Help with new rig

[tx_tech]

Hey Everyone,

I had to take a little time off from playing due to a new kiddo but I finally have gotten a release form from the wife to hit the stage again. I have done a fair amount of searching and reading from stickies to similar threads. But at this point I still cannot decide on a new rig. So I wanted to reach out to you all for some friendly advice.

My last rig was a Mark Bass 210 combo with a 115 extension cab. It was loud and reliable. But it was expensive and I am still torn on that amp for the genre I play. The rig before that was a GK 700RB amp and neo 410. But I had issues with the cab buzzing.

I just joined a new cover band that plays stuff like Foo Fighters, Weezer, Bush, Smashing Pumpkins, etc. My primary two basses are both stock American Standard Fender Precisions and I have one stock Geddy Lee. I typically play the two pbasses (identical other than tuning, one standard one half step down) with a pick since that best fits the genre we play. I run the basses directly to a Tech 21 VT Bass Deluxe and alternate between Fat Tube, SVT, and Warm Compression for those of you who are familiar with the Sansamp and VT bass presets.

The larger gigs we play will typically have a PA. My rule of thumb has always been to not buy anything less than 500 watts. I don't have a good reason for that other than somewhere along the way I decided 500 watts was good. I like the idea of going modular and light so it makes it easy to tote the thing to practice but with an extension cab you can power through a mid sized view or have enough volume to use it as a solid monitor if the venue has a PA.

I am a big fan of 10s and have at times used them over a single 15. But I have never tried 12s. In the past I stuck to 410s, but some of the new 210 setups have changed my thinking a bit. I have also heard and read that 212s are being used at larger gigs by some and are plenty.

I know Ampeg has gotten better (well supposedly) but I am not sure I can ever got over the three bad Ampeg rigs I had in the past. So far I have looked at Markbass, GK. Ashdown, Aguilar, SWR, and Genz. But I have only had access to GK and Markbass at the local shops. Orange was another one I has access to but it was crazy expensive.

I am using an Acoustic as a practice rig for now, and it is OK but not what I want to use live. I am trying to stay around $1500-$2000. Thanks in advance for any advice, I now a lot of you have way more experience gigging than I do. At this point I just know I love my Pbass and VT bass and need to love an amp to go with it.

[WhoDidTheElf]

I would either stick with your Tech 21 VT and grab a power amp with a lot of watts and grab an Ampeg SVT-810E and boom your set.

Or you could try an Ampeg SVT-7 Pro with an Ampeg SVT-810E.

Honestly since you like your VT I'd grab a power amp with enough watts, and a couple of 8x10's or some set of cabs you like. It would be the most bang for the buck in your situation and give you the tone you're after.

[JimmyM]

You know, none of us helped you pick a wife and it sounds like you did just fine without our input Any of the companies you mentioned make good amps and cabs. It all comes down to your tastes, not ours. Only thing I'd tell you is not to judge a cab by its speaker sizes, but by how it sounds. There are great and crap designs using all speaker sizes.

Not telling you what you should buy, but since you brought it up, Ampeg is very much back on the right track these days. The company who owns them went through a drastic shakeup a couple years ago and fired the idiots in charge of doing stupid things, and now they have people who actually take some pride in what they're doing. But they're all great companies and have gear that's on the ball.

[tx_tech]

Thanks for the responses, I have a QSC RMX 2450 for an old PA. That puppy has plenty over power, especially if I go bridged mono. So maybe I will just use that with the VT Bass as WhoDidTheElf advised. As for Ampeg, I am glad to hear they have in fact gotten better. Maybe it is time to forget the past and give them another shot. GC does have a 30 day return policy, so I might grab an Ampeg cab and beat it up. That makes for a heavy rig, but oh well I workout...

On another note how much volume are you getting out of that Portaflex? I had looked at the 210HE

[WhoDidTheElf]

Originally Posted by tx_tech

Thanks for the responses, I have a QSC RMX 2450 for an old PA. That puppy has plenty over power, especially if I go bridged mono. So maybe I will just use that with the VT Bass as WhoDidTheElf advised. As for Ampeg, I am glad to hear they have in fact gotten better. Maybe it is time to forget the past and give them another shot. GC does have a 30 day return policy, so I might grab an Ampeg cab and beat it up. That makes for a heavy rig, but oh well I workout...

If you have a PA power amp then you can invest a lot in quality cabs that can really make your rig awesome, and then use the rest in roadies to move the rig :P