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first rig, please help me

A

AshenBassist

Feb 18, 2006
401
3
Calgary, Alberta
#1
hey, i'm new here and just wanted to ask a quick question...

i only have a tiny 15watt hartke amp and NEED to get upgraded.

at first i was thinking about a combo in the 100+ range, but now...

i want a rig! or atleast a start, so i was thinking about a decent 4x10 and a head. my little amp simply doesn't do my new bass justice. it's an ESP b-2005 (active EMG's, mohagony, etc). i am incredibly broke and do not make money fast at all. so i was wondering if you guys had any suggestions...

so far i'm thinking about either an Ashdown MAG 300r or a 400watt head from yorkville. i'm looking for volume first and foremost followed by sound (obviously). i have a chunkier, gritty sound. i play metal and my bandmates let me be heard (really) so i want to wow them. My little 15 watt amp is belching and farting at loud volumes and thus i need something better. thxs in advance.
 
#3
If you can afford the yorkville xs400h, you really can't go wrong. That is a huge step up from 15W. The resale value should be good too.

You might want to look at Avatar Speakers. You can get them in Canada from Link Removed. A 4x10 will cost you just over $500CDN + $50 shipping + tax.

I would recommend a 2x12 though. I feel, and some will argue otherwise, that you get more lows from 12s. And in metal, you want all the lows and low mids you can get.
 
#4
Go for the Behringer ultrabass 4x10 and the bx4500h ultrabass head.... Cheap...... A lot of people frown on behringer bass amps, but ive been to a few shows where some dudes were getting some suprising levels out of them... Not the best, but for a 200 head and 300 cab what do you expect?
 
#5
In Canada the Yorkville amps are a good choice. easy to get serviced if you ever need to, although they are very reliable. Don't discount the Yorkville cabinets either. They are a very good bargain.
 
#6
punkindrublic said:
Go for the Behringer ultrabass 4x10 and the bx4500h ultrabass head.... Cheap...... A lot of people frown on behringer bass amps, but ive been to a few shows where some dudes were getting some suprising levels out of them... Not the best, but for a 200 head and 300 cab what do you expect?
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I've got and I love it. I have played Fender J and P through it as well as my old faithful Ibanez Roadster and it kicks. Tons and tons of punch, loud as hell, and quite flexible with the shape control. I would go the BB410 - warmer and not as tinny sounding as the aluminium cones, and there have been reports of the alum cones separating in Behringer, Hartke, etc.

The other Behringer which is great value for money is the BX1200 combo. Very surprising amp, much lighter than the 410 and loud as well. Same shape control. Don't overlook their combos.

Only recommendation, and I would say this of any brand amp, is play the amp you take home in the shop first and make sure it is ok, then play it to pieces for a couple of weeks to shake anything loose that's going to come loose. Mine has been perfect but some folks complain about things breaking once they get it home. In my experience with anything electrical, if it's going to blow up it will usually do it very quickly, or the day after the warranty runs out ;-)
 
#9
Thank you everyone for the quick responses, so far you guys have been really helpful. so far i'm looking at the 2x12 avatar cab...
aswell i'm pretty much set on the yorkville xs400h, i've played it in a combo with a 15" and it was awesome, really liked having both tube and solid state.

Which 4x10 were you using Willem? Ashdown?
 
#10
I'd check out the carvin stuff as far as the cabs... ive got a 4x10 and a 1x18 that I bought 15 years ago and still haven't gotten a rattle out of them.. I cooked 1 of the 10's once about 8 years ago, but I was playing with a guitar player that needed to have 4 marshalls on stage for some reason..
 
#11
I don't think you'd be happy with an Ashdown head in a modern metal band - they have more a vintage british tube tone. If it's more old-school Sabbath sorta metal, it might be what you're looking for. For straight up metal, I'd try to find a used 300-500 watt Ampeg head, and get an Avatar 2x12 to go with it.
 
#12
Get this
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And throw it on top of this Invalid Link Removed
:hyper:

I would also recommend this..
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Many people favour the Avatar cabs...maybe you should look into the Neo 4x10...Link Removed
They are very affordable and have a great reputation!
 
#14
I have a yorkville XS400H and an Avatar B410 Neo cab. It was also my first "rig" and it sounds beautiful together. Plan on throwing the Head in a rack with a power conditioner + tuner within the next month.
 
#15
seanm said:
If you can afford the yorkville xs400h, you really can't go wrong. That is a huge step up from 15W. The resale value should be good too.

You might want to look at Avatar Speakers. You can get them in Canada from Link Removed. A 4x10 will cost you just over $500CDN + $50 shipping + tax.

I would recommend a 2x12 though. I feel, and some will argue otherwise, that you get more lows from 12s. And in metal, you want all the lows and low mids you can get.
Click to expand...
+1
 
#17
wow! thanks again!
a question about the Neo's, i know they take off the weight a lot which is great, but would you guys say they're worth the added price? will i be sacrificing any tone? anything esle i should watch for?
i'm going in next weekend to long & mcquade to see if i can't play that yorkville head. If only i had money! then i'd grab that 800watt yorkville... o well. as i say, really low budget, preferably $1000 and under

thanks again!
 
#18
AshenBassist said:
Thank you everyone for the quick responses, so far you guys have been really helpful. so far i'm looking at the 2x12 avatar cab...
aswell i'm pretty much set on the yorkville xs400h, i've played it in a combo with a 15" and it was awesome, really liked having both tube and solid state.

Which 4x10 were you using Willem? Ashdown?
Click to expand...

jup that's what I use...
Normally I check out a lot before I buy, but not with this rig. I plugged in and fell in love... :eyebrow: :)
I play in a metal band and do not think it doesn't suit our style... I want my bass clear sounding in the highs and a little sloppy in the lows. It gives me that. So I'm happy with it... But it depends on personal taste of course.
 
#19
AshenBassist said:
hey, i'm new here and just wanted to ask a quick question...

i only have a tiny 15watt hartke amp and NEED to get upgraded.

at first i was thinking about a combo in the 100+ range, but now...

i want a rig! or atleast a start, so i was thinking about a decent 4x10 and a head. my little amp simply doesn't do my new bass justice. it's an ESP b-2005 (active EMG's, mohagony, etc). i am incredibly broke and do not make money fast at all. so i was wondering if you guys had any suggestions...

so far i'm thinking about either an Ashdown MAG 300r or a 400watt head from yorkville. i'm looking for volume first and foremost followed by sound (obviously). i have a chunkier, gritty sound. i play metal and my bandmates let me be heard (really) so i want to wow them. My little 15 watt amp is belching and farting at loud volumes and thus i need something better. thxs in advance.
Click to expand...

avatar 2 10 kappa pro with a mag 300 from them

together, itll run ya 600

not bad at all.

and plenty loud. you can always add a 2 12 later. and be set for a long long time.

and large combos suck cos they are heavy.
 

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