necessarily saying to dive in with native speakers in a foreign land, but by the same token do you want to wait until you're fluent enough to be comfortable in that situation before you even try to speak the language? Doesn't that make learning harder?

[Eric VB]

Get a better combo amp so you have one less excuse to use for not getting together with other musicians and having fun.

 

Combo amps I have used include:

 

Peavey TNT 100 (100 W 1x15). This was ok for quiet volumes but not enough for loud drums.

 

Mesa Boogie something-or-other (300? W 2x12). This sounded great but was very heavy. Also, as an all-tube amp it required extra maintenance.

 

MarkBass something-or-other (200? W 2x10). This was supplied by GC for a competition I was in. I played it on a fairly large stage (Emerald Theatre) and was able to hear myself. (It had a direct out to feed the house PA for the audience.) Since the competition supplied roadies I don't know how hard it was to move around.

 

Yorkville 200b (200 W 1x15). A friend let me borrow this and I used it on some smaller gigs. It was able to keep up volume-wise better than the TNT and was easier to move around (lighter, smaller).

 

Now, watts are units of power, not loudness, but I'd say look for a solid state amp with 200 W minimum. Hopefully that will be loud enough.

 

Use your ears to decide on which model you think sounds best.

 

I'd also suggest a component system. I'd say look at one of those nifty 5 pound class D amps (e.g. Carvin BX500) and a light weight neo cab, maybe a 1x12 or 2x10. This is still pretty new stuff, so manufacturers are still coming up with new products. There are some combos that use both (e.g. Carvin BR510N, 1x15, weight 48 pounds), but you may not have as much selection. (Carvin does not make a 1x12 combo with its BX500 head.)

[picker]

1. There are others who live near you who are at at the same level as you are, and you're all sitting at home alone instead of having tons of fun together.

 

2. Bass players are always in demand. Many groups would be happy to have you aboard.

 

3. Playing popular music in a guitar group is worlds apart from a classical piano recital. If you flub a note here or there nobody is going to care, especially a bunch of musicians whose music is "not fit for human consumption" and only get together regularly to have fun.

 

The last one especially. Getting up and playing by yourself is a lot harder than getting up with a group and going for it.

 

Another thing; don't make the mistake of thinking that you have to be able to play anything and everything ever written perfectly before you can play in a band without disgracing yourself and the instrument. Keep working on scales, technique and theory, but start applying it to learning some songs. Work one up till you can play it from beginning to end. Then work up another, then another, and voila, you have a repertoire! As you are learning songs, you'll start noticing that bits from one are the same as or will work in another, and that means you only have to learn part of a new tune to play it, because you already know how to play the rest of it.

 

And finally,

 

4. a hot blond bass player covers a multitude of sins, not only for herself, but also for her band. You could help a band out just by showing up!

[jeremy c]

FSM, you saw me playing with a Roland Cube amp. That amp is great for jazz and folk gigs (which is what I use it for), but it is not loud enough when there is a rock or funk drummer and guitarist.

 

I had a Yamaha B115 which I liked a lot and then sold and then bought another one. But it was so large and heavy that it was very difficult to move. It only worked when I had a full-size van and I could just tip it over and slide it in.

 

My recommendation is to go for a head and cab. It's easier to carry and easier to upgrade one piece at a time.

 

And I had 48 year old student (who started after his teenage daughter quit) who now is in a band with his friends. They played a show on his 50th birthday party and one of his friend's daughter's band opened the show.