ampeg B-15 volume?

[jebo]

Anyone know if the B-15 and other flip top amps are loud enough for most live situations?

[BassmanPaul]

Unless your name is JimmyM no they are not.

[extreme]

Coffee shop/acoustic gigs are fine. You will run out of steam quickly if playing with a loud drummer or a guitarist with lots of low end. All that said, throw a SM57 in front of it and put it through the P.A. for bigger shows and it will work wonderfully!

[patrickshofner]

I run mine at church every week. As long as I have pa support, I'll never use anything else.

[dmac1961]

I ran mine really hard for a few rock shows. Sounded killer until the tranny gave out. Now I use it for smaller gigs and studio only.

[DanGouge]

Belle & Sebastian have use one live, always mic'd and put through the pa, but a B15 nonetheless.

[pfschim]

Originally Posted by patrickshofner

I run mine at church every week. As long as I have pa support, I'll never use anything else.

that's pretty much the real answer. Without PA support, 25/27w are just not going to work for very many situations - even with an ext cab rig like JimmyM's.

And keep in mind, a B15 is pretty heavy little beast for what it delivers watts wise, so its not an ideal rig for a working player who has to regularly move from gig to gig, week in/week out.

In the studio with great miking, or in a set piece gig (like a regular worship, or house band gig) with solid PA support - hard to beat the sound.

[BassmanPaul]

A B15 does make a very nice home PRACTICE amp though - right Jimmy??

[christw]

I've tried to use my B-15 a couple of times on top of on top of a vintage SVT loaded 410 and it just didn't cut it with a band and PA. If I had an SM57 it would have been buttery heaven with some PA support though.

They make great practice, acoustic, low volume jam, etc amps though. Strangely I once had a "bassist" and recording guy (who was admittedly a bit off his rocker) refuse to let me use my B-15 to record.

[Alexander]

I saw Medeski Martin and Wood live several years ago and I think he had a B15 on stage (among other things). Monster bass tone he had going on that night.

[JimmyM]

What a bunch of losers!!! B-15 rules for live work!!!

[Jim Carr]

You don't even need an amp with a pro PA, in-ears, and a countryman DI—but to answer the OP's question, a B-15 is fine for live "bass not in PA" gigs, if they are in your living room!

[Wesley R]

Live from the winter of 1973-1974 (3-6) nights per week until fall of 1975 then (2-3) per week until around the fall of 1983or whenever it was I got married. Sporadic jams with friend and family after that until sold on 2003?

It was a great amp. Yes, it did run out of steam and everyone turned down.

It was heavy, changibg the speaker for a JBL didn't help, neither did the Anvil flight case.