Cheap bass amp for playing small gigs

[VonII]

I'm looking for an amp that is suited for playing at bars or small venues. I don't have many requirements, it doesn't need any effects really, besides treble and mid of course. I play metal, currently on a 2 decade old Roland Cube 60 thing, that is really thrashed, and it's ok for repetitions in the garage, but only just, and I need a new one anyway. Also, I'm pretty tight on cash, and I want to buy a new bass first. I saw some 200w berhinger thing a few weeks ago, but I had a headset from berhinger, and it was quite ******. I don't know how it compares to their amps though.

I live in Belgium, so everything must be able to be shipped to belgium for less than a zillion. (Meaning EU stores only )

So:
-cheap
-suited for metal, I don't know really if some amps make a difference for it
-bars and small venues
-doesn't need many effects and knobs


Thanks a lot for reading, and hopefully some advice.

[smgleitch]

Used gk mb115 will do the trick for around $300 us idk what it will cost there. All depends on your budget there are definitely better amps and worse amps. I have owned this and it will put out decent volume and is easily moved around.

[dhsierra1]

you could probably pick up a use Gallien Krueger 400RB pretty cheaply there, pretty common amp on this side of the pond, can get them usually around US$150 or so. 200 watts into 4 ohms, 4 band EQ, and a boost knob that'll get you into some grindy sounds. Built like tanks and sound very nice. I'd look for a used 2-10 or 2-12 speaker cabinet at 4 ohms so you can get all the juice out of the amp. This sort of rig will be much louder than your old Cube 60 and pretty easy to transport

[joe vegas]

GKMB115 or Hartke A-100. both are loud, clear, punchy, reasonably priced.

[VonII]

Cheapest I could find was 399 dollars, that translate to about 420 euros here... Thank though, I'll keep my eye peeled for gk stuff.

[VonII]

What about using a cab for my Cube 60? I like it's sound, it's just not "thick" enough for playing over drums at a bar. I have totally no idea how cabs and stuff work, so, any idea?

[playerunk]

used peavey.

if you find your amp's manual it will say if you can hook up and external cab to it.

[VonII]

It's a 2 decade (minimum) old Roland Cube. I got it from my uncle before he died, without front plating, ripped core aluminium thing, yellow from smoke and sunlight, with perm marker on it.

Lemme get my manual.

Just joking, no offense meant.

[maches]

So what exactly is your budget? cheap is fairly vague.

[VonII]

My Roland has a jack saying "Ext. Speaker - 8ohm minimum". I suppose I can put a cab on it then? If so, I'll get a good cab for 250€, and save for a head.

Well, I'd say 250€, but it's appearing to me now that anything better than my cube is more than 300€. In that case, 350€ is the real max.

[dhsierra1]

I have an 80s vintage Roland Cube 60 Chorus and have found it a terrifically versatile amp except for really punching out bass. So yes, you can add an 8 ohm extension speaker to it but at the end of the day you're just not going to get what you probably need in terms of power and tone.

There were some very good suggestions worth considering, the Hartke's, Peavey's. GKs, and no doubt Brit and Euro stuff I'm not familiar with that I would recommend you to consider spending on instead of wasting time/energy/money on the Cube. They're really not cut out for bass, much as I love mine for keyboards, guitar, etc., had it for years and it's never let me down. Just my 0.02.

[VonII]

Well, going cheap on a good combo now is equally good/bad in my opinion, if it turns out to be too weak, I can't use the head or cab, as it's a combo. When I do get a cab and put it on the roland for a few months, and get a good head, wouldn't it be better in the end?

I really appreciate everybody's opinion, I'm not trying to be smarter, as most people here are actually smarter about this than me.

[dhsierra1]

at the end of the day more meat flapping (ie more speakers) is the surest road to increased volume than just pouring on watts. Then with your budget in mind, you could likely score a very decent used 8 ohm cab and you'll get an increase in volume from your Roland. Then when you can flip another 300 euros, you can get a good quality used head in the 300+ watt range. Keep in mind you'll then be able to snag a matching speaker cabinet for another boost in volume since the amp will then be driving 4 ohms (like what you're proposing now w/your Roland). Might be the best way to go for where you're at now financially as long as you're OK with doing this piece meal, an approach that's worked well for me in the past when I was a starving student Just a thought.

[VonII]

Ok. So, which kind of cab should I get? 8 Ohm I guess, but will the amp power a 300w speaker? Wont it stop at about 60 watt, or blow the cab or amp?

[dhsierra1]

you won't hurt anything if you're using a 60 watt Roland to power a 300 watt 8 ohm cab, but the converse would not be true......

I'd take your Roland to a music store and plug into a few decent cabs of around that rating (more or less) and see how it sounds. I guarantee you'll be louder unless of course the speaker cab is poorly designed/inefficient/messed up. No particular recommendations on 10s vs 12s vs 15s, let your ears tell you what sounds right. Then while you're at it, try a couple of amps in what you think you're price range might be and see how that works. Compare and contrast.

[VonII]

Awesome thanks. Gonna go to the biggest music store I can find when my exams are finished. Lol, how are people gonna look at me when I bring in my trashed cube and say "I want a cab for it".

[dhsierra1]

tell them at the store you want a cabinet that'll make your Cube as loud as an SVT

Enjoy

[Big Brother]

How much is the Markbass stuff in Europe? I would think that they have to be cheaper than they are here if you can perhaps scrape a few more rocks together.

[4-string]

Originally Posted by Big Brother

How much is the Markbass stuff in Europe? I would think that they have to be cheaper than they are here if you can perhaps scrape a few more rocks together.

Yeah right. Try doubling US prices, not too far off.

[vin*tone]

Buy used.