Deal or no Deal?

J-Building · #1 04-20-2010, 01:02 AM

It's really about time I upgraded to a decent rig, and I don't really have a whole lot of money to go new.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/msg/1700739265.html

Can anyone tell me anything about the individual units and whether this could be a good rig for me? I'm not currently in a band, but seeing as how I'm going off to college soon, I probably will be in one.

bongomania · #2 04-20-2010, 01:20 AM

Assuming it all works well, and has no unmentioned damage:

The GK head is great.

The Ampeg cab and the Anvil rack case are solid, not special but reliable and decent.

The rest of it is OK but not so hot, not something to cross the street for. I'm not saying any of it "sucks", but it might not be the best use of your money.

J-Building · #3 04-20-2010, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Assuming it all works well, and has no unmentioned damage:

The GK head is great.

The Ampeg cab and the Anvil rack case are solid, not special but reliable and decent.

The rest of it is OK but not so hot, not something to cross the street for. I'm not saying any of it "sucks", but it might not be the best use of your money.

I wouldn't use the tuner at all because I mostly rely on my ears, so assuming I can leave behind some items, which do you think I would actually use?

JimmyM · #4 04-20-2010, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Assuming it all works well, and has no unmentioned damage:

The GK head is great.

The Ampeg cab and the Anvil rack case are solid, not special but reliable and decent.

sorry, but the only years that the ampeg 810 wasn't special were like from 2000-2005. the ones previous and the ones post-slm are very special.

i really don't think it's a bad deal...

BUT...

...i would check the year of the cab, and i would definitely make sure it's not made out of chipboard.

as for the tuner, i think more people should know how to tune by ear and salut for doing so, but a tuner does make onstage life a lot easier.

melodicly · #5 04-20-2010, 01:43 AM

would you really want to lug that off to college? If so, then if the GK head works and the cab doesn't have blown speakers and what not, I would buy it and sell the rest of the stuff that probably just makes the GK sound bad. I can't say that you could sell off all the other stuff and make a good profit, but might be worth looking into.

On the other hand for ~$1000 you can have a more modular rig with 2 210s or even a 410 and a 210 might be better if you really need to be loud. "THIS THING AINT FITTING IN ANY CAR" as the ad says....

I know for me and all the different rehearsals and rooms I play, having 2 smaller cabs is great is often 1 is just fine. I always felt like a douche bringing in some monster rig to rehearse, but now that I think about most of the people that share our space (small rooms with carpet, but nothing on walls/ceiling) practice with a version of this rig and 2 410 guitar cabs next em. No earplugs either. I don't know how they can even hear anything other BOOOOOM.

Sorry, I guess I'm gettin old.....

J-Building · #6 04-20-2010, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melodicly

would you really want to lug that off to college? If so, then if the GK head works and the cab doesn't have blown speakers and what not, I would buy it and sell the rest of the stuff that probably just makes the GK sound bad. I can't say that you could sell off all the other stuff and make a good profit, but might be worth looking into.

On the other hand for ~$1000 you can have a more modular rig with 2 210s or even a 410 and a 210 might be better if you really need to be loud. "THIS THING AINT FITTING IN ANY CAR" as the ad says....

I know for me and all the different rehearsals and rooms I play, having 2 smaller cabs is great is often 1 is just fine. I always felt like a douche bringing in some monster rig to rehearse, but now that I think about most of the people that share our space (small rooms with carpet, but nothing on walls/ceiling) practice with a version of this rig and 2 410 guitar cabs next em. No earplugs either. I don't know how they can even hear anything other BOOOOOM.

Sorry, I guess I'm gettin old.....

You have a good point about the modularity of multiple speakers. Also, I'm going to a school that is less than 5 miles from my house, so I'm still going to be living at home.

JimmyM · #7 04-20-2010, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Building

You have a good point about the modularity of multiple speakers. Also, I'm going to a school that is less than 5 miles from my house, so I'm still going to be living at home.

i see both sides of the issue. i do have a smaller modular rig with two smaller cabs instead of one big one. then if i only need one cab, i just bring the one. but they're small 115 cabs and don't weigh nearly as much as a 410. if you have a big enough vehicle, i find the 810 much easier to move around than two 410's because you can use leverage to lift it on and off stages rather than deadlifting like you have to do with 410's. some might disagree but that's my take on it.

i_got_a_mohawk · #8 04-20-2010, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Building

I wouldn't use the tuner at all because I mostly rely on my ears, so assuming I can leave behind some items, which do you think I would actually use?

On stage it's nice to have a tuner.

It isn't easy trying to tune unamplified when there is so much noise in the background, and you don't need to let other people hear you tune up (always comes across as unprofessional when you hear a band tuning on stage).

