Guitarist going low, gear advice pls

[Grindstone]

I decided to re-buy a bass after selling my MIJ(?) Jazz some years ago, I've played guitar for over 45yrs now.
I was going to use my Musicman HD130 head, but have been thinking about weight and solid state. I am by no means a cork sniffer and reliability and weight are just as important as tone and SPL.
Probably will be playing classic rock and some country-ish stuff,
would like to hear about smallish reliable gear. G-K, genz-benz, trace-elliot, peavey, the new acoustic (my old acoustic guitar amp that just puked was denied by the tech bc "we cannot get a good repair with the old transistors gone forever") line 6, behringer, kustom, carvin; whatever you've used that works.
Probably building a 2x10 cab using resources already found here.
Thanks-
Mike Sayre

 

[Robus]

If you like the Gallien-Krueger tone, you could do worst than the MB series heads. Affordable, powerful, lightweight, and made in the US. I just scored an MB500 and love it.

 

[will33]

Haha...when you said "guitarist going low", I thought you'd be talking about your guitarist down-tuning, cranking the bass knob on their amp, or doing other nefarious things to invade your "sonic space".....in which case I would say, "slap him and keep slapping him until he learns to stay off your property".

Your MusicMan is a sweet amp, provided it's loud enough for what you need to do. Takes more power to make bass as loud as guitar, but more speakers make us louder than more watts ever will.

What are yoir general tone goals, warm/fat/"tubey", with some "hair" on the notes? Fullrange/pristine/clean, like playing a preamp through a PA system?

How loud do you need to get? Coffeehouses with acoustic guitars?, typical bar gigs doing something lighter than heavy metal?, big stages or outdoor stages? (Outdoors take a lot of bass out of the bass), driving the room with your rig or have a feed to a proper PA complete with subwoofers?

More info = better answers and less wasted money or time.

Welcome to the lowend.

Being that you're a bass player now, this obviously means you have a PA system and a van, right?

 

[Grindstone]

Haha...when you said "guitarist going low", I thought you'd be talking about your guitarist down-tuning, cranking the bass knob on their amp, or doing other nefarious things to invade your "sonic space".....in which case I would say, "slap him and keep slapping him until he learns to stay off your property".

Your MusicMan is a sweet amp, provided it's loud enough for what you need to do. Takes more power to make bass as loud as guitar, but more speakers make us louder than more watts ever will.

What are yoir general tone goals, warm/fat/"tubey", with some "hair" on the notes? Fullrange/pristine/clean, like playing a preamp through a PA system?

How loud do you need to get? Coffeehouses with acoustic guitars?, typical bar gigs doing something lighter than heavy metal?, big stages or outdoor stages? (Outdoors take a lot of bass out of the bass), driving the room with your rig or have a feed to a proper PA complete with subwoofers?

More info = better answers and less wasted money or time.

Welcome to the lowend.

Being that you're a bass player now, this obviously means you have a PA system and a van, right?

HA!

IDK where I'll be playing beside my bedroom, in my other life I play fingerstyle guitar, banjo (both 3-finger and clawhammer), mandolin, electric (think Duane and Dickey, I do); this foray into the bass is because I'm a little stuck with all this other stuff, need work on my pulse, it's interesting playing a different role, it maybe easier on my wrists (CTS in left, other one is sore from time to time), and I like the sound.
If the bass gets me out playing I will have achieved much of my goal. Clean tones!! No Hair!!
I am concerned with mostly Berry Oakley's stuff (see above), there's a newer sound that more mid-rangey that's not bad although I can't say who does what I'm thinking about other than I associate it with a Ric. I like the 3 piece ensemble things that Johnny A, Robben Ford, and sometimes Steve Morse, do. I like EWF and TOP but the notion of a large ensemble and the difficulty of the parts make that less likely.
MS

 

[Troph]

I like the 3 piece ensemble things that Johnny A, Robben Ford, and sometimes Steve Morse, do. I like EWF and TOP but the notion of a large ensemble and the difficulty of the parts make that less likely.
MS

What are EWF and TOP?

I'm guessing Earth, Wind & Fire... and ... Tower of Power?

You've had a jazz bass in the past... did you like it? Do you want to try something new?

As for amps, the question about where and what you're planning to play dictates what kind of rig to recommend... too many options at the moment. Most of the micro heads are fairly versatile. The newer Gallien-Krueger MB heads and Aguilar TH heads both seem to be very reliable, as you mentioned that as a requirement.

Cabinets are a different story altogether. Almost too many options to narrow down. Likely the newest development to hit the scene since you last left it are the new Greenboy "Fearful" and "Fearless" cabinets, which you should read about at least. Otherwise all of the main cab players are still here, with a few exceptions, and they make all sorts of options to suit your tastes/needs depending on your volume and tone needs.

 

[Grindstone]

What are EWF and TOP?

I'm guessing Earth, Wind & Fire... and ... Tower of Power?

You've had a jazz bass in the past... did you like it? Do you want to try something new?

As for amps, the question about where and what you're planning to play dictates what kind of rig to recommend... too many options at the moment. Most of the micro heads are fairly versatile. The newer Gallien-Krueger MB heads and Aguilar TH heads both seem to be very reliable, as you mentioned that as a requirement.

Cabinets are a different story altogether. Almost too many options to narrow down. Likely the newest development to hit the scene since you last left it are the new Greenboy "Fearful" and "Fearless" cabinets, which you should read about at least. Otherwise all of the main cab players are still here, with a few exceptions, and they make all sorts of options to suit your tastes/needs depending on your volume and tone needs.

Yes, Earth Wind and Fire and Tower of Power.
I found the Jazz neck too narrow, experimented with P basses and found I like how they fit me better and liked the sound better.
I saw the fEARful thread!
I love the DI out on some of this stuff. I've not been in the Pawn Shops for some time, but lately they've had some interesting stuff, if I can find a 1x15 or 2x10 cab locally, I may start that way. I no longer buy instruments I haven't had in my hands, and, especially, on a strap first. I can suffer Ebuy for electronics.
MS