Bass Rigs

[psychic vampire.]

Loved my SVT, hated how much it fucking weighed. I wish i'd gotten to play my fretless T-40 with flats thru it, probably would have been a nicer pair.

Faldoe, whatever you do, don't fuck with roundwounds. The fucking clack.

[Strange Tales]

My only complaint about the Acoustic stuff is that they were surprisingly less loud than i'd been lead to believe from many reports. Just played with a GK 400RBII for the first time today, like less than an hour ago, and my only complaint was that i couldn't make it NOT have that growly tone, it sounded like i was using a pick even though i was playing with fingers. But it was some one else's head and i was tryna not fuck with their EQ. Thing was LOUD though. Like, holy fucking shit, i didn't know 240 watts could do that much. I was at like 8 or 9 o'clock and my band members asked me to turn down. I've used and enjoyed other GK models before, but this was my first time being utterly blown away. Would love to fuck with the EQ settings and see what it does.

I can't turn my 370 up above 0 with a fuzz on or it'll shake my apartment down. I can't imagine what Acoustic you were using that wasn't loud.

[psychic vampire.]

Reasonably certain it was a 320. Was playing with two drummers and could not be heard. Literally stopped the set 3 measures in to the first song to ask the audience if they could hear me. They could not.

[Moustache_Bash]

In my experience, speaker size is meaningless. I've played an Avatar 2x12 that was way too boomy, SWR 4x10 that was the bass equivalent of V30s, and Bag End 15s that sounded super even.

My only complaint about the Acoustic stuff is that they were surprisingly less loud than i'd been lead to believe from many reports. Just played with a GK 400RBII for the first time today, like less than an hour ago, and my only complaint was that i couldn't make it NOT have that growly tone, it sounded like i was using a pick even though i was playing with fingers. But it was some one else's head and i was tryna not fuck with their EQ. Thing was LOUD though. Like, holy fucking shit, i didn't know 240 watts could do that much. I was at like 8 or 9 o'clock and my band members asked me to turn down. I've used and enjoyed other GK models before, but this was my first time being utterly blown away. Would love to fuck with the EQ settings and see what it does.

I've had the same experience with ACC stuff, too. I had a 150 and 450, both were okay. Not worth the money for how outdated that stuff is. They sound better than newer SS stuff when they distort/break up, though.

[ShaunNecro]

Two rigs really is the way to go.

And comparing speaker sizes isn't really the way to go, you should be looking at how the speakers' specs work with the cabinet that it's in. Bass demands well built cabinets and we know so much more about cab design than we did thirty or forty years ago.

But seriously, get two rigs.

[Faldoe]

bumping.

Would a guitar 4x12 work? I have a Fryette Fat Bottom with P-50e speakers. Still looking for a SS head. Though the cab is rated at 200W. Probably not a good idea.

[Ghost Hip]

bumping.

Would a guitar 4x12 work? I have a Fryette Fat Bottom with P-50e speakers. Still looking for a SS head. Though the cab is rated at 200W. Probably not a good idea.

Most bass heads have more wattage than 200W, and generally with bass it is better to have your cab rated higher than your head. Guitar speakers are built to emphasize mid range frequencies to cut through the mix. Guitar speakers also are typically designed to distort whatever you plug into them. So any low frequencies you will be trying to pump out won't come through, certain notes will feel louder than others, and it will probably be muddy. Which, if that's what you're going for (I'm not one for shooting down sounds that are typically considered "bad") more power to you. If you're looking to produce any sort of modern or traditional bass tone to bring the lows as well as any other frequencies you want to explore, a guitar cab is going to make it very very difficult.

If you are dedicated you can find a solid cab for under 300. I stumbled across an Ampeg SVT Classic 410he cabinet for $200 including shipping through guitar center's website. If you're open to combos, I know plenty of folks who gig with the Fender rumble 200W and up. (They are also light as fuck, like pick up with your pinky light.) I don't want to completely shoot down using that cabinet, because who knows maybe some weird or cool sound will come out of it, but from my experience, I'd rather play through an actual bass amp, even if its a smaller combo, because they are built to produce the lower frequencies needed to hold together a band.

[Faldoe]

I have a lead on an old 800RB that needs fixing. Worth spending $50-75 and see if I can repair it? Seller is saying it may need the power board replaced.

[Ghost Hip]

I have a lead on an old 800RB that needs fixing. Worth spending $50-75 and see if I can repair it? Seller is saying it may need the power board replaced.

$50-75 for the head or for repairs? Honestly, I wouldn't want to risk money on something that is broken and hasn't been looked at by an amp tech. If it is $50-75 for the head, then maybe? I'd still like to know exactly what is wrong with it first.

[Faldoe]

I have a lead on an old 800RB that needs fixing. Worth spending $50-75 and see if I can repair it? Seller is saying it may need the power board replaced.

$50-75 for the head or for repairs? Honestly, I wouldn't want to risk money on something that is broken and hasn't been looked at by an amp tech. If it is $50-75 for the head, then maybe? I'd still like to know exactly what is wrong with it first.

$50 for the head. Supposedly it needs repair on the power amp board.

[odontophobia]

I have a lead on an old 800RB that needs fixing. Worth spending $50-75 and see if I can repair it? Seller is saying it may need the power board replaced.

$50-75 for the head or for repairs? Honestly, I wouldn't want to risk money on something that is broken and hasn't been looked at by an amp tech. If it is $50-75 for the head, then maybe? I'd still like to know exactly what is wrong with it first.

$50 for the head. Supposedly it needs repair on the power amp board.

Could be a money pit -- could be a cheap fix that nets you a great amp. It's just one of those things that spending the money on might feel awful if it ends up being a pit. I bought a Beta Lead in that condition but basically felt like it was worth the risk because of the cost of the amp outweighing the potential cost I'd have to sink into it.

[Faldoe]

Yeah, I may pass on it. It's tempting cause if it was an easily or straight forward repair, it would be great, but for what they go for used in working order - $300 or a little less - it might be good just to find one working, used.

Someone near me also has a 400RB with two Bag End 1x15 cabs for $400.

[sears]

Yeah, I may pass on it. It's tempting cause if it was an easily or straight forward repair, it would be great, but for what they go for used in working order - $300 or a little less - it might be good just to find one working, used.

Someone near me also has a 400RB with two Bag End 1x15 cabs for $400.

I would try that out. I bet it sounds great and you might also want to get a hand truck. Stick with cabs made for bass. The world of bass amplification can be trendy so there's always some amp or cab that's a little out of fashion.

[_r_]

Does anyone have an opinion on the lower-end Gallien-Krueger stuff? I'm looking for a decent cheap grab-and-go bass combo (I just have no need for a big rig, for rehearsing I just plug into whatever the rehearsal room has and for gigs, well, my band's playing pretty small venues and soundmen seem to like to DI bass for the front-of-house mix anyway), the studio my band records and rehearses in has an MB150 which I think is a great little amp but way out of my budget, and just after I started playing bass I saw Chris Pravdica from Swans using a GK head when I went to see them so immediately associated that brand with maximum tonez. Looking at probably the MB112 or maybe the MB115 - I've listened to enough dub reggae to convince myself that a 15" speaker may be necessary...

[agiant]

Tronographic Rusty Box, it sounds incredible dude