Are bass amps obsolete?

[dan1952]

I've only done a couple of direct only gigs. I hate it! Ear buds, headphones, and the like can't come close to the feeling of air moving !

 

[socialleper]

And those big touring acts that can get away with not using amps will continue to use amps because the ampless look is cheesy for a lot of genres. If you're playing bass while dancing behind Britney Spears you don't need an amp, but going ampless in a rock band just doesn't look good.

It depends a little on the venue. Geddy Lee famously doesn't use amps live, or didn't before Rush called it quits, and it didn't impact their stage that much. Before Mudvayne disbanded, Ryan Martinie said he just traveled with a preamp. Their stages have a big back line of unused equipment on it. Adam of Rivers of Nihil has pretty much all of his tone coming out of a B7K.
I couldn't get away with not using an amp, but rock\metal bands can do it without it being too distracting.
Or you can go Sleep's route and just have ALL the amps on the stage.

 

[matante]

Interesting debate. Being that I'm the new kid on the block, IEMs are what I cut my teeth on and all I've known for the past few years and I'm completely comfortable with them (probably because that's what I started with...subs being on both sides of the stage with the typical array of mains, stage monitors, etc).

I have a Rumble 500 combo and never needed to invest in anything beyond that because I can count on one hand the number of times it has left my home.

It probably helps that I was running sound well before I even first laid hands on a bass and I have confidence in our sound guys and/or the presets on the FOH board (Yamaha TF5 or Behringer X32 depending on the venue I'm playing). I know that what I'm hearing in my IEMs are being translated out to the house pretty well...I get it that I'm probably in the minority though lol.

The question is "Are bass amps obsolete? not "Should bass amps be obsolete?" So I don't see what we're debating here. I go to a lot of live shows and concerts and see bass amps used at all of them. Every single one. I have never in my life seen a live band without amps on stage. So the answer is no. They are not obsolete. No debate there.

I have to wonder where you guys are playing who say you're going ampless. Are you playing in church? On a cruise ship? In a big city? A small town?

 

[hintz]

Not so long as there are bars with poor PA support. The concept of the FOH being willing or able to take care of 100% of the bass-volume needs for both the floor and on-stage/monitoring is not remotely standard in the local rock/metal scene of anywhere I've lived.

Really?? When I was doing metal originals up in the twin cities I had the exact opposite experience: I was always going through FOH at every venue.... it must be your location?

OTOH with cover bands it was a different story. But I suppose that's also the difference between bars that feature music and music venues with a bar!?

 

[matante]

It depends a little on the venue. Geddy Lee famously doesn't use amps live, or didn't before Rush called it quits, and it didn't impact their stage that much. Before Mudvayne disbanded, Ryan Martinie said he just traveled with a preamp. Their stages have a big back line of unused equipment on it. Adam of Rivers of Nihil has pretty much all of his tone coming out of a B7K.
I couldn't get away with not using an amp, but rock\metal bands can do it without it being too distracting.
Or you can go Sleep's route and just have ALL the amps on the stage.

Geddy Lee was using an Orange Tube amp live among other amps. He may not have had them on stage, but he used amps. He famously had a rig that was all EQs, compressors, and power amps into 2x15 cabs (off stage) without a conventional preamp.

 

[Two-Spirit]

I don't like guitar di, I don't like digital distortion or digital wah. I still think tubes are important. It bothers me when I see guitarists plugged only into a multieffect pedal. It's like nobody cares about tone anymore.

 

[Slough Feg Bass]

I did a gig last night where all I brought was my pedalboard and a bass.
went straight into the PA, had a decent wedge in front of me for monitoring, and it sounded great.
I like not having to bring an amp.

 

[Kmonk]

I am friends with an internationally known band that always plays without amps. The guitarist uses a pedal board and the bass player runs direct. Everything is run through monitors so they can hear each other. They have done this for over 20 years.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

In every situation I have played in the last several years FOH has controlled the bass, volume and tone. My stage amp, when I have occasion to use one, serves as my personal monitor. This is not only on big stages but also in small clubs when band leader provides sound and mix. FOH always wants the stage volume down so they can control the mix. And yet, it seems almost every day, a new bass amp is out.
Thoughts?

