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4x10, 6x10, 8x10? I need help choosing a new amp

H

HoosierBassist

Dec 18, 2010
132
1
#1
I know you guys and gals on TB have probably seen a ton of threads like this one..

So, I'm currently a high school student and the job I'm going to be starting will pay me minimum wage, which is like 7.25 an hour.

The current amp I have: Fender Rumble 75 combo. Also a little Ibanez practice amp (15 watts).

The Rumble is okay I guess, but I just can't get a great tone out of it.I got it because it was cheap. 215$ new at my local music store. I'm thinking of saving up for a cab and head setup like maybe an Ampeg of some sort. I'm not loyal to any certain brand. The ampeg models i have heard have sounded good.

I want a good balance between weight and wattage/speaker size.

I don't know a lot about the differences between sizes and configurations of speakers, so fill me in on that.

Also some casters so I can just roll the thing around would be nice.

I've seen some decent prices on used SVT stuff lately on my local Craigslist. An SVT4 Pro for 850$ and a 810 cab for 600$.

I'm not set on tube or solid state, I know tubes will be heavier and louder than solid state.

The SVT 450 head isn't too bad like 700$ compared to a SVT CL head for at least 1000$.

It should not start to sound crappy when it gets turned up a bit. My guitarist's amp is a line 6 120 watt spider amp. plus a drummer. I don't want the bass to get buried under that noise.

Please help.

I play classic and modern rock, some punk, blues, blues-rock.
 
#5
I think you'd be more than fine with a 410 and a decent head, it all depends on how much you can spend. I'm currently able to compete with two guitarists with all-tube half stacks and a loud drummer with a 410 and a 125 watt into 8 ohm head. I've had it for five years and I'm just starting to get to the point where I'm playing occasional shows where I need some extra muscle. If you can transport and afford an 810 without any trouble, I'd say go for it, but I think it would be a better idea to go with two identical 410s, or a 610.
 
#6
First tube is NOT louder than SS :rollno:
You want light there are a lot of portable 8ohm 212 cabs out there like the G-K NEO212. 50 lbs you can add casters, good balance between 10s and 15s. Don't cheap out on the cab, you can then add whatever amp head you desire. The G-K MB200 would be a good start and kept as a backup amp when you move to a larger amp. Add a second NEO212 with the MB200 and you shouldn't need a larger amp for some time.
 
#9
Plenty of good 410's out there like [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] 68lbs and I believe still ships with casters (not positive though about the casters). Berg 610 but you are spending some more serious money then. G-K offers quality cabs at reasonable prices IME IMO.
 
#10
Id stay away from GK cabs.... I really dont like the tone coming out of them. They gave G-K heads a bad name with me for quite a while.

What are your other band members using? Figure on having at least as much cone area as both guitarist combined. And you prob wanna look for a head something around 500 watts

Genz Benz
Ampeg ($850 for an SVT 4 is a little steep INHO)
SWR
Hartke
G-K (Not the cabs)

Thats a place to start, and all companies have stuff that can be had reasonably cheap used (you are buying used right??)
 
#11
JimiLL said:
Id stay away from GK cabs.... I really dont like the tone coming out of them. They gave G-K heads a bad name with me for quite a while.

What are your other band members using? Figure on having at least as much cone area as both guitarist combined. And you prob wanna look for a head something around 500 watts

Genz Benz
Ampeg ($850 for an SVT 4 is a little steep INHO)
SWR
Hartke
G-K (Not the cabs)

Thats a place to start, and all companies have stuff that can be had reasonably cheap used (you are buying used right??)
Click to expand...

So what model G-K cabs did you not like? They have had/have several models. If it was the Backline cabs I can understand. That was a very general statement? Unless you just don't like G-K which is okay I have several brands I don't care for much in my 40+ years of performing. ;)
 
#12
HoosierBassist said:
What about a 6x10? I know I don't need an 8x10, in fact, a 6x10 or 4x10 would probably be okay. Don't have any idea of my budget. I guess it depends on how much I want to save before I start spending.
Click to expand...

Where are you from?

And 610s are pretty good, I suppose they're an in-between for 410s and 810s. My buddy is selling an ampeg 610, and I would have bought it by now if: 1) I had 600 bucks, 2) I could transport it.

