Clarus head on road; worth every penny

abaguer · #1 03-24-2004, 04:29 AM

Just got back from tour of Norway, Denmark and Sweden with George Kilby Jr. blues band and brought my Clarus head and Messenger EUB. Space and portability were big issues and the Clarus worked great with every cab used. Everything from SWR to Trace Elliot in Norway and mainly used Peavey 15/2-10 speaker in Denmark. The Clarus performed admirably in all situations, was a breeze to carry and no European dc problems since the amp can switch to 230. A great piece of gear.

oystein · #2 03-25-2004, 03:16 AM

Hi,
Sorry I didn't get the opportunity to catch you live then, I live in Norway and don't think there is that many of us at Talkbass forum. Which cities did you play in?

regards Oystein

abaguer · #3 03-25-2004, 09:25 AM

oystein:
I hope I'm spelling them correctly. Stravanger, Sudne, Bergen, Koppervik, Eggersund and then went to Denmark and Sweden. I think we're due back at end of September for another two weeks. We got to meet the guys in the Hard Luck Blues Band (really fun band) and did a gig together and Reidar Larsen sat in one night and played and sang his ass off. It was an extremely enjoyable trip in a beautiful country. All the best.

Arnold · #4 04-12-2004, 10:38 PM

How was the volume situation in those very much "electric bass cabinets'. Does that tiny amp really crank out volume?

abaguer · #5 04-13-2004, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arnold

How was the volume situation in those very much "electric bass cabinets'. Does that tiny amp really crank out volume?

Most of the electric cabs were 8 ohms so there wasn't a ton of output, but I was going through the PA so the sound was fine, if a little "electric. When we got to Denmark I used a 4 ohm Peavey cab that had a fifteen and two tens and only went through the system once. The Clarus definitely put out the sound with room to spare, but it was a blues/cajun/swing band so the volume was pretty manageable. The soundmen really liked the simplicity of the Clarus for bass.

LHbassist · #6 04-22-2004, 03:24 AM

I have played my Clarus head, primarily with my Lowendall upright, with Underwood pickup, through an Avatar 1-12 cabinet, with excellent results. I used it on the road, on a gig with The Coasters and Drifters, through a single 15- 4 ohm folded horn cabinet, and my Warmoth P-J bass. The soundman said that the amp was as loud in the back of the room as it was on stage! I also keep a Cerwin-Vega B-36 mf cabinet in Las Vegas, and flew down from Reno, on Southwest Airlines (who incidently, are one of the only 'musician friendly' carriers out there) and I put the Clarus in the ACCESORY pocket of my gig bag, and put it in the overhead! It will power almost any cabinet you care to use, and although it doesn't have gobs of power, the musicality of the amp more than makes up for it. A great amp!

Ike Harris · #7 05-11-2004, 11:10 AM

Abaguer-

Have you used the head with an elec. bass? How does it sound with that? I seem to be going through a Hartke 4-10 most of the time on the road, have you used the Clarus with one of those? 1 or 2 channel (doubling)?

Thanks,
Ike

abaguer · #8 05-12-2004, 02:33 AM

Ike:
I almost never use the Clarus with electric bass; except at low volumes. To my ears the Clarus is a little too bland for the electric bass, for upright I love it.

I know a lot of TB'rs like to use a preamp going into the Clarus and are happy with the electric bass sound. Don't get me wrong, it sounds good at low-moderate volumes but it lacks the UUUMPH in the low end I like for bass guitar. Maybe some one else will chime in.