Anyone else NOT into lightweight mini rigs?

[MordBass]

People who say things like 99.9% of the audience doesn’t care about bass tone really don’t get it.

Correct because I'd guess that 84.9% of the audience doesnt care about bass.

 

[I am Soma]

are Gibson basses good?

 

[Sixgunn]

Playing the music that a couple of my bands do, over the top volume is part of the appeal.

Just goes to show everyone likes different things I guess.

One thing I've discovered over the years (and I AM a confirmed volume junkie) is over the top volume really only appeals to the band.

 

[MordBass]

are Gibson basses good?

The class D ones are decent

 

[Sixgunn]

This is after I downsized. My guitar and bass rigs. 72 Marshall superbass. 69 Sound city bass 100 with period 4x12 cabs. Acoustic 320/370 with 301/402 cabs. My gear advice. Play the venues thay suit your gear interests. A crybaby soundman is the least of my concern. If people cant handle loud its my fault for picking the wrong venue or the patrons fault for not knowing what a loud band feels and sounds like.

Those Sound City amps are absolutely indestructible!!

 

[Sixgunn]

I hate sushi and coffee. Someone else likes sushi and coffee. Big deal.

I actually cook my sushi rice IN coffee!!

 

[Sixgunn]

Sushi is best with iced coffee

Vietnamese iced coffee is INCREDIBLE!!

 

[JeffreyMcJunior]

I find these new mini rigs to be quite appealing. However, I feel like the svt & fridge will be my main setup until I start playing a completely different style of music.

In addition to keeping up with the volume of my band mates, I do not have the luxury of relying on FOH support at every gig. Metal (and other extreme style) bands often play shows in dive bars/ diy spaces/ breweries/ etc that rarely have a nice enough PA system to bother mic’ing the drums. Knowing that no matter the circumstance I can be as loud as I need be is more reassuring than all the extra batteries, cables & strings one can take to a gig.

I guess I might fall into the “old rocker” category, but like some of the info I find on TB, what works for many of you doesn’t always carry over the same way into my situation. Really, moving the fridge is not THAT bad.. I help my drummer lift his +200lb hardware case and he helps me with my 810. Pretty simple actually.

 

[I am Soma]

The class D ones are decent

Nobody likes light weight basses. Jerks.

 

[Sixgunn]

I like real bass rigs. This past weekend it was Ampeg 810 with a V4B head. I also have a V4B (2x15) folded horn cab. In the arsenal is a SVT VR, 3 Kustom 2x15 cabs, an SB-12, B-15, B-18, B100R, SWR Bass 350, and an Ampeg 212 AV.

My "real" Quilter 800 BB will give your SVT a run for it's money, any day of the week and blow your V4B out of the water.

 

[noahw1]

I think owning a big ol' lead sled and giant cabs would be awesome. The sound of a big tube amp is great but I just can't do the weight. I have horrendous back problems and schlepping that gear around would cause me major issues. In fact I had to leave a rather lightweight cab (33lbs) in my car one night because of my back and it got stolen so I'm going even lighter now. I knew I shouldn't do it but my back was killing me.

The amp I currently use is a Genzler Magellan 800 that slams hard and I've ordered a Audiokinesis Hathor 1203 that will probably cover most, if not all, my current gigs. Even my 40 some odd pound Avatar Neo210 is too much depending on the load. The cab that was stolen was an LDS single 15" that was thunder.

I also just don't need a huge rig nowadays. Being able to pick up a 25lb cab in one hand, my 8lb amp in the other with my bass on my back and get out the door to go jam somewhere is the dream for me.

 

[theevilplankton]

I've gone towards lighter every change I've made.

Most of our gigs are pubs/bars, I usually only take a Fender Rumble 115 and 500 head, and that never goes that high.

As has been said, anything larger usually has sound guys, and I would be DI'd out anyway. Same in any place, just get a bit of extra PA support.

I've just pulled the trigger on a new 1x10 to replace the 115. Half the weight, and by accounts equal in output. Even better, when I change the car to a convertible next year, my whole set-up fits in fine. Our guitarist still perseveres with a huge valve head and 2x12 which barely gets warmed up given where it's used.

It's all choice. Some want big, I don't. The idea of standing in front a massive rig looks cool, but our audiences wouldn't need it, and my eardrums don't either!

 

[Sixgunn]

I get a sick, perverse pleasure from setting my 2X10 on it's end with my itty bitty head on top of it at large gigs. The only thing that would be cooler would be a back line of clothes dryers!!

 

[JimmyM]

Festivals and fly-in gigs taught me quickly how to get a serviceable tone out of just about anything. Obviously if you're buying, you'll want to be more selective. If you can't get what you really want out of a rig within a few minutes, move on to the next one.

Right! That'll toughen you up right quick to have to get a good sound out of a rig you hate!

 

[JimmyM]

Taken polls? No. But in all the shows I've played over the decades, I'm pretty sure total attendance is at least 10,000. Aside from fellow band members, I can count on the fingers of one hand missing four fingers how many drunken audience members ever cared enough about my tone to say anything or ask me about it. And that's including before and after I made the switch from big iron to Class D/Neo.

That is unrelated to how many people know or care about bass tone.

 

[JimmyM]

Nor variety

Actually he is into variety. In his other band, he uses half Ampeg half Orange.

 

[bobyoung53]

Not me, 2 Eden 210 cabs, one xlt, one xst, Navi pre-amp with a WT-1250 stero power amp. More than enough oomph for upto playing in 15 piece bands outdoors. Might lack a little sand in the pants with a power trio playing ambiently with no FOH support and a ridiculously loud guitarist ( one of the reasons I carry cable cutters for that second open back cab if you get my drift) but other than that, the rig will take on a lot of comers.

Open back guitar cabs should be illegal.

 

[agedhorse]

PIC?!

These are just some small 3 way racks for side fill, drum fill, small mains systems. I can't (easily) find pictures of the 3 way modular line array racks which have 3 amps plus processing in each rack, but 6 of these larger racks will drive 6 x double 18" subs plus 24 line array tops with spare channels. Total weight is about 500 lbs. Each rack is powered by an L14-20 circuit (2 x 20 amps)

 

[brianrost]

12 pages and not locked yet? Cowabunga!

 

[2112]

That is unrelated to how many people know or care about bass tone.

But it *is* directly related to the reason why I switched to a Class D/Neo stage rig and why I'm into them.

Being fair, I by far prefer the big iron. But age and practicality have won out.