While it is true a sound engineer would prefer not to have to deal with ambient sounds coming from the stage, the biggest problems they have to contend with are the drums, and bassists that produce way too much low end. Just about every thing else they have a cure for.

In answer, not anytime soon as most players don’t play with FOH support.

 

[DonaldR]

Opinions hear are almost amps vs IEM. I play ampless and never used IEM live.

 

[glocke1]

Bass amps are not simply about convenience and/or practicality (or the lack thereof) for many of us.

I simply enjoy hearing myself through speakers. When I can, I will bring an amp. If I can get away with it, I'll bring an Ampeg SVT. The sound of that heavy beast makes me smile.

They absolutely will be less common in a decade or so. We'll probably all have wireless basses with transmitters you can't see that send a signal directly to the computer used to run sound (that is the size of a pack of gum). Every audience member will be wearing headphones (tiny earbuds) that allow them to control the volume of their live band. Take out your earbuds and all you will hear are people talking and the sound of sticks hitting electronic drums pads. Your average bar will sound like a library until you put in earbuds.

So, not yet... but it's coming.

bolded: ditto..I can't imagine not have a cabinet, preferably my F212. BL wants us all to use IEM's...I've pretty much refused as the bass sound I want just isn't there. I've asked for (and gotten) a small stage monitor off to my right.

AS for the rest of your post, no thanks. That sounds horrid.

 

[matante]

It depends a little on the venue. Geddy Lee famously doesn't use amps live, or didn't before Rush called it quits, and it didn't impact their stage that much. Before Mudvayne disbanded, Ryan Martinie said he just traveled with a preamp. Their stages have a big back line of unused equipment on it. Adam of Rivers of Nihil has pretty much all of his tone coming out of a B7K.
I couldn't get away with not using an amp, but rock\metal bands can do it without it being too distracting.
Or you can go Sleep's route and just have ALL the amps on the stage.

I looked up Mudvayne and the first video that pops up (Happy?) shows him playing with Ampeg cabs behind him. That's what I'm saying. You may not need an amp these days, but it still looks better to have one. As long as that's the case people will continue to buy and use them.

 

[brianrost]

In every situation I have played in the last several years FOH has controlled the bass, volume and tone. Thoughts?

I average maybe a half dozen gigs a year where the PA carries the whole band. So amps aren't obsolete for me yet.

For you, sure, they're obsolete.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

I looked up Mudvayne and the first video that pops up (Happy?) shows him playing with Ampeg cabs behind him. That's what I'm saying. You may not need an amp these days, but it still looks better to have one. As long as that's the case people will continue to buy and use them.

Absolutely. ...

 

[Windowliquor]

I can’t see playing punk/garage/noise rock without amps. Might as well stay home and slap your audiophile headphones on, plop some 180 gram vinyl on the turntable and turn on your fancy preamp if you want “perfection.” The crapshoot of a “vocals and kick only” PA is half the fun!

 

[Mebsuta]

I remember seeing bands in the 80s playing arenas with no backline or amps on stage at all. Then there was a revival and they started doing it again.

 

[ofajen]

Probably, but then so are analog tape machines and analog synths with no presets, so pretty much all my gear is obsolete, and it's all good.

Otto

 

[west al]

Bass amps are obsolete, if you don't play bass.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

Probably, but then so are analog tape machines and analog synths with no presets, so pretty much all my gear is obsolete, and it's all good.

Otto

I love it!
At my church, my standard rig has been a roll pleat Kustom 150 matching amp and cab made in 1971. it's served faithfully in 1 spot for almost 30 years

 

[Pbassmanca]

In every situation I have played in the last several years FOH has controlled the bass, volume and tone. My stage amp, when I have occasion to use one, serves as my personal monitor. This is not only on big stages but also in small clubs when band leader provides sound and mix. FOH always wants the stage volume down so they can control the mix. And yet, it seems almost every day, a new bass amp is out.
Thoughts?

Nope...