Upgrading from a practice amp to a gig amp

BrokenRecord · #1 04-06-2010, 12:46 PM

I have an Ibanez SoundGear bass with active pickups. I'm an old guitar player trying to wrap my head around bass. The SoundGear has a really great feeling small neck and doesn't weigh two tons and that's mostly the reasons why I picked it up. It's like the perfect small handed guitar player's bass.

Anyway, I've been playing bass for about a year and my band is just finishing up our first studio release. We've done a 10 track CD at a local joint. We plan on gigging pretty heavily this summer and I'm going to have to upgrade my amp as I'm still using the Acoustic $99 special I bought at Guitar Center when I started. It has been great for practice, but I don't think it's going to stand up to a live gig with our drummer going at it full blast.

I recently tried a friend's Line 6 LowDown Studio 110 just to mess around with different sounds. I LOVED the sound that was based on the 68 Marshall Super Bass. I could use that as my primary tone and not need much of anything else. The Line 6 had a bunch of other stuff on it that I would never use (grunge sound, synth sound, etc.), plus it doesn't put out much more sound than what I've got already anyway.

Anyone have a suggestion on how I can get that 68 Super Bass sound without spending thousands of dollars? Is Hartke a good option? Ampeg? Head + cabinet or combo? I live in Tennessee and there are plenty of pawn shops around with nice musical equipment, I just don't know what to look for. I'd like to find something that has a reasonable imitation of that sound in the $500 range. Am I dreaming? If so, and you were in my shoes with a $500 budget, what would you look for?

Thanks!!!

RickenBoogie · #2 04-06-2010, 05:26 PM

Basic rule of thumb for a gigging bass rig, 300+ watts, and a 2x12 or 4x10 minimum. As to how it'll sound, that's YOU going to every place near you that sells gear, and plugging in YOUR bass to everything they have for sale. Have fun.

Frantic Slayer · #3 04-06-2010, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Basic rule of thumb for a gigging bass rig, 300+ watts, and a 2x12 or 4x10 minimum. As to how it'll sound, that's YOU going to every place near you that sells gear, and plugging in YOUR bass to everything they have for sale. Have fun.

what about 1x15?

snyderz · #4 04-06-2010, 05:39 PM

Agree with RickenBoogie. 300w (500w even better) if you are gigging with a loud band/drummer. A combo 212 and a 410 or 115 extension cab will play any room. Getting all this under $500 is another story, but it CAN be done if you are patient, and shop. As to what brands, play all of them that you can, and as stated by RB, take your own bass.

BrokenRecord · #5 04-07-2010, 07:02 AM

Thanks for the tips guys! I'll keep that 300W minimum in mind and go make some racket! Will let y'all know how it goes.

I'm about as far away from a "gear head" as you could get, so this should be interesting to say the least

BrokenRecord · #6 04-07-2010, 01:53 PM

Snyderz, is that the back of a fox head in your avatar?

BrokenRecord · #7 04-07-2010, 02:09 PM

Oh... and what about this amp? I know it has all that extra junk I don't need, but it comes in at 300W and $500 and has the sound I'm looking for. Might be the easiest route to go...

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LD300Pro

Is there something bad about it that a newbie like me would miss?

AxtoOx · #8 04-07-2010, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenRecord

Oh... and what about this amp? I know it has all that extra junk I don't need, but it comes in at 300W and $500 and has the sound I'm looking for. Might be the easiest route to go...

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LD300Pro

Is there something bad about it that a newbie like me would miss?

300 watt SS is just barley in there. Line 6 is a good brand, but be ready to upgrade. You really need some headroom so your not maxing out your amp all the time.

BrokenRecord · #9 04-07-2010, 03:23 PM

They have this one for an extra $100. I couldn't afford it now, but could definitely save for another month or two and get there. Is it worth the extra cabbage?

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LD400Pro/

badboy1984 · #10 04-07-2010, 03:24 PM

i think with this budget, only thing i can think of on top of my head right now is Ashdown Combo.

Ashdown 4x10 Combo with extension cab if needed

AxtoOx · #11 04-07-2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenRecord

They have this one for an extra $100. I couldn't afford it now, but could definitely save for another month or two and get there. Is it worth the extra cabbage?

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LD400Pro/

100 Watts won't make that much differance, but the extra speaker might. I've used a Nemesis NC210 for a back up amp for a couple of years now. It works in a pinch, but it's maxed out for a stage monitor, but it has a DI that is great.
That's 250 watts, your ear wouldn't tell between 250 and 300.

dacalac · #12 04-07-2010, 03:39 PM

Although it says it's a 400W combo amp...you may only get 400 watts @ 4ohms when the combo itself is at 8 ohms. Hence you would need another extension cabinet anyways in order to hit the 400 watts advertised.

If you really want Line6 then pick up the LD750 (375 @ 8, 750 @ 4) and get a 410 cab to go along with it. This would definitely run out of your price range though.

Another route would be to go with the Hartke LH500 and maybe put some kinda preamp pedal in front of it like a Sansamp BDDI. With some tweaking you may get a Marshall Superbass like sound out of it.

RickenBoogie · #13 04-07-2010, 05:21 PM

Wattage is important, but you need more speakers if you want to be heard. A single 15 is alright sometimes, but it does have it's limits. Seriously, think 4x10, or 2x12 as a starting point. Sure, if the bands volume is all under control, a 15 can work out fine, but I've found it's ALWAYS better to have multiple speakers.

Rushfan-nLV · #14 04-07-2010, 05:37 PM

Does your band have a PA that you can run through? If so, consider running through a Sansamp Bass Driver or something similar. Don't have to haul around and amp.

Gibenbackerbass · #15 04-07-2010, 10:06 PM

When it comes to a bass amp remember this...

It's better to have too much (watts, or the ability to turn it up ) and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

dacalac · #16 04-07-2010, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gibenbackerbass

When it comes to a bass amp remember this...

It's better to have too much (watts, or the ability to turn it up ) and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

The condom rule.

Jaco who? · #17 04-08-2010, 05:20 AM

Used. Peavey Nitro 450, max 450, Firebass 700, Max 700 with a 4Ω 410 TVX/TXF cab.

Also, no affiliation whatsoever, but there's a decent Carvin in the classifieds here:

Carvin BX600 and BR410 Cabinet

Either choice will hold up much better in a band situation than the line 6 jun*, err, stuff.....

BrokenRecord · #18 04-08-2010, 06:14 AM

Thanks for all the advice guys! Our band does have a PA and the sansamp idea is kind of intriguing.
I'm off the Line6 idea I think. I'm gonna look at the Hartke, the Ashdown and also the Carvin. That is definitely in my range.
Thanks again!!

GlennPagano · #19 04-08-2010, 06:26 AM

I would save up a little more and go with a carvin bx500 and an avatar 212 or 410. This is what I have done and it sounds amazing.

tdub0199 · #20 04-08-2010, 06:32 AM

I would go w/ The Ashdown MAG300 EVO II 4/10 combo before the Line 6 stuff.....