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Input on selecting a gigging bass amp/rig

#63
Schroeder cabs all day. Can't go wrong. Got a 1210L (and 1215L) in 2008. After a house fire I replaced them with... the exact same setup. The owner Jorg is a pleasure to deal with.

EDIT: I should've read this reply:

dbsfgyd1 said:
First, do not be afraid to buy lightly used gear. Second, be patient. There will always plenty of gear for sale and the right piece will come along at a great price.

Third, consider a modular rig as opposed to a combo. This will allow for you to retire and replace components as inexpensively as possible. In that regard, avoid 4 ohm cabinets unless you are either only going to use one, or use a stereo amp. Having multiple cabs as opposed to one has it’s advantages. Like you may not need 4 speakers all the time, but you have them if you need them. It’s a lot easier to move and transport (2) 210 cabs as opposed to (1) 410.

Finally, let your ears be your guide. Only you know what you can live with sound wise and what will drive you up the wall. Pretty much from your list you should be able to find something decent. Those price points are pretty attractive.

I have had good success buying used gear from Guitar Center. Keep in mind, there is always some risk buying used gear, but with GC, it comes with a money back guarantee, a warranty, and better yet, condition ratings which describes what you can expect on arrival. If it arrive in a condition less than what they have it listed, it’s negotiation time.

Glad to hear your are returning to the land of the living. Best wishes going forward!
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FWIW my first Schroeder cab was a used 4ohm 1210L (used from a TB'er). I feel like players generally treat nicer gear better, so I wouldn't worry on used. As mentioned above, modular is a great option. You can always buy an amp that'll put out enough power at 4ohm on each channel and get another cab in the future, or just be able to go to a smaller gig with half the wattage.
 
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#64
I woul go with a harkte hd500 or even Hartke hd508 ( that one will be my next amp). Hartke has one on hd series with 15inch speaker that it's loud enough and a very good choice! Or the kickback series are also great.
Man I love Hartke hahaha.
Prs Kestrel is a beautiful instrument!!!
Good luck in your search and have fun!


I'm talking about Hartke hd150 ('15 speaker)
preview.jpg
 
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#65
GK Neo cab. It will save you a lot of pain down the road.

If you were just wanting to sit and home and listen to the best bass sound ever, I'd get an old SWR Goliath (it is VERY hard to find one that hasn't had the tweeter and/or corssover wrecked, so be sure you can return it if it is!). I have one. I love it. And I don't take it out to gigs because it's 95 pounds, and who needs that chore?

I don't like any of the heads you're looking at. For a bit more cash I'd be looking for a used GK MB 500/800.

The Fender Rumble combo is loud enough to do the trick. I didn't think it would be, but got rooked into a jam night using one with my sledgehammer drummer (dude hits like he's trying bust up a sidewalk with a sledge) and it was more than loud enough. I don't like the sound...but a lot of people do and you might be one of them.
 
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#67
Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm leaning towards the GBE head with the Schroeder cab or the GK cab.

I discovered the SWR 4x10 cab was 8 ohm and I don't want to half my power/wattage, not if I can just get a 2nd Schroeder cab down the road. The GK MB series also appeals to me, I like their approach.

People have asked what sound I like - I can't remember all the amps I've owned - Apart from the horrid 1st backbreaking Peavey (100+ lbs) cab and head and some obscure unlabeled bass monstrosity with 15's and 12's - this Hartke B60 has my favorite tone of all the bass amps I've owned. I realize it wouldn't be enough to gig with, but it's boomy and still tight, even sounded decent with the Ibanez Gio 5 string I had (sold recently to upgrade to the squier jag) on the low E, plus has some good punch on upper notes. I guess what I'm saying is that I haven't owned a bass amp YET that I've been happy with for what I paid for it, apart from this Hartke!

Am also leaning towards replacing the lovable Pawnshop Squier for a Yamaha TRBX505 I found a great deal on (~120 more than the used rbx375 and maybe 70 more than the new TRBX305 was gonna cost me), plus it has an awesome finish that I love. I know, vanity, but my PRS guitar is black and given some of the finishes they have, why someone would buy boring black is beyond me...

I got some good laughs out of the stories above too, guys, thanks!!!

***My best friend is a drummer, but he's a beast on the skins and I wouldn't change a thing about his playing hahaha
 
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#71
One thing to remember about cabs. If you get 4 ohm cab, it usually can't be used with another cab, as that drops the amp's inpedance to below 4 ohm. Most amps list a 4 ohm minimum load. Very few can do 2 ohm loads. Many Top quality amps can. BTW the Berg and the Genzler are rated to go to 2 ohms.

Just saying, be aware to not box yourself into only being able to use that one cabinet.
 
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#72
Eddie LeBlanc said:
One thing to remember about cabs. If you get 4 ohm cab, it usually can't be used with another cab, as that drops the amp's inpedance to below 4 ohm. Most amps list a 4 ohm minimum load. Very few can do 2 ohm loads. Many Top quality amps can. BTW the Berg and the Genzler are rated to go to 2 ohms.

Just saying, be aware to not box yourself into only being able to use that one cabinet.
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If i do go head + cab it'll probably be the genz, I'm getting a great deal on it, and then I'll probably end up getting the gk 4x10 and just using my hand trucks for longer moves of it.

Cant find a 2x10 at a low enough price, and the only decent priced 15 cab i can find 2nd hand is the acoustic.

