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Different amps for different basses?

How many amps do you use?

  • One amp for all my gigs

    Votes: 14 28.6%

  • One amp for all gigs; one amp at home for "back-up"

    Votes: 15 30.6%

  • Different amps for different styles of music, or different basses

    Votes: 11 22.4%

  • Carrots

    Votes: 9 18.4%
  • Total voters
    49
G

gottawalk

Jul 4, 2005
2,549
7
67
Woodinville, WA
#1
I know that a lot of us use at least two different basses depending on what we're playing.

Do any of you actually have different amps for different types of gigs that you use? Say, one amp setup for rock and then you take a different type of amp setup for jazz gigs, or is it strictly a "backup" amp? How many different amp systems do you have that you use?
 
#2
I have 2 different amps, well more like 1.5 amps now because I sold my pre/power amp and effects today.

I was bringing my 1x15 and 2x10 setup to medium sized gigs but for anything small, including rehearsals, I bring my TKO75 1x15 combo.
 
#3
I currently have two rigs that I use, but not for different styles of music...I find that I can use vintage Ampegs for anything I'm doing, so I have an SVT/810 for most gigs, and a B-15N for smaller gigs. But I have seen quite a few people use two amps on a gig, especially those who double on upright. Too much work for me, though.
 
#10
I'll usually use the Eden WTX-260 with one D112XLT cab. Today and Wednesday I'll bring the second 112 since the gigs are outdoors at private homes.

The WT550B is at home for bigger gigs (still waiting for those!), where I might also need to run the BFM Omni15TB cab. (The 550 can drive all three 8-ohm cabs.)

I practice with a custom-built 4x5 combo atop a desk. This exacerbates fret noise, which forces me to improve my playing. The gig rig softens the fret noise, so I sound even better there.

As for basses, lately it's just the Stingray. For my two monthly indoor gigs, I bring both the 'Ray and the Warwick fretless. Same amp, same settings.
 
#12
I currently have 5 rigs, but am going to only start using 1 most of the time. Mainly, when I play large outdoor gigs I'll use a Carvin BX1200 into a Carvin BRX10.4 neo cab, but I'm finding out more and more that my Carvin BX500 is perfect for outdoor gigs with the BRX10.4 neo and it's also alot lighter to haul around. I'm going to sell off my BX1200 head and the cabs that went with it. Then I've got 2 Peavey rigs a Peavey Firebass 700 w/TVX 4x10 cab and a Peavey TNT115 that I use both for rehearsal.

As far as basses go, I usually just use my Fender Jazz V, but will every once in awhile mess around with my Ibby BTB405 or my Carvin LB75AP, but the Jazz sounds the best for every type of music I play.
 
#13
lindseyp said:
I voted "Carrots," not as a joke but because the main amp supports two basses, but the second bass sounds better through the other amp which I use when visiting other places. It's all situational for me.
Click to expand...
I voted carrots as well, not for the same reason as you though.

I voted that was as the very existence of this poll/thread has just given me a way to expand my GAS exponentially.....thanks for that....:spit:

Seriously though, it is not always a bad idea to have a backup amp, or a way to tweak the rig to the size of the gig. Though with a captain beefheart rig (great big sucker), you can always turn the volume down...but you can't always get more volume out of a small rig
 
#15
ProfGumby said:
I voted that was as the very existence of this poll/thread has just given me a way to expand my GAS exponentially.....thanks for that....:spit:
Click to expand...

Always happy to help!

Thanks, everyone for the feedback!
I've actually got one main rig for gigs, but have a backup for, well "back-up", and rehearsals, where I don't have to take it out of the rehearsal space all the time. It just stays there and relieves the hassle of packing in and out of rehearsals every week.
 

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