I need a rig for practice & garage

[Bullitt5135]

First post... been lurking for a few weeks. I'm getting back into bass for the first time in nearly 20 years. I played a bit in HS and college, never progressing past jamming (badly) with friends. I spend most of my time noodling around with old Rush tunes while trying to learn some classic rock I-IV-V so I can jam with friends.

I'd like to get a lightweight amp/cab suitable for practicing solo and for jamming in my friend's garage. The GK MB200 has piqued my interest -- my first priority at this point is LIGHTWEIGHT. I'm not experienced enough to know what tone I'm searching for... so the MB200 sounds like a solid amp choice by all accounts.

I need some help picking a cab. Again, lightweight is my biggest concern. I have to keep it under $250, and have no problem going used if I can get something for a steal. Would I be OK with finding a $99 beater from Craigs or a local shop, then upgrading later when I'm ready... or would I be better off spending a little more for better quality, etc.? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thx!
JH

[sleepytime]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5135

First post... been lurking for a few weeks. I'm getting back into bass for the first time in nearly 20 years. I played a bit in HS and college, never progressing past jamming (badly) with friends. I spend most of my time noodling around with old Rush tunes while trying to learn some classic rock I-IV-V so I can jam with friends.

I'd like to get a lightweight amp/cab suitable for practicing solo and for jamming in my friend's garage. The GK MB200 has piqued my interest -- my first priority at this point is LIGHTWEIGHT. I'm not experienced enough to know what tone I'm searching for... so the MB200 sounds like a solid amp choice by all accounts.

I need some help picking a cab. Again, lightweight is my biggest concern. I have to keep it under $250, and have no problem going used if I can get something for a steal. Would I be OK with finding a $99 beater from Craigs or a local shop, then upgrading later when I'm ready... or would I be better off spending a little more for better quality, etc.? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thx!
JH

Used head, 16 lbs. -- $200

New 30 lb. cab -- $300

[Jayhawk]

The GK MB200 is a great lightweight head and you should be able to find a decent used 210 cabinet for under $250.

[Bullitt5135]

Sorry... I'm looking for a cab under $250. $150 used would be better. Not sure if I should be leaning toward 1x15, 2x10 or 2x12. What would be a better foundation, assuming I could add an extension later on?

[3k Mylz]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5135

Sorry... I'm looking for a cab under $250. $150 used would be better. Not sure if I should be leaning toward 1x15, 2x10 or 2x12. What would be a better foundation, assuming I could add an extension later on?

At one time I used a PEAVY TOUR cab- Fairly lightweight, using lighter magnets. They are a little bulky, and not as pronounced as higher quality cabs, but they get the job done. I'm sure that would be in that range used-discontinued now. The GK Backline series sounds like it may be a fit, albeit super bright for my taste; however from your standpoint it may be a good fit.

[smgleitch]

Why not just get the MB115. great combo with the same power you would get out of the mb200 head, actually a little more because you are getting all 200 watts going into the 4 ohm 15" speaker. Sounds great, light weight and at $400 not out of your range when you add a head and cab. As well wait and every now and then GC gives out a $50 of a purchase of $399 and then you can get it for $350. I bought one and it is a great combo. JMO

[sleepytime]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5135

Sorry... I'm looking for a cab under $250. $150 used would be better. Not sure if I should be leaning toward 1x15, 2x10 or 2x12. What would be a better foundation, assuming I could add an extension later on?

If you want to extend later, try some cabs and see if you prefer a 115 or a 210. When you want to add, generally another identical cab is best. Make sure you get an 8 ohm cab, so adding one will make a 4 ohm load.

The reason I made my suggestions above is that the BL600 sounds good and is easy to sell if you want to move up. It is hard to find a light, cheap cab used. The 210MBE is light and only $300 new. If you were to add another one, that rig would rock pretty good with the BL600, and you still have the option of upgrading the head. If you want to go with 15's, the 115MBE is also $300.

I wouldn't bother with a combo, you would have far fewer options, in general.

[Bullitt5135]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Sounds like I need to run out to GC and check a few things out. Glad to hear positive feedback about the GK stuff. Seems like rock solid equipment at very reasonable prices.

I'm going to make a call about a used GL 700RB2 that I saw online. I assume that this is a serious big boy amp. Noob overkill?

[sleepytime]

I think that question is a TalkBass no-no, unless you subscribe. Search the For Sale forum to get an idea.

[nutdog]

Agree with GK MB115 or 210 combo. Lightweight and easy to use and decent sound that will easily handle jamming with friends and even a small gig.

Musiciansfriend has free shipping and no sales tax.

You might find a great rig on craigslist used for the same or less money but it wouldn't be anywhere near as light.

Jam on

[Bullitt5135]

As luck would have it, I just picked up a GK 700RB2 locally for a ridiculously good price -- 20% cheaper than a new MB200. Now I just need to stumble on a cabinet to go with it. The wife is none too pleased.

[Bullitt5135]

UPDATE, plus info on my simple Avatar B212 / Eminence Delta buzz fix. Hope this helps others with a similar problem.

A day after picking up the GK 700RB2 off Craigslist for $200, I found another listing on Craigs for an Avatar B212 cabinet for $100. The seller divulged that the bottom speaker had developed a buzz, but it was still usable. Thanks to the wealth of repair info here on TB, I figured the worst I was looking at was a new driver. I drove a short 45 minutes to pick up the cab for $100 cash.

When I first hooked up my new rig, my first reaction was $@&% this thing is LOUD!!! And the second thing was "yup, the speaker is buzzing." It seemed to buzz at all frequencies and volumes when played, but not at idle. It sounded like it was coming from the center of the cone, not from the electronics. I took off the grill and pressed lightly on the cone to see if there was any noise or friction coming from the coil... no problem there. All of the speaker mounting screws were in place and tight. Next, I removed the speaker and checked the wires... no excess slack there that would lead me to believe any wires were vibrating against the back of the cone. I felt around the inside of the cabinet, and detected a small 2x2" area where the plywood laminate bubbled up and splintered...seemed like the kind of thing that might buzz -- so I cut that little area off with a utility knife. Remounted the speaker and powered it up... same buzz again. Must not have been the laminate.

I then got a flashlight and a nail file, and carefully inspected the dust cap. Sure enough, it had begun to come unglued between 3-o'clock and 7-o'clock. You couldn't really tell with the naked eye, but the nail file slipped right under the edge. I masked off the cone with tape to avoid a mess, and carefully squeezed some Elmer's glue under the edge of the dust cap. The edge of the cap wanted to keep pulling away from the cone, so I had to keep a close eye on it for a half hour or so -- occasionally burnishing the edge with my fingernail to be sure it stayed stuck. Once the glue looked dry and I was confident it was going to stay put, I went to bed. In the morning. I hooked everything back up... problem solved. The amp and cab sound fantastic. No more buzz.

Thanks to everyone on TB who take the time to post about equipment and repairs. You saved me a ton of money, and I've ended up with a rig that far exceeded my initial thought of just getting a cheap practice amp. More importantly, having such a nice rig is motivating me to pick up my bass after many years away... with a new desire to try and finally get good at it.

Cheers!
JH

[seanm]

I hope the original owner of the B212 isn't on TB.... he might be upset that the cab only needed a bit of glue

Good job.