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Arclight131

Apr 23, 2012
16
0
Liverpool, UK
#1
Hello All,

I know your sick off seeing these threads, but **** IT! here goes!,

Right ive been playing bass for about 3 months now, but ive picked it up pretty quick, im in an alternative rock band and we have a lot of gigs coming up, and its time to purchase an amp!

but I haven't got a clue were to start, so I thought id come to you guys first! my budget is upto £350 at the moment, but I can save!

Also, My drummer is a very hard hitter

Thanks,
Sam
 
#4
Arclight131 said:
I was looking at the Line 6 Lowdown 400 Head and a the Ampeg PF350, im stuck, cause im intrigued by the Line 6 but heard the build qualities awful and i love the Ampeg tone
Click to expand...

I dont like modeling amps, not my cuppa tea. The PF is a good head, but kind of busts your budget for a cab if you are buying that head new. The cab is what is going to get you heard, not the head. The power handling rating of most commercials cabs is a joke. It says 1000 watts RMS, it wont be able to use more than 400-500 watts of power before it reaches its physical limitations. That 210 that is rated at 1000 watts? not going to be any louder than the 210 rated at 500 watts, unless it has some sick displacement, and then I would question the tone of the mids and higher frequencies. What you need is speaker cone area. A used 215, 610, or 810 and a used Peavey head will be better than a PF-350 and a 210 cab. Not because one sounds better than the other (which is subjective) but because if you cant be heard it doesnt matter how good you sound.
 
#6
If you can find one used (right here on TB, maybe), get the PF-350. It's a solid performer at a reasonable price, and is chock full of Ampeg goodness. It also doesn't have the reliability issues that seem to plague the PF-500.

Cab? Any used 2x15" (or a pair of 1x15s) or 4x10" that you can afford is a good starting point. Going the route of separates allows you to upgrade one piece at a time as funds become available.

Remember that the cab is at least as important to your tone as the head is. In fact, you could get away with using a straight power amp (cheaper and easier to find) with a decent cab to begin with.
 
#7
I'm not at that point yet (gigs booked, in a band) but I am thinking of moving up from the practice amp.

Advice I've seen some experienced bassists give:
>Go used - check it well before you buy though

>Go cab & head rather than combo. You can upgrade seperately and Keep long term costs down.

>Don't buy something you can't 'grow' into - unless that's your only option.

My major concern with my next/first rig is weight & volume as well as tone. I would recommend in your budget to see if you can get a good deal, but save in the interim.
Better to spend £500 on a rig you love than £350 on one you'll be trying to get rid of in the first week. I'm no expert though.
If your able for it, a heavy cab will be cheaper than a lighter cab of similar quality. This is one reason I'll be waiting a few more weeks to order mine (provided I don't change my mind).

My advice is practice, practice, practice. If nobody can hear you it's not going to help but I find the player is what needs the biggest investment of effort, if not always cash.

Good luck on the gear hunt. FYI you probably want to check dimensions for storage & transport. Not trying to patronize but I was all set on a 410 . . . till I realized I'd be struggling up several flights of stairs with it:scowl: and I'm not a huge guy so NOPE!
 
#12
Arclight131 said:
Thanks so much guys, that's the things, originally, because i have nowhere to store the 4x10 currently, i was going to buy a head and just use the venues/practice rooms cabs to pair it up with for now.. i do like the look of that PF350 though :P
Click to expand...

If you are assured that there will always be a cab for you when you need it, the PF series is pretty good. I traded an Peavey 810 TX for a PF-500 and am very satisfied.
 

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