You do you. But showing up to a gig with a light bass, a small backpack filled with gigging necessities (including 3 oz custom molded IEM’s) and a small pedalboard is my preferred method.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Big Amps will come back one day!!!
- Thread starter jkalads
- Start date
I loved all my large SUNN cabinets, my Coliseum head..and before that, my 1969 SVT and two cabs.. I also loved my two Cerwin-Vega B-36 MF cabs. All sold. My SUNN 215 SH folded horn, sat in my hallway for 14 years, unused.
I'm 72, have crushed discs and Sciatica, and two things are reality now. I don't play as many gigs, and the sound people really don't like it when you bring a big bass amp into the gig. Regardless of the amp you show up with, you will typically be buried under the most important single thing in most house mixes now.... the kick drum. So why carry a 150 pound cabinet, and a 100 pound head, and it's simply unnecessary? The second thing- is contrary to my long term belief that I was Superman, and no SVT was going to defeat my strength... a 75 pound Euphonic cabinet got sold, because..... it was 75 pounds. I have other cabs that are literally 40 pounds lighter now. My small gig amp is a 35 pound Rumble 200.
I will use a Rumble 2x10 and a four pound Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 this weekend. If I were to bring an SVT to that gig, I'd likely be fired.
Times change, and aside from occasional retro fads, things from one era, usually do not return to being the norm. If that were so, I'd be driving a 1953 Studebaker to my ranch house that I paid off with gig money. Now, we're lucky to have a 20 year old 4 thousand dollar car with less than 200 thousand miles on it.
I'm 72, have crushed discs and Sciatica, and two things are reality now. I don't play as many gigs, and the sound people really don't like it when you bring a big bass amp into the gig. Regardless of the amp you show up with, you will typically be buried under the most important single thing in most house mixes now.... the kick drum. So why carry a 150 pound cabinet, and a 100 pound head, and it's simply unnecessary? The second thing- is contrary to my long term belief that I was Superman, and no SVT was going to defeat my strength... a 75 pound Euphonic cabinet got sold, because..... it was 75 pounds. I have other cabs that are literally 40 pounds lighter now. My small gig amp is a 35 pound Rumble 200.
I will use a Rumble 2x10 and a four pound Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 this weekend. If I were to bring an SVT to that gig, I'd likely be fired.
Times change, and aside from occasional retro fads, things from one era, usually do not return to being the norm. If that were so, I'd be driving a 1953 Studebaker to my ranch house that I paid off with gig money. Now, we're lucky to have a 20 year old 4 thousand dollar car with less than 200 thousand miles on it.
I personally think that more AI and computer instant gratification is eventually going to backlash and "Retro Clubs" will be a thing in the future where there will be a demand for situations unobtainable by technology...this includes the full blown live music experience. Im already seeing the seeds of this now with Gen Z
TB REALLY does need a POPCORN emoji. Munch munch.
Couple Q’s:
Does “Big” =
A) Tubes?
B) More than 80 pounds?
C) More than 50 pounds?
D) NOT Class D (see what I did there?)?
E) Massive Power Transformer?
F) Tom Hanks
My little Russian made Shift Line preamp (a gem) has a tube; does that make it “Big?”
Or does “Big” mean an SVT, and everything else is small? I mean, at 85+ pounds, everything else IS small. I do love a healthy SVT behind me. But, it will be a cold day down under before I’m found dragging an 85+ pound amp to my $100 gigs. Didn’t happen 40 years ago, and won’t happen any time soon. BTW, my back does NOT hurt; except after the wife puts me to work in her “garden.” But, that’s nothing a little Ibuprofen can’t soothe.
My “Big” rig is either an Alembic F1-X or Demeter VTBP-201 into a QSC GX7. I believe the GX7 weighs in at just a shade over 15 pounds. It is not Class D. I have to be really careful using it; because it can definitely blow the cones out of the baskets of any drivers made by humans. It doesn’t have tubes; so, perhaps, it isn’t “Big.”
Or, perhaps, anything in a 19” rack is “Big?” I have a Demeter VTBP-201 with an 800W internal Class D in a rack. Does that make it “Big?” Or, is the Class D fatal?
The Fender Super Bassman gets close enough to the SVT thing for my purposes. At 65 pounds, it is ONLY 3/4 the weight of the SVT. But, it has tubes; so, I suppose it is big.
The vast majority of my gigs are Vocals centric. I can’t use much more than a single 12” or 15” on the stage, because the rest of the band is listening for harmonies. Not so much bass guitar. I COULD physically put an SVT on the 12” or 15” cab. But, I’m uncertain that it would look “rad.” My guess would be closer to foolish. My cabs are well made; so, the SVT wouldn’t crush them, but still…
Meanwhile, my Class D amps are smokin’. Demeter, Genz Benz, GK, Mesa; NO lack of pure bass tone in the bunch.
Anyhow, I obviously am uninformed as to what constitutes “Big.” Here’s me thinking that the bass PLAYING ought to be “Big.” But, what do I know? I’ll go away now…
Couple Q’s:
Does “Big” =
A) Tubes?
B) More than 80 pounds?
C) More than 50 pounds?
D) NOT Class D (see what I did there?)?
E) Massive Power Transformer?
F) Tom Hanks
My little Russian made Shift Line preamp (a gem) has a tube; does that make it “Big?”
Or does “Big” mean an SVT, and everything else is small? I mean, at 85+ pounds, everything else IS small. I do love a healthy SVT behind me. But, it will be a cold day down under before I’m found dragging an 85+ pound amp to my $100 gigs. Didn’t happen 40 years ago, and won’t happen any time soon. BTW, my back does NOT hurt; except after the wife puts me to work in her “garden.” But, that’s nothing a little Ibuprofen can’t soothe.
