Warwick 60W 1 12?

oniman7 · #1 08-01-2010, 06:32 PM

There's a sale at Guitar Center the 4th through the 8th, $50 off any purchase of $350 or more. Since my birthday's two weeks later, it's convenient timing for me. I really need an amp (the only one I currently have is a 10W bass practice amp borrowed from a friend -- I have to give that back in about a month). I need something that I can use to play in my band, portable enough that I can take it to other houses/gigs, and powerful enough to play a small gig on its own power (bars, hotels, places like that. Plenty of those here in the Nation's Oldest City). With the money left over (I plan on spending $350, maybe a little more, to get the discount) I'd like to get a multi-effects pedal, but I can make due without if I end up getting a really nice amp for it.

That said, I went looking through Guitar Center's website for bass amps that fit this. I've been seriously considering the Warwick 60W.
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Warwick-...56-i1321474.gc

60 watts, one 12" speaker, 45 lbs. This should fit what I need, though it would be the largest amp any of us own for now (the others have 15 watts and we'd need some sort of PA system for them to play through at even pretty small gigs). It's $240, and it seems like a great deal compared to the rest. One question though. It says it's fan cooled. Does this mean it's a tube amp (I know these heat up a lot) or are the electronics just hot? I don't know a lot about amps, but I've been learning what I can. Andy suggestions would be good.

P.S. I know we'll need some sort of speaker/PA system, but I won't put the money towards that until we start getting some semi-regular gigs that may require them. I'm still trying to find a drummer that will show up/care/ actually knows how to play.

Edword · #2 08-01-2010, 09:59 PM

I have a combo amp that's 200W, and I'd never consider gigging with it. Not enough suds. YMMV.

levis76 · #3 08-01-2010, 10:18 PM

You'll get a lot more bang for your buck buying used. Check your local and surrounding area Craigslist and TB here is fantastic, lots of good people. Read the stickies in the classifieds to learn how to protect yourself and go shopping. You'll get more than a 60W combo for $400.

oniman7 · #4 08-01-2010, 10:21 PM

What size gig though? Most of the potential places are very small (each room maybe 50 feet at most) and my 15 watt could potentially play a place like that at a high enough volume (I think. I've played it at max and it's loud enough to fill up an area that size).

Also, I've been looking at some used deals. There was a Fender 60W combo amp that I had seen. I guess the $50 off made me forget :P.

What would you suggest I get then? I need something portable that can play in a decent sized place if no PA is given/we don't have one.

levis76 · #5 08-01-2010, 11:33 PM

A single 8ohm 15" cab shouldn't be too costly and leaves room for future expansion. Check local pawn shops, sometimes they have decent stuff and don't know it. At the very least you can always haggle the price. Try to buy the cab local so you don't waste money on shipping.

As for the amp, you can find all kinds of decent deals if you look. A few amp manufacturers that have decent low end gear for low $$:
Hartke ($150-$250)
Ampeg ($200- Up)
Acoustic ($200 - Up)
SWR ($250 - Up)

IMHO, I would stay away from Behringer and GK, strictly basing that advice on my own personal experiences.

oniman7 · #6 08-01-2010, 11:37 PM

I'm still a little shaky on how these things work. What's the difference between an amp and a cab? A cab is part of the PA system, right?

Sorry for the ignorance. lol

levis76 · #7 08-01-2010, 11:40 PM

There is a dead mint Hartke HA3500 in a head case for $300 right in Miami posted here on TalkBass. You might want to check that out. Thats a 350W head at 4ohms, 225 at 8ohms. More than enough to support the bass with or without PA.

levis76 · #8 08-01-2010, 11:44 PM

Head=amp=what your bass plugs into.

Cab=speakers=where the noise comes out.

You seem pretty new, so I'll let you know that you will need a speaker cable to connect the amp to the cab. Not a spare guitar cord, a speaker cable. $15 at GC, out the door.

