Everyone's downsizing these days..

[RickenBoogie]

guess its all about prefrence

with my amps i can project the sound i like while some people may need more power to do there thing

What amps?

 

[I play metal]

im not into big bass amps if i may be honist
most times i think there penis extentions
for example i was playing a small gig in dunoon and we were playing on borrowed and own gear and i was using a 30 watt bass combo going into the p.a and i think i sounded pretty good and considering we were playing on combos and it still managed to fill the venue i think that was pretty good but the other band we were playing with rolled in with a 1x15 and a 4x10 and it was too loud for the venue

no i have to admit i am buying a new amp (a fender bassman from 1972) its 50 watts and it goes louder in a 1x15 than any ampeg ive ever played and i think it sounds better

so to the guy who is saying he would rather have a 8x10 just remeber this
you dont need 1000 watts to be heavy

Mostly comes down to genre 9 times outa 10...I could push a 410 into overload and barely be heard with my band...My drummers a hard hitter and guitarist uses a 812 stack.Once again...genre right.And helllz yeah being a heavy rock/metal band...a guy needs a BIG RIG!!hooowa

Main reason I go big is headroom.The speakers arent frapping,etc form pushing too much into one speaker.And besides an 810 will do a coffee house gig (dont know when that became un-acceptiable)juuust fine I've found...It'll also do a 1000+ venue happily.Just the versatility I guess.Also,I dont wanna have a bunch of 110 and 115 combos sitting in my jam room taking space for each gig scenaio..
One rig covers all for me.Lil thing called a volume knob hah.

I should add....obviously playing too loud for the venue is never a good call.NOTHING cool about white noise and no tone.


BTW I have a 67 Bassman 100 watt tube head an 215 cab origianal....amazing!hope you like yours!!

 

[I play metal]

Power comes in small packages these days. IOW- people are switching to smaller amps because they can 'level the place if need be' with an amp the size of a phone.

haha right.It's a bit of ego I admit for sure.But I Love wheeling in my big rigs to shows and turning heads.I'd cry if I could carry my"rig" in one hand.And once again show me a rig smaller then mine that puts out more and I'll send you a cheque.(what a smart ass I am eh?).It just suits my needs to the genre I play I guess...

 

[johnk_10]

With my rig I can project the sound I like as loud as I'd like.

that's great, albeit a bit vague.
what i think that alot of people don't enter into the equation is that different drummer's play at ALOT of different volumes. I remember one guy that auditioned for my band (the living daylights) back in the 80's, played so loud my SVT/810 could barely keep up with him. his snare was making everyone in the band feel like they would go deaf if he passed the audition - which he didn't. the next drummer, auditioning for the same band on the same day (cattle-call at SIR), i could have gotten away with a V4B easily.

personally, i find it best to always have plenty of headroom on hand. I have alot of different sized rigs, and i just take the one that's appropriate for the size of venue that i'm playing, and its size, big or small, has nothing to do with impressing anyone but myself. i just like to be comfortable with my sound so i don't have to even think about my amp, but rather, concentrate on the music.

 

[Count Bassie]

What we've learned so far: If your rig isn't loud enough, maybe you need a bigger rig. If it is loud enough, you don't need a bigger rig.

Q: What does the Redundant Cow say?

A: "Moooooot"...

 

[JimmyM]

We've also learned that a lot of bass players hate it and aren't afraid to say so when you don't do things the way they do it.

 

[mike costelow]

My rig has always been modular. I bring what I need to the gig and leave the rest home. Depending on the gig, it was a single 1x12 cab. Others both 1x12's. Or a 2x12 and a 1x12.

I'll take that over dragging an 8x10 to an intimate acoustic gig.

+1 ,i have a variety of different cabinets,heads and amps, i play everything from acoustic gigs,small dives,medium-large rooms and outdoor festivals,it is nice to have a versatile enough rig to where you can bring the bare minimum or build it and stack it for monster rig!I have gone all neo and love my carvin brx's but when i put my lmiii and beer on my schroeder 21012 lights,they vibrate off!

 

[lbwdog]

You got to love someone who just joined the forum, and all three of their posts is about putting down other members

How about a little more info about yourself (how many tours, how many national acts you have opened for, how many arena gigs, etc.). Afterall, you seemed well versed and experienced, and maybe can show some of us how it should be done.

I've probably been doing all wrong these last 30+ years
(How about a little more info about yourself)

I'm guessing English professor. (based on bold text in the posts below)

im not into big bass amps if i may be honist
most times i think there penis extentions

so to the guy who is saying he would rather have a 8x10 just remeber this
you dont need 1000 watts to be heavy

well maby for your sound but mine is a little more sweet than strong

i think for my style of music smaller is bigger


but thats just me

 

[38bass]

Hi.
I'm 40, play heavy rock and use a Redhead (650w) combo and GK 4x10 cab. Nice and loud!
No downsizing planned soon, rather I'm looking at getting into an SM-1500, two BE 4x10 cabs, a Power 750 and a BE 1x15 and 1x18.

 

[38bass]

Though I could possibly be swayed with neo's.

