Advice on home rig please

[lox]

would really appreciate some input.....

i play a warwick 4 and what i want from my amp is warmth with detail
i'd prefer not to disturb my neighbors more than necessary, but i also wouldn't mind having the power to do so should the need arise

i've looked at a lot of used gear ranging from a single Carvin 18 to Genz Benz 4x10 to an Ampeg BA 210 SP to an SWR WorkingPro 15 and the bottom line is....i can't decide what i want

one thing i know i don't want, is aluminum

i've looked at GK heads, Ampeg heads, SWR heads and then....i looked at Trace Elliot....that might have been a mistake

my budget, given that i'm a single dad will finish out under 400

any and all feedback will be appreciated as my cats and ten year old daughter have been very little help at all weighing my choices, thanks in advance

[adube810]

if i were you...id go for the gk mb200 with a 1x10 or 1x12 its right around your price range and would sound great

[5string5fingers]

Or one of the new MB 112 combos. small,light,portable.more than enough power for at home work.

When you said warm and detailed I also thought tube. So I found this

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....Amp?sku=424059

[lox]

this is why i asked, i hadn't looked at either of those options and they both have their merits

by going used i think i can up the power quite a bit over these though
i know i said it's for home and it is, but.....i won't mind being able to play out casually without having to reinvest
going with separates i can also upgrade one at a time as needed

everything else i was looking at is well over 100 watts, most more like 200 with a 15 or four tens
even the Ampeg BA115 is in my range pricewise albeit a combo

there's an Ampeg BA-210 SP on CL here in perfect shape for 350
also an SWR WorkingPro 15 in perfect shape for 275
any thoughts on those for the application?

or how about these small (gulp) Ibanez' prometheus things.....?
slightly over my budget, but this and a used rack mount amp?
http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....net?sku=502856

wow, those oranges are certainly.....orange!

thanks again for your input!

[5string5fingers]

Well the deal is you're going to need over 100 watts if you want to go out and play at places. Avoid the ampeg combos as many complain about their quality. For 350 dollars for a cab I would go with something like this http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....orn?sku=423660 . More handling power,more air displacement,etc.

If you dont want something that big MF has this used for 219 http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....net?sku=482102 . 400W of handeling power,so saving the extra money on one of those instead of the ibanez cab or the bigger 4x10 could be used towards a more powerful amp head.

The acoustic stuff is regarded as good value on here as well. http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....mbo?sku=482902

[Ric5]

[5string5fingers]

Originally Posted by Ric5

No experience,thought,reasons...anything? To back up your choice for behringer?

[RandomRaab]

I was thinking tube as well. You will get a great deal of warmth with one. Looks like that 50W Orange Bass Combo would be perfect.

[shakerattleroll]

There's no tube in that Orange bass amp...

If you're on a budget best to go used rather than new, more bang for your buck.

[lox]

is the wattage with bass tubes similar to guitar amps, i.e. the orange 50 will be as loud as a SS 100 (more or less)?

i wasn't thinking tubes before....interesting thought

@5string

there's a GK 410 GLX here on CL for 200

from what i can see, the weak link in a used separate system is the head itself
there are lots of decent cabs
but i'm only seeing GK BL600 and the like on CL

i saw those acoustics on MF too, they got my attention

i know SWR takes a beating for the most part here on TB
no comments on that WorkingPro 15?
200 watts, 1 x 15 and a horn, flexible pre for 275

[shakerattleroll]

There is NO tube in that orange bass combo, just so everyone is clear. And IMO, that thing will probably not keep up at all if you decide to gig a little, although I haven't played through one yet.

The acoustics sound pretty good from couple of times I've played them.

Also, don't forget the classifieds here on TB:

FS/FT: Ampeg B100R $360 local SoCal

[5string5fingers]

The GK BL600 is a pretty decent amp from what I've heard, I've noticed a lot of people on here have them.

[lox]

thanks SRR, i was writing my reply last night when you posted yours, i saw it after i posted and understood the tubelessness
thanks for the heads up!

i also spent a lot of time on the TB classifieds too, it's just shipping that kind of seems contrary to big heavy bass amps.
i will still keep my eye there, a head would be a good find

i really think i can get a much higher quality rig by going used, plus i'm very flexible, certain kinds of short comings that would kill the deal for others might mean nothing to me
for example, i can build any box, or recover, tolex or whatever
in fact i'd probably prefer a rack mount head of my choosing and a trashed cab with good guts
i could build a really nice modular combo cab with those building blocks, i design and build furniture for a living so that would be cheap and easy

again, it seems like the head is the hardest item to locate when you go used

for what it's worth i also have no fear of simple electronic fixes, i've replaced PCB components before

@5strings
it's funny, from the review reviewing i've done, it seems like TB opinions run one way and then the rest of the online world often goes the other way
i chalk that up to, on one hand we have the general public and on the other we have a poopload of pros

most reviews i've read about the BL's are lackluster, some good, none spectacular, some bad
the thing that puts me off is buying a feature i won't use
and the BL600 has that overdrive channel that very few owners like, i'd have trouble shelling out my cash for something along those lines

i should have never looked at Trace Ellliot stuff, it's setting my bar
i design stuff for a living and they look.....right

how about if we went at it this way:
used head, 200 watt range, good feature set

and what drivers could i build into a custom cab?
do i go big? (15-18)
or do i go small? (10)

i'm making a fretless wenge/black ebony neck for my warwick and that's what i'm looking to amplify properly
here's a shot of the neck blank just because.....


the one in front is a fretless wenge/ebony neck, for one of my strats, also just because

as always i really appreciate all who reply, your attention is respected

[SurferJoe46]

200 Watts will run a 410 and/or a 115 at the same time.

I guess it depends on what you wanna do with your gear once you get a taste of the low freqs.

