amp shopping, where do I throw the dough?

[basstoven]

I have decided on going with a cab and head stack. Im not that serious of a giger where I would get individual preamp and power amp and signal processor. Just a head and cab set will do me good. That being said, where should I spend more money, on the head or cab?

[Lucky Strike]

What size gigs? Will it be used at home as a practice amp too?

Probably head. cabs seem to have come and gone more often for me than heads.

[basstoven]

Originally Posted by Lucky Strike

What size gigs? Will it be used at home as a practice amp too?

Probably head. cabs seem to have come and gone more often for me than heads.

i have a cheapy practice one. Its a combo and is like a little bit bigger than a milk crate. My gigs are small just local bars. Thanks for the advice.

[Gearhead17]

A good amount of the money should go towards a good speaker cab. A speaker cab which does not get loud enough for a band situation is not going to be "fixed" by getting a different bass head. Honestly, a so-so sounding bass head is still going to get loud enough through a good cabinet. While a really nice bass head is only going to get that cheapo speaker as loud as the so-so bass head did. The speaker can only go so loud and low before it blows up!

[JimmyM]

cab definitely. good cab + crap head can still have good tone. good head + crap cab will always give you bad tone.

[Downunderwonder]

That's exactly what i was going to say.

[Downunderwonder]

That being said, you can go really cheap on an old power amp and spend a little on a nice preamp and get the best of the good cab.

I was amazed as a kid when I hooked up Dad's bedroom radio with my CD player to the good speakers in the lounge.