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Bass Combo recommendations for a backline

E

esumsea

Feb 19, 2007
11
0
#1
Hey Guys
I own a sound reinforcement company and I want to buy a combo amp to offer as part of a backline package. I am looking to spend $400-500 used for a good combo if it is possible. I thought I would come here to get suggestions from bass player on what you would like to see.
How many amps would you want? What would you rather have 15" or 10" speakers?
Please feel free to recommend specific amps or recommend where the best value is.
Thanks!
Regards,
Mari0
 
#2
esumsea said:
Hey Guys
I own a sound reinforcement company and I want to buy a combo amp to offer as part of a backline package. I am looking to spend $400-500 used for a good combo if it is possible. I thought I would come here to get suggestions from bass player on what you would like to see.
How many amps would you want? What would you rather have 15" or 10" speakers?
Please feel free to recommend specific amps or recommend where the best value is.
Thanks!
Regards,
Mari0
Click to expand...

Mari0...I will answer this from 3 different perspectives but the answer will invariably come to the same conclusion...

1. First of all, as a bass player, a combo of ANY kind will not instill a lot of confidence in the performance department at first glance. In my experience, a bass combo generally will not last very long because you are talking about a pair of 10's, a single 12", or a single 15". You will be relying on the player NOT to blow up YOUR equipment. I have seen guys TRY to blow up backline gear that they did not like (usually with some measure of success) just so that they wouldn't have to use it next time around. I would HIGHLY suggest that you consider stretching your budget a bit and pickup a used Gallien-Kruger 800RB (a backilne standard for years) or 1001RB and a good quality 4X10 cabinet (SWR or Eden are VERY common) and call it a day. As a secondary suggestion, keep the Eden or SWR cab and add an EDEN or SWR head to go with it and you'd satisfy 95% of the riders you are likely to see....The only request you might see other than this rig would be an SVT 8X10 rig but most people who request this will accept the GK/EDEN/SWR rig just fine with no fuss...

2. As an Engineer/Producer, the rig has to INSPIRE the player to put on a good show. If they are constantly at their amp trying to get a decent sound of it (and THEY WILL BE) it is not only distracting, but it makes it very difficult to achieve a consistent mix, especially in a smaller venue. If the guys and gals on stage are at least satisfied (not necessarily thrilled as that can seem rare) with what they are hearing, then the performances are much more consistent and it is a much better experience for all involved. Happiness equals additional bookings for your hire company!!!!

3. As an event planner/coordinator/producer/buyer, the FEWER things I have to worry about, the better! The last thing I need to hear 2 hours before showtime is the A list headliner's rented day bus just pulled up and they saw the backilne and (they are travelling with no backline because they just got off a plane and have only their instruments with them) they are fraking out because the SVT rig that was in the rider is nowhere to be seen!! I am worrying about security, beverages, the Radio station that is simulcasting the show, the local promoter who has forgotten something he needs, the WRONG beer that was ordered for the "rising star" that is on the bill....yada, yada, yada....Oh by the way, it is Sunday morning at about 11:00 AM with a 1:00 PM showtime...the staging company's truck got stuck in the muddy field (because it is ALWAYS going to rain on an outdoor event before you can finish load in and setup!!!) and instead of rigging last night, it had to be dug out and towed to the stage area by a wrecker crew when the sun came up this morning (at an additional cost to the promoter of $6-8K!!) so we have less than 2 hours to do about 5 more hours of work (but SOMEHOW we'll make it at the last possible second!!!!!)

Do you really think I can get my hands on an "acceptable rig" at 11:00 AM on a SUNDAY???????



SAVE yourself the aggravation...Spend a few hundred more now instead of after your 2nd (if you are really lucky!) or 3rd show and get yourself a GOOD head and a GOOD 410 cab or....

I PROMISE YOU WITH ALL THAT IS HOLY, YOU WILL BE SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!

....but you will never hear me say told you so....I won't have to...you will KNOW EXACTLY what I am talking about!!

Good Luck, but be prepared to experience EVERYTHING that I just said R E A L S O O N ! ! ! !

I should mention that I have been doing Pro Audio for 25 years and I STILL WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE !!! LOL! It IS as bad as I make it out to be but after surviving your first day like that you realize that is half the fun of it....just surviving it!! If it is TRULY in your blood, you will LOVE IT!! If it's not...you have made a TERRIBLE MISTAKE....Get out while you can BEFORE you are bankrupt and insane!! Good Luck!!!

Peace,

T
 
#5
How about the gallien Krueger 400rb and a 4X10 CAB by GK? Or how about the backline series of gear. GK seems the best costwise. Do you think this would suffice? Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Mario
 
#6
Agreed. Nobody wants to play through a combo that's already got bad cones or rubbing voice coils, and I've seen that all too often in smaller cheaper provided rigs - ones that often were not loud enough for the job in the first place. This doesn't just include combos... one time it was two Hartke 410 Transporters, and they farted even with the bass rolled off all the way if you tried to play louder than the fan on the head.
 
#7
Although my 100 watt combo works fine with PA support, I have to agree that for a SR company, you better have a 500 watt head and a 4X10 cab. That's pretty standard and nobody should complain too much. SWR, GK, Ampeg and Eden seem to be what you see most. All are good sounding rigs.
 
#8
esumsea said:
How about the gallien Krueger 400rb and a 4X10 CAB by GK? Or how about the backline series of gear. GK seems the best costwise. Do you think this would suffice? Thanks for your input.
Regards,
Mario
Click to expand...

