Ampeg stack just for looks?

[JimmyM]

goodnight, munji.

 

[allexcosta]

Yesterday, 09:51 PM

no, i didn't forget my medicine today, smarty pants.

Last edited by JimmyM : Yesterday at 09:54 PM.

 

[anonymous073020132]

"come say that to me on a gig sometime and see how quickly i have you thrown out" - I would have no reason to tell you that your rig sucks, because as I already stated: "This is the kind of polarizing issue that unfortuantley, the people who dont understand can only figure out on thier own, over time."

"BTW I used to run as many as three 8x10 rigs, back in my 20's" - really, I have owned and played alot of Ampeg gear over the years. Tried really hard to like it, but it's not for me. From what I have seen, alot of people grow out of it once the thrill of standing in front of an Ampeg stack wears off. Furthermore, I have found that the cabs are not durable, and the heads are not reliable, when compared to higher end brands such as Epifany and Markbass, even SWR if you want more of an 'apples to apples' brand comparison.

The original post said "many producers and audience alike will look for this and judge players that don't have them". Tell you what, next time you are in a studio situation with an established producer, you should deffinintly insist on playing an your Ampeg stack in the studio. Be sure to PM me to let me know how that works out.

Well, I have had my quarterly dose of Talkbass, enough to remind myself why I dont look at TB very often. I go to Panchos once a year for the same reason. See yall in April.

Sorry to bust your bubble but a butt load of Platinum selling artist record with their 810 cabs in the studio especially rock, metal & indie bassist. If you like I can drop you a list of names but I'd have to start another thread.

 

[ZachM]

I think that Ampeg stacks are used often to enhance the "theatrics" of a show. That's not a bad thing at all; does anything say "Rock and Roll" quite like a huge Ampeg stack? When you realized that the entire listening public can't tell the difference between an Ampeg, Berg, GK, or SWR (although they are obvious to people like us), why not grab a big Ampeg stack? Its like wearing hip clothes on stage; sure, you'd be more comfortable in old jeans and a T-shirt (the proverbial light combo amp), and you would be cooler and more comfortable in tight under-armour and swear-wicking sports gear (there's you high-performance Berg and Markbass rigs), but looking the part is a big part of the show!

+1 to this.

Personally, I believe that a big rig can help set up an excitement/anticipation about the show when an audience member sees it. I mean, how many guitarists really truly need a 4x12 - they do it because it looks the part. For my money, having the big 810 up there with you just looks right for a rock and roll band. It says something about your intent and your goals. It's kind of like how a Ritter might be a "higher performance" instrument, but might be completely wrong for a situation that needs a beat up P bass.

That said, I wouldn't sacrifice the sound I wanted because of looks, and your particular presentation goals are your own of course. But for me I love both how the 810 looks AND how it sounds, so it works out great for me.

 

[ledyard]

Holy old thread!

I certainly wouldnt sacrifice sound for looks either. But I'm one of those guys that would bring a SVT and 2 8x10's just for looks. Meaning the second cab woulnt technically be needed. But looks monsterous.
Especially in a 3 pc situation. I love 3 pc. Unfortunatley i'm not in one atm. ( a 6 pc actually )
But I'm super anal about stage asthetics. If your in an origional band or maybe a tribute band that needs a certain image then you go for it 100% imho. Even if that situation calls for a fender twin on the guitar and an old bassman for bass.
Or if it warrants, one or two full stacks for a single guitar and a double 8x10 stack for me.

 

[dvh]

I couldn't care less what people think about my rig. If it matters to you, do a self check-in about why you really play music....

 

[JimmyThunder]

I've always dreamed about a faux-fridge....a backless empty 8x10 with a broken & hollowed out SVT on top.....PLENTY of space to set up my LittleMark/Avatar210 within. I sing the praises of my rig all day long but it still doesn't look quite right on a loud punk stage, ya know?

 

[christw]

I always carried my 810 to shows for the theatrics. My Genz Benz runs loops around it in every category but I did it for the looks. Then I realized that nobody cares and that the soundmen at the big venues DI my bass, not even my head! Hell, next time I play the Newport I might just go sans rig.

I've always dreamed about a faux-fridge....a backless empty 8x10 with a broken & hollowed out SVT on top.....PLENTY of space to set up my LittleMark/Avatar210 within. I sing the praises of my rig all day long but it still doesn't look quite right on a loud punk stage, ya know?

Buy an empty 810E? They end up on craigslist every once in a while for $50-$200 around here. I'm considering this myself despite the fact that I sold my beat up $80 810E.

 

[ledyard]

soundmen at the big venues DI my bass, not even my head!

