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How to keep up with halfstacks

#101
The rule of tens back in the day used to be like 20W guitar amp = 200W bass amp = 2KW pa.

But that's old tech rules. If your guys are using 50W or 100W Marshall half stacks and thinking they need to dime them to get their tone, you need IEMs and a friendly engineer. Or earplugs and an SVT with an 8x10.
 
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#103
I think something that puts out an honest 300 watts or more with a 15, 2x10 or 4x10 would be fine. I played a Hartke 210 combo (literally 2 10's) that had the 3500 model 350 watt head in it. I think is only outputted 240-ish watts with just the built in speakers and I was OK with a heavy handed drummer and a guy playing a Rivera full stack and another with a Dual Recto half stack. When they started pushing those too much at practive I brought in a Carvin 15 to get the full 350 watts. With those 10's at ear level I could thump the livin' crap out of the guitarists and they would turn down :) I have a Markbass CMD121P combo these days. With just a single 12 it's not enough for the tube stack guys. But I get 500 watts when I add my Markbass 15 cab to the mix and it's plenty. On stage I was able to just use my 210 combo alone to as a monitor with everything running through the mains. This video is on my doing that with the Hartke.

 
#104
Kubicki2000 said:
I think something that puts out an honest 300 watts or more with a 15, 2x10 or 4x10 would be fine. I played a Hartke 210 combo (literally 2 10's) that had the 3500 model 350 watt head in it. I think is only outputted 240-ish watts with just the built in speakers and I was OK with a heavy handed drummer and a guy playing a Rivera full stack and another with a Dual Recto half stack. When they started pushing those too much at practive I brought in a Carvin 15 to get the full 350 watts. With those 10's at ear level I could thump the livin' crap out of the guitarists and they would turn down :) I have a Markbass CMD121P combo these days. With just a single 12 it's not enough for the tube stack guys. But I get 500 watts when I add my Markbass 15 cab to the mix and it's plenty. On stage I was able to just use my 210 combo alone to as a monitor with everything running through the mains. This video is on my doing that with the Hartke.

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Cool retro Ibanez video, and good band! Live "into the mains" is one thing but you do mention adding the 2nd speaker in a rehearsal space and you do say "ear level" meaning height. The Hartke 3500 is the amp I first used in a loud band and they are Super loud and bassy with the post filter, and a fav of reggae bassists, or so I have heard. That Markbass double is also super audible too, I Love my Markbass 2/10 traveler and 1/15 NY combo with a 800w GK.
 
#110
byacey said:
The crux of the matter is this: If the guitarists and /or drummer won't play at a reasonable level, it's time to find some different musicians. It's obvious the current guys aren't interested or have any sensitivity to the music.
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I have pretty bad tinnitus. It's from a lot of different things, specifically including this huge Roland 200 watt amp I used to have with a 2x15 cabinet. Dang, that thing was loud. Of course I used to crank the bass and treble on my Stingray, I was young.

Some years ago, I was in a band with some Marines. The drummer was a gorilla, used drumsticks that looked like baseball bats that had been chewed by angry beavers. At gigs, we would have a few drinks, and the guitarists would get progressively louder. I finally started refusing to turn up. I also don't drink anymore.

I have a Terror Bass 500, and an SVT-7 Pro. 500 and 1000 watts. They are wonderful amps, but I won't play at the kind of volumes that I used to get out of my 200 watt amps, because I want to keep what's left of my hearing.
 
#111
I'm mostly a guitar player and have a late '70s Marshall halfstack. The head has a master volume and contrary to what some might say, it sounds fantastic at low volumes. So you should be fine as long as your mates are sane.

I did have a non-master volume head for a while, and it was violently loud if it needed to be overdriven. It simply required attenuation; otherwise no reasonable person could enjoy being in it's vicinity. Again, hopefully your mates are reasonable people.

One thing to maybe help your guitar players: see if they'll use slant cabs. Easier to hear IME and the treble-to-the-face damps the itch to blast the volume. So many guitarist think straight cabs sound "better" (deeper, warmer, more bass, etc.). They don't. The player just can't hear the treble that shoots past their hips and blasts the audience in the face.
 
#113
cardinal said:
I'm mostly a guitar player and have a late '70s Marshall halfstack. The head has a master volume and contrary to what some might say, it sounds fantastic at low volumes. So you should be fine as long as your mates are sane.

I did have a non-master volume head for a while, and it was violently loud if it needed to be overdriven. It simply required attenuation; otherwise no reasonable person could enjoy being in it's vicinity. Again, hopefully your mates are reasonable people.

One thing to maybe help your guitar players: see if they'll use slant cabs. Easier to hear IME and the treble-to-the-face damps the itch to blast the volume. So many guitarist think straight cabs sound "better" (deeper, warmer, more bass, etc.). They don't. The player just can't hear the treble that shoots past their hips and blasts the audience in the face.
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I read once where David Gilmour of PF would turn his Hiwatts up so loud in the studio everyone would run for the hills leaving him all by his lonesome. That's just craziness. I never ever liked loud concerts...Thank God the 60's & 70's are just a memory and I still have my hearing.
 
#115
Hey, guys, I have a dilemma. My guitarist just got a new rig and I need to find a solution for my bass to overpower keep up with it. Please, no IEM type suggestions, this has to be a full stage rig (image is everything, ya' know).

TIA. Here is the guitarist and rig in question I need to deal with.

 
#117
Jeff Scott said:
TIA. Here is the guitarist and rig in question I need to deal with.

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Nothing a few of these couldn't handle. :bag:

59F822A0-E2EA-437E-9AA2-67679764561C.jpeg
 

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