Lckednloaded · #9 04-20-2010, 04:56 AM

Buy an Avatar Neo 410. they are lightweight and sound brilliant and loud. Get a cheap power amp and a Sans Amp Bass Driver DI. The rig will be reliable, easy to haul and sound fantastic. This rig could be easily had for what you are looking at there. The set up will still sound good without the Avatar but any Neo cabinet is going to be much lighter and since they sell direct they can be had cheaper. After all a lot of times your bass rig is only a stage monitor anyways since no one likes to mic our cabs these days. The sans amp has a direct out that will guaruntee your sound to be crisp in the house.

J-Building · #10 04-20-2010, 10:19 AM

Okay, I've seen power amps in a lot of setups, but I still have no idea what they do. Also, is a DI only necessary in the application of live sound setups?

JimmyM · #11 04-20-2010, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Building

Okay, I've seen power amps in a lot of setups, but I still have no idea what they do. Also, is a DI only necessary in the application of live sound setups?

power amp...a bass head has two sections, the preamp that shapes tone, and a power amp that amplifies it. so a power amp just concerns itself with amplifying and you hook a pre up to it for tone shaping.

di...it's used both in the studio and for live. i'm not a fan of di's myself as i'd much rather mic a cab, but there has to be some sort of delivery system to the pa, and a di is often used on bass and keyboards.

Bluesy Soul · #12 04-20-2010, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

power amp...a bass head has two sections, the preamp that shapes tone, and a power amp that amplifies it. so a power amp just concerns itself with amplifying and you hook a pre up to it for tone shaping.

The preamp also boosts the signal to a more usable level for the power amp, especially for passive basses.

tdub0199 · #13 04-20-2010, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i see both sides of the issue. i do have a smaller modular rig with two smaller cabs instead of one big one. then if i only need one cab, i just bring the one. but they're small 115 cabs and don't weigh nearly as much as a 410. if you have a big enough vehicle, i find the 810 much easier to move around than two 410's because you can use leverage to lift it on and off stages rather than deadlifting like you have to do with 410's. some might disagree but that's my take on it.

I have to agree w/ Jimmy on this, an 810 cab is much easier to move around rather than 2 410 cabs...

Alex1984 · #14 04-20-2010, 05:34 PM

It's a fair rig, especially for the price, but probably overkill though. BDDI'd be nice for sure, I use one and I love it. Power amp wise, I wouldn't cut costs (nor weight) on it. I'm a big fan of Crest Audio power amps for PA and bass. Same with cabs.

IMHO heavier is quite often better for bass rigs. Of course, YMMV.

Buster Brown · #15 04-20-2010, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

sorry, but the only years that the ampeg 810 wasn't special were like from 2000-2005. the ones previous and the ones post-slm are very special.

Damn!! Forget to tell you...

Played around with the new Heritage cabinet last night (finally found it after the move). Ampeg has hit this one out of the park, so to speak! I am officially back in the fold.

Now. let me clarify....it IS an 8X10 cab. Good news, however, is that it sounds like one of the "old" cabs....(you'll know what I mean) and, to us old farts, that's important.

I intend to yank one of these speakers out tomorrow evening and check them out. For some reason, CTS keeps coming to mind....but I think more in line with the legend B810 series...

More later

rpsands · #16 04-20-2010, 08:33 PM

That particular GK head is one of the most likely ever to catch fire. Watch out for it, IMHO.

JimmyM · #17 04-20-2010, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buster Brown

Damn!! Forget to tell you...

Played around with the new Heritage cabinet last night (finally found it after the move). Ampeg has hit this one out of the park, so to speak! I am officially back in the fold.

Now. let me clarify....it IS an 8X10 cab. Good news, however, is that it sounds like one of the "old" cabs....(you'll know what I mean) and, to us old farts, that's important.

I intend to yank one of these speakers out tomorrow evening and check them out. For some reason, CTS keeps coming to mind....but I think more in line with the legend B810 series...

More later

aw dude, i can't wait to find that one out! on the edge of my seat.

i'm thinking b810, too. i find it a real coinkydink that the b810 came out at the same time the heritage 810e came out. but that's really cool you think it compares to a cts-loaded 810. all i can say is it's about time! the chinese loud cabs were a step in the right direction and they sound really good but i feel they could be improved upon.

J-Building · #18 04-20-2010, 11:50 PM

I still don't really understand the purpose of a power amp. Why would I want my amp to only perform tone-shaping functions?

JimmyM · #19 04-21-2010, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Building

I still don't really understand the purpose of a power amp. Why would I want my (jim's correction: pre)amp to only perform tone-shaping functions?

so you have the option of changing the preamp out without having to buy a new power amp. having said that, heads greatly outsell pre/power amp rigs, so if you'd rather go with a head, go with it.

J-Building · #20 04-21-2010, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

so you have the option of changing the preamp out without having to buy a new power amp. having said that, heads greatly outsell pre/power amp rigs, so if you'd rather go with a head, go with it.

I think I see what's going on now. So a preamp cannot function without a power amp, but an amp head is pretty much both in one?