Advice on buying ideal setup for individual practice

[morguloth]

Can’t go wrong with the SL112 and a Tone Hammer or Mesa head. You didn’t say what part of the world you’re in so depending on where you are, some things will be easier to get access to than others. Consider GR Bass a well, great sounding cabs and heads.

Ya, I'm in Spain. GR is available, but haven't heard too much about them.

 

[Marko 1]

Any major brand that's available would be a safe bet,

they have volume and tone shaping controls such that you'll surely find a sound you'd be happy with.

Phil Jones gaining in the polls

Count me as one against.

 

[Barticus]

If size is a consideration you’re considering the Phil Jones gear you may want to also consider a Yamaha THR30 III. These are amazing sounding with great features like modeling, Bluetooth, aux in, phones out, USB, line out and wireless with a Line 6 G10. They are an amazing practice amp and sound fantastic, worth checking out. I use mine for practice and as a recording interface into my iPad.

 

[Aloe]

'best sounding stuff' is very subjective. if you don't plan to gig, even more, as you don't have to be loud. if you frequently use headphones, you'd appreciate, you'll have where to plug them directly in your amp.

the rest depends on your tone goals. my bet is: get a Warwick BC80, it's dirt cheap and sounds damn good. get some overdrive pedal if you'll need some dirt.

 

[40Hz]

Unsure whether a 2x10 or 1x15 will work best also

It depends on the sound you’re after. And while it’s dangerous to generalize, for the most part a 15 cab will have a rounder tone while a 10 is going to be tighter and punchier. It’s not so much the speaker as the cab design however. A ported cab will sound different than a closed cab will. So don’t overlook what type of cab a particular combo amp is using.

I’m primarily a fingerstyle player. And I prefer the sound of a 15 cab for a lot of what I do. Not knowing your budget, it’s hard to make a targeted recommendation. However, I’ve been very happy with Ampeg’s Rocket series combos. They offer a number of speaker configurations. And for a home practice and jamming amp, 100W of power would be more than sufficient.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I need help with picking out an amp/cab/combo.

I'm having trouble. On one hand, don't really have the opportunity to go try things at a store, so I need to try and figure things out to order online. On the other hand, most discussions and advice tend to be geared more towards playing in band, gigging etc.

I play 99% fingerstyle, no slap or tap and rarely pick. Jazz Bass ultra.

I have no intention of gigging or even practicing with a band. I play by myself, for myself and I'm trying to put together a setup that'll give me the 'best' tone- In my practice room. Most of the time I play with headphones on through my audio interface, but I just want to sound as good as possible when I feel like playing out loud and fully enjoying my hobby.

I play mostly Funk, Rock, Jazz, Blues. Main focus is definitely on the clean tone. Onboard distortion/effects of any sort are mostly irrelevant, but hey, I won’t kick some grit outta bed. Obviously, volume/power isn't an issue.

I figure the cab will likely have the biggest impact on the tone, rather than the amp, but perhaps not. My thinking was that given my circumstances, I'd want a single speaker(?) or perhaps a 2x10? I don't know. Weight is irrelevant as it won’t be moving anywhere.

Money/budget isn't really an issue within reason; not going to sell a kidney to buy some rare vintage tube filled with Lemmy's farts, but I'm lucky enough to be able to spend what I need to spend to get the best setup possible for my needs.

Thoughts?

Any size requirements?

I practice with my gig rig, a Mesa WD-800 powering an Eden D-210-XST. Doesn’t taking up a lot of room, great frequency range very warm. It’s an 8 ohm cab so the most you can get out of the WD-800 is 400 watts which the combination of the amp and cab could create up to 129 dBs if you have a bent.

My wife has (ahem) suggested that using common sense and prudent use of the master volume control will prevent it from ending up in the weekly trash bin. Seriously, it sounds great at low volume and the cab is ported well.

Might be overkill for you, but as opposed to a 40 combo.. sound wise it’s a much better option. The WD-800 has more tonal options with it’s parametric mid range controls, HPF, amp damping as well as other features no on cheaper options. Further unless you exceed it’s capabilities, odds are it will last a lifetime.

 

[coy garcia]

I have some nice amps but for bedroom practice I love the tone of my cheap ampeg ba108. It tilts back like a monitor and has a headphone out.

 

[Sid the Kid]

I think you’re on the right track with your Aguilar plans. The SL112 will be plenty loud enough for your bedroom and the tone will be perfect for rock, blues, and funk. The 12 will be less mid scooped than the 2x10 and less boomy than the 15. The cab is also smaller in size, weight, and cost. You might still be able to gig with it if you are in a quiet band, I gig my Tonehammer 350 through a 15 with ease. Also you’ll have a high quality DI on the face of your amp to send to your interface.

