How Could I Increase the Volume of my Setup?

[Ric5]

I have a '72 Ampeg V4 amp (non-bass), and a modern Ampeg 810e cabinet (probably early 2000s?), and I play an '86 MIJ Jazz Bass Special through the rig with nothing but a cable between the bass and amp head. My band's g*****rist plays through a ~2000 Marshall JCM Slash Signature half stack, at 50W (100W capable), and is turned up to typically about 8 (when his rig is turned up to 100W even on 2-3 it drowns out my setup). My rig typically cannot compete with his, and I was hoping to get suggestions for increasing the volume of my setup. Should I splurge and get a 2x15 additional cab with a slave amp (to keep the tone of the tubes from my main amp), or do you think that this situation doesn't seem typical and that I should service my amp to see if there may be a problem with it? Or do you think that replacing the pickups on the bass may be enough to increase the volume? Or is there another method that I haven't considered that you could recommend? Thanks in advance!

Play through one of these

 

[Eric ER]

Now days, there is no real need to play a 4x12 in almost any context unless it’s part of your look as a band. Any place that requires that kind of volume has reinforcement. If I were the guitarist I would be running the 50w into a 2x12 if I really cared about mix and people wanting to listen to us. This allows the guitar to turn up and open up the amp without drowning everything else, especially if the group is a 4+ piece. I have played lead guitar in a super loud surf band for many years, and we’ve finally come around to using smaller amps than showmans (40w is enough in a 5 piece surf band on guitar if you don’t need sterile cleans). We sound better, people are closer, and it’s still really loud.

 

[Nev375]

Or is there another method that I haven't considered that you could recommend?

Send him out on a beer run and epoxy his volume knob to about 4

 

[Eric ER]

Also, make him stand directly across from his amp during rehearsals. This way the sound is in his face.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Play through one of these
View attachment 2809768

Laughing at the crossed legs...Did someone hit the "brown" note???

 

[bobyoung53]

When I encounter drummers and guitars that are too loud I stop playing and plug my ears ... sooner or later they get the message ...

But to this day there are drummers and guitar players who hate me for that ... but I say screw them

So whenever I see the guitars playing through sealed 4x12 cabs that is a huge red flag of warning to me.

The guitar player I played with last week used a 2 x 12 with his 50 watt Marshall and it sounded good. I try not to insult people if they bother me, there are usually more subtle ways to give people the message that they are too loud, humor works well.

 

[Pbassmanca]

I wonder, would a boost pedal of some sort add enough volume to the situation?
Edit: But yeah.....the guitar player needs to turn down.

 

[bobyoung53]

Play through one of these

View attachment 2809766

I used to use two of those Sunn 2000S cabs loaded with JBL D-140's with a Marshall Major head years ago, the ones in the upper middle (unless they're smaller ones 200S?), you could not only hear it you could feel it, all notes were brown notes especially with a flat wound P bass. They vibrated everything, tables, bars, stomachs, one place used to call us The Big Wind.

 

[devnulljp]

Turn the guitarist down
And go get an Aguilar AG700
In that order

 

[bobyoung53]

All you guys act like it's easy to have guitarists' turn down, that has not been my experience. You play together long enough eventually everyone will settle into a volume hopefully that doesn't burn out eardrums, turning down is a long term project unless you want to sound like krap.

 

[Jack]

All you guys act like it's easy to have guitarists' turn down, that has not been my experience. You play together long enough eventually everyone will settle into a volume hopefully that doesn't burn out eardrums, turning down is a long term project unless you want to sound like krap.

That is often said, but if I had a guitarist (again...) that cared that little about the way that the band sounds then I'd find a new guitarist or a new band (again...).

 

[Ric5]

Now days, there is no real need to play a 4x12 in almost any context unless it’s part of your look as a band. Any place that requires that kind of volume has reinforcement. If I were the guitarist I would be running the 50w into a 2x12 if I really cared about mix and people wanting to listen to us. This allows the guitar to turn up and open up the amp without drowning everything else, especially if the group is a 4+ piece. I have played lead guitar in a super loud surf band for many years, and we’ve finally come around to using smaller amps than showmans (40w is enough in a 5 piece surf band on guitar if you don’t need sterile cleans). We sound better, people are closer, and it’s still really loud.

 

[Sixgunn]

Replace the knobs on your amp with these
View attachment 2809595

You beat me to it!!!

 

[MrLenny1]

Whatever you do or get take care of your ears.
Ya,ya you've heard it before but living with tinnitus
is a daily nightmare.

 

[BadExample]

^^^ everyone needs to read that 5 times.

 

[Korladis]

In Catapult, I use a 180 watt tube amp (or my backup, a 150 watt SS head) with a big Sunn 2x15 cab.

The guitarists are using tube heads of 25 watts, 30 watts, and 50 watts (there are sometimes three; the third one doubles as a keyboard player), each with a 4x12.

We are very loud, but I have no trouble keeping up. But I always play my amps overdriven. If you're looking for clean headroom, you will need more power. If you want dirt, 100-200 watts on a tube amp is fine.

 

[Figjam]

Now days, there is no real need to play a 4x12 in almost any context unless it’s part of your look as a band. Any place that requires that kind of volume has reinforcement. If I were the guitarist I would be running the 50w into a 2x12 if I really cared about mix and people wanting to listen to us. This allows the guitar to turn up and open up the amp without drowning everything else, especially if the group is a 4+ piece. I have played lead guitar in a super loud surf band for many years, and we’ve finally come around to using smaller amps than showmans (40w is enough in a 5 piece surf band on guitar if you don’t need sterile cleans). We sound better, people are closer, and it’s still really loud.

Agreed I use 2x12s. One or two at a time. Depending. Closed back. Though they are part of the look for us for sure. sludge drone metal.

 

[Wilson Kessel]

It’s possible that your amp is not perfoming up to the specifications and it isn’t putting out full power. The tubes could be weak, the power tube bias may not be optimized, your power supply caps may not be performing as they should be. A tech can measure the output power and see how the amp is doing.

Having said that, I have a v4B and an SVT, different tools for different jobs.

There is very little difference between the V4 and the V4B, a couple of components in the preamp. Your amp is not sounding weak because it’s a V4.

I think the general consensus from this thread is that I need an SVT if I want the tone of a V4 but with more power. I will get my V4 serviced per your suggestion though, to ensure that getting a new amp is the right decision. Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Wilson Kessel]

Yeah, fair enough that the guitarist is that loud and you can't be heard, but can the singer and drummer be heard?

Don't turn up, turn him down.

The drummer can be heard, yes. The PA isn't the best, but usually can still be heard. It's not so much that no one can hear the bass, it's just that it isn't competing with the Marshall half stack as much as it should, and we typically find ourselves begrudgingly turning his amp down, but we would prefer to be louder.

 

[Josh Kneisel]

Ya I'm with the make the guitarist turn down as well. Also, I can just about knock a building down with my GK 700RB (like 500watts) pushing my Ampeg 6x10 so....