Help with small combo for church setting

eaaa410 · #1 03-18-2010, 09:03 AM

I need a small combo for church. The setting is a very small gym / sanctuary, maybe the size of basketball court. I will be playing with an acoustic guitar, keyboard, and a singer all through a PA. It will be traditional hymns at a very reasonable level. They recommend that I just amplify because of the small size of the hall. All I have currently is a Kustom 30 watt practice amp that I can very comfortably max out the volume level in my living room.

I'm thinking 100 watts would work, but I need some guidance on speaker sizes, wattages, ease of portability. I would like to keep this under $300 and would rather buy new or at least somewhere that I can return it if it doesn't work out. The CL and used options aren't the greatest right now either unless you need a full size stack or a cheap practice amp like the one I already have. Thanks.

Bass Junkie · #2 03-18-2010, 09:10 AM

Acoustic combos are the best right now for value and tone. Check out the B100 model. I think they are about $249.

Here's a link with price and reviews:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Acoustic...LAID=439934311

Din Of Win · #3 03-18-2010, 09:37 AM

Those Acoustics are pretty nice!

I really like the GK combos. I'm ordering their new MB212 in the next month or so.

I was a tad confused by your post, will you be playing through the PA as well (so, just using your amp as a sort of moniter)? Or will your amp be providing all of the bass delivery?

For size i'd reccomend a 2x10, 2x12 or 1x15. A single 10 or 12 may not be enough unless there is decent wattage backing it up...

I also wouldn't discredit CL. While you're researching new stuff, just keep an eye on it... a real gem could pop up!

amosjones · #4 03-18-2010, 09:41 AM

a 1x15 and 100w will take you a long ways. Thats all I use for a sanctuary that will hold about 400 people, and it provides more than enough power.

joshmickelson · #5 03-18-2010, 10:00 AM

I realize that you guys will be playing at a moderate volume, but playing in a gymnasium, to me, seems like it would require more than 100 watts.

eaaa410 · #6 03-18-2010, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshmickelson

I realize that you guys will be playing at a moderate volume, but playing in a gymnasium, to me, seems like it would require more than 100 watts.

It is a small gym, like one in an elementary school. I meant like the exact footage of a basketball court from sideline to sideline, not including anything else. The music is basic traditional hymns. There are maybe 60 people present and you could have a quiet conversation over the music. The 30 watt Kustom could handle it, but with absolutely no more room and it sounds pretty bad at that level as it is.

namuxtree · #7 03-18-2010, 10:22 AM

you would need more than 100 watts. You wouldn't want to push your amp too hard for too long if you didn't have enough power. Look at the GK combos or carvin combos. (carvins are really cheap, great quality, and sound pretty decent too.)

soloman61 · #8 03-18-2010, 10:22 AM

+1 on the Acoustic combo. You could even mike it through the PA if necessary

squashedOpossum · #9 03-18-2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eaaa410

... The music is basic traditional hymns. There are maybe 60 people present and you could have a quiet conversation over the music. ...

I completely agree with the Acoustic combos. I've actually used my B20 in situations like yours. The B100 would be really nice for what you've described. I think those who are recommending more than 100w 15" have good intentions, but aren't thinking about the situation as a whole. You don't need to fill the auditorium with booty-shakin' bass, you just need good, full tone to blend in with the acoustic guitar and piano. Again, the B100 would be more than adequate, especially in the tone dept.

I occasionally play for the Children's worship at my church, which meets in a school. We have anywhere from 20-70 kids that meet in the cafeteria. Sometimes it's just me and an acoustic guitar player, other times we have a full band with two teenagers on electric guitars and another teen playing electronic drums through a 45w Behringer keyboard amp. Only the vocals go through the PA. My Acoustic B20 handles both situations extremely well.

eaaa410 · #10 03-18-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squashedOpossum

I completely agree with the Acoustic combos. I've actually used my B20 in situations like yours. The B100 would be really nice for what you've described. I think those who are recommending more than 100w 15" have good intentions, but aren't thinking about the situation as a whole. You don't need to fill the auditorium with booty-shakin' bass, you just need good, full tone to blend in with the acoustic guitar and piano. Again, the B100 would be more than adequate, especially in the tone dept.

I occasionally play for the Children's worship at my church, which meets in a school. We have anywhere from 20-70 kids that meet in the cafeteria. Sometimes it's just me and an acoustic guitar player, other times we have a full band with two teenagers on electric guitars and another teen playing electronic drums through a 45w Behringer keyboard amp. Only the vocals go through the PA. My Acoustic B20 handles both situations extremely well.

This exactly what I am doing. If you are making it work with a 20 watt B20, I may just have to give the Kustom a try before buying anything else. I just don't want to show up unprepared as I have very little time to come up with something different. Thanks

PJSShearer · #11 03-18-2010, 02:25 PM

I'd recommend a 100W Combo with a 1 x 15" speaker - it'll cover that gig and many others as well. It'll take you from a pure acoustic gig, home practice amp to cocktail receptions, weddings and functions and even small bar gigs that can get really quite loud.

Also, physically it'd be quite compact, hand portable even, and going with a 20 or 30 watt combo - which would cover this gig, but not much else - wouldn't be much smaller and not much cheaper either.

Save the Ampeg V4 with the 8 x 10" cab for the stadiums :-).

SKG1983 · #12 03-18-2010, 02:32 PM

I have been using an older SWR Workingman's 10 - sounds great and the direct out works well. It is fairly versatile tonally and you can get one used for less than $200 fairly easily.

squashedOpossum · #13 03-18-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eaaa410

This exactly what I am doing. If you are making it work with a 20 watt B20, I may just have to give the Kustom a try before buying anything else. I just don't want to show up unprepared as I have very little time to come up with something different. Thanks

I may need to clarify something: The B20 may be rated at only 20w, but it can get nearly as loud as the 100w 15" Crate I also have (with 10x the tone, btw). The rating on this B20 and apparently all the other Acoustic bass amps is deceiving. I have never had to turn up my B20 past 6 or 7. It will easily blow away the 45w Behringer the drummer is playing through. That being said, I purchased my B20 for acoustic coffee house gigs and it just happens to work for my church setting also. Looking at your situation, a bigger combo like the B100 would work now and later as your congregation grows.

Just a thought.