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Best bass combo for a Five string bass

J

Jazzbassguy77

Jan 6, 2022
27
6
#1
Hi guys ,
Needing some opinions for my small rig set up now I've got myself a five string bass, was using my small Roland Bass Cube 120XL and my GK 700 II
500 watt combo , the Roland cannot cope with that low B
The GK can but I'm now got too old to lift this guy in/ out car , (damn being a 66 yrs old unfit bassist )
What's also showing is our 1200 watt small PA rig subs' not handling it very well either ,
We play in tiny pubs mostly do I'm looking for a very compact, practical bass solution now ,
Any advice welcome thanks !
 
#3
Hi Dave W
Thanks for replying , the set up is pretty much normal I'm going through a processor that provides me with very clear clean tones into my backline amp , the amps set to an active instrument setup Minus 15 db thereabouts , normal output from the bass amp is around 60 watts it's a 100 watt ampeg BA 115 XLR IS hooked to the 1200watt PA system which we run at 50% with plenty of headroom everywhere no excessive bass loading anywhere , the sounds we get are usually very good and clear, my main problem seems to be the minute I get onto riffing using the B string below and even in the A fret the speakers start breaking up, distorting badly , flapping , awful sounding forcing me to play higher up the range on other strings to get a clear note ,
This seems to be happening on all of my bass amps exception being the GK 500 watt combo until I start to push that too , we don't do metal anything like
It ,
Heaviest stuff we do is Zeppelin's rock classics in E , no problems there when we do that !
 
#11
If I'm understanding this correctly, E from your open E string works, and the same E on the B string is a problem . . . would have me double checking bass setup in terms of string heights and pickup clearance in particular.

On a five, that B string can get overbearing fast if a pickup is even a little too close. That's relatively a whole lotta alloy tickling those pickup coils.

It also, to me, takes more amp to reliably push those big C's and D's, and for something commonly available, one of the higher powered Fender combos with a matching extension cabinet would be where I'd be looking.
 
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#14
Aloe cheers that gives me hope !
I was originally going to try a stereo config using two 120 XL's
Since this 5 arrived it's not been happening!
I will consider your suggestion and try that next gig , because if that fails I'll just switch back to my Jazz standard and Ric 4003
Cheers
 
#15
Not quite sure. I have a G&L L2500 with DR Sunbeams. Love the bass, love the strings but hate the B-string. Muddy all the way. I tend to assume that 34" and 125 gauge just don't fit the bill for a decent B-string. And I don't have the patience for endless string experiments. I have settled looking at my 5-banger as a four string bass that I can use for an occasional low D. But I never would dwell on a muddy 5th fret E when I can get a perfect sounding open E string. And I tend to avoid open strings, normally. I am considering adding a 35" to my stable. Maybe I can bond with the B string then.

My point is: maybe you haven't got an amp issue but a scale/gauge issue.
 
#17
So, back to your original question, which is a recommendation. I do agree that there's some exploration that should be done on your setup. But none of that solves your heavy amp conundrum.

I play almost exclusively 5-string in medium to large venues and have been using the Fender Rumble 200 lately. Very solid combo, plenty of power and headroom, handles my B-string like a champ. Most importantly, 37 lbs. If you're playing small rooms you could potentially go down to the 12" speaker (I think Rumble 100?), mine is the 15". The Ampeg Rocket combos are also great and come in the same size configurations as the Rumble.
 
#19
Heisenbass said:
Not quite sure. I have a G&L L2500 with DR Sunbeams. Love the bass, love the strings but hate the B-string. Muddy all the way. I tend to assume that 34" and 125 gauge just don't fit the bill for a decent B-string. And I don't have the patience for endless string experiments. I have settled looking at my 5-banger as a four string bass that I can use for an occasional low D. But I never would dwell on a muddy 5th fret E when I can get a perfect sounding open E string. And I tend to avoid open strings, normally. I am considering adding a 35" to my stable. Maybe I can bond with the B string then.

My point is: maybe you haven't got an amp issue but a scale/gauge issue.
Click to expand...
Excellent response my good man ! I've never thought about the strings as I've always been satisfied with the choices afforded me as a four string bassist , after 45 yrs of that format , I'm now questioning the engineering of said bass string technology, in terms of deliverance !, probably delving into a new world of bass string technology ! Whoever cracks this void of deliver ability
Will be RICH !
String makers this is your challenge!
Please deliver the critically awaited results !

Me for one !
 
#20
Most bass guitar cabinets can't reproduce the fundamental of the lowest notes on a 4 string. Notes lower than E on a 5 string? Yeah, I highly doubt you'll find a combo that handles the those notes well. The usual solution is to knock the fundamentals out with a high pass filter.

Those fundamentals are awesome through a PA that can reproduce them well. Through most bass rigs, they cause over excursion/ distortion/ mud. It's not the fundamentals that sound like mud, it's the harmonics that the cabinet produces when it gets pushed where it can't really go.
 
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