Best Bass amp and Speaker cab?

[Old School P-Bass]

I have a 1975 Fender P-Bass. I have been out of the music business for the past 20 years but looking to return. I play Allman Brothers, Skynard, Southern Rock and some contemporary. I like a clean sound and not so much distorted.

I will purchase a bass amp head and speaker cabinet in the near future but thought I would seek your advise. I do not play through a PA system and therefore seeking a stand alone system that has plenty of power for outside events and inside events. I don't want to come up short.

Oh, i'm also 52 years old and transporting heavy equipment is getting harder all the time.

Thanks for your help!

 

[johnpbass]

Don't know if you like the Ampeg sound but how about a PF800 amp and 212AV cab? Cab cops the 810e vibe but weighs in at 66 pounds. Or you could go modular with 2 112AVs instead of the 212 cab. The 112s weigh in at like 45 pounds.
The Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 is also a good choice IMHO.

 

[buldog5151bass]

OP, you are looking for a setup that will power through with a rock band at outdoor venues without PA support, but don't want to carry a lot of weight. That is asking a LOT.

Budget?

 

[Old School P-Bass]

Don't know if you like the Ampeg sound but how about a PF800 amp and 212AV cab? Cab cops the 810e vibe but weighs in at 66 pounds. Or you could go modular with 2 112AVs instead of the 212 cab. The 112s weigh in at like 45 pounds.
The Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 is also a good choice IMHO.

Thanks for the information Johnbass! I am playing through 2 -15'" SWR currently. Do you think a 4-12" speaker cabinet would be better or 4 - 10's would be better?

 

[Old School P-Bass]

OP, you are looking for a setup that will power through with a rock band at outdoor venues without PA support, but don't want to carry a lot of weight. That is asking a LOT.

Budget?

$3,000 total budget including shipping and tax. The equipment could weigh more if it has skid rails or casters to help me move it around.

 

[johnpbass]

Thanks for the information Johnbass! I am playing through 2 -15'" SWR currently. Do you think a 4-12" speaker cabinet would be better or 4 - 10's would be better?

That SWR 215 cab would certainly move a lot of air. A lot depends on how large the outdoor events are that you'll be playing. Hard to say on the 412 versus 410. Depends on the cabs.
EDIT: Just saw your budget. A lot of folks here rave about the Greenboy cabs. They're more $ but handle a lot of power and are light.

 

[Old School P-Bass]

That SWR 215 cab would certainly move a lot of air. A lot depends on how large the outdoor events are that you'll be playing. Hard to say on the 412 versus 410. Depends on the cabs.
EDIT: Just saw your budget. A lot of folks here rave about the Greenboy cabs. They're more $ but handle a lot of power and are light.

Never heard of Greenboy. I will check it out. Thanks!

 

[buldog5151bass]

I'd be looking at a pair of 4x10s or go this route - greenboy.us speaker enclosures

 

[Linnin]

Fender Bassman 500 and either Bassman Pro or Fender Rumble Cabinets. Take your pick.
The Bassman 500 is fairly new and shares the very same tube front end as the all tube Super Bassman & 100t, but has the 500 watt D-Class power amp of the Rumble 500. $800 and only 17 pounds. That will provide the tone and sound quality you need for the music you play.

 

[Mystic Michael]

There is no such thing as "best".

MM

 

[NightCat]

Your singer must have a hell of a set of lungs if there is no PA support. I'd pay to see that!

 

[Mystic Michael]

I will purchase a bass amp head and speaker cabinet in the near future but thought I would seek your advise. I do not play through a PA system and therefore seeking a stand alone system that has plenty of power for outside events and inside events. I don't want to come up short.

Begging your pardon, and with all due deference to your "old skoolness", this is simply not the way it's done anymore. Not for outdoor venues at least, that's for sure.

While having a good, solid, powerful stage sound makes for a delightful playing experience, you lose so much in room/venue coverage by having no bass signal whatsoever in the PA system - especially in high-volume situations, once the drummer is on his third Red Bull of the set, and the guitars are already cranked up to "11". If you could hear how muddy, indistinct and/or weak the bass sounds by comparison, a couple of hundred feet from the stage, you would insist upon being in the FOH mix. These days, there's simply no good reason to not be.

MM

 

[Old School P-Bass]

Your singer must have a hell of a set of lungs if there is no PA support. I'd pay to see that!

He does have a good set of lungs, however the PA system he sings through does not have the quality that is needed to support the keyboards, 3 mikes, two guitars and well you get the picture!

 

[buldog5151bass]

Even if you are not running a lot through the PA, a little helps fill things out. Even when everything is not going through the PA, always good to have a little bass and kick drum in the mix.

On the other hand, you could spend about a thousand on a decent bass rig, and maybe get a better PA. Make EVERYONE'S life easier.

 

[johnpbass]

Depends on the outdoor venue. To me, an outdoor venue could mean the outdoor patio at the local Sports Bar with 50 people sitting there. As others mentioned already though, if you're doing bigger venues, you're going to need better PA support to get the bass out front. But, you can always rent a PA in that case though.

 

[The Chuck]

I'll 2nd a PF-800 head. I've had mine for almost 2 years and every time I turn it on I like what I hear. It has more than enough juice to power whatever cab/cabs you decide to buy.

I always wanted to try one of those Ampeg SVT-212AVs. I've heard good things about those.

 

[Munjibunga]

$3,000 total budget including shipping and tax. The equipment could weigh more if it has skid rails or casters to help me move it around.

You're talking about a GK MB Fusion 800 and a Bergantino CN212 (47 pounds). It's been plenty for me at every gig. If you need a little more, go with a CN410 (49 pounds). Also, if you can wait a month, I'd change the amp to the Bergantino B-Amp. Both amps are 800 watts, so that's plenty. I'm 15 years older than you and I went to light-weight gear when I was about 60. I don't miss the 60-pound amp racks and 100-pound cabs one bit. Bass players still come up and ask about my rig.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Again, everyone in the band should throw in some money, and improve the PA. don't own it as a group - everyone owns different components, so if you break up, you don't have to sell everything.

 

[NightCat]

Well, raw power is cheap these days. You can pick-up 1000+ watt (class D) power amps from almost any of the major amp builders. So, what then would be the loudest cab(s) on the market?
I've never played anything that loud so I honestly have no idea.
I imagine the Mesa Eight:88 (Tube, not cheap watts) head with a pair of Mesa 4x12 stacks would fry some brain sacks.

 

[RoadRanger]

There is no such thing as "best".
MM

Sure there is - its always the one you're next about to buy .