My workhorse amp at one time MANY years ago was a 400RB so I really like them...I have not used GK in some time other than in limted situations. I heard at one time there were some reliability problems with the 400RB and is the reason I didn't suggest it. It also is probably underpowered these days for a lot of the cabs out there. I think if you searched the market there would not be that much difference for a 400 or 800RB and you can easily justify the extra headroom that you will get. I would probably say that the GK410 is OK though I must confess I have not played the current ones and would defer to someone who has...Maybe someone else can chime in on their quality but I know a LOT of people love them which is a good sign....Good Luck!

Peace,

T
 
#9
If you must have a combo, pony-up and try to find a used Eden DC210XLT Metro. It is small, but mighty. Unfortunately, the size may be enough to turn some "artists" off, but they would not be put off by it's sound. Find a 1x18" cab to put under it & you've got an impressive looking rig. (you may not even have to plug in the extra cab!)
 
#10
quickervicar said:
If you must have a combo, pony-up and try to find a used Eden DC210XLT Metro. It is small, but mighty. Unfortunately, the size may be enough to turn some "artists" off, but they would not be put off by it's sound. Find a 1x18" cab to put under it & you've got an impressive looking rig. (you may not even have to plug in the extra cab!)
Click to expand...


The Metro and the SWR RedHead were the only 2 combos that I would have recommended. However, neither the Metro or the RedHead will stand up to a bassist determined to destroy them.....Both can be blown fairly easily with an active bass and an enormous amount of Low EQ with a 5 string. Thus my recommendation to avoid them....YMMV though, just my personal experience, that is all.

Peace,

T
 
#11
I really appreciate your input so far. The thing is I have to buy two amps and I will only get paid $500. So my max is $600 each or maybe $800 for one and $400 for another smaller. One of the rooms is about 25' by 70' and the other is outdoors. Maybe I could go with a 2X10 rig for upsairs. The eden dc 210 is really expensive so I don't know if I will go that route. How about the GK Backline stuff. THey have a 400, 600 and 800 series. I think the 600 should be enough for the outside stage if I buy a 4-10 cab. Like I said, thanks for everything and keep the suggestions coming! You will make your brethern happy that I consulted you and I will tell them all about this site.
Again, THANKS!!!!:hyper:
Regards,
Mario
 
#12
Remeber, these amps will also be miced or DIed into the live sound rig, and the bassists will have monitors (albeit 12" eaws) so that may change your thinking. Also, I am not doing huge acts, but it would be an option. That is why I prefer to get one killer amp and one slightly smaller (er less killer) amp.
 
#14
In backlines around the mid-atlantic states over the last 20-plus years I've seen more old and new-style Peavey 15" combos - TNT, TKO, and Combo300s than anything else. And most traveling bass players I have talked to about it say it's that way everywhere.

Based on my experience, and your mileage may vary, I'd vote for buying a Peavey TNT and a 210 VX ext cab. If they weren't bulletproof reliable or sounded horrible I doubt I'd see so many of them.
 
#16
Any more opinions out there? Are GK Backline cabs really that bad? IS the backline 600 powerful enough? Would you be disappointed with a GK backline head or other? What is the opinion of genz benz cabinnets? Are 2 -2-10 cabs just as good as a 4-10? What are the opinions on the SWR Pro series? How about the working pro Head and cab? Please help and thanks to those that have helped already.
Regards,
Mario
 
#17
esumsea said:
Are GK Backline cabs really that bad?
Click to expand...

Yes.

esumsea said:
Would you be disappointed with a GK backline head or other?
Click to expand...

Me? No. I am a bassist that rarely plays big gigs and hardly EVER uses a rental backline, in reality, we suck.

However, even at my level of suckiness when we do get rental rigs to use (provided by the headliner's sound company, usually our gear is good enough!) they are pro-quality heads and 410 cabs. I have used a few Peavey combos, but that was the venue's own rig and never provided by a sound company.

I wonder how a few 'big-name' players or worse, egotistical 'think theyre big name' players would react to a small combo.
 
#18
Jack said:
Yes.

I wonder how a few 'big-name' players or worse, egotistical 'think theyre big name' players would react to a small combo.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the latter are usually the ones that I am referring to in my post above...:scowl: It is like watching children throw temper tantrums sometimes!

Mario....It is your money, but trust me when I tell you that the cheaper you go, the more times you will have to replace your gear. Think of it like this, if you buy say 6 $300 used rigs over a couple of seasons because they get blown up by some a$$ that doesn't care (because he knows he is likely to never see you again) you have pi$$ed away $1800 and you STILL have to replace the 6th rig that gets destroyed....At some point it will occur to you that something is wrong and you have to get more reliable (and Bullet proof) gear....I think we are trying to save youthe wasted money, the aggravation, and the pi$$ed off clients....I know I am....:D

Peace,

T
 
#20
Thanks again guys. I think the backline 600 will do but it seems that I should have more concern with the cab. Pretty much I have to get a 4-10 (or two 2X10) cabinets from either eden or SWR. It looks as such I am going to be spending at least $700 on each rig. What are the opinions on the Genz Benz cabinnets? How about the fender 4-10 cab? What is the deal with the goliath ii cabs. I have seen some that say they are powered with $800, does such a thing exist? Also, would 2 2X10 cabs be just as good as a 4X10 cab? I am thinking of going that route so I can go 4 ohms with the two rather than the 8 ohms most 4X10 cabs are rated at. Also TOMMIX, did you get my email? A THousand Thanks to all who have helped me out. May the karma gods look favorably on you:hyper:
Regards,
Mario
 

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