What bass amp to buy?? Need more power!

[gooberer]

Hey peeps,

Im using a Fender rumble 100 (100watt) at the mo and love the sound. In my band the guys on guitar have stacks and i think its nearly time to upgrade to a more powerfull set up as im not loud enough if they turn up!

Iv been looking at the Fender rumble 350 bass amp @ £410. As i think that would be powerful enough.?

Or would I be better off with a head and cab??? I dont really understand what the difference is?? Is it just power?

So looked at the fender rumble 350 head (350watt), to pair up with a 112 cab(500watt) for £535 and either a 2X8 cab or 410 cab in the future..

So is Fender a good choice? Or should I look at something else? And also should i go for thehead and cab or the amp?
Thanks

[JimmyM]

if you want to be louder, more and bigger cabs will give you way more volume than bumping up your wattage. if you do a 350w 115 combo, you're going to be in the same position you're in now, you'll just be able to get a tiny bit louder.

[Selta]

Have you read through the FAQs at all?
AMPS FAQ!! Info on OHMS, Allsize RIGS-OverUnderPowerCabs DIY TechTalk-Links

[Balog]

Tell your guitarists to turn down.

Read the FAQ's.

Use search.

/thread

[BassmanPaul]

To give you some idea, a rule of thumb to follow is ten times the power your guitar players are using and the speakers to properly handle that power. If you are competing with 4x12 stacks you are going to need something like an 8x10 or a pair of 4x10s. Volume wars can never be won - they are just self defeating.

[Selta]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

To give you some idea, a rule of thumb to follow is ten times the power your guitar players are using and the speakers to properly handle that power. If you are competing with 4x12 stacks you are going to need something like an 8x10 or a pair of 4x10s. Volume wars can never be won - they are just self defeating.

Self deafening, too.

[THORRR]

All I know is I got rid of my 200w Acoustic head and my 2 GK115 cabs
and
bought a Markbass Littlemark III - 800w head
and 2 Avatar B410Neos (can handle 1000w each)
and
I'm SUPER LOUD and SUPER CLEAR and SUPER PUNCHY

Been using them about 8 months now at venues large and small with great thundering success and lots of headroom to boot.

MORE POWER I SAY!!!
ARR ARR ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!

[gooberer]

thanks for the replies, checked out the FAQ..
Im not saying there too loud or were having volume warms im saying that its getting to a stage where my 100watt isnt keeping up with the guitars and drumkit. so think it might b a head and cab then...

[Balog]

Preamp + power amp + cab(s) is a good option as well. Much cheaper per watt, but remember... more watts = headroom, more speakers = volume.

[Sartori]

Get something with 300 watts minimum for the head, if solid state. At the very least, 100 watts, if tube.

A single 12" is not going to cut it against guitar stacks and a loud drummer. I'd say just get a used 810 or 215 and be done with it.

[RickenBoogie]

As has been stated already, what you need is a bigger better set of speakers, with around 300 or so watts to push them. plenty of good stuff can be had for not alot of dough, just don't try to get louder without the speakers. Wattage alone will not do.

[drdunwoody]

Also, go to a music store and plug into a bunch of combos and A/B them. You will quickly find that different amps with the "same" watts and "same" speaker size don't sound the same. The speaker sensitivity is one reason and the different ways of measuring wattage another. Separate head and cabs gives you flexibility. I have a Genz head that is rated at something like 700 watts and I have two single 15" cabs (Bag End). For most gigs I just bring one cab as it is plenty loud. Combos are handy but less flexible. I have an SWR WorkingPro 12 that is a punchy little cab. It is plenty loud as a monitor if I'm running through the PA.

[Rob Martinez]

My Fender Bassman TV Ten is 150 watts and pretty damn loud. If I can't be heard with that bass amp maxed, I just won't play in that situation.

[gooberer]

Thanks for all the feedback so far, I always thought the watt size was the volume!! So iv looked at different cabs. Im on probably a budget of around £500ish.
For that I can get a Fender rumble 410 cab and a Fender rumble 350 head. Would this be Plenty loud enough, the cab says The powerful 4-ohm Rumble 410 is rated at a volcanic 1,000 watts. ? Or do i want a more powerful head maybe a 500watt?
So i guess il leave the fender rumble 350 combo and get cab and head.

[mpdd]

think i'm in a similar situation to you

my ibs 200 watt marshall combo with the 115 seemed loud enough until i started playing with the drummer i'm working with

here are some heads i am thinking about now with a 410 possibly, traynor yba 200, peavey vb2, orange terror bass, mesa boogie walkabout, mesa boogie m3 carbine, hartke lh500,

now for simplicity sake i may take the head out of the marshall and try it with a 410 to see if it ends up sounding significantly louder, don't know for sure i'm an art teacher not an amp expert

[bigdaddyforge]

get an ampeg svt, svt-vr, or get a marshall major, superbass, vba400

you'll never complain about being too quiet again, i've got a vintage svt on two 810's and ive never been told its a 'quiet' rig lol

if you're playing out with a solid state rig you always want at least 200-400 watts on something decent like two 15's, a 4x10, something that's gonna move some air. also helps to try and regulate your guitarists volume and how hard and heavy the drummer's beating the skins

[Clammy]

Originally Posted by mpdd

think i'm in a similar situation to you

my ibs 200 watt marshall combo with the 115 seemed loud enough until i started playing with the drummer i'm working with

here are some heads i am thinking about now with a 410 possibly, traynor yba 200, peavey vb2, orange terror bass, mesa boogie walkabout, mesa boogie m3 carbine, hartke lh500,

now for simplicity sake i may take the head out of the marshall and try it with a 410 to see if it ends up sounding significantly louder, don't know for sure i'm an art teacher not an amp expert

Do you have a Sidewinder speaker in that combo? If you do, how do you like the sound/tone from it?

Thanks.

Cheers!

[mpdd]

my old 115 marshall cab had a sidewinder which was amazing with my 2000s head, my ibs combo has a 4 ohm black widow, the sidewinder was great with my gibson grabber and my vox shortscale, but i could only have the bass at minimum setting or it would fart out