commence guitarist conversion in 3...2...1...

What kind of amps are your guitar players using? Pa support on all gigs? Transportation limitations?

IMHO a single 210 isnt enough for a gig. I would look at something more capable.

 

Tone hammer and any nice neo equipped 2x10 or 2x12(berg, Epifani, etc)

 

Agreed. I'd suggest a vertical 212.

 

Mesa Buster Bass 200(w) 115 combo... clean, loud, tubey, and capable of a huge variety of voicings just between bass/mid/treble with a switchable graphic EQ too. They come with wheels and a luggage handle. Used cost is $450 - $800 for the combos. Sometimes you can find them paired with an extension cab too.

 

For clubs with a full PA you can do very well by monitoring with a 2x10 and leaving the PA to do the work. This is particularly the case in the 200 to 300 sized places.

Take away the PA and then you need some firepower but never more than drums or vocals need. I gather a 2x10 is SOP in NYC small club scene.

 

The TB world at least is becoming aware of the square format's shortcomings. Venues are getting less and less tolerant of conversation killing volume.

 

That Epi cab is inherently rather mid-scooped. I haven't played a TH but from what I have read, that combination may not be very punchy/well-defined in the mids. It will also cost well over 1K.

 

i would suggest the GK MB 500 or 800 (the fusion preamp option is also there for these two amps) as for a cab i would say a 2x10 is ok if the bands not too loud but i think your gonna need a bit more. maybe a 2x12 or 2x15 with wheels. i dont know how you would get on at the subway with this setup but the GKs are fine and powerfull and will fit in your gig bag pocket and weigh next to nothing. good luck on your quest.

 

Have you considered a single 12" solution like the F112?

Here's a 30 lb'er.



http://bnaaudio.freeforums.net/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=4&page=3#93

 

You might want to check out the Genz Benz line. I play through the Genz Benz Streamliner 600 and NeoX 212t cab. Awesome tone very light and very loud.

 

+1 on the Streamliner. I've paired my 900 with more cabs than I can count (various brands, various driver sizes), and have always been able to get close enough to "my tone" to happily get through the gig.

I regularly rock that head with a single 2x10, and with FOH support, it's plenty to get the job done in most scenarios (naturally, this doesn't include "I have to compete with two Marshall stacks" scenarios).

 

original post said around 1K.....fEarless and GB rig bought new will be way over that, although I agree a fEarless 112 and a powerful micro head would be the cats meow for portability, volume and tone.

 

Not really the main question you asked but I couldn't help notice the slight bit of defense in your tone about pick playing. Please whatever you do, play the bass the way you are comfortable. You may find that the pick is your tone and your style after all.

And about the main question, I didn't play a whole lot of amps before I purchased my GK MB500 and MB410MBE cab but for the money, the sound and portability they give me is amazing. I always have people commenting about the amount of sound coming out of such a small rig. The flip side of this is that some of the less forward thinking musicians out there want to have a particular look, especially in the rock genre.

 

I too consider that a single 2x10 is insufficient to play a reasonably loud gig with. A pair, especially in a vertical stack, are very versatile. It's what I use. That said you have the constraints of the subway to cope with. As already suggested, a 2x12 with neo drivers might fit the bill.

There are so many "micro" amps out nowadays that the choice has to be up to you. That's a hunt that no one here can help with. You must also adjust everything that you know about amplification. Guitar and bass are similar instruments but their requirements for amplification differ considerably. I use Carvin for my power amps and they have reduced the weight of my load considerably. I believe in mounting my amps in SKB rack cases for protection. As long as I can lift the case with two fingers I'm a happy guy! Perhaps a rack bag could work for you.

You'll need a very good quality trolley or cart to be able to cope with stairs and escalators. Possibly some here can recommend one that works for them.

Please keep us informed of your progress and what you end up with. Congratulations on leaving the dark side and coming into the light.