Build My Rig For Me!

sleepypunk1111 · #1 10-19-2011, 09:04 AM

I have a fun excersize for the board here, lets see if we can get some participants.

I am the bass player for a 90's cover band.
(Grunge songs along with pop punk, pop, and everything in between)

Currently I am playing through a very entry level rig
(Kustom 200HD Head, GK Backline 410, MXR M-80 DI Box)

We have shows booked through the end of the year with more to come in 2011 but for the foreseeable future we will be playing shows at places with no house sound/soundman

What I would like is for people to go to zzounds.com and put together a rig powerfull enough to gig with for anywhere between $1000-$1200 (no used or blemished gear)

Or if you just have some suggestions, I am all ears

dhomer · #2 10-19-2011, 09:11 AM

Personally, I wouldn't buy ANY speaker out of a music store.. Too many compromises, and you'll be looking to spend more money. For the money, you can get a fEARful 12/6 or 15/6 built w/a HF option. Its a lifetime investment, trust me.. The amp head will suffice for a while longer, save up the gig money and update that later..

T. Alan Smith · #3 10-19-2011, 09:25 AM

If I were in that situation again, I'd run a GK800RB into a Peavey 810TX(or whatever they call it now) cab.

scottfeldstein · #4 10-19-2011, 11:53 AM

I'm not sure I understand the question. You want to ditch your "entry level" rig, but you only want to spend $1000 to $1200?

I spent $1200 on my current rig. It's better than yours, but not by leaps and bounds. MB500 head, GK Neo 212 and 410MBX cabs. And the MBX is used.

MattyH · #5 10-19-2011, 12:03 PM

My rig costs $1365.98. It's an Ampeg 410HLF with a Hartke LH1000 head. Both available on Zzounds. It's loud, it's clean, and I love it. I play in a wedding band, so I do your type of music, plus every other type of music under the sun in one set. And I do all of it with this rig. Not the best, or the biggest, or even my super dream rig, but I tell ya, I get compliments on my tone every gig.

RickenBoogie · #6 10-19-2011, 12:07 PM

I'd spend your entire budget on the head, a Mesa M6 Carbine or MPulse 600, and spend another full budget on the cabs, which I'd go 2x a good 212. Besides, your current gear is better than what I'd consider "entry" level. Maybe for separates, but alot of guys are using combo's, which you have beat by a mile.

alecduncan · #7 10-19-2011, 01:20 PM

Are you entirely deadset against going used?

I got my Gallien Krueger 1001RB II and a 410RBH for $700 in great shape.

I routinely see fantastic halfstack deals for under $1000 for Hartke/Trace Elliot (a ton of 90's britpop and pop bands used these), and you could probably get a steal of a Mesa rig for that kind of money. In my eyes, buying new with a budget is a useless endeavor; if you have a budget, look used first.

But, before you do any of this, I'd try and borrow a friend's cabinet or bring your head into a music store, and play through some quality cabinets. I absolutely hate the Backline series cabinets, and you may really like the sound of your Kustom through a nicer Neo or RBH cabinet. I've heard good things about Kustom/Avatar combinations. That Kustom head is pretty decent.

sleepypunk1111 · #8 10-19-2011, 01:41 PM

The reason I'm saying no used stuff is because Zzounds will allow you to break the total up into 4 payments. So I figured I can afford about $250 a month.

I don't have time to put my pennies away and then hope someone who is down on their luck is selling their rig.

alecduncan · #9 10-19-2011, 01:50 PM

Okay, if you had to go new, I'd go with Hartke stuff:

Hartke 3500C Bass Amp Head at zZounds
or
Hartke LH500 Bass Amp Head at zZounds

and for a cabinet:
Hartke HX410 HyDrive Bass Cabinet at zZounds

For the money Hartke really doesn't disappoint, and I urge you not to skimp on the cabinet... the HyDrive series is absolutely amazing.

scottfeldstein · #10 10-19-2011, 01:55 PM

Actually, that seems like a reasonable recommendation, given your constraints. Get the 500w head and the 410 cab. That should keep you in budget.

The thing that worries me about it is that it isn't all that much better than what you have right now. Keep the $1200, save it. Wait till you have $2500. Or, keep your cab and upgrade the head. Conversely, upgrade your cab and keep the head for now.

I wouldn't drop $1200 bucks on a rig that's only marginally better than my current rig.

bareass · #11 10-19-2011, 01:56 PM

i bought my '69 svt 810 for 500 bucks... i would reconsider buying used... and then buy one of those!

father of fires · #12 10-19-2011, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepypunk1111

I have a fun excersize for the board here, lets see if we can get some participants.

I am the bass player for a 90's cover band.
(Grunge songs along with pop punk, pop, and everything in between)

Currently I am playing through a very entry level rig
(Kustom 200HD Head, GK Backline 410, MXR M-80 DI Box)

We have shows booked through the end of the year with more to come in 2011 but for the foreseeable future we will be playing shows at places with no house sound/soundman

What I would like is for people to go to zzounds.com and put together a rig powerfull enough to gig with for anywhere between $1000-$1200 (no used or blemished gear)

Or if you just have some suggestions, I am all ears

I kind of like your rig. I would visit a doctor because I think you have G.A.S.

alecduncan · #13 10-19-2011, 01:59 PM

I agree with Scott, of course. If you had to buy SOMETHING I would simply get a nicer cabinet. A higher quality 410 like the HyDrive I posted would be louder, clearer, and just all-around more awesome. The Kustom has a LOUD 200 watts, after all.

But, preferably you'd use that $1200 to buy a kickass, amazing rig on the TalkBass classifieds.

Doll · #14 10-19-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepypunk1111

The reason I'm saying no used stuff is because Zzounds will allow you to break the total up into 4 payments. So I figured I can afford about $250 a month.

I don't have time to put my pennies away and then hope someone who is down on their luck is selling their rig.

Someone is always selling their rig, or parts of it, I think your doing yourself wrong by not considering used gear, but hey that's just my opinion.

But for the question I would look at something like the pf500 for a head to start and then with your budget you could spend the other 800 or so dollars toward a decent cab, I would look at one or two gk 212mbe, haven't heard too much about these but the specs seem decent

89JazzMan · #15 10-20-2011, 08:26 AM

MARKBASS markbass markbass

tsunami1052 · #16 10-20-2011, 02:18 PM

ZZOUNDS:

TC BH500 Amp
TC BC210 Cabs X2

s_mcsleazy · #17 10-20-2011, 02:30 PM

my gig rig cost no where near that.
fender bassman - £400
2 2x10 hh electronic cabs - £40
sure sm-57 + yoga em mics - £50

RickenBoogie · #18 10-20-2011, 02:53 PM

+1 big time to the sentiment, "don't skimp on your cabs".

msquared · #19 10-20-2011, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

Keep the $1200, save it. Wait till you have $2500.

I wouldn't drop $1200 bucks on a rig that's only marginally better than my current rig.

IMO this is by far the best advice given by this thread.

deeptubes · #20 10-20-2011, 03:33 PM

I found a new, old stock GK 1001 RB-II for $620. I use it to push an SWR Workingman's Tower (8x10) that I picked up gently used for $500. It sounds freaking awesome! Loud, deep, and rich, while remaining crisp, clear, and articulate. It's incredibly versatile - I can get any tone out of it. When I crank it, crap falls from the ceiling. No exaggeration. I've been playing for 25+ years. I played Ampeg for 9 years before kicking it to the curb for my current rig. There is no comparison. I would recommend my current rig to anyone and everyone.