Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Amp or Stack for Church?
- Thread starter jwk1151
- Start date
Well, continuing from my last post, i have found that i really need an amp that can be heard, (Church PA just broke/ Can't handle bass input anymore).
I have about a $350-$400 budget, so would i be better off getting a 200 watt combo, or a cheap stack (i.e. the Acoustic B200H 200W Bass Head and B115 250W 1x15 Bass Cab Package)?
I would like it to be pretty easy to transport, since i live on the third floor of my apt (Yes, i have really considerate neighbors), so would the stack be way too heavy?
and which combo/stack would you recommend? please dont say used, i live 3 hours from my closest guitar center, and my local shop doesnt know the difference between a Jazz and a Precision bass (no really, i took my jazz in, and he asked what kind it was, and if it was a popular brand)
i searched, but i couldnt exactly find what i was looking for ^^;;
thank you!
Guitar Center does ship gear. I've found great deals on their website under "used". If you want your money to go it's farthest (vs. buying new and taking the immediate depriciation hit), that's the way to go.
Unless of course you find a blowout sale.
For what you're doing I'd look at used Ampeg BA115 combos. Maybe even a Hartke Kickback. Or maybe a Mesa Walkabout. Or keep a close watch onthe classifieds here and catch a crazy deal. Or go amp and separate cab, there are plenty available online used.
Try www.Craigslook.com and see if they'll ship what you find. I've found great deals on the other side of the country.
Check this out... there's currently an Eden Metro for $325. That's a pretty ridiculous deal. Of course you are taking a risk.
http://www.craiglook.com/all.html?q=bass+combo+amp
For a church.. I'd be considering a kickback or some down firing cabs.. anything that doesn't fire forward
What you're describing doing is chruch suicide as you'll blow the wig off gramma.... high volumes in a church yield complaints.. and uneven audience sound levels.
What you're describing doing is chruch suicide as you'll blow the wig off gramma.... high volumes in a church yield complaints.. and uneven audience sound levels.
4x8 works better for than a 410
. i say got with the stack. if the 115 isnt enougth, then you have the option to add an additional cab later.
You can pick up an Acoustic 260 mini stack (100w) for about $300. Its small and light. I don't know how big your church is, but I can't imagine you'll need much more than 100 watts before you start rattling the pastors teeth.
this is what i have been contemplating lately. sometimes i feel like my rig is way too much for church
Why don't they just buy a sub or two and fix the PA? Instead of having your bass amp blasting from the stage?
That was my first thought, too. The improvement in overall sound from having P.A. support for the bass (and potentially kick drum) is going to yield far more return on investment than any sort of onstage bass amplification.
Not that you don't want some sort of amp onstage for monitoring purposes, but it feels to me like buying a big bass amp in hopes it can carry the room is throwing money at the wrong problem.
4x8 works better for than a 410
Think of Church sound more like studio sound.. more low volume from multiple locations creates less sound pressure for gramma.
The kickback option (brad suggested) allows you to fire it back at a wall vs the most eldest hightest tithing congregant.
Most amps will create complaints.. I've known of highly paid competent bassists to get fired from church gigs for not addressing this issue correctly...
The real answer is to fix your PA and go IEM.. leaving the sound up to the sound team.
Tim
So how well does the Bose L1 work overall?
I knew a sound guy who said Bose stood for "Bring other sound equipment." Yeah, just like FORD = Fix or repair daily.
I knew a sound guy who said Bose stood for "Bring other sound equipment." Yeah, just like FORD = Fix or repair daily.
Unless it's a large sanctuary I would say "no" to the stack if it's larger than one 4X10 cabinet. Just my personal opinion on how I like bass to sound when I'm sitting in the audience, anything more than a 4X10 tends to overpower the sanctuary. Not good, since that drowns out everything else. Your situation will vary, of course.
Interesting, since Peavey is one of hte brands I would recommend for this situation. If the church will pay for the amp I recommend, Genz-Benz, Markbass and Acoustic since they are easy to find these days. Take everything I typed with a grain of salt since I have no idea how your sanctuary handles bass and low midrange frequencies.
...
I knew a sound guy who said Bose stood for "Bring other sound equipment." Yeah, just like FORD = Fix or repair daily.
and yet in 51 years of living I have never seen a Ford that actually fit that description. I used to repeat that line myself until I bought one.
Anyway, if you can get the church to pay for it and the other musicians to go along with it I suggest finding one you can try first. I love the Bose Wave Radio and their PA speakers, but I have never seen this PA system played live. I'm sure someone's doing it, but I have yet to see one.
Just to clarify, I wasn't cracking on Fords, just the name-as-acronym thing. I drove an '83 F100 recently with 3 on the tree, 260 A/C (two windows, 60MPH), AM/FM radio (mono!), and it was great.
</hijack>
Under the circumstances, I would recommend you go with a combo as well - and yes, used allows your dollar to go much farther than new would. You're in a low volume situation with money and portability as concerns. I think the Ampeg B100R, if you could find one would be an awesome score.
That said (and it sounds like I may be in the minority on this), I don't see any issue playing a big rig in church. I play an SVT with 412 in a mid-sized room (seats 400 or so with a rock-edge to our worship) and have gotten great feedback from the beginning about what the sound has added to the mix - just because you can overpower everyone in the room doesn't mean you have to. If you have access to a powerful PA with subs, etc I'd say absolutely rely on it. However, most PAs my bands have played through over the year (both in church and secular bands) have been strong enough to really carry a nice bass tone. I find that being able to generate a nice stage bass tone that can carry the room to be a useful thing. In our church, we have typically played through a small bass amp for monitoring and the house driven through the PA - I've never been able to even hear the bass in the mix...
That said (and it sounds like I may be in the minority on this), I don't see any issue playing a big rig in church. I play an SVT with 412 in a mid-sized room (seats 400 or so with a rock-edge to our worship) and have gotten great feedback from the beginning about what the sound has added to the mix - just because you can overpower everyone in the room doesn't mean you have to. If you have access to a powerful PA with subs, etc I'd say absolutely rely on it. However, most PAs my bands have played through over the year (both in church and secular bands) have been strong enough to really carry a nice bass tone. I find that being able to generate a nice stage bass tone that can carry the room to be a useful thing. In our church, we have typically played through a small bass amp for monitoring and the house driven through the PA - I've never been able to even hear the bass in the mix...
All of the poeple who have gone before us playing big rigs too loud have ruined it for everyone else. It's assumed that if you have a big rig you likely don't have the restraint not to crank it at any and every opportunity.
1x15 combo. like ampeg. sounds good and fills a room a little better than 2 12's. i bet you'd be perfect with a 1x15 combo running 150-200 watts
This is a good question.. we are in a state of flux at my church.. we went from amps ..to Avioms... but now we are moving back to an amp.. at least for bass, because the sound is just too muddy coming fully from the subs so what we are thinking of is using an amp and using the subs just to augment the sound coming from the amp when necessary...
That Ampeg B-115 is 7 years old.. and it has been used by a lot of folks.. some who didn't know what they were doing.. so now it is busted. I will be using my own rig tillwe get a new one.. but I was suggesting that we get a amp & cab setup rather than another combo.. that way I can bring my own head in.
That Ampeg B-115 is 7 years old.. and it has been used by a lot of folks.. some who didn't know what they were doing.. so now it is busted. I will be using my own rig tillwe get a new one.. but I was suggesting that we get a amp & cab setup rather than another combo.. that way I can bring my own head in.
