How many pro bass players don't use a amp anymore

[magic8161]

I play on the road alot mostly in theaters and casino theaters and it seems that when I just bring my sansamp DI the sound guys love that more then a regular bass amp. And my back thanks them. I do have to bring a amp to maybe 2 gigs a year but the rest I just let the sound guys put me through the monitors. Next step is trying out in ears.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Did that for a while at church gigs. I blew up two subwoofer speakers before they upgraded the PA system.

With quieter drummers no problem, but have played mostly with loud drummers the last 10 years so amp/cab it is.

 

[ShrimpHeavenNow]

NO LESS than 5 I'd guess.

Just being silly.

It seems the direct world is really swingin' these days, in both bass AND guitar world. At this point almost all of my guitar pals have some sort of direct situation ready, a thing that my bass pals have had for years. I know a lot of situations definitely call for an amp (smaller bars, outdoor stuff with weak PA, or really just anything with a weak PA in general) so I'll always have one handy, but goodness is it nice to just roll up with a gig bag and pedalboard case and be good to go!

Another thing that is helping with this is in-ear systems are becoming more and more achievable for smaller-level groups. It's still not cheap per-se, but an x32 rack, 16 channels of split, a headphone amp, and some long headphone cables split 4 or 5 ways could be around $400-500 per person, the price of a fancy pedal. With in-ears, I'd be a looooot happier going amp-less in those smaller venues with weak PA's (and there's a good chance that those smaller venues are getting more and more used to bands showing up with a rig like this [not that they're always happy about it ]).

 

[AGCurry]

Context matters here. Many of us don't belong to "traditional" bands... except for my worship band, which doesn't have access to an installed system that could handle the bass, I'm freelance. I might get a call to play in a duo, trio, etc., and meet at venue X. I might supply a PA, or it might belong to one of the other players, or it might be an installed system. So yeah, I come prepared with whatever I will need ... and that almost always means my own amplifier.

Then there's the orchestra I play in ... nobody needs an amp OR a PA.

 

[MynameisMe]

Context matters here. Many of us don't belong to "traditional" bands... except for my worship band, which doesn't have access to an installed system that could handle the bass, I'm freelance. I might get a call to play in a duo, trio, etc., and meet at venue X. I might supply a PA, or it might belong to one of the other players, or it might be an installed system. So yeah, I come prepared with whatever I will need ... and that almost always means my own amplifier.

Then there's the orchestra I play in ... nobody needs an amp OR a PA.

I also play in church and use an amp on stage that stays there. Our PA is not able to handle the bass thru our wedges and we don't use IEM's.

 

[WayneP]

I also play in church and use an amp on stage that stays there. Our PA is not able to handle the bass thru our wedges and we don't use IEM's.

I have the same situation at the little church I’m playing at currently. After playing for years at churches that had capable subwoofer systems, I really missed those lows that you feel. So I added a subwoofer to my stage rig to bring in the bottom end that the house system can’t provide. I like it!

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Pedulla Club #45 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Pedulla Club #45

 

[MynameisMe]

I have the same situation at the little church I’m playing at currently. After playing for years at churches that had capable subwoofer systems, I really missed those lows that you feel. So I added a subwoofer to my stage rig to bring in the bottom end that the house system can’t provide. I like it!

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Pedulla Club #45 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Pedulla Club #45

Good solution!

 

[4Mal]

To date I have never done sound for a band without a bass amp. Mostly I do outdoors. Sometimes the bass amp is one I provided in accordance with the rider/tech advance. I've had plenty of Kemper and Helix guitars do direct and keys in my monitors like forever.