4 ohm cabs are around they're just hit and miss, some people don't even know what they have!

You ask them for pics and then they send blurry pics of the back inputs/model #
 
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#73
Do whatever on the Bass. Really surprised there is no mention of anything Ampeg as far as the amp thing is concerned. Really? They don’t call it the “Power of Bass” for nothing. They are usually what everything else is compared to. Might be worth a look, just a suggestion .
 
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#75
Papuzzo said:
If I were under budget constraints and wanted to play in a rock band, I would get a used Hartke HA3500 head and a used TC Electronic K212 to start off with. Test the setup in practice to see if there is enough volume for eventual stage use. It most likely will be. If that cab and head isn't loud enough for stage work, you can eventually get another K212 for a 4x12 4ohm setup. This setup is modular and easy to transport, and doesn't weigh too much.
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I'll second the TC cab. I have a Genzler Magellan 350 going through a TC K212 and it sounds great. :thumbsup:
 
#76
Cannot seem to find a good deal on ANY 2x10 cabs, the gk 4x10 and the acoustic 1x15 i found are both 8 ohms

I found a hartke 4x10 4 ohmmaybe 1.5 hrs away for $150, but darn thing is 90 pounds! The idea of using hand trucks for every garage jam vs. 2 25# 1x10s...

So... ive been digging and digging, i came across these little beauties:

Eden E Series EX110 4-Ohm 300W 1x10" Bass Speaker Extension Cabinet

They are $249 each new, *weigh only 25 pounds each*, and 2 of them would allow the GB head to push its full 450w @ 2 ohms.

I noticed eden gets a lot of love in higher end rigs here and elsewhere.

Also have an inquiry in on a used gb 2x10 cab i found for 250, yet another cab posted without darn impedance or wattage specs. I'd bet linch it's gonna be 8 ohms.

Finally get paid next week so will be in a position to pull the trigger on a setup. Will probably go with 1 cab (still have a respectable 330w) and upgrade the bass to whatever feels like best deal (most likely the $250 rbx375 or $370 trbx505).

Thanks for all the advice and it was fun to hear various stories as well as about some of the monster rigs some of you guys are running.

Great ideas for a less budget constrained rig 3 years from now.
 
#77
Ted Mowery said:
Cannot seem to find a good deal on ANY 2x10 cabs, the gk 4x10 and the acoustic 1x15 i found are both 8 ohms

I found a hartke 4x10 4 ohmmaybe 1.5 hrs away for $150, but darn thing is 90 pounds! The idea of using hand trucks for every garage jam vs. 2 25# 1x10s...

So... ive been digging and digging, i came across these little beauties:

Eden E Series EX110 4-Ohm 300W 1x10" Bass Speaker Extension Cabinet

They are $249 each new, *weigh only 25 pounds each*, and 2 of them would allow the GB head to push its full 450w @ 2 ohms.

I noticed eden gets a lot of love in higher end rigs here and elsewhere.

Also have an inquiry in on a used gb 2x10 cab i found for 250, yet another cab posted without darn impedance or wattage specs. I'd bet linch it's gonna be 8 ohms.

Finally get paid next week so will be in a position to pull the trigger on a setup. Will probably go with 1 cab (still have a respectable 330w) and upgrade the bass to whatever feels like best deal (most likely the $250 rbx375 or $370 trbx505).

Thanks for all the advice and it was fun to hear various stories as well as about some of the monster rigs some of you guys are running.

Great ideas for a less budget constrained rig 3 years from now.
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You get a lot of crazy numbers thrown around some cheap gear these days. Don't believe the half of it. Eden is one of the worst offenders.

The GB 210 might a good start if it hasn't been abused.
 
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#78
Downunderwonder said:
You get a lot of crazy numbers thrown around some cheap gear these days. Don't believe the half of it. Eden is one of the worst offenders.

The GB 210 might a good start if it hasn't been abused.
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Its never an easy choice it seems, meh, maybe I'll just pick up the bugera 15 combo which leaves me enough $ to change the bass out too...

Meh maybe buy the gb to head keep it on hand until the world returns to normal then try it through a ton of cabs until one sings to or really speaks to me ..

(I'm surprised to hear you say that about eden? in a lot of the reading ive done in my quest, people rave about eden gear being so great? Only complaint ive heard regarding their gear is the stuff bekng overpriced)

Nearly every time i look into a cab whose specs are not published they turn out to be the wrongs specs for what I'm trying to do.
 
#79
I'd be more inclined to believe the RMS rating if it was a high end boutique 110 cab with a quality driver, but that Eden is sadly not.

You'd probably be farting out well before you reached anywhere near close to the GB's limits.

I'd be looking at a decent 410 or 212 cab. Perhaps an Ampeg 410HLF or a GK Neo 212.
 
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#80
Well ive settled on a setup.

I am gonna go with the GB head and a GK neo 4x12 godzilla cab (700 w @ 4ohms) i found a good deal on locally. Its a behemoth but has wheels at least.

Could not find a palatable deal on any 2x10s or 2x12s i was happy with and the 1x15s were all 2/3 as heavy as the behemoth, so...

Guess I'll take up powerlifting again haha

And keep my eyes out for decent smaller cabs at better prices down the road. I guess kn the upside, when i upgrade or replace the GB, the NEO cab should be able to handle almost anything i pick.

That is unless one of the items sell by or on payday haha then its back to the ole drawing board.

Thanks to all for the suggestions!
 
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