Best bass combo for a Five string bass

[Jazzbassguy77]

Thanks bro , got that seems I’m chasing the holy grail that doesn’t exist !
So gotta make do with what I’ve got ! Re-Evaluation of the situation is foremost now!

 

[Jazzbassguy77]

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.

Hey J j totally appreciate your input here and will act on tomorrow at the earliest !

 

[Jazzbassguy77]

Hey J j totally appreciate your input here and will act on tomorrow at the earliest !
thank you !

 

[Jazzbassguy77]

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.

Thanks for replying you’re right on all accounts I can can almost get the clean open open E in the Fifth , it’s all Downhill after that ! As i said : whoever cracks a new clarity for this frequency for us electric bassists is Now Bass God
That Us The Challenge out there for Mainstream Pro string makers !

 

[mike buzzetti]

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.

Ummm gotta say your wrong in one case, I have a MB CMD102p combo and it handles the low B just fine no farting out at all , Its 2x10's ,300 watts @ 8 ohms and it is just fine, weight is 44lbs. FYI < I rarely have to PA backup this rig.

 

[Big Benner]

Another vote for the Markbass CMD102P. I’ve been playing 5strings exclusively through it for over 10 years = Music Man Stingray 5, Lakland 5, and for the last 3-4 years a NS CR5 which has a great clean & clear low B. Highly recommended.
Benner

 

[mike buzzetti]

Another vote for the Markbass CMD102P. I’ve been playing 5strings exclusively through it for over 10 years = Music Man Stingray 5, Lakland 5, and for the last 3-4 years a NS CR5 which has a great clean & clear low B. Highly recommended.
Benner

I also have a MB 121 1x12" same head / power but it doesnt even come close , I use it for smaller gigs inside.

 

[micguy]

26552298[/URL], member: 341618"]Ummm gotta say your wrong in one case, I have a MB CMD102p combo and it handles the low B just fine no farting out at all , Its 2x10's ,300 watts @ 8 ohms and it is just fine, weight is 44lbs. FYI < I rarely have to PA backup this rig.

“Handling” a low B is very different from reproducing the fundamental of that note. If your 210 combo doesn’t fart out at decent levels on a low B, it’s got a high pass filtering out the fundamental.

 

[Jazzbassguy77]

Ummm gotta say your wrong in one case, I have a MB CMD102p combo and it handles the low B just fine no farting out at all , Its 2x10's ,300 watts @ 8 ohms and it is just fine, weight is 44lbs. FYI < I rarely have to PA backup this rig.

Thank you for your reply bro’ I’m struggling to get a result for my Problematic bass issue !

 

[Jazzbassguy77]

Thank you for your reply bro’ I’m struggling to get a result for my Problematic bass issue !

By the way my GK 700II is the best US amp I’ve ever used !
And I’ve used loads of Amos before that!

 

[two fingers]

I agree with many of the previous posts. Setup and an HPF could get you part of the way there.

Physics will prevent you from getting all the way, though. You're asking a lot of one little speaker.

My advice?

Sell your combos. Both of them. Go out am get a very compact head. TC makes some. Trace Elliot Elf seems to get a lot of praise. The Elf would literally fit in the pocket of your gig bag.

Then get about the tast of getting one or two VERY lightweight cabs.

Here's the thing about cabs amd cost. Light, loud, cheap. You can pick any two, but not all three.

If it's loud and cheap, it will not be light.
If it's cheap and light, it will not be loud.
If it's light and loud, it will not be cheap.

Get a Mesa Subway 112. Then save up for another if you think you need it. I did that with the 115. Now I take 1 to most gigs, and 2 to gigs where I need stupid amounts of volume.

Modular is the way to go. Worst case, you run back to the car to grab your second ridiculously lightweight cab.

Just my two cents. Best of luck either way.

 

[Jazzbassguy77]

I agree with many of the previous posts. Setup and an HPF could get you part of the way there.

Physics will prevent you from getting all the way, though. You're asking a lot of one little speaker.

My advice?

Sell your combos. Both of them. Go out am get a very compact head. TC makes some. Trace Elliot Elf seems to get a lot of praise. The Elf would literally fit in the pocket of your gig bag.

Then get about the tast of getting one or two VERY lightweight cabs.

Here's the thing about cabs amd cost. Light, loud, cheap. You can pick any two, but not all three.

If it's loud and cheap, it will not be light.
If it's cheap and light, it will not be loud.
If it's light and loud, it will not be cheap.

Get a Mesa Subway 112. Then save up for another if you think you need it. I did that with the 115. Now I take 1 toast gigs, and 2 to gigs where I need stupid amounts of volume.

Modular is the way to go. Worst case, you run back to the car to grab your second ridiculously lightweight cab.

Just my two cents. Best of luck either way.

Sound advice from someone who knows , been there, done that etc!

 

[mike buzzetti]

“Handling” a low B is very different from reproducing the fundamental of that note. If your 210 combo doesn’t fart out at decent levels on a low B, it’s got a high pass filtering out the fundamental.

the Fundimental freq of a low B IS a low B RIGHT ??? 30.8677HZ , then theres harmonics etc.

