Looking for a Bass rig

[Scruffy1012]

"That Fender amp is a beast. Not great price but not too bad if it's in great shape. Very reliable and VERY powerful n loud.
Beware tho. It's power ' could ' blow out the speakers in almost any cab. As usual just be sensible, use yr ears & it'll be cool.
Get a GOOD 410 or 610 & you'll be set. I think that amp actually puts out more than 600w into 2 ohms irrc."

How can it blow the speakers in any cab? Is it too powerful or should I be looking at a different cab which can better accommodate the heads power ?

 

[Downunderwonder]

You'll spend a hell of a lot to get unbreakable cabs. Just use common sense and listen. Cabs don't just up and die without warning.

 

[rodl2005]

+1 THAT'S all I'm meaning.
It's a powerful amp. So just be aware that like any powerful amp, it COULD blow your speakers if you don't take the usual precautions. Listening, don't use full volume and crank the bass eq etc. Almost any powerful amp is the same.
As stated above, use your head & you're fine.

 

[Scruffy1012]

Ok I will probably have the volume at like 3-4 most of the time and the bass would be pretty much rolled off. Do you mean like if I have everything dimes or is it like even everything at 12'clock there could be problems ?

 

[Downunderwonder]

There will only be problems if you are a dumbarse.

Bass rolled off does give you potential to cook speakers instead of shredding them. If you go to turn up and it doesn't seem to be actually getting much louder that is your warning that you are getting into danger territory, back off a nip and ask everyone else to dial it back. If that doesn't fly buy more cab or get new band.

Say you soldier on with just too much gusto. If you're lucky you might hear it gets quieter, that's your final warning before meltdown.

Bear in mind these rigs under discussion are sufficient for a mega concert stage. There are other ways to skin the cat when you're playing inside to 300, not that many in your genre want to know about it.

 

[IPYF]

There are other ways to skin the cat when you're playing inside to 300, not that many in your genre want to know about it.

Coming from someone so keen on 'Trace watts' this seems like a bit of a cheeky rib.
We're not talking about a 2001rb or a Hartke Kilo here either.

Grab any modern 410 with 500w of power handling and unless you're broken in the headspace you'll be golden for years to come.

 

[Scruffy1012]

Coming from someone so keen on 'Trace watts' this seems like a bit of a cheeky rib.
We're not talking about a 2001rb or a Hartke Kilo here either.

Grab any modern 410 with 500w of power handling and unless you're broken in the headspace you'll be golden for years to come.

does it have to be 500w ? im looking at getting this Ampeg Portaflex 4x10 800w its 800w :/

 

[IPYF]

That's better.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Coming from someone so keen on 'Trace watts' this seems like a bit of a cheeky rib. .

Nothing to do with amp variety.

Your average TB American heavy metal exponent doesn't get by with only 4x10. What's the deal with the guitar rigs in your band? How about likely venue sizes in Sydney?

You were all about the DI originally. News flash. Playing in a club to 300 or so, the bass fader on the PA is often zeroed.

What everyone fails to recognise in the beginning is watts are not proportional with volume. 800w into a cab is only fractionally louder than 400w, even if it wasn't already starting to distort with 400w.

Adding another identical cab gets a whole lot louder.

The crazy thing is I fully agree with IPYF, 500w ( or 250w Trace ) and 4x10 should see anyone right. Just make them 2 vertical 2x10 so you can hear it and it carries the room when there isn't the need for FOH bass.

 

[Scruffy1012]

That's better.

Ok, so will there still be problems due to the cab being 200w more than the head ?

Nothing to do with amp variety.

Your average TB American heavy metal exponent doesn't get by with only 4x10. What's the deal with the guitar rigs in your band? How about likely venue sizes in Sydney?

You were all about the DI originally. News flash. Playing in a club to 300 or so, the bass fader on the PA is often zeroed.

What everyone fails to recognise in the beginning is watts are not proportional with volume. 800w into a cab is only fractionally louder than 400w, even if it wasn't already starting to distort with 400w.

Adding another identical cab gets a whole lot louder.

The crazy thing is I fully agree with IPYF, 500w ( or 250w Trace ) and 4x10 should see anyone right. Just make them 2 vertical 2x10 so you can hear it and it carries the room when there isn't the need for FOH bass.

The guitar rigs are 2 orange 4x12's with 6505 heads (extremely ****ing loud) or marshall jvms into orange 2x12s depending on venue size. Most of the venues are pretty small/medium sized. Most of the cabs at 500w are built differently, will i lose alot of the ampeg cab character going to another branded cab and going at 500w ?

 

[Downunderwonder]

200w of power spec difference is no concern when you got ears. I hope you are all wearing some good earplugs.

Define small venue, means different things depending what you are used to.

6505 is 100w tube, high gain thing iirc. Yore screwed if they crank those into the 412 cabs. Does melodic metal mean they want to be in harmony with the bass tone perchance?

 

[Scruffy1012]

200w of power spec difference is no concern when you got ears. I hope you are all wearing some good earplugs.

Define small venue, means different things depending what you are used to.

6505 is 100w tube, high gain thing iirc. Yore screwed if they crank those into the 412 cabs. Does melodic metal mean they want to be in harmony with the bass tone perchance?

They never crank them, barely get them past 1.5-2 (live as well) :/ Not sure what you mean about being in harmony ? all the songs are in E standard/drop D

 

[Downunderwonder]

They never crank them, barely get them past 1.5-2 (live as well) :/ Not sure what you mean about being in harmony ? all the songs are in E standard/drop D

Not adding up with the hard hitting drummer.

Common complaint from bass players in heavy metal with those sorts of guitar rigs is bass tone being buried by a wash of very low (for guitar) guitar emphasised lows, coupled with litterally ear piercing highs for anyone unfortunate to be out in front of the 412 beam.

These guys have loud rigs and crazy louder rigs in the SS 2x12, 100w tube 4x12 options, but only turn up to 2? I'm all here. Has this band never had a bass?

 

[IPYF]

200w of power spec difference is no concern when you got ears. I hope you are all wearing some good earplugs.

Define small venue, means different things depending what you are used to.

6505 is 100w tube, high gain thing iirc. Yore screwed if they crank those into the 412 cabs. Does melodic metal mean they want to be in harmony with the bass tone perchance?

Either the Fender or the PF800 with the 800w pf410 should be dandy. I get by with 485w easily and I'm up against a 6505+, a triggered kit and a Mesa 50/50. I see no issue there unless everyone dimes everything, which they clearly dont.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Either the Fender or the PF800 with the 800w pf410 should be dandy. I get by with 485w easily and I'm up against a 6505+, a triggered kit and a Mesa 50/50. I see no issue there unless everyone dimes everything, which they clearly dont.

On the face of it you're dead right, except 4x10 beams like a fomo.

All seems hinky to me though. 6 stringer taking on bass, "heavy hitting drummer", badarse amps on 2, multiple guitar rigs, gigs played, like blood out of a stone getting a handle on the sitch.

If it's all for real I see a volume war breaking out.

 

[Scruffy1012]

On the face of it you're dead right, except 4x10 beams like a fomo.

All seems hinky to me though. 6 stringer taking on bass, "heavy hitting drummer", badarse amps on 2, multiple guitar rigs, gigs played, like blood out of a stone getting a handle on the sitch.

If it's all for real I see a volume war breaking out.