Played drums back in the late 60's early 70's'. Beatles -Motown etc. Actually put myself thru school playing music. Was with Bill Evans when he built Studio-in The Country. I've been away from the business for over 30 years. Still have my old Ludwig set. Getting ready to retire and looking to buy some Bass equipment to fool around with. All drummers would love to play the bass and all bass players would love to play drums. Here is my question to all you experts. Thinking of buying good used equipment thru this site. Nothing expensive mind you but something that captures that period. Great LOW's!! Motown and the Beatles!! Thinking of a good amp with at least 300 watts and the Avatar cab? which one? Can I get this sound with this setup? or do I need to consider a good ole used Ampeg combo?--Thanks--Ken
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58 year old rocker
- Thread starter kew48
- Start date
Gee one more youngster in the crowd. I'm 60. Great LOWs in today's jargon is a lot lower than the Beatles or Jamerson or Dunn ever dreamed of. Today when people are talking lows they are talking about lows significantly lower than 50 Hz, like 30 to 35 Hz. Of course you can't hear them very well unless you are pushing something like 1,000 watts or more. Lows from the 60s would be low mids today. Are you looking to gig with this or just play at home? If I wanted an inexpensive rig to gig with for 60s music I would be looking at a Peavey Firebass or Nitrobass and a couple of Bag End 15 inch cabs. One of the Kustom HD 1200 heads would be relatively cheap and they have a good reputation for inexpensive heads. If the band is not outrageously loud then a combo like the Peavey TNT would do well. I have a UK made Ashdown Mag 115 combo that does well as long as I don't push the octaver button in and the band is playing at reasonable volumes for 200 seat or less venues. The newer Chinese made Ashdowns are reporting reliability problems, but the older UK made ones like mine seem to be quite reliable. The Yorktown YBA 200 (I think that is the right model number) has been getting very good reviews. It is a 200 watt all tube head made in Canada and very reasonably price. A used one of those would be great. Their cabs aren't the greatest in the world, but combine it with those Bag End 15s and you would have a great rig. You will find most of the conversation around here is oriented toward expensive modern light weight gear such as Euphonic Audio, Epifani and Bergantino. But the old Peavey gear just keeps on rocking and I see more of it than any of the new stuff when I go to shows. You might want to try some of the newer amps and cabs. You might be surprised and like them better than the older. The more modern sounding cabs have a great deal more clarity and articulation than the old cabs. When I tried an Accugroove cab for instance it was like someone took the cotton out of my ears. Among the modern sounding amps the Gallien-Krueger 1001 RB II is relatively inexpensive and has a great reputation. As for a bass, the most cost effective route would be to get a used Fender. The Made in Mexico (MIM), Made in Japan (MIJ) and Constructed in Japan (CIJ) Precision and Jazz basses are all quite good and reasonably priced. I've never seen a reasonably priced Rickenbacker. Good luck.
The Peavey bass cabs with the 15 inch Black Widows are flat out great cabs. The weigh a lot more than the Bag Ends, but they are terrific and there are lots of them.
You can't mention Motown without immediately thinking of a 62 Fender P-Bass with flatwound stings. If that's the way you're headed, a great call would be a Fender 62 Reissue P-Bass (American if you have the means, but the Japanese-made ones run a VERY close second).
I'm currently using an Ampeg SVT-CL (300 watts of all-tube goodness) with Avatar 210 and 115 cabs. It sounds like good ol' rock 'n' roll to to me.
I'm currently using an Ampeg SVT-CL (300 watts of all-tube goodness) with Avatar 210 and 115 cabs. It sounds like good ol' rock 'n' roll to to me.
I wouldn't spend too much time trying to stay true to the sound of the period. The music is more important than the gear.
Much of what you hear on old recordings has much to do with artifacts of the magnetic tape and mix down to sound good on car speakers of the time.
Pick up something new and lightweight. Something you're more likely to frequently play out with.
The Yamaha bbt500h is a good one. Nice and versatile and with presets to switch to different styles for different songs.
Much of what you hear on old recordings has much to do with artifacts of the magnetic tape and mix down to sound good on car speakers of the time.
Pick up something new and lightweight. Something you're more likely to frequently play out with.
The Yamaha bbt500h is a good one. Nice and versatile and with presets to switch to different styles for different songs.