My only problem with larger cab. sizes is that, well, they're large - if you only have an 810, then you have to bring that large 810 everywhere - even to situations where you don't need it. A 610 isn't as big as an 810, but it IS bigger than a 410, and it can be annoying to have to bring a whole rig of that size everywhere. That being said, they're good cabinets that can provide a pretty fair amount of volume and have good efficiency etc... All the moving stuff aside, it really is nice to plug into a nice big 810 wall of speakers and blare good solid low end at people, the same thing with 610s. I hate to say it, but it's all about what your opinion is and what works best for you, any advice I can give you is only my own perspectives and insights.
 
#13
B-string said:
You want light there are a lot of portable 8ohm 212 cabs out there like the G-K NEO212. 50 lbs you can add casters, good balance between 10s and 15s. Don't cheap out on the cab, you can then add whatever amp head you desire. The G-K MB200 would be a good start and kept as a backup amp when you move to a larger amp. Add a second NEO212 with the MB200 and you shouldn't need a larger amp for some time.
Click to expand...

This seems like really good advice to me. I own one of those GK Neo 212 cabs and man, I'd give up my 410 for a second one in a minute. A pair of these would really hit the killer sweet spot for volume, tone and portability. I'm also using a GK MB500 head, which I think is a pretty nice amp if you're looking for a quality micro solid state head. The MB200 is pretty much the same head except a couple fewer knobs and only 200w.
 
#14
From my experience I would be looking at a 4x10 to begin with. Given what you are coming from almost any 4x10 is going to be much more clear and far louder. IMO you don't really need to invest in anything bigger than that until you start doing gigs where volume is becoming an issue.

Don't like the sound of a 4x10? Maybe try a 2x10 and a 1x15 or indeed a 2X12 as mentioned above. The main point is that you want to start small. Don't pay for headroom you don't need!!!
 
#15
I actually had this same dilemma a week or so ago until I finally pulled the trigger on a cheap Peavey 810 I found. Otherwise I would of probably just went with a nice 410. 410's are a pretty safe area to be in with most gig's especially if you have DI to the mix or PA support. They are smaller size making them most times easier to transport, however some of the bulkier 410's can weigh close to 80-90lbs themselves. I have used a 610 before and at least the Mesa I had delivered about as much as another 810 could without the extra size and weight, however they can get up there in bulkiness and weight and those two terms go hand in hand with the 810 obviously.

I would say depending on what kind of gig's you will be playing and also your travel arrangements I would say a nice 410 is a good choice.
 
#17
Ampeg SVT-7PRO and a 610HLF cab would give you lots of volume and great tone.

The 7PRO weighs only 15.5 lbs. and has a tube preamp. Not as good as all tube but a decent trade off for portability and a favorite among TB members.
The 610HLF has casters, a hand rail and skid rails making it pretty easy to move around as long as you don't have to lift it. It's also easier to fit into a midsize car/SUV than an 810.

New, you'd need around $1800 for both but you can usually find used 610's on sale.
Good luck
 
#18
I would go with a used SS amp head in the 500 watts at 4 ohms range (give or take). The for the cab, either get a 4ohm 410 or (because a 410 might not fit thru the back door opening in your car) a pair of 8 ohm 210s.

Since you are worried about proper tone and that is very subjective, shop for the stuff together - if you buy an amp first, shop for the cabs with your bass and your amp in hand so you can hear it all together. And consider a Tech 21 BDDI if you still aren't getting the sound you want when you're all done - it gives some very standard and familiar sounds regardless of your amp and cab.
 
#20
scottfeldstein said:
The thing I don't like about using my 410 alone is that it blows my pants cuffs around but can be hard to hear even at high volumes. I'd almost rather get a vertically stacked pair of 210s. But in my case I prefer 212 because they're loud enough to use just one in certain situations.
Click to expand...

+1 to this.

A 410 may be more than enough for some peoples gigs (not for me, no bass through the PA). Also on the used market there is not a huge price difference between a 410, 215, 610, or 810, so as long as you are shopping used get the best cab you can. I agree with Scott on the 212 cabs. If I was going to go back to full range drivers I would get two 212 cabs and stack them vertically. Modular, but still closer to my ear.
 

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