How big an amp do you think you need?

[Interceptor]

I voted 100 Watts.

That's what I've been running this summer, a Fender Bassman 100. Indoors and outdoors, and it isn't dimed. Four string bass, and 2x15. This works for me, but we don't play very loud and are playing an acoustic country genre. I've only got to be loud enough to match with vocals through a Mackie PA. It is most likely as loud as any small venue act is apt to play. Any louder and the bartenders are going to complain they can't hear orders.

After visiting Nashville recently, the joints downtown were not any louder than I'm used to playing, and there were a number of guys running 100 Watt Peavey combos that sounded GREAT.

 

[notforrobots]

I have a 1960's solid state 20 watt PA head that has been used in an emergency for club gigs. 2 rack space amp, usually used for driving monitors.

These people saying they need 500 watts are out of their mind.

My main rig is an Acoustic 370 and on "2" for volume it's ear shattering loud. Way too much amp for a typical club gig.

A lotta you people are deaf.

thats because that acoustic is real watts its doesnt say 5million and then only put out 200 that amp rocks

newer heads are just rated poorly i bet if a company put out that head today it would be rated at 1000 watts.

 

[Visirale]

I have a 1960's solid state 20 watt PA head that has been used in an emergency for club gigs. 2 rack space amp, usually used for driving monitors.

These people saying they need 500 watts are out of their mind.

My main rig is an Acoustic 370 and on "2" for volume it's ear shattering loud. Way too much amp for a typical club gig.

A lotta you people are deaf.

And what genre might you be playing, good sir?

 

[Coelho]

Depends on your drummer, guitar player(s), etc.

 

[pedro]

I voted 100 Watts.

That's what I've been running this summer, a Fender Bassman 100. Indoors and outdoors, and it isn't dimed. Four string bass, and 2x15. This works for me, but we don't play very loud and are playing an acoustic country genre. I've only got to be loud enough to match with vocals through a Mackie PA. It is most likely as loud as any small venue act is apt to play. Any louder and the bartenders are going to complain they can't hear orders.

After visiting Nashville recently, the joints downtown were not any louder than I'm used to playing, and there were a number of guys running 100 Watt Peavey combos that sounded GREAT.

Do me a big favor and PM or e mail me when you play your next Madison gig w/ your Fender. Haven't heard one in action since the 70's and would love to.

 

[Tom Howland]

Watts do not equal volume.

My 100 watt Ampeg B100R is loud for small to med. gigs.
My, V4BH with a 6x10 cab, is much louder. (than the B100R)

Lately, I've been using a B 25 head, with a 2x15 cab.
This is only 55 tube watts. but plenty loud for gigs.

It's all a game?

 

[Red Planet]

Watts do not equal volume.

My 100 watt Ampeg B100R is loud for small to med. gigs.
My, V4BH with a 6x10 cab, is much louder. (than the B100R)

Lately, I've been using a B 25 head, with a 2x15 cab.
This is only 55 tube watts. but plenty loud for gigs.

It's all a game?

My 1280 watt Bass rig will pummel all your heads hooked together. It is earthshaking not imagination.

 

[TheUnitedSound]

Any 500watt head with a decent cab will probably cover any gig or studio situation with or without PA backup.

So yeah... 500watts

 

[link wray]

I voted 500, but am quite happy with 400.
300 is OK for most situations, but not all.

 

[king_xanadu]

 

[fdeck]

Depends on your drummer, guitar player(s), etc.

Or lack thereof.

As a jazzer, I voted 150, which is the absolute upper limit of what I have ever needed. This was with a mainstream 1x12 speaker. Most of the time, I probably use a lot less.

The times when I have needed a lot of power were when I was playing with big-bands, guitarists with tube amps who were trying to play jazz, or gigs that involved mostly pop music.

 

[JEDI BASS]

1900 watts powering two 15s, two 12s, two 6s, and one horn (2 cabs). Volume usually stays at 3 w/ PA support. But, recently played an ampitheatre show with no PA help (they were one mic chord short), turned it up to 4 and layed the boom across the whole hillside. I like knowing that I've got enough power for any situation.

 

[Red Planet]

1900 watts powering two 15s, two 12s, two 6s, and one horn (2 cabs). Volume usually stays at 3 w/ PA support. But, recently played an ampitheatre show with no PA help (they were one mic chord short), turned it up to 4 and layed the boom across the whole hillside. I like knowing that I've got enough power for any situation.

Now ya talkin.

 

[pedro]

I mean 1900 watts is ok for quiet bedroom practice but to successfully play a local bar w/ 30 drunks in it you need about 10000 watts or so.

 

[Red Planet]

I voted twice. 8OO watts!

 

[BWB]

And what genre might you be playing, good sir?

I'm in a Stevie Ray Vaughan-style rockin' blues band. Me, drums, two guitars. The Acoustic 370 (at something like 265 watts) is complete utter overkill through a 4x10 to keep up with a couple of Strats being played through Twin Reverbs.

If I REALLY GOTTA CRANK IT UP, the volume knob ends up somewhere between 2 and 3.

Like I said, a lot of you people are deaf and/or can't manage a whole band's stage volume very well. Good luck with managing the ringing in your ears for the next 50 years, too.

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

Not including practice amps, and now to be confused with what you actually have. There will be PA support but that might not be a factor. Some players may have huge stacks while some play through a Bass Pod direct to the P.A.

How much do you need.

I think I need enough to be able to hear myself for stage volume. That has been anywhere from 100 Watts and one 12 inch speaker combo, to a 400 watt 4*10 setup, which has always been able to deliver more than I need. It depends on gig. There is no magic number or amp/cab/speaker spec.

Any room I ever played that seemed like it would be cool to have a "mega rig" or SVT or the like, I always had a very good PA system to have for sound reinforcement that allowed for a much smaller rig. I've played bigger and bigger places, and have never had to buy bigger or more powerful gear in response to this trend.

 

[allexcosta]

I have a 1960's solid state 20 watt PA head that has been used in an emergency for club gigs. 2 rack space amp, usually used for driving monitors.

These people saying they need 500 watts are out of their mind.

My main rig is an Acoustic 370 and on "2" for volume it's ear shattering loud. Way too much amp for a typical club gig.

A lotta you people are deaf.

I guess I'm deaf then... I'd love to try your 20W amp with a serious ensemble of drums, keys, 3-4 percussionists and horns... That'd be fun...

 

[cnltb]

Wattage is by no means all to consider, so I find the question very hard to answer.

I run 480W @8ohm per side on the poweramp.
Sometimes I connect one 2x10(8ohm) per side and sometimes I daisychain the cabs to the bridged amp.
Different cabs will be more or less efficient than my current set up which so far I have not really run into trouble with at many occasions.

 

[sedan_dad]

It really depends on the room and the need.
There's a slew of variables to consider.
Are we talking tubes or solid state?
What size is the room?
Are you outside?
What kind of music?
Is there P.A. support?
Is it any good?
I don't think there is a one size fits all type of answer to this question.
It akin to asking "Whats the best shoes to own".
It all depends on the useage.