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do we still need
- Thread starter Hiroi Kikuri
- Start date
D
When performing, i think it just looks much cooler with some powerful amps on stage.
35... If I knew then, what I know now...
Enjoy your age my friend, you're hardly old, your just hitting your stride... Enjoy your life now... There is plenty of time for you to get -- actually -- old...
Once you get old, there is no going back... So, don't rush it, it will be on you in a few blinks of the eye...
But, many of us, that have sought lighter equipment because of "old bones" can still Bleeding Rock It, even better than we could back then... That is the upside of age -- or better said > experience!
That's so relieving to hear at the moment and you will never know how much of a difference you words make to me at this current time.... especially as I am having a problem with mental health.
Thanks so much for your kind words.
I think what you say has some credibility with audiences, maybe younger audiences if I may make a generality...
BUT, I will say, that my two Phil Jones Bass Cab47s (4x7" =17h" x 16"w x 13"d -- my "stack" is less than 36" tall
) with a smallish class D Hartke TX600 sitting on top, have a pretty small footprint, but, a pretty impressive presence -- power -- air movement, that make people astonishedly remark that, that is a lot of sound coming out of those/that little cab(s)! A lot of clear, defined, punchy sound effectively projecting outward AND melding/blending nicely with the other instruments on stage.
So, to use an overworked cliche, size does not always matter!
But, having said that, I have not gotten rid of my "big rig", because, at some point, I may want to drag it out -- with help, and make some ears bleed!!
OK... but can anyone hear your tone, note choice and time when you bring under powered gear to a dive bar and you have to rely on a tweaker sound guy who just woke up to not Jason Newstead you?
D
Phil Jones Cabs also look cool. Hence comments people make. Also they have a lot of speakers, which looks awesome imo.I think what you say has some credibility with audiences, maybe younger audiences if I may make a generality...
BUT, I will say, that my two Phil Jones Bass Cab47s (4x7" =17h" x 16"w x 13"d -- my "stack" is less than 36" tall
A lot of clear, defined, punchy sound effectively projecting outward AND melding/blending nicely with the other instruments on stage.
So, to use an overworked cliche, size does not always matter!
But, having said that, I have not gotten rid of my "big rig", because, at some point, I may want to drag it out -- with help, and make some ears bleed!!
Exactly! I hear a lot of bands and the bass player thinks he sounds good. Or he thinks we can hear the amp. I believe in huge watts for headroom. I love small rigs. I've played a major concert venue with an SWR BBII 160w 2x8". I've played house concerts with 1000w 3x10 with a singer songwriter. Arriving with more than you need is the pro thing to do.
The audience doesn't care how easy your load in was. I get it if we are unable to move big gear for all the possible reasons. But we don't have to sound just adequate. Good is the enemy of the best. I watched an Americana act. The bassist had one of those '80s/'90s model small Ampeg heads with 2x10s. You could barely hear him. What you could wasn't warm it was tepid. '57 P bass. He said what an easy carry it was. Dude. I'm sorry. You weren't driving the band.
D
I searched for having a rig that was large and powerful and lightweight. When Mark Bass came out with light cabs, a blessing. I bought a 2/10 and a1/15. Easy to load/carry, and they looked great (800 Watts, loud) Loved that rig, always lots of power, nothing i carried at load in was over 30 pounds.
Unless I helped other band members, their sh-- was heavy. PA equip and such. Btw i believe at minimum you need at least the equivalent to a 4/10on stage.
Unless I helped other band members, their sh-- was heavy. PA equip and such. Btw i believe at minimum you need at least the equivalent to a 4/10on stage.
How much space I could have saved in the van, treking from one gig to another. Well at least my cabinet was big enough to take a bath in when we could not afford a hotel room.
That is a cautionary tale, if you're hauling your gear yourself and/ or sharing space with other bandmates, Do yourself a favor and go with the smallest footprint that fits the bill.
That is a cautionary tale, if you're hauling your gear yourself and/ or sharing space with other bandmates, Do yourself a favor and go with the smallest footprint that fits the bill.
I'm kind of jonesin' for this rig right now...I can confirm that the GK Fusion 112 combo rocks the house.
