currently i have a big bass amp that would require me to use uber but i do have a tech 21 bass fly rig pedal/preamp and a yorkville 50 watt bass amp for practice but anyways what should i get that could work for someone without a car.
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Best rig for musician without a car.
- Thread starter Ryan George
- Start date
I'm just looking to get into a band again and probably just bars and clubs around Toronto.
I have no affiliation. I just searched Arizona Craigslist v8 van and scrolled looking for one with windows all around.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and post a sweet NVD thread up. Stupid cheap and already having a look going on (easily undone and styled different).
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and post a sweet NVD thread up. Stupid cheap and already having a look going on (easily undone and styled different).
For posterity:
Smash out a bunch of work while you’re awake, get overtime if you can, survive on rice, get you some wheels.
it’s a van or camry from a dry state or custom IEM’s & transmitter, DI box, any pedalboard you’ve built up, and maybe some sort of setup that allows you your own mix of bandmates in your ears.
Smash out a bunch of work while you’re awake, get overtime if you can, survive on rice, get you some wheels.
it’s a van or camry from a dry state or custom IEM’s & transmitter, DI box, any pedalboard you’ve built up, and maybe some sort of setup that allows you your own mix of bandmates in your ears.
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Markbass CMD 121P
Easy one hand carry and enough power for your stated purpose, and you can add an external speaker if you need more.
Easy one hand carry and enough power for your stated purpose, and you can add an external speaker if you need more.
How are you going to get around without a car?
You could always plug into the PA system at whatever venue you're playing
Or get a powered speaker, they seem pretty light. I could be mistaken, but they seem easier to carry than a tube driven half stack
Or get a powered speaker, they seem pretty light. I could be mistaken, but they seem easier to carry than a tube driven half stack
i currently take the bus i would uber worst case if i have to play a proper gig with a big amp but i want to keep all my commute on the bus with a backpack and my bass guitar.
Get a trumpet instead. Lighter and more compact.
I have a 210 and a class D head but usually the venue has something so I rarely have to bring it anywhere these days.
I would think this would be a club by club decision, and also depends greatly on what sorts of instrumentations are in the groups you'll be playing with.
At places with a monitoring system that actually does its job against the volume of your group, and competent sound people, you can get by with just a direct box. At places with less than good monitoring, you will benefit from having your own monitor. You probably want a lightweight combo in this case – preferably with its own XLR output as well.
A Rumble 200 (actually a 140 W amp without the extension cab) is a very capable amp, and weighs only 35 lb. That's really not very hard to carry, even on public transit – however, it wouldn't be all that fun for walking any more than a mile or two. The Rumble 100 has most of the same features, just 40 W less power, and a smaller speaker. It weighs 22 lb. It doesn't sound like a huge difference in weight, but that's actually far more walkable, IMO/IME.
Both of these have slip covers available for protection, and are chock full of features that used to be uncommon on amps of that price, e.g. 4-band e.q. with a couple of pre-set buttons, XLR out, headphone out, aux. in., detachable power cable, and built in foot-switchable distortion. They're versatile, lightweight, low-budget amps that perform and sound well above what their price point would seem to indicate.
If you know you're going to be taking Uber or public transit, and not walking any more than a mile or two, I'd get the Rumble 200. If you will doing more walking, get the 100.
At places with a monitoring system that actually does its job against the volume of your group, and competent sound people, you can get by with just a direct box. At places with less than good monitoring, you will benefit from having your own monitor. You probably want a lightweight combo in this case – preferably with its own XLR output as well.
A Rumble 200 (actually a 140 W amp without the extension cab) is a very capable amp, and weighs only 35 lb. That's really not very hard to carry, even on public transit – however, it wouldn't be all that fun for walking any more than a mile or two. The Rumble 100 has most of the same features, just 40 W less power, and a smaller speaker. It weighs 22 lb. It doesn't sound like a huge difference in weight, but that's actually far more walkable, IMO/IME.
Both of these have slip covers available for protection, and are chock full of features that used to be uncommon on amps of that price, e.g. 4-band e.q. with a couple of pre-set buttons, XLR out, headphone out, aux. in., detachable power cable, and built in foot-switchable distortion. They're versatile, lightweight, low-budget amps that perform and sound well above what their price point would seem to indicate.
If you know you're going to be taking Uber or public transit, and not walking any more than a mile or two, I'd get the Rumble 200. If you will doing more walking, get the 100.
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Assuming the band isn't too loud, your current setup might work. From your Bass Fly Rig, you could run the 1/4 inch out to your amp and the XLR out to the board.
If the club has a great PA, you could go ampless and just run the XLR to the mains and monitors. If you need the amp and it's too heavy, sell it and get a Fender Rumble. Very reliable and light units. Get a small dolly to wheel it down the street if you're walking a substantial distance. Good luck getting back out there!