Phil Jones makes some good stuff too if you have space constraints. They strangely produce a very deep and room filling bass but can sound kind of grating in the upper mid frequencies where traditional larger speakers start to lose response and the tweeter takes over. I liked the sound of the Phil Jones C8 I had but eventually grew tired of the ultra clarity and went back to more traditional designs. 4 of their 5” speakers is roughly equivalent to a good single ten is a rule of thumb with Phil Jones.

 

[porterbass]

Those Phil Jones things always intrigued me, but the unorthodox speakers always give me pause. I might just give it a try and take advantage of the returns policy if it doesn't work out.

Thanks

I've had almost all of the Phil Jones gear, except the really large cabinets and the Double Four is pretty amazing for home practice. I've had one in my home office for years. One bonus with this one is that it can be powered with a computer battery. The Double Four is full-sounding since it uses a passive radiator in the rear.

Others to look at are the old Genz Benz Shuttles. You can get a 1x10 or 1x12 with an attached head that are pretty amazing, but hard to find now since most have kept them. Genzler has similar setups in their current offering.

 

[LastJaguar]

Is Markbass available to you?
MB58R CMD 102 PURE – Markbass
MB58R CMD 151 PURE – Markbass
Perhaps an Orange combo? (I'm having trouble with their website.)
Or, go classic: Invalid Link Removed or Invalid Link Removed plus Invalid Link Removed and Invalid Link Removed You're going to need a big room. For any of the smaller combos you'll want a tilt-back stand.

 

[LastJaguar]

Is Markbass available to you?
MB58R CMD 102 PURE – Markbass
MB58R CMD 151 PURE – Markbass
Perhaps an Orange combo? (I'm having trouble with their website.)
Or, go classic: Invalid Link Removed or Invalid Link Removed plus Invalid Link Removed and Invalid Link Removed You're going to need a big room.

 

[Katoosie]

I am going to go against the grain here and recommend a fully digital solution.

I've spent quite some money on trying amps and cabs. They were good but they take space, some break and they are obviously hefty.

Get a good quality interface, cables, a DAW and some DSP. If you ever want to gig, all you'll really need is a passive DI box and you're set, maybe a preamp if you really want something more.

Takes less space, is cheaper and is perfectly fine for solo playing and practice. Plus you won't be bothering anyone with your doodling.

 

[morguloth]

I am going to go against the grain here and recommend a fully digital solution.

I've spent quite some money on trying amps and cabs. They were good but they take space, some break and they are obviously hefty.

Get a good quality interface, cables, a DAW and some DSP. If you ever want to gig, all you'll really need is a passive DI box and you're set, maybe a preamp if you really want something more.

Takes less space, is cheaper and is perfectly fine for solo playing and practice. Plus you won't be bothering anyone with your doodling.

That's where I am now, most of my playing is like this. But, sometimes, I wanna feel some air move, you know?

 

[morguloth]

Is Markbass available to you?
MB58R CMD 102 PURE – Markbass
MB58R CMD 151 PURE – Markbass
Perhaps an Orange combo? (I'm having trouble with their website.)
Or, go classic: Invalid Link Removed or Invalid Link Removed plus Invalid Link Removed and Invalid Link Removed You're going to need a big room.

Ya, I was looking at Markbass. If the Aguilar stuff doesn't do it for me, ill return it and try a markbass little tube plus cab or something I suppose.

The 300w fender tube head through a 2x15 is still the greatest thing I've ever played. However, ya, not really a practice at home kinda rig.

 

[Katoosie]

That's where I am now, most of my playing is like this. But, sometimes, I wanna feel some air move, you know?

Of course, I understand.

 

[EvilJ]

Check out Trickfish! I have a 4x8" cab and a Bullhead .5k head and it sounds soooo clean for the styles O.P. mentioned + tons of headroom. It was the first gear I have ever bought without trying it first, and I was fully impressed with how good it sounds. If budget is not a major concern, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

 

[logdrum]

I visited someone during the holidays who also does not want to play out. He has a full PA i situation. The backing tracks are played at gig level and he cranks up his guitar amps. He has Markbass 410 and Markbass amp also when he jams along with his bass. Pretty good player, not a poser for sure. No headphones for hiim.

My advice just get something as if if you will gig, since psace and money -- even volume? are not your issues.

 

[Dave Siff]

I bought this on a whim last month. It’s way more than enough for at-home practice, I’ve gigged with it and it’s fun just to look at! It takes pedals well, too. Not really suited for a low B string is the only thing I’d say.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

The simplest thing would be a good quality single speaker cabinet with an adjustable / defeat-able tweeter driven by a really good quality, very quiet amp.

So, 1x10, 1x12, or 1x15, with a 50-250 watt amp.

This section reserved for recommendations by others. I’m skipping this part….

 

[Killing Floor]

For small setup where “gig volume” isn’t the goal you can’t best PJB amps. I’d say if you want a little hair you’re going to want to put something in front of it because they don’t really break up. But for a solid, room filling bass sound with any bass that’s the ticket. I have 5 and 4, passive and active, fretless and fretted and PJB Double Four holds up. Even used it for guitar in a pinch.