THE teeny-but-worth-it bass combo????

[groooooove]

i hate to start a thread on this because im sure there are a thousand others...

but heres the deal.

i need something very small, and very light. i'd like it so sound awesome too

what do you recommend?

i can get a deal on acoustic image stuff through a friend, and thats a serious option for me; but i have a feeling most electric bass players aren't thrilled with their stuff. i'd like whatever i get to be not much over 30 pounds. i need to be able to play rehearsals with it. i intend to leave it in my car so i'm always prepared. i will occasionally play double bass into it as well, im sure. it will never be my main rig, i have other stuff for the big and/or loud gigs.

i'm a working professional, i play a lot of different stuff. everything from top 40/dance stuff, to solo victor wooten-esque bass arrangements, to rock bands, to straight ahead jazz, to modern electric jazz, ext.

i play high end boutique jazz-style basses. (feel free to search Clifford Roi if ya really need to know.)

so whats out there these days?

thanks guys,

t

edit- im not interested in lightweight heads, i have those already. im looking for a combo amp, for sure. i'm talking smaller than most of you... something like a 2x10 is way too big. i suppose a 1x12" that is one-hand-carryable is as big as i want to go (remember, it'll live in the trunk of my car.)

[mc_muench]

Not normally my situation, and not the best to answer this question, but I would look into Markbass?

Rev. DOOM

[Nasty Nate]

GB shuttle series. I played through one at an open mic jam recently and was really impressed

[elgecko]

The Markbass CMD 121P is tiny, 29 pounds, and surprisingly loud. Mine lives in my truck, ready to be deployed for rehearsals and gigs. Paired with a small cab, it's a beast.

[Gravel Road Cop]

Mesa/Boogie Walkabout Scout combo package, or the Orange Terror Bass Combo. Both are excellent, versatile combos which can play any style you care to name.

I don't own either, but have sat down with both and given them a serious workout.

edit: I just saw your weight restriction. Sadly, the Orange Terror combo is 53 lbs., but I believe their Crush PiX series is lighter depending on your speaker choice.

[truecanadian04]

The orange terror bass combo is amazing. Such a solid amp. So versatile.

[tbirdsp]

Don't own, but have played through a GK MB210 several times. Really impressed with the sound/volume, and 33 lbs.

[Sid Fang]

They're no longer in poroduction, but the EBS Drome 12 (not the "Classic") is an absolutely amazing featherweight 150W combo that, with your needs, woud certainly be worth watching for on ebay/craigslist/used.guitarcenter.com - I've seen a couple on the market recently. Most of the same pre-amp section as the HD350, same compressor, etc. An easy one-handed carry, enough balls for a rock gig in a small venue, but enough clarity to play jazz/fusion. I've seen double bass players use them.

[Davyo]

Any of the GK MB combo's would be my vote,, there inexpensive, light, loud and sound great.

Markbass is also good but much more expensive than GK.

Cheers
Davyo

[tombowlus]

If price is an issue, then I would highly recommend that you check out the GK MB series combos and the TC Electronic BG250.

If you have the cash to spend, though, I'd probably steer you towards AI and AER. Considering your playing styles and the fact that you might sometimes play upright through this rig, these are excellent options. Sounds like you are already familiar with the AI stuff, but AER makes a nice range of combos. Even their "entry level" combos, the amp one, amp two, and amp three, are highly competent (and on the pricey side). I reviewed the amp three back in Bass Gear Magazine issue #7, and I personally own - and love! - and amp one.

Tom.

[stepswork4me]

TCE BG250

[Eminor3rd]

If you limit yourself to combos, you'll have trouble getting under 30 lbs.

If you go with a micro head/cab setup, you can leave your head in your bass gig bag and just leave the cab in the car. You'll also have a lot more options to choose the sound you like.

I've never used a Wizzy, but it seems pretty popular for guys that use both BG and double bass. But I bet any 1x10 or 1x12 from Baer, Audiokinesis, EA, Schroeder, Epifani, Genz, Eden, or some other simlar company will probably serve your need -- youll just have to find the one that sounds how you like.

[KJung]

I'm pretty blown away by the revised/updated/improved Genz Benz Shuttle 6.2/112 combo.

The 112 is VERY good (much fatter and bigger sounding than the original Shuttle 112), as is the 6.2 (versus the original 6.0).

I also VERY much like the ability to easily remove the head from the 'combo' for stand-alone use.

The 112 combo is powerful enough to do a small club gig at moderate volumes. Add the extension cab, and it will do all but the biggest, loudest gigs.

Very impressive!

Edit: Check out Ed Friedland's 'Bass Whisperer' demo website. Nice demo of that combo on there.

[Crater]

Small + light + "awesome sound" = expen$ive. Check out the Phil Jones line.

You're a pro, you can write it off your taxes.

[Davyo]

Originally Posted by Eminor3rd

If you limit yourself to combos, you'll have trouble getting under 30 lbs.

The GK MB112 and MB110 are both under 30lbs,,,, the GK MB115 and MB210 are around 33lbs.

The TC BG250 is also about 30 lbs.

My pick would be the GK stuff over the BG250,,,, GK just has way better tone.

Cheers
Davyo

[stepswork4me]

Originally Posted by Davyo

The GK MB112 and MB110 are both under 30lbs,,,, the GK MB115 and MB210 are around 33lbs.

The TC BG250 is also about 30 lbs.

My pick would be the GK stuff over the BG250,,,, GK just has way better tone.

Cheers
Davyo

And I would say the TC has better tone. It's about preference on that one.

[Chef]

"very small"

You should look at some of the Phil Jones Bass stuff then.

[groooooove]

thanks for all the input thus far.

i edited the OP to make my specifications more clear.

i'm looking into some of the above mentioned stuff.

keep em coming. very light. very small. please. no amp/cab combos. one-hand carry weight, or something heavier with built in casters or whatever is fine. assume you'd have to walk 3-4 NYC blocks with it and a bass. it doesn't need to be able to do rock gigs. it's a practice/rehearsal thing mostly.

thanks guys,

t

[groooooove]

Originally Posted by Eminor3rd

But I bet any 1x10 ----will probably serve your need --

there seem to be less quality 1x10 combos out there than i thought.

what i liked about the AI combo is that it produces decent volume, and sounds fat enough (it has a 5" front-facing drier, and a 10" down-firing for subs) and its super light.

i guess i'm really asking if there are alternatives to AI since i always felt it's a (great) double bass amp, and not much of an electric bassists rig of doom.

[Chef]

http://www.philjonespuresound.com/products/?c=9