My “Big” rig is either an Alembic F1-X or Demeter VTBP-201 into a QSC GX7. I believe the GX7 weighs in at just a shade over 15 pounds. It is not Class D. I have to be really careful using it; because it can definitely blow the cones out of the baskets of any drivers made by humans. It doesn’t have tubes; so, perhaps, it isn’t “Big.”
Or, perhaps, anything in a 19” rack is “Big?” I have a Demeter VTBP-201 with an 800W internal Class D in a rack. Does that make it “Big?” Or, is the Class D fatal?
The Fender Super Bassman gets close enough to the SVT thing for my purposes. At 65 pounds, it is ONLY 3/4 the weight of the SVT. But, it has tubes; so, I suppose it is big.
The vast majority of my gigs are Vocals centric. I can’t use much more than a single 12” or 15” on the stage, because the rest of the band is listening for harmonies. Not so much bass guitar. I COULD physically put an SVT on the 12” or 15” cab. But, I’m uncertain that it would look “rad.” My guess would be closer to foolish. My cabs are well made; so, the SVT wouldn’t crush them, but still…
Meanwhile, my Class D amps are smokin’. Demeter, Genz Benz, GK, Mesa; NO lack of pure bass tone in the bunch.
Anyhow, I obviously am uninformed as to what constitutes “Big.” Here’s me thinking that the bass PLAYING ought to be “Big.” But, what do I know? I’ll go away now…
Have my 70's fridge listed locally for $350. for about 6 months now. People call with lower offers.
Well, somebody sure thinks so because I keep getting these emails from Sunn telling me to invest in their return.
I just want to say that is the coolest upright rig I have ever seen. It can't be fun to move all of that around, but
Not sure where you are, but try FB Marketplace. I just checked and found a few well below that here in the Southeast US.
That's where I check. Craigslist for my area seems pretty dead (coastal Carolina).
To each his/her own but when you are playing stages with HUGE and KILLER FOH systems there is absolutely NO reason for a massive bass rig (or really any bass rig for that matter). I spent the better part of 2 decades playing with at least one 810 on stage. These days I am IEM and a pedalboard and I would NEVER go back.
Yeah I check CL once in a while for gear and band members wanted posts. It's not great.
For shows with roadies, sure, someday, maybe. But even the gigantic stages are using IEM and modelers. It's more likely that they'll use an empty shell as a stage prop.
I love my Aguilar stuff but I always liked having my old SVT back in the day. The Aguilar stuff is better, lighter and more reliable.
Let's go back to Steam machines! Those are the only real engines, not like those new lifeless turbocharged cars that have no horsepower nor soul.
Everyone has their own preference. But for all the TalkBass back hurts / silent stage, while that is a real thing it is still the case that just about every show I've seen major or club in the last few years is still guitar stacks or at least Twins and big bass amps.
In my own experience I see bare stages with cover and review bands more often than with original bands.
This has been my experience as well. Originals bands need proper amps, especially less established ones. They could be playing a nice venue with a full PA one night and a dive bar or DIY venue with no monitors the next. I also have never met an originals band that brings their own PA/monitors setup for venues that are lacking - not enough money in it to justify the cost.
Big rigs are great when its provided backline. I gig extensively in LA, and 99% of places have backline. Its great to have a big ole' gankin' head there, sometimes. Some of these places require you to play with it. Plenty of times Ive brought a new lightweight head in case I didnt get along with the provided head. Never have I brought a cabinet in case I didnt like the club's .
Mostly I use a preamp pedal to get "my sound" no matter the provided gear and get on with the show. When Ive had to bring stuff, its still neo speakers and class D heads, and that same preamp is doing the tone shaping duties.
Will big iron come back like records as someone said? Well, I have kids and here is what Ive observed:
Dad, I want a typewriter. They seem really retro cool.
I get them a typerwriter. They use it for a few days, discover it sux to not have a DELETE key. They realize how much a digital word processor is superior is 90% of situations and the typewriter is left fallow forevermore.
Same with records. Both kids had the same result with me. It was cool for ONE lone (first) night. After that, having to get up and flip it, drop the needle to repeat the song every time, run over to lift the stylus out of the run-out.... it sucks compared to having 10,000 songs at the flick of a thumb.
Big Iron gets old. Sure, nostalgia of buying that P.O.S. head you had when you were 16 all over again can be cool for you. I dont always want to drive a Suburban thru town to pickup milk tho, thats why I have a motorcycle for quick trips.
Mostly I use a preamp pedal to get "my sound" no matter the provided gear and get on with the show. When Ive had to bring stuff, its still neo speakers and class D heads, and that same preamp is doing the tone shaping duties.
Will big iron come back like records as someone said? Well, I have kids and here is what Ive observed:
Dad, I want a typewriter. They seem really retro cool.
I get them a typerwriter. They use it for a few days, discover it sux to not have a DELETE key. They realize how much a digital word processor is superior is 90% of situations and the typewriter is left fallow forevermore.
Same with records. Both kids had the same result with me. It was cool for ONE lone (first) night. After that, having to get up and flip it, drop the needle to repeat the song every time, run over to lift the stylus out of the run-out.... it sucks compared to having 10,000 songs at the flick of a thumb.
Big Iron gets old. Sure, nostalgia of buying that P.O.S. head you had when you were 16 all over again can be cool for you. I dont always want to drive a Suburban thru town to pickup milk tho, thats why I have a motorcycle for quick trips.
