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How many watts do I really need?
- Thread starter Nolrak
- Start date
Really now...4 x 10? 2x12? 1x15?
you must be joking.
a 35w combo????
what kind of crap is being. spewed forth? lets try and get out of the "cruise ship" gig "mustang sally" mentality.
high school punk/ pop rock. and a teenager with a 100w guitar setup.
it will get loud.....probably very loud....and it should.
show up at a barn party with a 2x10 100w bass amp...yeah that will work out well.
At a minimum:
300w quality tube or 500w ss. (i agree there)
2x15 or 8x10 MINIMUM if you want to keep up.
Its easy to turn down. You want the guitar trying to get more, not you.
you must be joking.
a 35w combo????
what kind of crap is being. spewed forth? lets try and get out of the "cruise ship" gig "mustang sally" mentality.
high school punk/ pop rock. and a teenager with a 100w guitar setup.
it will get loud.....probably very loud....and it should.
show up at a barn party with a 2x10 100w bass amp...yeah that will work out well.
At a minimum:
300w quality tube or 500w ss. (i agree there)
2x15 or 8x10 MINIMUM if you want to keep up.
Its easy to turn down. You want the guitar trying to get more, not you.
Not entirely accurate. A lot Depends on the cabs. There are several small cabs made today that will go as loud as both cabs you listed. And although you will most likely be covered with the cabs you listed, for most musicians it's overkill.
I think you are incorrect, along with the other posters who are challenging what you are saying. Bill F. and many others have all chimed in that double the power is a 3 db increase in sound pressure level, unless your speaker cabinet is entering compression. Double the power and double the speakers is a 6 db increase. A 10 db increase in sound pressure is the generally agreed increase for a perceived volume increase of "twice as loud", and I think you are tripping yourself up there in the comparisons.
To the OP, I agree with what many have said in regards to watts are less important than number and quality of speakers. I would say for you, remembering my youth, that you do need to be pretty loud, so a 410 or a 212 with 500 watts (hybrid/solid state power output) should put you in a comfort zone. If that is still not enough, think about the 215/610/810 (or 2x 410 / 2x 212, although impedance matching might be difficult with this route if your amp isn't 2 ohm stable) speaker setup.
MY standard rule.
You need 3-4 times as many watts as the loudest guitar amp.
If guitar player is using a 50 watt amp, bass need 200 watts.
MY standard rule.
You need 3-4 times as many watts as the loudest guitar amp.
If guitar player is using a 50 watt amp, bass need 200 watts.
At least
Allot depends on the room size and PA support. I have played big stages with good PA and 250 watt amps. I have played tiny stages in weird rooms and it felt like I needed an Ampeg fridge and 500 watt tube head.
Most times 300 watt's is plenty for a decent size room with good PA. I have never needed half the watts my amps are rated for with a good PA that is.
Most times 300 watt's is plenty for a decent size room with good PA. I have never needed half the watts my amps are rated for with a good PA that is.
I see there's a lot of great info in this thread. Some of it may be a little over the top, so here's a simpler version:
I bought a 300w amp in 1986 and I have never needed any more, but I wouldn't want any less. 300 watts minimum to be heard over a loud drummer. If you can afford more, that's great, but in the clubs/bars, 300w is all you'll need.
If you're running a DI, your amp becomes a sophisticated stage monitor. You still need to hear it over your drummer and you still want it to sound good. Yes, the wattage matters.
The only exception would be if you have a killer monitor system that can handle bass properly. Then, technically, you don't need an amp at all. In your case, you need an amp.
No. Your bass is fine.
I bought a 300w amp in 1986 and I have never needed any more, but I wouldn't want any less. 300 watts minimum to be heard over a loud drummer. If you can afford more, that's great, but in the clubs/bars, 300w is all you'll need.
If you're running a DI, your amp becomes a sophisticated stage monitor. You still need to hear it over your drummer and you still want it to sound good. Yes, the wattage matters.
The only exception would be if you have a killer monitor system that can handle bass properly. Then, technically, you don't need an amp at all. In your case, you need an amp.
No. Your bass is fine.
So I've been doing research for a few hours but have yet to get a definite answer with definite facts.
I play bass in a punk/pop rock band with a lead guitarist, a drummer and a keyboardist. Since most of our practices so far have been at my school, the keyboardist and I usually run our instruments through a PA system there.
But I'm now looking to buy an amp to practice and play SMALL/MEDIUM sized gigs with. So I have a few questions:
1. How many watts do I need to be heard on par with the other instruments?
(I've been getting mixed responses all over the internet, some people telling me I need about 60W to be heard over drums and two to three times the wattage of the guitarist [who has a 100W] If so why?)
2.If my plan is to run a line out to the main PA/speaker system at the venue, does the wattage of my amp really matter?
3. Is there a possibility that my bass may not be able to push the peak power in high wattage amps?
P.S. I use a Squier P-Bass w/ Dimarzio pickups (DP127)
1. For medium gigs, 500 watts minimum. And you need 10 times the power (and the speakers to handle it) of the guitarist's amp if he's going to crank it. If he is, then 750 to 800 watts would be about minimum, and at least one good 410 cab.
2. If you have PA support, then you just need enough to hear yourself on stage. While 300 watts might work, I wouldn't want any less than 500 watts for the headroom.
3. Your bass will be fine.
There are going to be people who come on here and say they gig all the time with a 160-watt amp. Their screen names might start with a J. People whose names start with J play for major acts who have pro-level PA systems. I play through semi-pro systems, and I like 500 watts on stage. I occasionally will use my 200-watt MB200 and AE210 plus PA support, but that would be in a small coffee shop. Outdoors, even with PA support, I use my MB800 or RH750 and an AE410 cab.
What about playing in church and going up against a hammond organ, piano, drummer, and sometimes one guitar player.
Please keep it civilized folks. Taking potshots at each other isn't going to help anything. All it does is add confusion and animosity.
Unless it's a good-natured jab at an internet friend who's been here for many years. Trying to make moderator?
No, I'm not trying to make moderator. It's just that I get enough garbage behavior at work. Don't want to see it here. I get backstabbed and badmouthed constantly there, so I get bugged about it easily.