 

[IntrepidCellist]

I love how everyone's downsizing. I have an incredible Eden rig I put together used for well under what a "new light small" rig would cost me, and it just sounds phenomenal.

Yes, I'm 24 and I can lift this stuff, but having the option of bringing a 2x12 or a 2x12 and a 2x10 with my amp head lets me play everything from outdoor parties to midsize/larger clubs without PA reinforcement.

 

[noam]

I don't use an amp at all -- the sound guy sets up a wedge in front of me, and I plug into his DI. The less stage volume, the better the sound in the house IMO, and of course having almost no setup/breakdown is sweet. I think amps in general are a holdover from a time when each instrument had to be heard without going through the mains, but now, they're not needed. But of course lots of players like their amps, and good for them -- we should take pleasure any which way we can.

 

[BurningSkies]

I don't use an amp at all -- the sound guy sets up a wedge in front of me, and I plug into his DI. The less stage volume, the better the sound in the house IMO, and of course having almost no setup/breakdown is sweet. I think amps in general are a holdover from a time when each instrument had to be heard without going through the mains, but now, they're not needed. But of course lots of players like their amps, and good for them -- we should take pleasure any which way we can.

Depends on where you're playing, doesn't it?

If I counted on the sound man setting up a dedicated wedge for me with my own mix for every show I played, I'd be sorely disappointed at about 50% of the shows.

What do you do for shows where you don't have your own monitor mix, or much less, a show where the whole band only has a couple monitors? Do you sit in the corner and sulk for the set?

 

[Count Bassie]

What do you do for shows where you don't have your own monitor mix, or much less, a show where the whole band only has a couple monitors? Do you sit in the corner and sulk for the set?

Seeing we're so interested in creating that warm and fuzzy community-vibe, this might be an opportune time for little Shirley Temple to show up and bust out with a song and dance number...

 

[Kenny Allyn]

What do you do for shows where you don't have your own monitor mix, or much less, a show where the whole band only has a couple monitors?

Uhhh just went through that ...

I always try to bring an amp, even if it's just two Mini 10s and a MB LM II knowing I can DI out should more volume be needed. Well we were asked to do a show at a venue that assured us in writing that a backline would be provided guess again! (they had a guitar amp only)... Two very minimal floor wedges was it, oh and a cheap DI for me. The soundman assures me all is well and ask what I need through the monitor, just give me a high mids to bright signal so I can at least hear the notes ... that is one awful sound let me tell ya!

Upsize ... downsize? well as of late it's upsize I guess, after using just two 1x10s on 90% of our gigs over the last couple of years, more and more it has been a 2x10 over a 1x15, not for volume as much as mass really. Guess I have it easier than some, as I kinda have pretty much any speaker configuration I may need on hand, up to a dual 4x10 system, that said usually I try to keep as light and portable as possible.

...

 

[Count Bassie]

Guess I have it easier than some, as I kinda have pretty much any speaker configuration I may need on hand, up to a dual 4x10 system, that said usually I try to keep as light and portable as possible.

...

On that note, I'll just say that you really find out what your gear can do when you're 'stuck with it' for a while! It's not a bad thing either- after a while it's kind of cool to learn that you don't have to keep jumping ship because "this doesn't work" or "that doesn't work"... most of it does work! Just gotta spend enough time with it...

I've come to this with my SWR head- that venerable SM-400 with all the low-end in the Bass knob. Fortunately I really like the sound and have decided to stick it out, as it were.

I also really hate switching gear- it makes me feel kinda schizophrenic. I just want to use it and make it 'disappear'!

EDIT: I say all this realizing I've followed a post about speakers, and there are mechanical limitations there. Of course...

 

[greenboy]

This could be considered a downsize from two 810 cabs. But don't let its petite 4-foot tall profile or its 90-pound weight fool you: with its immense power handling and excursion capabilities it isn't any less a earthquake than two 810 cabs. It actually goes lower too - and higher even when the tweet is turned off.

Link Removed

 

[SteveC]

I just up-sized...from my 1x10, 175 watt combo to a 1x12 cab and Max 12 head. Still under 30 pounds, even better great tone, and still easy on my back.

 

[jarrhead]

... what i think that alot of people don't enter into the equation is that different drummer's play at ALOT of different volumes ... his snare was making everyone in the band feel like they would go deaf if he passed the audition.

Sounds like you met my brother! His snare hits over 100dB

 

[Anthbass]

This is a great thread: many differing views and real-world experiences.
I am in a metal band and almost always have good PA support. I agree with other posters that one of the token requisites for metal is a large stack; after all, as a metal bassist one often competes with the obligatory Marshall/Triple Rectifier/Rivera wall of eardrum death and a drummer who is intent on alarming seismologists in Indonesia. I usually use a 210/115 setup, but recently have been experimenting with using a small 410. On some gigs I use a 215, just for variety, and in large rooms with a questionable FOH, it's 410/115. Amplifier power is anywhere from 300 to 700 watts, no problems being heard, like my tone, drummer is most reasonable, etc. And yet... I lust for a huge cabinet and ludicrous power. My wallet and (for the moment) sense indicate I do not need such things, but the desire is still there. Sometimes, words fall short and the sonic experience takes it from there. YMMV.