View attachment 5234715 View attachment 5234716
This Thread has everything! Except for food.. I hope this changes by the time I wake up this afternoon.
Two factors
1. If the bass amp has to carry the gig without PA support then a sufficient head and cab is needed. Stage volume can be a huge problem in these situations.
2. If it’s all theough the PA then there is potential to sound great, but with subs and towers, the bsss can either get relegated to mud OR the kick drum is so loud you can’t hear the rest of the group. Bass needs mis frequencies to be distinguishable and crossover systems / modern PA requires a good sound tech to make it work. Unfortunately sound folks are sometime volunteers/inexperienced.
I’ve had to leave concerts because the kick was so loud I couldn’t hear anyone else and I just couldn’t listen to it anymore. I’ve also been in many where the bass is nothing but mud. Solvable problems for people with skills, but they aren’t always around.
1. If the bass amp has to carry the gig without PA support then a sufficient head and cab is needed. Stage volume can be a huge problem in these situations.
2. If it’s all theough the PA then there is potential to sound great, but with subs and towers, the bsss can either get relegated to mud OR the kick drum is so loud you can’t hear the rest of the group. Bass needs mis frequencies to be distinguishable and crossover systems / modern PA requires a good sound tech to make it work. Unfortunately sound folks are sometime volunteers/inexperienced.
I’ve had to leave concerts because the kick was so loud I couldn’t hear anyone else and I just couldn’t listen to it anymore. I’ve also been in many where the bass is nothing but mud. Solvable problems for people with skills, but they aren’t always around.
D
Phil Jones stuff looks great! Just the number of speakers looks awesome. Really, I should've said any amp on stage looks better than no amp. Imo.I think what you say has some credibility with audiences, maybe younger audiences if I may make a generality...
BUT, I will say, that my two Phil Jones Bass Cab47s (4x7" =17h" x 16"w x 13"d -- my "stack" is less than 36" tall
A lot of clear, defined, punchy sound effectively projecting outward AND melding/blending nicely with the other instruments on stage.
So, to use an overworked cliche, size does not always matter!
But, having said that, I have not gotten rid of my "big rig", because, at some point, I may want to drag it out -- with help, and make some ears bleed!!
I had to leave a Trombone Shorty concert in Centennial Hall in Tucson for this very reason. Even supposedly experienced Sound Engineers relegate the bass to the sub woofers; because that’s where it goes, right?
Just make sure to have a conversation with the Sound Engineer when this happens to you, to hopefully save his next victim the agony. Explain that the bass guitar goes in the Mains, and then bring up the signal in the subs to warm things up. They should know this. But, there is now an entire generation of Sound Engineers which trained in their Honda Civic with 2000W sub woofer, and thinks that’s the way music should sound. I wish that was Sarcasm speaking; but, not the case.
I get that some rooms or halls can be difficult, but no excuse outside for really rubbish sound, imv. And that applies to festival sound of around 15k ppl or self mix band p.a. There should really be decent upto excellent sound expectations IF the engr/crew are sorted, and if they aren't, why are you using them.
Even my mate who runs theatre productions with a tiny top and sub p.a gets quality sounds.
Not saying he isn't talented or doesn't what he is doing but I don't recall off the top of my head the last poor out front sound.
First responsibility is that the band have each instrument sounding great, then its basically levels and tweaking for FOH.
Arenas and barns, have their own problems,sure
Even my mate who runs theatre productions with a tiny top and sub p.a gets quality sounds.
Not saying he isn't talented or doesn't what he is doing but I don't recall off the top of my head the last poor out front sound.
First responsibility is that the band have each instrument sounding great, then its basically levels and tweaking for FOH.
Arenas and barns, have their own problems,sure
It’s live sound, not a studio recording. The sound engineers know what they’re doing, they’re putting together a concert for the vast majority that enjoys the chest-thumping bass and aren’t trying to determine which pickups are in the bass.
Work on it and get back to us.
So Hiroi, there have been times I’ve used an 800 or 1000w amp as quietly as a B15, and it was because I liked the sound of my amp, and it was small. My new main amp is 700, which is still gross overkill, but it’s 6 lbs. and sounds great.
They do have volume knobs and people do use them. It may be overkill but if it sounds to your liking, then have at it.
