help /\/\3! am I being stupid here...

I have a MarkBass Jeff Berlin combo, which i love BUT i now have a GK MB800. and it kills with my LDS 2x8 3way (8ohm)

I have the JB Combo posted on Craigslist for 900.
I have a trade offer of a CLEAN Epifani UL 410 (series 1 @ 4ohm) for the combo, straight across.

My thought is the GK with the 2x8 makes a nice practice rig (and small venue) easy transport.

The epifani gets much love here, I play a 5 string often.

My quandary is is a straight across trade equal? I know that resale on the Jeff Berlin is a bit higher than the resale on the Epifani but... it will fill the role better than the Jeff Berlin for what i'm looking for now (tone wise) but i just HATE losing cash ya know?

I figure with the B&C neo's in the Epifani it'll have a little of the hair that the Markbass cabs have (which i like)... i'm too damn indecisive... curse this GAS... Push me one way or the other my brethren....

 

This 410 is only 10 lbs heavier than the combo. @ 5" wider and taller will move a Lot more air than the combo.

The 410 would allow me to bring 2x micro heads to gigs as backup ( I have a mb200 also) to push the 410 which will be as loud as the combo....
If I keep the combo i'd be using it with the mb800 as a backup head. And it is one driver. so if it were to fail, I'd be out of luck. Gigs not so big to have FOH support yet.

I drive a pickup with a camper shell so space is of little concern on gig night.
Do I NEED 800 watts.... No but clean headroom is never a bad thing...

I sometimes hitch a ride with guitarist to rehearsals, who drives a Prius. The 2x8 fits much better than the Jeff Berlin with his stuff in there already. Actually the JB doesn't fit.. ...

 

Thanks guys great thoughts !
I plan on getting a fEARful next, GAS...
Hey anybody with a 15/6 want a Jeff Berlin?

 

So Chef:
Want to let go of your LDS 4x8 stack?
I'll trade you

Thanks Chef though really have you played the Epi cab yourself? (I used to have and SWR goliath Orig. so i expected a bit o scooping) but the low-end extension i've heard this cab has will be helpful to get the B string a little more help live (4 ohm cab as a stand alone) the MB/JB combo does this well.... BUT @ 300 watts it's a little low on the headroom....
Adding my LDS cab to the JB's speaker (using it only as a cab)"Worked" but i know is not optimal.
I "Could" add a NY151 cab to the mix BUT i did NOT like the tweet in it at all-- sounded there was a HUGE gap, and with it off, well it was a bit "dark" AND it would CO$$T to add to my rig (s) and relegate the MB800 to a "practice" rig for the time being....
the LDS opened my eyes to what nice high mids can do to the "cut" without "slice" (OK OK I'll build a fEARFUL next)

 

Again, thanks Chef!...
Yeah /\/\3 forgots you're on the other end of the country
LDS heavy in more ways than one... Check
Chef LIKES the Epi and gigged it... Check
Chef's a bright guy (and cool seems to have similar tonal goals ) Check

Has "Auditioned" s-loads of stuff.. and says he likes the EPI...

Votes on Poll leaning towards doing the trade, CHECK....
............ I just need to muster up the intestinal fortitude to "let go" of a previously cherished piece of equipment-

:scowl:

(which is easily replaced/replicated) for one that should "crush" and is a little more scarce, that would be relatively easy to unload if i don't bond with it......

 

Firstly thanks to this great community for help in making this indecisive man able to make an informed decision and I did make one I just now am heading home with my epifani. Moderators: feel free to close this poll and thread at your earliest convenience again thank you all.

 

OK small update , I traded my beloved Mark Bass Jeff Berlin combo for a Epifani UL410 (4ohm Series1) and OMG with this diminutive little MB800 running full wattage the headroom dynamics and tone is seriously closest to the "tone i have in my head" that I've ever been able to achieve.
Good things that Ive learned from this effort:
1) light, loud and toneful are achievable goals and not a "select 2" list.

2) NO Need to subject myself and the audience to an amp "Styled" with Silly 80's Corvette yellow (making me look like a "Lost" member of Stryper)


3) Gallien Krueger has come a long ways from the "Brittle Baked in tone" that i remember HATING in the 80's

4) this community is very supportive and helpful....

5) Listen to Chef- and Kjung

5) Jeff Berlin is a little "wrong" to hate tweeters, (Right to hate BAD tweeters) :scowl:

6) Good speaker cabs make a good amp sound even better!(and louder)

7) Above makes: Weak Bassist>Great Bass>Great Amp>Great Speakers=Happy Audience, Bassist, and and women's clothes to fall off-- no wait imagination running away with me again.

 

Look at my profile pic jimmy. That's my fiance. The women in the crowd often come near that caliber... oh and she's a killer singer... I'm soooo lucky

 

I also have:
LDS 2x8 (8 ohm 400 watt) 96db sensitivity (small n purty, great hifi tone surprisingly deep)
Hartke Hydrive 112 (4 or 8 ohms 300 watt) 98db Sensitivity (tiny little thing soso tone)

the Epifani is 1000 watt @ 103db sensitivity

so i pick and choose what i bring where.....

the 112 sits at my rehearsal space, the 2x8 is the main cab

and the 410 for larger (louder) gigs without house support.