combo or rig

[fenderbluesdude]

i have a 2x12 cab and a 300 watt head right know and its great! but i was thinking how much easier it would be to just get a goog combo probably the swr 1x12 workingmans combo and just use it for practices with the band, and when i would do gigs i would d.i. it into the pa system and just use the swr as a monitor, and when the place is big but still dosnt have a pa system i could just use a extension speaker so it would be louder! what do you guys think?

 

[Jack]

Sounds good to me, except that surely a head and a 212 cant be THAT much to carry round and when you use the combo and the cab itll be bigger!

 

[Mcrelly]

got a better idea. get two aguilar gs112s, keep the head and the 212. use 1 or 2 112s and in the rare occasion 2 112s and the 212!!! but that might lower your load on the amp too much? hmmmm

personally I would not go down to just a combo, unless you know your bands volume tastes very well. keep the "rig" and try the combo

 

[John D Harris]

i have a 2x12 cab and a 300 watt head right know and its great! but i was thinking how much easier it would be to just get a goog combo probably the swr 1x12 workingmans combo and just use it for practices with the band, and when i would do gigs i would d.i. it into the pa system and just use the swr as a monitor, and when the place is big but still dosnt have a pa system i could just use a extension speaker so it would be louder! what do you guys think?

A bassist that I respect and that really knows good equipment, uses a Roland DB-500 whenever he has PA support.

I never have PA support, so I prefer a rig/cab solution.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

My back has told me that loading/unloading 2 ligher pieces is much easier than one bulky heavy piece.

A head like the Eden Traveller, SWR350, or GK 400RB
thru a pair of Avatar 1x12's would make for a killer flexable and light rig.

 

[brianrost]

For rehearsals my solution has always been to have a beater amp that I can just leave there. A used Peavey or Crate combo for $100 and you're all set.

As far as gigs go, I have used combos at times but I keep going back to head/cab setups because they are more flexible, I just bring as few pieces as I need. If you are gonna play blues you will find many of your gigs will NOT have PA support so you need at least one amp that can fill the biggest rooms you will be playing in.

Since you already own a powerful head and cab, you could go this route:

1. buy a cheap used combo for rehearsals
2. buy a smaller cabinet to use instead of the 2-12 on gigs where you don't need the bigger cab

This will be the most cost effective solutiuon.

Just my advice after decades of blues gigs.

 

[IvanMike]

what brian said...........
imho a bagend 15 will do you wonders when you want to travel light
man, i hate combos.............. :scowl:

 

[lonote]

I went the opposite route. After (too many) years of lugging around various heads and cabinets, I now use an Ampeg B2 combo with 4-8" speakers (200W in this configuration). On bigger stages, I bring along an extension cabinet with a 15" JBL to get me the full 350W from the amp. The amp also has a built-in DI if I have/need front-of-the-house support, which I seldom do. I find this to be a very flexible set-up and nobody has complained that they can't hear the bass!

 

[IvanMike]

actually, re-reading your post i was reminded that i do like the swr wm 12 and 15 combos's
the 15 does a gig really well too and it will power a 2nd 8 ohm cabinet if ya need it too

 

[orange_nate]

i also hate combos....with a big rig you can get crisp tone that will slice through a loud guitarist when you run into them....(the ones that like to play their marshall at full blast with distortion!!!)...ah..