A low cost RATM bass rig idea?

jimcroisdale · #1 05-17-2010, 01:43 PM

Hi all,

My first post here!

Been playing guitar for 16 years and had a bass too for most of that time. Recently packed my rock band in and picked up the bass in earnest. Been doing local jams, depping in all styles of band - basically trying to learn to play properly and earn my dues instead of all the heavy-metal bollocks I've been doing on guitar....

At the moment i've got quality Jazz copy which I am happy with, and a Peavey TNT160 combo that does ok for now. However, I've recently been offered a spot in a RATM tribute band and I'd love to go for it!

I'm aware of the Timmy C FX situation, and have that in hand, but there's no way I can be affording SVTs at this point in time. I've got various bits of kit kicking roundand has this in mind for a bass rig:

Jazz bass
DOD dual compressor pedal
Bass overdrive pedal
Crybaby wah pedal
DHA DI+EQ box

This gives me my 'sound'. Onto the amps....

Peavey active crossover
Peavey CS1000x power amp (Ch1 low, Ch2 Hi)
Peavey 2x15" cab (Ch1)
No name 2x10" cab (Ch2)

So it'd be a bi-amp setup. I would get my main sound with the 2x15, and then add in the 2x10" to give it more top end.

I already have all this apart from a couple of the pedals.

Do you think this would be a good idea?

Cheers,

Jim

ThunderV · #2 05-17-2010, 01:54 PM

I could be wrong , but I believe timmy c uses all 10" speakers. Anyway checkout the sansamp stuff (bddi, RBI, RPM, VT bass). I've been using Sansamp RBI for five years, I swear by it. Is indeed a very inexpensive way to get SVT sounds. Oh yeah, lighter than 8x10's and SVT amps too.

duderasta · #3 05-17-2010, 02:01 PM

lol I got some passable RATM sounds with my old hartke head and a couple of awful cabs,
A peavey 1x15 and a home built sealed 2x10 I had a yamaha rackmount multi-fx and a proco rat... my point to this is it is going to have more to do with how you play, than what you play... I don't think the 2x15 is ideal for that kind of sound you'd be better off with a 4x10

jimcroisdale · #4 05-17-2010, 02:07 PM

I actually have a Peavey 4x10" but have never been able to get enough sound out of it. Too quiet, no bass. I wonder if it's not working right?

Son of Bovril · #5 05-18-2010, 06:18 AM

I think the sansamp VT bass pedal would get you close enough to the slightly overdriven tube SVT sound but as already mentioned, I would recommend 10's over the 15 cabs.

after that it's down to your technique. he plays a passive jazz and likes to play with his fingers over the bridge pickup for that jazz growl. the first album IIRC was recorded on a stingray

**Sparks55** · #6 05-18-2010, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

I actually have a Peavey 4x10" but have never been able to get enough sound out of it. Too quiet, no bass. I wonder if it's not working right?

Definitely something wrong with it. Would be more likely to have too much bass and not enough definition, IMO.

Mark

skidrawk · #7 05-18-2010, 06:38 AM

Try and see. I am a firm believer that tone come from your fingers. (or pick)*

*EDIT

**IvanMike** · #8 05-18-2010, 06:39 AM

don't biamp. Unless the cabs are designed specifically to be run at the narrow frequency ranges (they aren't) it won't sound as good as running them full range and you'll be nowhere near the volume you could get.

second, do you really need that many speakers? how loud is it really going to be? If the cab is one of those old deep 2x15 black widow cabs that's going to be pretty darned loud all by its lonesome.

Floridabwoy · #9 05-18-2010, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

I actually have a Peavey 4x10" but have never been able to get enough sound out of it. Too quiet, no bass. I wonder if it's not working right?

You are doing something wrong then... maybe underpowered. I run a VT BASS -> Crown XLS202 (600w) into a Peavey 410 and can nail timmy's sound.

brothernewt · #10 05-18-2010, 07:37 AM

I'll second the "don't biamp" suggestion. Check the Timmy C thread, IIRC the extra amp/cab is bypassed when running "clean" and is only used when the dirt pedals are active. I bet you would get a closer using your power amp as 2 amps rather than a bi-amp rig.

Run a clean-ish sound through the 2x15 (maybe a VT to add that "tube" or "ampeg" tone to it) and run the distortion/other effects through the 2x10... at least that's what I'd do with the gear you mentioned.