1) Pro bassist?
2) CD-play along guy?
3) Bedroom artist? (don't take that wrong)
4) Freeway offramp - I Play For Pampers - bass-busker type guy?
5) Wanna destroy an apartment lease?

You can see there are all sorts of reasons for making noise, and some really good ones for making LOTS of noise!

With the exceptions of number(s) 1,4, & 5, you can get any 50 Watt amp and just rock out.

I assume that you can crank the CD player up and you'd obviously want to get that "arena" feeling - like I do.

Pros need tough, "throw-it-down-a-flight-of-stairs-or-off-a-moving-flatbed-truck" ruggedness. I don't, maybe you don't either.

It makes a big difference in cost/value and you have to decide if you want to go to the top artistically with makeup and gold spandex suits or just be a quiet, mouse'y-type, earphone'd bass player in the middle of the night with the neighbors owning large caliber handguns.

It all counts big time!

[5string5fingers]

Originally Posted by lox

thanks SRR, i was writing my reply last night when you posted yours, i saw it after i posted and understood the tubelessness
thanks for the heads up!

i also spent a lot of time on the TB classifieds too, it's just shipping that kind of seems contrary to big heavy bass amps.
i will still keep my eye there, a head would be a good find

i really think i can get a much higher quality rig by going used, plus i'm very flexible, certain kinds of short comings that would kill the deal for others might mean nothing to me
for example, i can build any box, or recover, tolex or whatever
in fact i'd probably prefer a rack mount head of my choosing and a trashed cab with good guts
i could build a really nice modular combo cab with those building blocks, i design and build furniture for a living so that would be cheap and easy

again, it seems like the head is the hardest item to locate when you go used

for what it's worth i also have no fear of simple electronic fixes, i've replaced PCB components before

@5strings
it's funny, from the review reviewing i've done, it seems like TB opinions run one way and then the rest of the online world often goes the other way
i chalk that up to, on one hand we have the general public and on the other we have a poopload of pros

most reviews i've read about the BL's are lackluster, some good, none spectacular, some bad
the thing that puts me off is buying a feature i won't use
and the BL600 has that overdrive channel that very few owners like, i'd have trouble shelling out my cash for something along those lines

i should have never looked at Trace Ellliot stuff, it's setting my bar
i design stuff for a living and they look.....right

how about if we went at it this way:
used head, 200 watt range, good feature set

and what drivers could i build into a custom cab?
do i go big? (15-18)
or do i go small? (10)

i'm making a fretless wenge/black ebony neck for my warwick and that's what i'm looking to amplify properly
here's a shot of the neck blank just because.....


the one in front is a fretless wenge/ebony neck, for one of my strats, also just because

as always i really appreciate all who reply, your attention is respected

Well if you got the skills you could do something like a multispeaker size cabinet. I've seen a few peaveys where they'll have two 10s on top and a big 18 on the bottom. http://www.daddys.com/detail.php?ite...umber=PEA05221 . Maybe you dont wanna go as big as an 18, a 15 would probably be a better choice.

[acubass]

I'd go for one of the ashdown LB's myself.

[FarkusSWR]

I have ( and use almost on a daily basis ) a SWR Workingpro 12. Loud enough to take to a regular band practice, small enough to fit in my little practice area, and has a input that can be used with a CD or MP3 player. 200 watts and sounds, to me anyway, fantastic. I also use it as a monitor when I play @ church, the sound guys like it because the DI is dead quiet. I have seen them used for $350-$400. Great little combo.

[lox]

great replies, i love TB!

@surferjoe
shaka brah! i once had a hobby it became my job and i still love it to death, but....
i'll take door number 3
i'm committed to music as a hobby, it is pure and utter joy to me
bob marley said it well, when the music is, you feel no pain
i play at home, i also play a little guitar, drums arguably well and own a digital ten-track
primarily that's what i'm doing here
mostly just being in the moment of a good groove and also constructing songs via the ten-track
second to that i want to be able to jam with friends on occasion

i also understand the value of buying 'good' gear
which is why you didn't see me reply to the behringer post

@5strings
i can build anything, the design and build are free to me
and what i build would kick the bahookie quality-wise of anything i know of
i'm obsessive, i freakin' dig the crap out of good design
and i have a complete shop about fifteen feet away from where i'm posting

that Peavy is sick!
i saw it, but i'm in phx and Daddy's is east only
i look at stuff like that as raw materials though
there's a decent 18" cast frame and two 10" cast frame woofers for 220 bucks? holy cow!
nice spot!

@acubass
they look to be over my budget if i followed your lead correctly
but thanks for the heads up

@Farkus
it's kind of like i mentioned before
harmony central buzzes in a good way about SWR
while TB seems to buzz in a different tone
the price of the WorkingPro15 i mentioned @ 275 is very reasonable, the seller told me it's in perfect shape
the pre seems to have a really nice feature set......
i'm tempted to just drop the reasonable coin and have it all in one box

i have the cash on hand btw, so keep me thinking and then we can all enjoy the purchase(s) vicariously

thanks again!

[lox]

again, it seems like there's no shortage of good used cabs that fit my requirements....

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/msg/1811044778.html

[5string5fingers]

Originally Posted by lox

again, it seems like there's no shortage of good used cabs that fit my requirements....

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/msg/1811044778.html

Thats a pretty darn good deal.