That kind of stuff makes me angry. I wont run through a D.I. direct. Some guys want to still D.I. me even when I have a direct out on my head. I wont do it. No reason you cant plug into my D.I. so my friggin Ampeg sound actually comes through the front of house.
Other than that I would have to get a Countryman Speaker D.I. Then they can plug into that.
Fortunatley we have a guy come in and mix us everytime we play so I get mic'd and D.I.

 

[JimmyThunder]

Buy an empty 810E? They end up on craigslist every once in a while for $50-$200 around here. I'm considering this myself despite the fact that I sold my beat up $80 810E.

Yeah I've thought about that but in reality...an unloaded 810 is much more cumbersome and heavy than I want to deal with, hence my micro-rig. What I *really* want to do is just outfit a large cardboard box with proper-looking tolex and speaker cloth/piping. Plus I could also build a matching cardboard SVT head!

Slam out hi-volume thump all night, and then when unloading, surprise the stragglers by collapsing the boxes and folding them up...

 

[anonymous073020132]

I always carried my 810 to shows for the theatrics. My Genz Benz runs loops around it in every category but I did it for the looks. Then I realized that nobody cares and that the soundmen at the big venues DI my bass, not even my head! Hell, next time I play the Newport I might just go sans rig.




Buy an empty 810E? They end up on craigslist every once in a while for $50-$200 around here. I'm considering this myself despite the fact that I sold my beat up $80 810E.

Thats cool & all man but there is now way a sound guy or girl is going to tell me how their gona run my sound. I bring my own DI which runs off my amp or they can go direct from my amp. Their is no way I'm pluging my bass straight into sound man garbage DI. The sound I want people to hear are the same sounds coming out of my speaker cab. Play it cool, buy em a few beers or even tip em, you can have it your way. I just refuse to sound like crap through the house speakers.

 

[crack-boom]

Everytime I've heard the Ampeg fridge I've loved the sound. Large venues with massive line array stacks and small venues with mainly stage volumes. Every other rig I have heard, has been less than exciting.

If I had the money, a SVT VR stack would be in my house right now.

EDIT:
Also every time I have seen a full Ampeg stack, it has been DI'd and Mic'd. Usually a Sm57 mic, can never really see the DI though.

 

[chadds]

People outside of TalkBass know a lot less about boutique brands like Bergantino.

Had a guitarist say, "that must be boutique gear because I've never seen it before."

 

[christw]

I know that a lot of you guys are saying I should get good with the sound guy. The guy who runs the sound on stage at The Newport here in Columbus has been a real PITA from day one. Rude, impatient, and disrespectful. He once let me run my amp's DI. Once...

 

[allexcosta]

That kind of stuff makes me angry. I wont run through a D.I. direct. Some guys want to still D.I. me even when I have a direct out on my head. I wont do it. No reason you cant plug into my D.I. so my friggin Ampeg sound actually comes through the front of house.

Do you really think that using your head's DI will make it sound any close to what you hear back there?

 

[rockstarbassist]

Do you really think that using your head's DI will make it sound any close to what you hear back there?

If you have a good sound guy, that's kind of the idea...

You know, to make the band that's playing on stage just be a "louder" version of what they already are.

 

[subject42]

As far as bass players buying it for the looks, Ampegs are not the prettiest of amps. Neither are they the most looks challenged (I think Peavey and Markbass are fighting over that prize!).

Hey now! Markbass is the finest amp to ever come out of Dewalt's tool foundry!

(I kid. I have a 2x12 setup from them and love it)

 

[christw]

Do you really think that using your head's DI will make it sound any close to what you hear back there?

I just want some EQ control from the amP. My P at the time needed it's high mids tamed and he didn't do that. It was spanky high mids all show. My friends out front said they couldn't hear the bass at all. I relied on the low mids in that act.

 

[DaZombieWoof]

Maybe the thing to do is get inflatables that do double cab SVT's and have a vintage B-15 with a bombination of a DI and proper miking as your true tone source. Guitarist could do inflatable Marshall stacks and have some killer small recording amp lurking behind it.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

That's partly why I steered AWAY from Ampeg. I didn't know to much about bass amps, but I knew I didn't want to be just like everyone else. I just wanted a very flexible pre, and that's exactly what I got with my SM-400S.

You could say the same thing about any well known name brand; I've been grilled by folks at clubs for not playing a fender (While I'm holding my Lakland 4-94) - - The publix is ignorant. I personally don't care what folks think of how my gear looks - only how it *sounds*.

And no, I don't use Ampeg gear - I owned an Ampeg preamp years ago - sounded great but noisy as the devil.