Downsizing: moving from Mesa Mpulse 600 + 4x10 to Walkabout Scout

[MicG]

I've been playing shows lately and getting more experience loading my Mesa PH 4x10 along w/ MPulse 600 in and out of the truck. The tone on this rig is to die for, but man does the heavy lifting kill me the next day- and I'm fairly young and in decent shape. I never considered the transportation and weight issues when I first bought this rig!

Lately I've noticed a few things:
1.) I never have [needed] gain and/or master volume past 12:00 under any circumstances
2.) Its impossible for me to be independent with this rig; I always need a friend, band-member, etc. to help me transport and assist with load-in-load-out which takes coordination (not hard to do but chasing down people to help gets annoying at times.)
3.) I've seen guys in other bands walk in with their smaller combo amps, set up with far less reliance upon others for help, and achieve an equally huge sound through FOH via DI, mic-ing, etc. with less effort.

Point #3 especially leads me to a harsh realization: I could probably get away with something like a Mesa Walkabout scout 1x12 and be just fine for what I do.

This is how G.A.S starts; I've got a functionality issue and have begun to question my ability to justify keeping such a large rig.

Am I crazy? Any Walkabout Scout owners care to comment? What did you down-size from and why? Anything similar to what I'm experiencing?

I'm considering moving in this direction and would appreciate your input!

[Stumbo]

Downsizing threads

[Marton]

Maybe a lighter cab ? My Epifani UL-410 sounds as big as any 410, but it weight around 60 pounds and I can put it in my car alone.

[vin*tone]

Go modular....

There may be times when you need more than one 1x12 cab



I'm yet to do a gig where I've needed more than this.

I went from an SWR G3 quaddy to the DB112's. Both the cabs are about as heavy as the Goliath but you carry them like suitcases so they feel lighter - at least - not as cumbersome.

Most gigs and rehearsals I don't need both cabs.

[JimmyM]

i downsized then upsized again. it works for some people, and i do still have a small rig that i use occasionally, but i figure i've only got a few good tube-amp moving years left and i want to make the best of them

[carlos840]

I would recommend the walkabout plus extension cab! With that your sorted for most of the gigs that could come up.

[KJung]

I've owned the MPulse600 and the Walkabout Scout. Very different sounding.

A Scout combo in no way will keep up with that big 410 and the MPulse 600. And, if you get the second companion 112, you will still only get to about 80% of the output (although that would be a great sounding stack... make sure to order the custom 8ohm version cabs, since running the Walkabout hard at 2ohms is not recommended).

Since you dig the MPulse600, and obviously the Mesa 410 is a big, super heavy beast, I would recommend switching to a light weight 410. The Bergantino AE410 is a wonderful match to the MPulse600. It is tighter in the low end than the Mesa 410, so will bring the big, bloomy low end of the MPulse600 closer to the tighter, warmer, punchier low end of the Walkabout. It is much smaller than the Mesa PH410 (only 16" deep), and only about 65 pounds. Killer, tight, punchy, loud 410 that is lighter than the Walkabout stack.

IMO!

[lomo]

Master at noon with 600 watts through a 410 is a lot more than you'll get from a WA scout 12 IME, regardless of whether it's 4 or 8 Ohms. You will definitely need at least 2 12s and will be happier with 2 210s-I believe you'd be happy with either of those, and so will you back. IMO the WA is a tonal upgrade over the 600 but YMMV.

[Mo'Phat]

If you sell the 4x10, I 100% guarantee that your next gig will a big place with no PA support for the bass.

If you can keep the 4x10, and add maybe a 1x12 cabinet while using your Mpulse 600, that would be enough to cover all the possibilities.

[Dan55]

I've gone modular with a Walkabout Scout 12, PH210, and a PH212. The Scout handles alot, but pull the head out of it, set it on top of the 212, and things get sonically larger. Stack the 210 on the 212 and you're good for anything.

Dan

[RickenBoogie]

Agreed, as great an amp as the Walkabout is, (and it is), you'll be buried with only a single 12. I'm a true WA lover, but forget the Scout cab for all but the smallest of your volume needs. A 212 is bare bones minimum, and still won't keep up with the rig you have now. Think very hard before you take that next step.

[MicG]

Thanks everyone for offering some insight here. I stopped by GC tonight to try out a Walkabout scout; a very eye-opening experience. I liked the tone a lot and the volume was amazing for such a tiny amp, but I suppose now I understand all the red flags going up about using it as a replacement to my current rig. hmm...

On thinking about this further, I suppose my biggest problem is the cab rather than the head. Sure, the head is massive compared to the Markbass series (also considering) but man, that cab....Its got to be the deepest cab I've ever seen. It simply won't fit into anything other than a small SUV at best. I wonder if I should consider Mesa's other cabs after-all. The 1x12 perhaps? Just something slightly more manageable in terms of dimensions and weight.

Going modular is certainly something I'm considering at this point...

[lomo]

Originally Posted by MicG

Going modular is certainly something I'm considering at this point...

Think pair of 210s stacked vertically.......