Don't worry about questions sounding stupid, we were all new at some point.

oniman7 · #9 08-01-2010, 11:56 PM

Thanks. While I've got you here, can someone help me with the wattage and impedance? I know that higher wattage generally equals more power, but that's about it.

Epitaph04 · #10 08-02-2010, 12:04 AM

Bah...I got excited when I read about GC having a sale, only to find out through GC's website that Ibanez isn't taking part in the sale...sigh.

oniman7 · #11 08-02-2010, 12:04 AM

A lot of brands can opt out of their sales.

Shmone · #12 08-02-2010, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by levis76

IMHO, I would stay away from Behringer and GK, strictly basing that advice on my own personal experiences.

How can you even place them in the same sentence?
You might not like the GK tone (I don't like it!) but they are great amps.

oniman7 · #13 08-02-2010, 01:30 PM

OK, so let me try to follow this. My bass plugs into the head, which plugs into the amp, unless it's a combo amp. I then use a speaker cable (?) to run it into the cab, which runs into the speakers?

Can I hook up my bass directly into a cab, if I needed to? Is this what a direct input is?
Also, sorry for sort of derailing the thread. I just need to know by the end of the month so I can actually get a choice in what I get :P. Doesn't seem to be too much on the local Craigslist, but I''ll keep an eye on it.

interstatejoe · #14 08-02-2010, 02:07 PM

Not sure where Mandarin is, but this guy posted an SWR Son of Bertha 115 cab for $175 today in Jacksonville CL, you can probably talk him down to $150 which leaves $200 for a used head...
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/1875551028.html

Or theres a 100w Ampeg BA115 combo also in the Jacksonville CL for $300...again, not sure where Seaside is but the Ampeg combo would be a much better amp for ya than the Warwick.
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/1871312627.html

oniman7 · #15 08-02-2010, 02:15 PM

Thanks. I had completely forgotten I was still looking at the Saint Augustine Craigslist. Not nearly as many results.

oniman7 · #16 08-02-2010, 04:51 PM

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/1869917915.html

What do you think about this Fender Rumble? I was looking at a Rumble 60W for $150 or so. This one's $180.

levis76 · #17 08-02-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shmone

How can you even place them in the same sentence?
You might not like the GK tone (I don't like it!) but they are great amps.

Ok, what I'm talking about is each manufacturers entry level stuff, for GK that would be the Backline series, which honestly is a pile of garbage. Tonewise its fine, reliability is nil. They crap out even when used lightly. I had a BL600 that I used for low volume home practice and it started giving me problems like switching between input channels on its own until it altogether just crapped out. The higher end GK stuff is fine, great tone and reliability, but the OP is looking for something that will fit his budget, entry level.

levis76 · #18 08-02-2010, 05:01 PM

You can't plug your bass directly into the speaker cabinet. Without the amplification process, there isn't enough power in the bass signal to even make noise. Try plugging a set of headphones directly into your bass output jack. It will sound like crap. The signal needs to be processed and amplified to drive the speakers.

Yes your basic signal chain is as follows:
bass > instrument cable > amp > speaker cable > speaker cabinet

As for impedance, most amps will support 8 or 4 ohms, some can handle 2 ohms. The lower the ohms the more power the amp will produce. I would stick with a single 8ohm cab to start, this will allow you the room to add another 8ohm cab later, increasing the amps output and the amount of speakers you have to deliver that power.

levis76 · #19 08-02-2010, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oniman7

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/1869917915.html

What do you think about this Fender Rumble? I was looking at a Rumble 60W for $150 or so. This one's $180.

Personally, I would stay away from combo's. They are portable, but a separate head and cab can be upgraded a piece at a time, whereas with a combo your pretty much stuck with what you got.

oniman7 · #20 08-02-2010, 05:22 PM

I'm still looking, but I found something and figured I'd post it here instead of making a new thread. Anyways, this guy has a Russian Big Muff Pi for $40, which needs a volume pot replacement (volume drops sometimes) and a Russian Bass Balls (which I'm not quite as interested in) which needs a telephone jack replacement. Both for $65. I'm interested in the the Big Muff. Thoughts?