2 Types of bassists it seems....

[metron]

i have a large rig, a medium rig, and a small rig

Me too. SS with a 112 (small) or 115 (medium) is what I use right now because it's practical and does everything I need with my current band. However I am rock/metal at heart and the small-ish rigs simply will never cut it when you need to bring the thunder. The big one is an SVT/Berg 610 combo. I will always have a big rig even if I am not in a band that justifies it.

So in conclusion, there are more that two types of bass players. There are three.

 

[georgestrings]

I own a pair of 700rb-IIs, and a 100 watt all tube head - I typically "only" gig with one of the 700rb-IIs, but am prepared to use both if need be... For cabs, I have a 115, 215, 410, 610, and 810 - but typically use the 610 for modern rock and metal gigs, and the 215 for classic rock and blues gigs... I typically play with loud drummers, so a 410 is my bare minimum for a gigging cab...



- georgestrings

 

[nostatic]

This certainly tracks by style of music and age of the bassist. There is no way I need or want to bring a 4x10 to a straight ahead jazz gig. Alternatively, I have run a single VL110 cabinet at funk/blues gigs where I was at the limit of what the cabinet could push. My solution is one head (ABM 500) and three cabs (pair of EA VL110s and an old Epifani 2-10). The size of the gig dictates how many cabs I bring. But frankly I hate playing on a loud stage, and value the drummers I know who can play quiet with energy. Worth their weight in gold.

For the age part...I didn't mind hauling a bunch of crap when I was 18. Now at 48? Screw that...I want to be able to carry everything by hand in one trip. I don't do metal or even rock gigs though so ymmv.

 

[rpsands]

But frankly I hate playing on a loud stage,

This is the key right here. If you haven't experienced a gig with low stage volume, you haven't lived It's amazing when you can hear everything acoustically, even the singer's voice and the drummer's backup vocals, and your own voice, and every nuance of each guitar lick.

 

[Korladis]

This is the key right here. If you haven't experienced a gig with low stage volume, you haven't lived It's amazing when you can hear everything acoustically, even the singer's voice and the drummer's backup vocals, and your own voice, and every nuance of each guitar lick.

I play metal. A quiet stage would freak me out and feel wrong, due to rehearsal being louder.

 

[ledyard]

I play metal. A quiet stage would freak me out and feel wrong, due to rehearsal being louder.

YES!!!

 

[christw]

I play metal. A quiet stage would freak me out and feel wrong, due to rehearsal being louder.

Our rehearsals in my metal/hardcore band see my SVT-II cranked nearly to overdrive through an 810E. I would LOVE to take it down a notch, or five. I'm losing hearing at practice!

 

[derridiandrift]

i have waaaaaay more fun listening to myself with a big cab than a small cab. that counts for something, i think.

I'm with you on that Jimmy. I have a few different cabs that I can put under my SVT depending on the size of the room, but in the past year the only gigs where I didn't bring my 810 were a handful of black-tie dinner/dance gigs.

Anecdote: I brought the 810 out to a last minute fill-in job last Saturday night. When I saw the size of the venue, I thought my rig might be overkill but the band was simply gushing with praise for my tone at the end of the night.

I have way more fun using my SVT than a small rig. When I'm enjoying myself, I'm a better performer in every aspect. Being a better performer yields more opportunities to play. And the wheel keeps turning.

 

[Korladis]

Our rehearsals in my metal/hardcore band see my SVT-II cranked nearly to overdrive through an 810E. I would LOVE to take it down a notch, or five. I'm losing hearing at practice!

Ear plugs.

I mean, while I can see the benefit of a quiet rehearsal and a quiet stage... I have yet to see a drummer that can do blastbeats quietly.

 

[rpsands]

Ear plugs.

I mean, while I can see the benefit of a quiet rehearsal and a quiet stage... I have yet to see a drummer that can do blastbeats quietly.

Electric drums. I bought a set for our practice space. On stage, our drummer's got dynamic hands and doesn't beat the **** out of everything. A screen and mics can help too.

We play some pretty metal stuff just screwing around and it sounds fine at a reasonable listening volume.

 

[Korladis]

Electric drums. I bought a set for our practice space. On stage, our drummer's got dynamic hands and doesn't beat the **** out of everything. A screen and mics can help too.