If the club has a great PA, you could go ampless and just run the XLR to the mains and monitors. If you need the amp and it's too heavy, sell it and get a Fender Rumble. Very reliable and light units. Get a small dolly to wheel it down the street if you're walking a substantial distance. Good luck getting back out there!
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If I were in your situation, I would want the lightest/smallest amp and cab I could afford. I would look at GR bass first and foremost, then stuff like the TC Electronics BAM, Warwick Gnome or Trace Elliot ELF if you have a smaller budget.
Buy a good bass gigbag with shoulder straps and put the head in the bag and attach the cabinet to a small foldable hand trolley so that you can wheel it around. Even though small cabs are light, a trolley makes things a lot easier.
Best of luck!
Buy a good bass gigbag with shoulder straps and put the head in the bag and attach the cabinet to a small foldable hand trolley so that you can wheel it around. Even though small cabs are light, a trolley makes things a lot easier.
Best of luck!
Depends on how old you are, frankly. I used to travel on the TTC from VP down to College & Bathurst to do gigs at the Hideout, carrying a GK210 combo on a fold up cart that I got from Canadian tire for like $40. This is made much easier now with the new streetcars… I was doing this on the old ones, which would seriously suck for me if I had to do that nowadays.
I think you should consider which venue you’ll be playing on any given night and decide from there. For instance, Drom has backline and if you brought your amp, it would only be because you really want to use it for whatever reason. Whereas, for Lula Lounge you’d likely use either IEMs or a tiny amp just as a monitor. But if you’re playing at Tranzac or Cameron House, your amp needs to carry the night for you.
If you buy a new amp, get one that can do just slightly more than what you would need at your most commonly played venue - for me, that was that old GK 210. It was loud enough for the Hideout which was a frikin LOUD venue, and small enough that I could use it as a monitor on even bigger stages without it being difficult to cart around.
Hope that helps!
Hello friend
I am similar, I am from LI ny where everyone drives but plan to either move to NYC or North Jersey and use mostly public transport, but even in LI there is an OK LIRR system. Will you be taking public transport, train or walking? If you are taking any form of transport, I think you can kind of get away with something like Bareface, take a look at their models, they have some loud amps and also Alex from Bareface is awesome to talk to on email. Phil Jones is also very good if you are a walker, but you can probably handle bigger and if you can get a cart of some kind, you can probably also get by.
So I would say, Bareface, Phil Jones, Markbass has some cabs or combos you may like, even Orange amps have some small ones that are loud to me. (There's also tons of brands that in this market of small cabs and amps, people on here gonna share loads but always good seeing it) If combos are also OK there's some decent options, also depends on the venues if you play at venues that are loaded with FOH, (which most places are these days) you can literally just use pedals and IEM earbuds, or some kind of small combo or cab, but headroom is the problem. Also venue size is a case by case thing, if you play at a small bar, you won't even need much power IMO, if you play in some stadium with FOH, yeah even then you may need some more rig power.
I asked a similar question if you want to look at it
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/lo...cab-stuck-between-some.1624552/#post-27846279
Also thought this video kind of talks a little bit of the problem today.
Good luck, I'm gonna keep tabs on this post because I may be similar situation wherever I move.
Also to the car folks, not everyone wants to drive, and not everyone needs a car, the OP said they are from Toronto, I'm not familiar with Toronto's public transport but I have a friend who plays Upright and takes the buses there... so stop assuming so quickly or giving unneeded advice.
I am similar, I am from LI ny where everyone drives but plan to either move to NYC or North Jersey and use mostly public transport, but even in LI there is an OK LIRR system. Will you be taking public transport, train or walking? If you are taking any form of transport, I think you can kind of get away with something like Bareface, take a look at their models, they have some loud amps and also Alex from Bareface is awesome to talk to on email. Phil Jones is also very good if you are a walker, but you can probably handle bigger and if you can get a cart of some kind, you can probably also get by.
So I would say, Bareface, Phil Jones, Markbass has some cabs or combos you may like, even Orange amps have some small ones that are loud to me. (There's also tons of brands that in this market of small cabs and amps, people on here gonna share loads but always good seeing it) If combos are also OK there's some decent options, also depends on the venues if you play at venues that are loaded with FOH, (which most places are these days) you can literally just use pedals and IEM earbuds, or some kind of small combo or cab, but headroom is the problem. Also venue size is a case by case thing, if you play at a small bar, you won't even need much power IMO, if you play in some stadium with FOH, yeah even then you may need some more rig power.
I asked a similar question if you want to look at it
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/lo...cab-stuck-between-some.1624552/#post-27846279
Also thought this video kind of talks a little bit of the problem today.
Good luck, I'm gonna keep tabs on this post because I may be similar situation wherever I move.
Also to the car folks, not everyone wants to drive, and not everyone needs a car, the OP said they are from Toronto, I'm not familiar with Toronto's public transport but I have a friend who plays Upright and takes the buses there... so stop assuming so quickly or giving unneeded advice.
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I did this. It’s way more work than it’s worth lol
Although I have gotten pretty darn good at the thing!
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