No PA support-whaddaya use for cab(S)?

[Sartori]

Depends on my volume needs. Cafes? 1x15. Bars? 2x15. The bigger cab isn't so much because I need it to get louder... it's more because the height of the cab makes it much easier to hear myself, since no PA support means no monitors, too.

[Foz]

Acoustic drums... like for kids?

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

You and me can play 500 people with a little rig but this is TB dude.

Coincidentally enough, last night's gig was in front of about 500 people. Used a BA110...35w, single 110 practice amp. Vocals only PA.



No, not really. You can see the REDDI hiding behind the mic stand. But it did the job for me as a stage monitor. Almost ran out of clean headroom but it hung in there and everyone could hear me as well as they always could in a medium-loud 7-pc band with horns. That said, I do like big tube rigs better, but I certainly wasn't unhappy with the tone or the volume level.

[Downunderwonder]

Yeah, you rock far and away bigger than me, what was the question again?

[chadds]

Originally Posted by emblymouse

Small bar type gigs 500<. Rock.

Love my Bag End 1XS12+1XS15 stack. Nice tone and I know I can be heard ok, but I'm thinking about the low end in the back of the room.

What works for you?

A local bassist uses the Ampeg Porta bass and he's never loud enough. I use an SWR BBII but with real tasteful drummers. Volume is down but we kick it hard. If your people are wincing its a clue.
Of course the more powerful stuff comes out when we are a duo and I need to fill more not be louder. It comes out when the volume comes up. I rarely get PA support and yes I balance with the drummer. That's when the floor fills with the dancing honies oh and their dates.

Happy Holidays everyone!

[countrybass007]

I've played in several 500 capacity bars, and PA support wasn't really necessary. What makes PA support necessary is the layout of the bar. An L-shaped bar is dependent on where the stage is located, as are the bars which have the sort of multiple rooms with a center area. I would think your rig would be just fine for 95% of the rooms.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by chadds

A local bassist uses the Ampeg Porta bass and he's never loud enough.

Jerrold Tiers, former head engineer of Ampeg, calls the Portabass line "great little heads matched with really quiet cabs."

[emblymouse]

Thanks for all the comments. The tone and volume for me are satisfactory, I'm happy with this rig. I'm in a new thing, a 3 pc. Texas blues band, and it looks more likley to be the 100-200 small bar situations. I agree w/ the mix it to the acoustic volume of the drums (this guy is loud) but they are telling me to turn it up.
I have a line on an Epifani UL 310 and it got me to thinking if there was a good way to incorporate it, or if it would have any more meat in the bottom with that bigger box as a standalone. It weighs like 2 lbs. more than my S15.

[Tim1]

You and me can play 500 people with a little rig but this is TB dude.

It also depends on the audience and the style of music, I reckon. I would not do a biker bar/club with a little rig where we are expected to play loud/full on rock. They expect the guitard's Marshall rig and to see the bass rig, it is part of what they pay for - even if we don't crank it . They pay, they notice and we provide what they want to see and hear. It obviously also comes down to what FOH is available too. I am inclined to agree that, at least in theory , there is no need to be louder than the acoustic drum sound - of course, some drummers play considerably louder than others and some kits can be considerably louder than others. A pro sound engineer once told me that a good stage kit played by a hard hitting drummer is equivalent to about 400 watts.
OTOH I would happily take a single fifteen to a 100+ venue with my folk/jazz/semi acoustic trio.
The Golden Rule - there is no Golden rule .

[BassmanPaul]

I use a pair of Acme B2 2x10s in a vertical stack with or without PA support. A decent PA is an occasional thing in my world.

[puremusic]

Originally Posted by Foz

Acoustic drums... like for kids?

I have been searching for that set for at least 20 years, it was the first drumset that I've ever owned. IT lasted me one week after Christmas back in 82.

[godofthunder59]

I use a 2x15 or two 1x15s

[popgadget]

Originally Posted by swspiers

fEARful 1212/6/1 does it for me...

Same here.

[Jeff Scott]

2-12 cabinet.

[wcriley]

One or two fEARful 12/6s.

[dukeisdog]

I always roll in my 6U rack that holds my Crest Prolite 2.0 and 2 Sansamp RBI's in and a Mesa PH412 or PH610 into my shows. Better to have more cab then you need then not enough.

[Tvrtko]

Use any vintage Acoustic amp/cab and those in the back of the room will faint, while you will be fine on the stage...

[audiorep2]

With my Ramirez, or Azola Baby Bass, Phil Jones Bass Buddy preamp, 2 Bergantino IP112 and 1 Berg HT112.
However, this might be a little over-kill. But I like it.

[dspellman]

Originally Posted by Tim1

They expect the guitard's Marshall rig and to see the bass rig

...which should kick the sawdust off the floor and provide a visual of the sound waves moving through the room in atmospheric dust and vaporized sweat.

[dspellman]

Originally Posted by Tvrtko

Use any vintage Acoustic amp/cab and those in the back of the room will faint, while you will be fine on the stage...

You need to move the first 10 rows back a little anyway...