We play some pretty metal stuff just screwing around and it sounds fine at a reasonable listening volume.

I'm not fond of electric drums. They sound very fake to me. It would be up to the drummer, of course, but I've met few who like them. It wouldn't suit the sound of our band at all.

 

[puff father]

Our rehearsals in my metal/hardcore band see my SVT-II cranked nearly to overdrive through an 810E. I would LOVE to take it down a notch, or five. I'm losing hearing at practice!

+1 @ Sartori...,

Get some earplugs! Seriously. There are many old schoolers that have lost most or all of their hearing or developed tinnitus from having that extremely loud back line. Unless you're Beethoven (a genius) and can just hear the music in your head..., it ain't worth losing your hearing. If it hurts it's probably doing damage.

Okay, I'll get off my soap box now.

 

[christw]

I've been planning to pick up some ear plugs actually. I'm just finding somewhere to pick em up away from getting them.

 

[Interceptor]

I get the OP's point.

But, I'm also struggling with the generalization. For instance, I gig a Thunderfunk. It isn't a heavy amp by any measure, but also isn't feather weight. There are many players who are in my situation; older, still need some wollop for some shows but aren't willing to deal with a big tube head any longer.

Might the most overlooked class of gear be the middleweights?

 

[Korladis]

+1 @ Sartori...,

Get some earplugs! Seriously. There are many old schoolers that have lost most or all of their hearing or developed tinnitus from having that extremely loud back line. Unless you're Beethoven (a genius) and can just hear the music in your head..., it ain't worth losing your hearing. If it hurts it's probably doing damage.

Okay, I'll get off my soap box now.

+1

Ear plugs are your friends.

 

[David Jayne]

I get the OP's point.

But, I'm also struggling with the generalization. For instance, I gig a Thunderfunk. It isn't a heavy amp by any measure, but also isn't feather weight. There are many players who are in my situation; older, still need some wollop for some shows but aren't willing to deal with a big tube head any longer.

Might the most overlooked class of gear be the middleweights?

I'd call myself a 'middleweight' too. GK 800 RB into a Golight 4x10(love it), or Markbass TA501 into an Epifani UL310(love it almost as much). Or swap the amps around- whatever moves me that day. P bass.
I still have my two old Goliath 4x10 cabs but they haven't left the house in years. And neither has my lead sled pre/power rack that used to power them. But I just can't bring myself to sell that heavy old stuff.

 

[Sundogue]

I get the OP's point.

But, I'm also struggling with the generalization. For instance, I gig a Thunderfunk. It isn't a heavy amp by any measure, but also isn't feather weight. There are many players who are in my situation; older, still need some wollop for some shows but aren't willing to deal with a big tube head any longer.

Might the most overlooked class of gear be the middleweights?

No doubt. We've got our "Rigs of Doom" and "Mini Rigs of Doom", "Big Cabs Club" and "Micro Heads" threads, but there really isn't anything for the middle weights...the ones that are too small to fit in with one group or too big for the micro lightweight crowd.

I mostly fit in the middle. Which means I not only can get stupid loud, but also don't need roadies... without either breaking my back or hauling my entire rig in one trip.

No love.

 

[Korladis]

No doubt. We've got our "Rigs of Doom" and "Mini Rigs of Doom", "Big Cabs Club" and "Micro Heads" threads, but there really isn't anything for the middle weights...the ones that are too small to fit in with one group or too big for the micro lightweight crowd.

I mostly fit in the middle. Which means I not only can get stupid loud, but also don't need roadies... without either breaking my back or hauling my entire rig in one trip.

No love.

Hey, my rig's pretty middle-weight, too. 180 watt tube amp into a 1x15 and a 2x10. Nothing either super micro and light weight, nor anything massive.

 

[chuck3]

middleweight for me is a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 putting 600 watts into a 4 ohm Neox 2-12 cab. I have several lightweight variations for smaller gigs. I do not have a heavyweight set-up these days because, between the style and the venues, I don't need it.

But it's nice to think about it. Maybe I will answer one of those Craigslist ads for a metal bassist.

 

[JimmyM]

if i lived in brooklyn i wouldn't have much more of a rig than that, either. can't imagine trying to get around that area with an svt.