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gig with a combo amp?
- Thread starter SiReZ
- Start date
)Shee-it, I've done hundreds of gigs with a little Polytone MiniBrute III combo amp. No, these weren't raging rock bands* but for jazz combos, GB bands, theater pit orchestras, or lounge gigs, it's perfectly adequate.
* For a couple years I actually did use the MiniBrute with raging rock bands...but it was driving an SVT 8x10 cabinet.
* For a couple years I actually did use the MiniBrute with raging rock bands...but it was driving an SVT 8x10 cabinet.
Used to gig with a Ashdown ABM500 C115 combo. Basically a Abm 500 head with a 15" in one chassis. Great combo lots of power. Now belongs to Gweimer here on talkbass and he loves it too. I miss it.
I gig with a MarkBass 2x10 combo. The thing is perfect for clubs and bars and is really light which is great becasue I live in a downtown area with limited parking and I usually have to walk a few blocks to the gig. If I need extra power it I put it on top of a 1x15.
The GK1001 combo is not light, Weighs in at 80 lbs - about the same weight as a bag of mortar (cement).
Does come with castors and a "luggage" style handle which helps.
A higher wattage 2x10 combo can cut it with a lot of types of gigs. I've used the Eden Metro, GK 1001, Ashdown ABM and Trace 1210 combos for many gigs. Any decent larger venue is going to have P.A. support anyway. I like the fact that you can throw them in the back seat or trunk without a problem.
I've played 500+ people gigs with either my Ampeg PBC228 or my Eden Nemesis RS115. Each combo is 200 watts, and they handle the sound I need for a four-piece rock band.
Hundreds of hard rocking gigs with a Fender BXR100, and still have the old fat ass. I'm one of the many bastards out there that thinks that a sound guy should at least be able to make a live mix in a small venue. Go figure. I love combos cause of many things, most of all cause there's a kind of myth (in small to mid venues) about combos, specially 100 watts ones, regarding that they don't have the balls. Bigger gigs, that's another story. But I found that a good 100 combo,along with decent PA and a half competent sound fella should be all you need. If the PA and sound guy are not capable of doing a good mix, it doesn't matter what amp you play anyway, the band will sound like crap even if they have dinner on top of Mesas, Ampeg and Marshalls. IMHO and all that.
I regularly gig pubs and clubs with a 250w 1 x15 combo with no P.A. support without any problem. Classic and modern rock covers with a loud drummer.
I can personally vouch for that. I'm 13 and play with the Paul Green School of Rock. The school has a Fender Rumble 100W combo and we run that through a 1500W(or so) PA system. It doesn't sound half bad, and believe me, when you dial the volume on the amp past half way, things start vibrating if you know what I mean.
The bassist in my brother's band gigs with a Peavey TNT 1x15 combo (the 400 watt version) and it can keep up with everyone else, easily. It sounds great, too.
I also know a bassist who has a Carvin 1x15 combo that's 500 watts and he has no problems with gigs and he doesn't strain the amp.
I haven't tried one and I don't know anyone who has, one but the Mesa/Boogie combos are reputed to be beasts for their size.
I'm sure there are plenty of other combos that can kick out the boom as easily as their stacked cousins.
I also know a bassist who has a Carvin 1x15 combo that's 500 watts and he has no problems with gigs and he doesn't strain the amp.
I haven't tried one and I don't know anyone who has, one but the Mesa/Boogie combos are reputed to be beasts for their size.
I'm sure there are plenty of other combos that can kick out the boom as easily as their stacked cousins.
The difference is that when I gig with my stack the level knob gets to around 40% of max, whereas the combo runs at 75-80%+.
I've gigged with an old (way before Fender) SWR Redhead and an SWR Henry Jr. 4x8 extension cab for 13 years.
A padded preamp signal goes to the board most of the time, but it stands alone just fine when the mixer is out of inputs. The guitar players both use Fender tube amps and our drummer is loud, but this rig cuts through just fine.
A padded preamp signal goes to the board most of the time, but it stands alone just fine when the mixer is out of inputs. The guitar players both use Fender tube amps and our drummer is loud, but this rig cuts through just fine.
On the few gigs I've played in my life (cafés), I used my 100W Trace Elliott 1x15 combo. This worked fine when we had a drummer with a jazz-background who played very dynamically, but the combo wasn't enough for even practice once we got a drummer with a rock-background. Too many damn cymbals 
I usually gig with a GK1001 2x10 with Neos. 700 watts, 69 pounds, sounds great. 9 pounds of speakers, 21 pounds of amp. The rest is all BB 3/4" plywood. It looks a little small compared to 2 guitarists with 4x12s...but I'm out the door before they are finished wrapping up cables.
Wes
Wes