**IvanMike** · #11 05-18-2010, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

I actually have a Peavey 4x10" but have never been able to get enough sound out of it. Too quiet, no bass. I wonder if it's not working right?

are you running it out of the hi output of a biamp setup by itself? run it full range. see which cab you like better when run full range by itself, I bet you won't need both.

jimcroisdale · #12 05-18-2010, 12:57 PM

Thanks for the input guys - I appreciate it.

1. I do play a passive jazz with fingers, although i tend to play over the neck PU. Mind you looking at photos of Tim in action, he does at times too. I read something where he said that if he's feeling good, with plenty of finger power, he'll stay on the bridge PU, but as he gets tired he tends to move forwards.

2. I hear ya about not bi-amping - I guess I was just looking at my crossover and thinking of a use for it....

3. I'm gonna haul my 4x10" out of the garage and take a good look inside. i seem to remember re-wiring it many years ago..... Perhaps I did it wrong. I'm a bit smarter now. Not much, but a bit.

4. Lots of mentions of the Sansamp stuff - If only it wasn't so damn hard to get hold of in the UK. Certainly nothing second-hand on eBay at the moment. Although, IIRC Timmy runs his SVT's clean and uses a distortion pedal for dirt......

5. Interesting point about running the clean sound into the 2x15" and the dirty sound into the 2x10" - isn't that what Billy Sheehan does?

Anyhoo, great stuff you lot!

Cheers,

Jim

5.

**IvanMike** · #13 05-18-2010, 01:59 PM

oho you rewired it eh? five bucks says you wired one or two speakers with reverse polarity do the 9 volt battery check. Also you may have rewired it to a high impedance as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

Thanks for the input guys - I appreciate it.

1. I do play a passive jazz with fingers, although i tend to play over the neck PU. Mind you looking at photos of Tim in action, he does at times too. I read something where he said that if he's feeling good, with plenty of finger power, he'll stay on the bridge PU, but as he gets tired he tends to move forwards.

2. I hear ya about not bi-amping - I guess I was just looking at my crossover and thinking of a use for it....

3. I'm gonna haul my 4x10" out of the garage and take a good look inside. i seem to remember re-wiring it many years ago..... Perhaps I did it wrong. I'm a bit smarter now. Not much, but a bit.

4. Lots of mentions of the Sansamp stuff - If only it wasn't so damn hard to get hold of in the UK. Certainly nothing second-hand on eBay at the moment. Although, IIRC Timmy runs his SVT's clean and uses a distortion pedal for dirt......

5. Interesting point about running the clean sound into the 2x15" and the dirty sound into the 2x10" - isn't that what Billy Sheehan does?

Anyhoo, great stuff you lot!

Cheers,

Jim

5.

jimcroisdale · #14 05-18-2010, 02:03 PM

I was young and foolish....

Are the Peavey 410TX supposed to be any good then? I think I rewired it because the horn was knackered. I put a jack socket in the hole where the horn level knob went and wired the speakers to that.

I know the difference between series/parallel etc, so I should be able to work out what's wrong.....

Jim

jimcroisdale · #15 05-19-2010, 12:23 PM

What about one of these:

http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipmen...-deluxe--70968

SVT emulation and programmable distortion all in one box!

I coulld just add wah and compressor and be good to go!

Jim

bassman2790 · #16 05-30-2010, 12:33 AM

I have a 410TVX powered by a Peavey Mk VI head and if anything the TVX has too much bass. At my first gig with it I had more than one person tell me that they could feel the bass as well as hear it. I usually have to roll some bottom end off the EQ on my amp to compensate. I'd say you've got a poorly one there.

msquared · #17 05-30-2010, 01:07 AM

As much press as Tim C's gear gets, you could hand him just about any bass and plug him into just about any 300w beginner combo amp and he would get 90% of the way there on his own. As long as you can get your cabinet issues worked out, your existing gear is probably adequate as long as you can nail his berserker level of playing.

Floyd Eye · #18 05-30-2010, 06:25 AM

Big amp, SansAmp, bass, done.

Jack · #19 05-30-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

4. Lots of mentions of the Sansamp stuff - If only it wasn't so damn hard to get hold of in the UK. Certainly nothing second-hand on eBay at the moment. Although, IIRC Timmy runs his SVT's clean and uses a distortion pedal for dirt......

They're all over the place new though, or are you specifically looking for a used one?

I question how important copping his exact sound is though. I think the jazz bass/overdrive (ideally a Sansamp)/good amp combination will get anyone as close as they need to be really. It's not like you're actually trying to pass yourself off as him.