Still Rockin at 63
Many (not all) of todays amps will give you the sound that you are looking for, I was amazed how well the 300 watt Trace Elliot 12 band Grahic amp catered for my needs in the 80/90s I'd always thought of it as a popping style amp.
Although I love Valve/Tube amps at our age they can seriously give you backache, I use an Ashdown preamp and two powered cabs that I built myself both now loaded with Neo speakers.
Nice to see one or too more ageing rockers still around; the first thing that I would say is to go for a cab with Neodymiun speakers, I had two identical cabs, one with a 15" neo speaker the other with a 15" Ferrite magnet speaker, both speakers are on identical chassis, the difference in weight is amazing.
Many (not all) of todays amps will give you the sound that you are looking for, I was amazed how well the 300 watt Trace Elliot 12 band Grahic amp catered for my needs in the 80/90s I'd always thought of it as a popping style amp.
Although I love Valve/Tube amps at our age they can seriously give you backache, I use an Ashdown preamp and two powered cabs that I built myself both now loaded with Neo speakers.
Definately look for a used Firebass 700II or Max 700 Same amp different colors. And Peavey cabs really are decent Tvx 412 lots of deep lows phat sounding . Or anything with Black widows in it . Also the avatar cabs are very good for the money. Check out their 2x12 cabs That is all you will probably need Get the 4 Ohm model and get 475 watts RMS out of the firebass head.
I too am a older rocker.(50)
When I decided to get back in the groove I tried the popular amps.
Eden,GK,SWR and I was very disapointed.
I ended up with a Ampeg SVT CL.
Then I tried the newer cabinets.
Hartke,ampeg 410,ampeg1015. I ended up with a Ampeg 810.I have no problems hauling it around and I do play most weekends.
I do have a small amp that I'm very pleased with.A Ampeg SVT350 and a Ampeg 410he.I think I have under $550 in that one.
My point is you know the tone you want .
Do not compermise.You will not be happy. That is unless you don't mind buying and selling amps untill you find "that tone".Ampeg is the place to start.It seems the other brands are too sterial for my tastes.
When I decided to get back in the groove I tried the popular amps.
Eden,GK,SWR and I was very disapointed.
I ended up with a Ampeg SVT CL.
Then I tried the newer cabinets.
Hartke,ampeg 410,ampeg1015. I ended up with a Ampeg 810.I have no problems hauling it around and I do play most weekends.
I do have a small amp that I'm very pleased with.A Ampeg SVT350 and a Ampeg 410he.I think I have under $550 in that one.
My point is you know the tone you want .
Do not compermise.You will not be happy. That is unless you don't mind buying and selling amps untill you find "that tone".Ampeg is the place to start.It seems the other brands are too sterial for my tastes.
Modularize your gear so each piece is less size and weight to move. At the end of the night, a few more trips to the vehicle is a lot less irritating than man-handling a monster back into your truck.
Quality solid state amps weigh less than tubes. Buy a tube preamp and solid state power amp to get the sound and the weight savings. Ampeg's preamp has the Ampeg sound, if that is what you want.
Multiple smaller speaker cabinets add up to a great big one, when all played together. You can take only a few, or take 'em all, depending on the gig requirements. If you buy multiple cabs that all cover the same range, get the same make and model. A pair of Avatar 2x10 is easier to move than the 4x10, and louder if you have a two channel power amp.
Quality solid state amps weigh less than tubes. Buy a tube preamp and solid state power amp to get the sound and the weight savings. Ampeg's preamp has the Ampeg sound, if that is what you want.
Multiple smaller speaker cabinets add up to a great big one, when all played together. You can take only a few, or take 'em all, depending on the gig requirements. If you buy multiple cabs that all cover the same range, get the same make and model. A pair of Avatar 2x10 is easier to move than the 4x10, and louder if you have a two channel power amp.
Ha. While not nearly as old as Sedan Dad and yourself, I also prefer the old-school sounds of bass. I have also owned the more modern stuff, and it hasn't done it for me, either. Right now, I am sitting on a Mesa/Boogie 400+ and a Schroeder 21012. It sounds great, but I still find myself wishing that I had never parted with the SVT/810. Never had GAS until it left me. Curses.
