Upgrading gear, would like advice

[mukebase]

This is my first post on Talkbass, and I'd like to extend a warm greeting to everyone.

I've been checking threads and reading lots of reviews on cabs but haven't come to any conclusions yet.

I'm in the process of overhauling my whole setup as currently my gear sounds fine but playing live gigs, I feel I can't play as loud as I want to with much clarity and I want a more powerful low end.

I play an American Fender P-bass on a Combo 115 right now but I'm wanting a new rig. I like the tone and feel of my bass, the only problem I have is the intonation is a bit off, but I have a friend who will be fixing that for me soon.

What I would like advice on is what cabinet should I pair with an Orange Terror Bass 500. I'm looking for something that can handle around 500 watts but is affordable, yet sturdy and reliable with good clarity at high volumes. I'm hoping to spend less than $600 on the cab but could potentially go higher if needed. Not sure what brands are the best bang for the buck.

Thanks for your advice!

[Gearhead17]

Welcome new bass player! The biggest key here is to make sure you can try out some gear before you buy it.

What is your band situation? How many players? Genre of music and how loud are you guys? What kind of tone are you going for?

Since you don't say the name of the combo amp you have, I am going to assume its a beginner style combo and does not have enough volume to help you out. Many of those cheap combos use cheap speakers - the more expensive combos use much better speakers.

What music stores do you have near you? I suggest bringing your bass with you and trying out as many cabs as you can. Do you like the sounds of a 115? Do you prefer 10's? Find that out first and you can narrow your choices down quickly.

If you find something you like, share with us and we can help you determine if it will do what you need. Also, you might be able to find it used on Craigslist.org. You can easily get a $1000 bass cab used around $600. Find out what you like, then look for it used.

Good luck.

[jimmy rocket]

Definitely try the terror bass before you buy. I was in love with the idea of owning one of those for about a year until I actually played through one.

You might look into avatar speakers to pair with that head though. you can get them in a matching orange tolex and wheat grill to get you that Orange vibe!

[Billy3000]

I recommend trying everything you can before you buy anything, just to make sure that you like it. I personally love the Orange Terror Bass, but can see how it might not be for everyone. The orange cabs are kind of expensive, so I would also second the recommendation to check out avatar. They make great sounding cabs, and their orange tolex cabs look pretty close to the actual Orange brand cabs. Also, you can always find a used Ampeg 4x10 for about 300, and if you find that you miss the sound of a 1x15, you'd still have enough money left over to find a used ampeg 1x15 and you'd have a killer rig.