Gig Worthy Combos: Yea or Nay?

[Yango]

I think MM said it just right. I will add - if you want good low end response with good volume, combos are not going to cut it. Bam-Bam on drums? No freaking way.

Playing with musicians who have restraint, good dynamics, and a very low stage volume, yeah, you can gig with a combo amp.

The GK MB series of combos are fantastic and can truly keep up with many different kinds of bands.

It really comes down to the tone you want. If you want to hear yourself, you can easily kill the low end through the combo and just focus on mids. It sounds terrible, but now you have a decent monitor and can get through the gig ok.....

Of course combos are gigable, this isn't the 1970's anymore—technology and design has made massive progress and improvements in amplification. I use a Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout 12" combo. No problems at all with Bam Bam on drums. The sound/tone from this little combo is HUGE!

 

[Lowbrow]

Don't get me wrong... when doing 'hometown' gigs I insisted on my bigger amp for the fun of it - but when you have 5 guys in a van doing 25 gigs in 30 days with one wimp roadie, you get really practical really fast. And practical generally trumps 'perfect.'

 

[Bassmanbob]

I've been gigging with my Eden Metro combo since 2003 on EVERY gig. I also use an extension Eden 410 cab with it. When I'm given a back line, the sound guys PREFER my Eden combo over the usual Ampeg or other back line equipment provided. So yes. Combos are gig worthy.

 

[Rooster009]

Don't get me wrong... when doing 'hometown' gigs I insisted on my bigger amp for the fun of it - but when you have 5 guys in a van doing 25 gigs in 30 days with one wimp roadie, you get really practical really fast. And practical generally trumps 'perfect.'

Absolutely! Very cramped quarters

 

[RustyAxe]

Some are, some aren't ... depends on the combo and the gig. My Shuttle 6.0-12T is sold as a combo (head, bracket on 12" speaker) and is most certainly gig-ready, I use it all the time.

 

[monkeyland]

very gigable . I currently make my living with an Ampeg B100R. If the volume goes up I've got a second one that I can bring. If it goes up more there is still the old 410 or 810 rig available

 

[stepswork4me]

I completely respect your choice, however you just proved my point in that there are people who want to see/hear and be in loud bands.


I use earplugs when playing or watching
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and no it is not the same as turning down.

I use very similar plugs. It's a necessity in my band, even at rehearsal. It's just the style of music.

 

[rtslinger]

I agree that considering the type of gig any combo is giggable. I have gigged with a 100 watt Fender rumble with one 15 and 1 horn in a 5 piece Classic Rock band two guitar, Keys, and Drums with or without PA support worked just fine.

 

[SherwoodGreen]

I vote yes; this one is certainly gig-worthy; Mesa BUSTER 210
Real Old-School; Real PHAT.

Heavy, cumbersome; but all-tube!
Plenty loud too.

 

[hover]

If you're about volume wars, no.
If your genre of music is skull-crushing, no.
If your band is about sane stage volume, dynamics and working nice-nice with the FOH, absolutely.

I've done numerous gigs with a nice older Ashdown EVO500W 15" combo..stellar sound and enough volume when raised slightly to ear-level. That's the key. My rig (separate 410 cab and head) has problems on some stages if it's just blowin at my ankles.

 

[Marko 1]

Only combo I gigged through was a TC Electronic BG500 115, classic rock and country covers, and if the stage was too loud for it, the guitard (Fender twin) was really screaming-loud. I’d bet that TC would go louder than my GK MB500/212MBE rig.

Probably not loud enough for a loud death/screamo/whatever band with no PA support, but I won’t do such loud stage volume.

Ps. I always provide a good PA.

 

[PimasterPearson]

It depends on the style of music, size of your band, and size of the venue. My GK combo has always been enough for small gigs (coffee shops, art galleries and small clubs), though I prefer going straight into a PA.

 

[giacomini]

I gigged an Ampeg B3 150w SS for a few years, no problem. If the stage was too big I'd just send a DI out to the PA.

 

[LowFreak]

I play a MarkBass 112P, and it covers everything, from doublebass in a bigband to hard rock electric in a club. The few places I play where it is to small, it can be fixed with a little bass in the monitors. This little 13kg monster is incredible.. my best buy in life so far..

 

[stepswork4me]

The results of the poll coupled with my own experience say yea. I think I'll just stick with my combos for now. I'm still open to going with separates if I feel the need or just the want arises.

 

[lpdeluxe]

Another B100R fan here. I set mine on a tilt-back stand so me and the drummer could hear it, and DI'd into the PA (which had subs). As somebody pointed out, we're not stuck with '70s technology.

My current rig started out as a combo (Mesa/Boogie Walkabout Scout 1x15) but it was difficult to manage in that configuration, combining 65 lb with a single top-mount strap, so I pulled the head out (which by itself weighs 13 lb) and set it on top of two 16 lb Genz-Benz 10T speakers. In this setup the whole thing is smaller than the original combo.

I also have a G-B Shuttle 3.0-10T that gets played at church and other venues where a lot of volume isn't necessary.

The premise of this thread seems to be based on the assumption that bass players have to be really loud. In my experience, if your tone cuts through, and your fellow band members are not insane, you don't need to melt the faces of the audience to sound good.

 

[electracoyote]

If you have concerns about whether or not your combo will work for your gigs, do the following:

Audition it with a loudass drummer.

If it keeps up without farting or even has a little headroom, you're on the right track.

I have a combo that will pin my drummers ears back. And it's under 50 pounds, I can one-hand it into the venue.

 

[swspiers]

The results of the poll coupled with my own experience say yea. I think I'll just stick with my combos for now. I'm still open to going with separates if I feel the need or just the want arises.

Cool. I used combos exclusively for about 30 years. But the past 2 have been a merry-go-round of separates. It's fun, they sound great and I've gained a lot of experience.

In the end, it's not a matter of 'can' or 'should'. There are a lot of great choices out there either way. All a matter of what gets the job done best for your situation.

 

[Russell L]

I am thinking about changing who I play with and style just to get to play music that isn't so damn loud anymore. I'm sick of all the noise and idiots who don't understand it.

 

[stepswork4me]

If you have concerns about whether or not your combo will work for your gigs, do the following:

Audition it with a loudass drummer.

If it keeps up without farting or even has a little headroom, you're on the right track.

I have a combo that will pin my drummers ears back. And it's under 50 pounds, I can one-hand it into the venue.

Yup. I'm running a 250w with a loudass drummer and don't have to push the master past 5.5 with the gain at about 11 o'clock.

Edit: This is rehearsal volume.