 

[George Dennis]

Thank you for your reply bro’ I’m struggling to get a result for my Problematic bass issue !

I really like the sound of my Warwick Thumb low B string from through my 120xl.
It did take me a while to find the best tone from that combo which I now get by equalising to remove all low mids (-10) and replacing with high mids (up to +10). I keep bass flat around "- 0 +" and add a hint if treble when using bass in passive mode. I use this eq on the combo with the "Super Flat" setting (shape on) and -10 pad.

I'm very happy with the results (as are my band) so I tend to agree with the others who say it must be a bass setup issue if you're getting two different speaker responses to the same low E note.
To my ears, I prefer the tonally focussed 5th fret E1 to the open E1.
Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I only play "notes" down to the "D1". For this set up, anything below that doesn't add tone but colour (eg passing notes) ... but is still worth it for that fretted bottom E!

PS. I don't really understand the physics of cabs and combos but appreciate that cleanly reproducing a tone with an 11.5 metre wavelength (B0) involves moving a lot of air!

 

[Gearhead17]

Lots of interesting replies, but I feel many have missed the biggest problem of all - the bass.
Jazz Bass Guy77: "it was set up at the factory and as I usually never had that problem with any other basses"

Number one problem, no setup done on the bass. Andy, have you done any intonation, action adjustments, neck adjustments since you bought the bass? NEVER trust factory setups. Humidity levels, temperature differences, and so on will effect your bass before it lands onto your shoulders.

1. What about the strings? Have you replaced them yet?
2. What brand and model of bass did you buy?
3. Where are the knobs set to on the bass?
4. Is the bass active? Does it have a 9 volt battery inside of it?

How hard are you hitting the 5th string compared to the 4th string? (You can't beat on the 5th string like you can on 4th or 3rd strings).

Jazz Bass Guy77: "What’s also showing is our 1200 watt small PA rig subs’ not handling it very well either."
My educated guess: You have the bass knob cranked on the 5 string and/or the PA mixer is set incorrectly leading to you thinking the PA "can't handle the low end".

In summary, get the bass sounding good on it's own then address the other issues you have.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

Fender Rumble 500 v3 combo

 

[el murdoque]

the Fundimental freq of a low B IS a low B RIGHT ??? 30.8677HZ , then theres harmonics etc.

Correct.
However - I play with a LOT of bass EQed into my system and nonetheless I highpass at around 55-65Hz.

You basically set the HPF wide open and play low, with an EQ that favors lows, you will get a lot of mud.
Then you close the HPF bit by bit and it will remove frequencies that are unwanted. You keep doing that until you can detect that frequencies that you do want are cut. When that happens you back off a little bit again and you're set.
Try and switch the HPF on and off with those settings.
What happens to most people is that the HPF is set way higher than they would have guessed and cutting frequencies they thought they need. The result is a much cleaner low end.

 

[Yahboy]

Hartke KB15 , made the cheapo Ray5 and Ibby SRFF805 B string sound solid ,clear and tight even volume knob point to 3.00 o'clock.

Rumble V3 200/150, good to you if you looking for bloommmmm and soffffffffffffft and plummmmp B string voice.

Tech21 VT200 combo, B string sound fine below 1 o'clock (Drive at 10.30), otherwise she get fart but not distort at high volume.

EBS Classic Session 120 (26kg version) , B string sound great on it at medium volume.

Ampeg RB115, if boomy B string thing is your taste.

Ampeg Micro SVT 200 + 210 : " Errrr , you make my B string sound NO BALL"

 

[Jazzbassguy77]

Sound advice from someone who knows , been there, done that etc!

Thanks for your reply two fingers
I’m getting loads of good advice from bassists everywhere on this forum now , yours is one I’m seriously thinking of doing soon!

 

[Jazzbassguy77]

I agree with many of the previous posts. Setup and an HPF could get you part of the way there.

Physics will prevent you from getting all the way, though. You're asking a lot of one little speaker.

My advice?

Sell your combos. Both of them. Go out am get a very compact head. TC makes some. Trace Elliot Elf seems to get a lot of praise. The Elf would literally fit in the pocket of your gig bag.

Then get about the tast of getting one or two VERY lightweight cabs.

Here's the thing about cabs amd cost. Light, loud, cheap. You can pick any two, but not all three.

If it's loud and cheap, it will not be light.
If it's cheap and light, it will not be loud.
If it's light and loud, it will not be cheap.

Get a Mesa Subway 112. Then save up for another if you think you need it. I did that with the 115. Now I take 1 toast gigs, and 2 to gigs where I need stupid amounts of volume.

Modular is the way to go. Worst case, you run back to the car to grab your second ridiculously lightweight cab.

Just my two cents. Best of luck either way.

Thanks for the really good advice , it’s probably not my Amps that’s at fault , more likely my old age and lack of skill that’s at play here !