Decent Combo for 5-string???

[lookslikemeband]

Sorry if this topic has been covered - I've done some research and haven't really found what I'm looking for.

I'm a guitar player (25 yrs)...

Doing some recording, so I've added a 5 string bass to get some of the lows (I play in dropped D and dropped C on guitar).

I went to GC today and played some different combos and noticed that not all of them handled the low B very well.

I'm asking for opinions on a decent rig for personal practice (don't need to gig with it)... something that can handle the 5 string

Something that'll give me the ooomf I need from a bass rig (I also like to add a little OD every now and then on bass).

Thank you.

 

[MNAirHead]

If it's recording and practice..

Go into a mixer.. headphone out..

Save the cash.. cheap amps suck for Extended Range Basses.

 

[srxplayer]

Look for used :

Peavey Combo 115. Not light and compact but does a decent job with a 5-String and you can get them fairly cheap used. They will also run a 4-ohm extention cab if needed.

G & K 2 X 10 Combos with the RB heads in them. Played through a couple of those with fivers and it did quite well. They even have a voicing switch for a 5-string. These will also run an extention cab.

 

[lookslikemeband]

Cool. I'll keep the Peavey in mind.

I played the Ampeg BA-115. I guess the hiss I heard is a common problem.

 

[fivestringgecko]

If it's recording and practice..

Go into a mixer.. headphone out..

This is essentially what I do as well... I live in an apartment, so I don't even bother turning on an amp. Instead, I go through a Line6 Toneport and do the headphone thing. It's great for practice... I don't need to haul out my pedalboard, the Pod Farm software has a bunch of great (modeled) gear.

They've updated since I got mine though, now they're called Line6 POD Studio, there's a few different models. This one is the updated version of mine, I think the only difference is that now it's black. lol

Other than that, if it's just a small practice amp, I'd probably do a 1x12 in the 100watt (minimum) range. My "practice" amp is a Hartke Kickback 12 (1x12, 120watts) and I'm constantly surprised at how well it does in a variety of situations. It's actually the very first amp I ever bought and it's still with me. I'll also add that to me, the kickback feature is key... I can use it as my very own stage monitor.

5sg.

 

[MNAirHead]

actually if our poster is a gadget freak.. a used PodXTLive has a bunch of functionality.. direct to usb recording interface.. tuner.. mp3 in headphone out etc.

Good hint at $150 used

 

[Elmo Oxygen]

Acoustic b200 combo (has a 15") goes low like a limbo champ.

 

[ppizza81]

Acoustic b200 combo (has a 15") goes low like a limbo champ.

just played one yesterday, and ended up buying the b200h head and a 115 cab
played five or six 5strings on it, all sounded great on both
my ibanez 5string sounds great on it
the combo was not bad though as i remember
fairly cheap too
definitely would reccomend it

 

[Elmo Oxygen]

Totally. I have the same head and a vintage peavey BW 1x15" & 2x8", it sounds like a rig that cost three times as much.

 

[seamonkey]

If it's recording and practice..

Go into a mixer.. headphone out..

Save the cash.. cheap amps suck for Extended Range Basses.

+1

There's so much more you can do with headphones and a good PC interface. Or even a hardware modeler.
Like trying out different amp, speaker, and mic placements. Or adding hall acoustics. Or slowing down or speeding songs you're playing along with.

So much more you can do.

 

[lookslikemeband]

actually if our poster is a gadget freak.. a used PodXTLive has a bunch of functionality.. direct to usb recording interface.. tuner.. mp3 in headphone out etc.

Good hint at $150 used

Yeah... I'm a gadget freak I think. My studio outboard:

 

[lookslikemeband]

+1

There's so much more you can do with headphones and a good PC interface. Or even a hardware modeler.
Like trying out different amp, speaker, and mic placements. Or adding hall acoustics. Or slowing down or speeding songs you're playing along with.

So much more you can do.

I agree when it comes to trying out different sounds and what not...

I just want to feel the bass lines I'm working out as they would sound out of an amp...

 

[bobcruz]

For practice I play through a used SWR Workingman's 12 that I bought for $50 due to a blown speaker. I put in an Eminence DeltaliteII neo with custom, longer Xmax sourced from Avatarspeakers.com for about $80, and retuned the rear port tube for lower extension, and that combo handles my low B like a piece of cake. (Sounds great in all other departments too.) I often have to turn down the bass EQ depending on room placement.

 

[Ben Coffin]

I just bought the Gallien Krueger MB115 from GC, and I have basses that fill all colors of the extended spectrum , and it sounds great and is super light weight and portable for $400.

 

[lookslikemeband]

That sounds very cool. They didn't have any GK combos at the Guitar Center I went to.

But I do appreciate the continued input.

You all know WAY more than I do about this sort of thing.

 

[fivestringgecko]

I love Talkbass for exactly that reason... if somebody hasn't already posted about something, chances are good that someone will have an answer. One of these days I'm going to get around to donating.

Did your GC have the Line6 Lowdown combos in stock? I've played through the Studio 110 and LD175 at my local store and was pretty impressed. Even the 110 did reasonably well with a low B... if you're just using it for practice, that might be just the ticket. The LD175 had some impressive oomph (175watts through a 15"), for my personal taste, it was almost TOO much with a low B string. They also have a 1x12 kickback, but I haven't played that one... maybe it'd be a happy medium?

I personally wouldn't use the modelling too much on those amps, but that might be a feature that you could really take advantage of?

5sg.

 

[lookslikemeband]

I actually DID try the Line6 and it wasn't too bad!

I tried it out of curiosity and yeah... I think it might be fun to play around with the effects and what not.

Pretty cool!

 

[Mike Shevlin]

The new GK MB210 is amazing & the 212 being released this week should be even better~ & they weigh like nothing.

 

[MIJ-VI]

I agree when it comes to trying out different sounds and what not...

I just want to feel the bass lines I'm working out as they would sound out of an amp...

ButtKicker.

 

[BassLife77]

if you wanna buy an amp at GC I would wait until their massive year end sale. Since the economy is in the toilet they have a lot of inventory to move to make way for the 2010 stuff.