Decent light weight amp for shows

**Batz** · #1 12-16-2012, 06:16 PM

A little background, I am a small (100 lb) female with back problems. I have an SVT classic head (too heavy for me to lift) and a 4x10 and 8x10. The 4x10 I can move around, but can not lift into the car.

This wasn't a problem with my old band as the guitarist lived nearby and would load and unload for me. Now I'm in a new band and need a light alternative I can move myself. Already had one accident where I dropped the head on me and severely messed up my leg.

Any suggestions? It would be smaller clubs, but the head needs to have a direct out. Was looking at Potaflex. Not sure how that would do volume wise. If I am not plugged in directly, I am not miked and I would need an amp that could be heard over loud guitarist and drummer.

john m · #2 12-16-2012, 06:23 PM

I love my Markbass 112 combo.

A Markbass head with one or two cabs would be flexible and portable. Get a 2-12 cab if you can lift it, add another for loud gigs. Get several 1-12's if the duals are too heavy for you.

GK combos are light and loud also.

stepswork4me · #3 12-16-2012, 06:24 PM

35 lb combo that rocks... TC Electronic BG250
TC Electronic BG250 Club

cire113 · #4 12-16-2012, 06:25 PM

Markbass is gold standard for lightweight

B-string · #5 12-16-2012, 06:25 PM

G-K MB212 II will do the job very well.

**CL400Peavey** · #6 12-16-2012, 06:27 PM

For my tastes I would look at a Genz Benz shuttle 9.2 or streamliner 900. Pair either of those heads with a pair of fEARful 12/6's (alpha mids), fEARful 12/6 (18aound mid) + 12sub, or a pair of fEARless 112's. Will contend with an 810 in volume at a fraction of the weight.

Primakurtz · #7 12-16-2012, 06:31 PM

Do you like your SVT when it is cranked up into the overdriven tone, or more of the clean and bouncy sound?

**Batz** · #8 12-16-2012, 06:43 PM

I like a cleaner sound. The tone I try to emulate (without much luck) is the Damned's Black Album tone.

MuthaFunk · #9 12-16-2012, 06:52 PM

The Ampeg PF series are very loud given
Their ratings IME. Good tone as well. Amazing value for the price. For cabs, you may want to try MarkBass. I personally didn't like them and ended up with a used Bergantino AE410. 62 lbs.

In the used market you may want to look at Epifani UL series 1 or 2. I think the 410's are only 55 lbs.

Primakurtz · #10 12-16-2012, 07:07 PM

There aren't many gigs you can't handle with a Mesa Walkabout (13 pounds) and a neo 2x12 cabinet. Check out Genz Benz and Gallien Kreuger cabs, or something custom like a fEarful. That should get you the great tone you love!

popgadget · #11 12-16-2012, 08:11 PM

Not sure if you mean that you are going to use your existing 410 or not. Asuuming it's an Ampeg 410HLF, a Shuttle or Streamliner 900 would drive it very well. Before I switched to fEARful cabs, I used a Shuttle 9 with 410HLN and it worked well. At under 4lbs it's an amazing package.

shrigg · #12 12-16-2012, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john m

A Markbass head with one or two cabs would be flexible and portable. Get a 2-12 cab if you can lift it, add another for loud gigs.

+1

I'd try to find a used F500, it is one of the very best Markbass heads but it's no longer made.

A Neo 2-12 would be light and loud but be advised that some of them are midrange cannons so you may need to try a few to find the one you like. I sold my Schroeder 1212 because it was way too midrangey.

Sav'nBass · #13 12-16-2012, 09:37 PM

You can't go wrong with a Shuttle 9.0 or 9.2 or a SL900. Pair it with an 8 ohm 212Neo. Look in the TB classifieds.

Mastermold · #14 12-16-2012, 09:45 PM

Since you already like Ampeg try their PF rigs, good stuff. Genz Benz, Markbass and Mesa WA are also great amps to look at. Try a few, see what your ear likes.

MyMusic · #15 12-17-2012, 03:59 AM

Since you are in Orange County, it might be worth your while to check out Carvin's store in Anaheim. They've got all kinds of head and cab combinations that might work for you.

JimmyM · #16 12-17-2012, 04:30 AM

The SVT 7 Pro isn't as light as some, but it's still pretty light and easily manageable and comes the closest to sounding like an SVT tube amp as I've heard. Might want to take a look at the PF500 as well. It also sounds a lot like an SVT. Neither are dead nuts matches for the grandeur of the SVT tube amp, but they come darn close for solid state.

Not sure what you'd need for a cab, though I would recommend a couple smaller 210 or 115 cabs instead of a 410. I have no way of knowing that, though, since I don't know what kinds of volumes you play at. I'm loving my two little SVT 210av cabs at only 25 lbs apiece, but they're more of a medium duty cab and won't get as loud as a 410he or 410hlf. The PF cabs use heavier duty speakers and will get louder and deeper, but they also weigh in the 45 lb range. Still, not as heavy as a 410. I have a couple PF115he's, and they're pretty easy to get around with, though I usually go for the 210av's because they're lighter and sound great.

infect · #17 12-17-2012, 04:34 AM

The Orange Terror bass amps are super loud and only weigh around 10 pounds. I love mine

gottliver · #18 12-17-2012, 05:50 AM

a lot of great suggestions here. I think the key points to bear in mind are 1) Any of the new lightweight D class heads will weight less than 6lbs and give you up to 800 or even 1200 watts, 2) 2 8 ohm 12" neo cabs will weight around 30lbs each and be very easy to load and unload, they will as well give you the ability to use only what is necessary for a gig while leaving the extra weight at home, 3) make sure you select cabs with the proper ohms, 4) none of our suggestions matter unless you like the sound...so go to as many shops as you can and try everything out..good luck!!! gear shopping is FUNNNN!!!

**CL400Peavey** · #19 12-17-2012, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottliver

a lot of great suggestions here. I think the key points to bear in mind are 1) Any of the new lightweight D class heads will weight less than 6lbs and give you up to 800 or even 1200 watts, 2) 2 8 ohm 12" neo cabs will weight around 30lbs each and be very easy to load and unload, they will as well give you the ability to use only what is necessary for a gig while leaving the extra weight at home, 3) make sure you select cabs with the proper ohms, 4) none of our suggestions matter unless you like the sound...so go to as many shops as you can and try everything out..good luck!!! gear shopping is FUNNNN!!!

For the most part correct, but Im sorry there are no commercial 8 Ohm 112's that are going to carry me through a loud rock gig. To cabs with 3012LF's and some mid drivers? well sure, but you are looking at a drastic increase in capability.

Sue ZQ · #20 12-17-2012, 11:55 AM

I'm partial to Fender, so I tested out a Rumble 350 this weekend. I love it. The head is small enough to fit into a backpack. It also has magnetic feet that hold it snug on the top of the speaker cabinet.

The speaker cabinets can be run as a stack, but just one (the 1x12) was powerful enough to make the walls vibrate. I'm guessing it weighed about 25 pounds. I was able to literally lift it with two fingers.