Country bass players - what you using?

[BurritoBass]

I'm looking for a Bass combo to go with my P-bass as I have a depping gig for an alt.country / roots band. I only have a budget of about £350 / $500. What would people recommend or what do YOU use? I'm tempted bt the Ampeg BA115 but I really want to know what others are using. Cheers

 

[Edword]

I use an Ampeg Portabass 228 at rehearsal and a G-B Shuttlemax 12.0/NEOX-212T at gigs. Previous to the G-B gear I used a Traynor YBA-3 head and various 8x10 and 1x15 cabs.

 

[coastie72]

I would look at the Carvin BR515N combo, 500 watts 15" Neo Speaker, HF driver all at 40lbs. It's a little more than you want to spend but I think it would be worth it!
www.carvin.com

 

[dbase]

I use an Ibanez 35watt 1x10 combo for practice and very small gigs.
For larger gigs I use my Hartke LH500 and a Hartke 2x10 cab.
For outside or even bigger gigs, I add another 2x10 cab.
We play country and real old standards.

 

[Deepwoods]

I've got a Yorkville DB200. It's 200 watts with an extension speaker (has a 15" + defeatable horn onboard). There's also a 2x10 version. Lots of cool pro features and pretty portable. I remove the rear casters to angle it slightly. It sounds great with my P bass doing roots rock in small/med. clubs and you should be able to get one very close to your budget. They are built like tanks with a great warranty also.

 

[experimental bassist]

I'm looking for a Bass combo to go with my P-bass as I have a depping gig for an alt.country / roots band. I only have a budget of about £350 / $500. What would people recommend or what do YOU use? I'm tempted bt the Ampeg BA115 but I really want to know what others are using. Cheers

I was in a country/roots/rock band 2 years ago and primarily used an Ampeg BA-210 and I thought it did quite well.

Perhaps you could find a used BA-115HP (220 watt) in your budget. Those little 220w Ampeg combos get quite loud for their size (heavy though), and the built in tuner is cool.

 

[hitch]

I tour in an Alt Country/Americana band right now and I use a Schroeder 15 with a Markbass F1. The entire setup cost me about $800 because I waited till I found the right deals. Its light, its loud, and its an SVT stack scaled down, in my opinion.

 

[southernrocker]

Check out the acoustic stuff. It is great and good priced.

 

[Jim Carr]

I love country but hate combos. Get a good head and add good cabs. Start with a 2x10. All IMHO.

Buy Used!

 

[Justice]

MXR-M80 Bass DI direct into the board...no amp

 

[JimmyM]

In that price range, I'd see what you can get a B100R or B200R for. For that kind of music, I think they sound even better than the BA115. They're not as bottom heavy, but I think they're an all-around better sounding combo. BA115's good, but it's a little too heavy on the lows and highs for me.

 

[dhomer]

I've played a BA115 w/my active fiver. Cranked every volume control on the thing and the drummer (not overpowering) drowned it out in the rehearsal room. Would only use it with an extension cab, and/or w/PA support. I did use the preamp section of that amp once when my Bmax went down. Ran through a DCM600 and a big rig, sounded good... BTW, ain't a five-string almost a required tool for country?

 

[JimmyM]

I've played a BA115 w/my active fiver. Cranked every volume control on the thing and the drummer (not overpowering) drowned it out in the rehearsal room. Would only use it with an extension cab, and/or w/PA support. I did use the preamp section of that amp once when my Bmax went down. Ran through a DCM600 and a big rig, sounded good... BTW, ain't a five-string almost a required tool for country?

It is for that slick overproduced horsecrap coming out of Nashville these days. For an alt.country band, a 4-string is the way to go, and you might even lose cool points for using a 5'er. And make no mistake...coolness counts.

 

[silky smoove]

I've been using an Aguilar DB750 into a Schroeder 410R. I just got a pair of Schroeder 115L+'s that I'll be using tomorrow night at practice.

 

[meatwad]

Man, drop the combo idea and go for an old Peavey Mark III or IV head and matching 2x15 cab. One of the best country and/or southern rock bass tones I've ever heard came from one of these rigs and a '71 Jazz Bass.


http://cgi.ebay.com/Peavey-standard-Mark-III-series-400-watt-head_W0QQitemZ160333739351QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2554a2b557&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A2079|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

 

[billoetjen]

Hey Burrito guy,

I have a BA115HPT and it's great for some situations (like, R&R) but I hate it for country. I'd suggest a Carvin active PA like the LS1503a. Very neutral sound, with a solid thump. but they seem hard to find.
15" thump over 10" punch, for sure.
Peavey? Maybe a B 100R or B200R. Whatever you use, play flats and only four of them!

Have fun and stay in the groove.

 

[rdpbass]

I use A DB 750 Schroeder 31210 or El Whappo . We play a little to loud. The guitar player plays thrua DR. Z 45 wt amp that gets insanely way to much volume.

 

[hitch]

It is for that slick overproduced horsecrap coming out of Nashville these days. For an alt.country band, a 4-string is the way to go, and you might even lose cool points for using a 5'er. And make no mistake...coolness counts.

AMEN my brother.. There is nothing you can do on a 5 string that can't be done on a 4 string. Just keep it low and keep it simple. Especially for that kinda music.

 

[phatbass]

For my Country gigs, I use my Markbass SA450 into a home made box with a single Black Widow 15.

 

[pgk]

i'm not into combos at all but for alt-country i'd get one thing and one thing only, a used Ashdown abm combo with a 15; big, fat and warm. you should be able to find one used in your price range. but since you listed your price markers in both pounds and dollars i don't know if you're here or across the pond...