I opened for Nils Lofgren in 1968 at my high school so I qualify. To me there is a huge difference between the recorded sounds of bass in the olden days and the sound those bassists were getting live. Play a lot of gear and see if some of this high end lightweight gear may give you the tone you are looking for. It really can. I can get a B-15 sound and not have the bulk to carry or gurgling/microphonic tubes. I can get any sound now and actually get that 50s to 2006 by touch because technology has made this possible. Bass amps have improved. Why? To give us better reproduction. Are the capable of doing more than the amps of old. Yes and they can do the old sounds too.
No offense but a Mesa 400+ into a Schroeder is not an old school sound unless your old school starts in the late 1970s. In fact the SVT is late to the scene actually. Many amps and great music had been played before this wonderful beast came into existence. Go to one of the Marshall amp discussions and you will see that whether one head is ideal to a player depends on what era of music he is enamored with. Hendrix/Clapton tone requires a different Superlead 100 then Van Halen tone. Depends on what kew48 hears as his sound. What is Lee Sklar playing? He was there.
No offense but a Mesa 400+ into a Schroeder is not an old school sound unless your old school starts in the late 1970s. In fact the SVT is late to the scene actually. Many amps and great music had been played before this wonderful beast came into existence. Go to one of the Marshall amp discussions and you will see that whether one head is ideal to a player depends on what era of music he is enamored with. Hendrix/Clapton tone requires a different Superlead 100 then Van Halen tone. Depends on what kew48 hears as his sound. What is Lee Sklar playing? He was there.
Lots of good comments above... If you're just fooling around, a nice combo would be good. The aforementioned ones would probably fit you fine, like an older Peavey TNT115 or a used Ampeg B100R.
If you think you'd be playing out with friends eventually, then a seperate head and cab would probably be the best. Again, Peavey is a great value, Firebass or Nitrobass head and one or two older Black Widow 1x15 cabs would make a killer stack. If you want lighter 1x15 cabs (since the Peaveys are probably around 80 lbs), Bag End is a good value, too, and weighs in at about 45 lbs. Gallien-Krueger has been around a long time so there's a bunch of their stuff on the used market
Personally if I had only $400-500 to spend I would probably find an older used GK 400rb and a used 1x15 (Peavey, Bag End, old Eden D115T, maybe a older Mesa Diesel 1x15 if I could come by one cheap). Drop in on a music shop and play around and see what grabs you.
If you think you'd be playing out with friends eventually, then a seperate head and cab would probably be the best. Again, Peavey is a great value, Firebass or Nitrobass head and one or two older Black Widow 1x15 cabs would make a killer stack. If you want lighter 1x15 cabs (since the Peaveys are probably around 80 lbs), Bag End is a good value, too, and weighs in at about 45 lbs. Gallien-Krueger has been around a long time so there's a bunch of their stuff on the used market
Personally if I had only $400-500 to spend I would probably find an older used GK 400rb and a used 1x15 (Peavey, Bag End, old Eden D115T, maybe a older Mesa Diesel 1x15 if I could come by one cheap). Drop in on a music shop and play around and see what grabs you.
Yep - join the crowd - I'm 60 tomorrow!! Still gigging still teaching the next, next generation how to play ( I say that cause some of these youngsters should be my grandchildren!). And why not - it's only the corporate guys who have a age problem - for the rest of us it's just the music.
Get the best kit you can afford. Something that will make you want to play every day.
Get the best kit you can afford. Something that will make you want to play every day.
My rig in the 70's was a SVt with (2) 8x10 cabs and a 59 precision.
Now I have a Markbass LMII head ( 6 lbs) and for cabs, an Aguilar GS112 (42 lbs) and a Tech Soundsystems 212 with DeltaLites (44 lbs) Planning to get a Epifani UL110 (22 lbs) for small gigs.
I agree with a previous post that having a bunch of small gear is easier to get around than a large combo. (been there)
Now I have a Markbass LMII head ( 6 lbs) and for cabs, an Aguilar GS112 (42 lbs) and a Tech Soundsystems 212 with DeltaLites (44 lbs) Planning to get a Epifani UL110 (22 lbs) for small gigs.
I agree with a previous post that having a bunch of small gear is easier to get around than a large combo. (been there)
