borrowed an amp 3 hours before the show..

[sonic assassin]

i use a hartke vx3500, which is a big heavy mother.. i wasnt very confident about the show i was about to play (and really didnt care after all the disasters along the way) so i borrowed my neighbors hartke kickback 15. its significantly smaller, lighter weight, and as far as wattage goes, half as strong.

ive always been fond of aluminum cones (although i dont have them) and ive always hated 15's. the overly simple EQ on board was not going to be enough, so i plugged in my GE-7 and left it on. cranked up some high mid, set my volume, and played the show.

this was the best tone id ever gotten live. this tiny little amp ROARED. i had a bit of PA help, but i didnt need an ounce of bass in the monitor. i could finally hear all the articulation id been missing (even on months old strings). maybe i was pushing it a tad too hard, but the overdrive was actually kind of nice for a solid state amp. never thought i could hear that kind of grind out of a 15, but i guess ill chalk that up to it be aluminum cone.

theres no real point to the story.. just that i borrowed an amp out of convenience (and laziness) at the last minute and it turned out to be better than what id have used otherwise. i played a lot better because of this decision, and was finally happy with my live tone.

[Wyatt]

G.A.S.?

[sonic assassin]

a little bit.. ive learned that im capable of using aluminum cone 15's.. and id really like to have one for the rig im building in my head.

[OtterOnBass]

Don't forget that rooms have their own modes that boost certain frequencies. The place my band practices tends to boost the lows, where my bedroom really kills them. Maybe your stage set-up and soundman actually worked like they should this time. Remember the highs that let you hear your articulation have to hit you in the ear, and the kickback is naturally aiming at your ears. Borrow the amp and try it at home before you spend your money.

[sonic assassin]

it wasnt tilted back, and on the same stage, with the same clueless soundguy. id say it was the amp

i definitely know what you mean though.. i have to set my low end before every show because the rooms are so different. i didnt hear any bass in my monitor, so its not like it was mixed differently.

[Elmo Oxygen]

I still use my HA550, but when i had the aluminum cone 4x10, other bassists would always compliment my tone and ask to borrow my rig for thier set. I now run that amp through a carvin red eye 4x10; now the ones that are still living just pack up and go home.