Looking for advice on a cheap amp for gigging?

[JohnPaulSmith]

OP: In what part of the world are you located?

 

[Wesley R]

Your choices are many. Maybe a Hartke LH500 few features, yet decent tone and reliable power.

 

[Dana R Gregory]

For your needs, I am thinking a GK MB210. It will push 350 watts through twin tens at 8 ohms, and 500 watts at 4 ohms with an extension speaker. It is light and easy to carry. I have a GK MB115 which is the same physical size as the MB210 and it fits in the back of my little Smart car with room to spare. There are good used ones to be had, try GC used gear website and Sam Ash used gear site as well. It may be a little more than what you want but it is better to have a little extra punch if needed, especially with thrash metal. Good luck.

 

[Stewie]

If you were close, I'd practically give you a Peavey TNT 130 that I gigged with for years. 75 pounds of loud enough. Sad thing is, I upgraded to an even heavier combo, a Fender BXR300C, plenty of window breaking low end now.

 

[wintremute]

OP, where art thou?

 

[rafitoprtx]

Carvin. Incredible amps for the price. Runs circles around any Fender Rumble.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Slappa De Bass]

I need some amp advice. I'm about to get an amp. I am upgrading from a V2 Rumble 350 because it's just not enough juice anymore. I am stuck between a v3 Rumble 500 + Carvin RL410T or an ampeg b2-re head and 410HLF cab. Both are about the same price $500-$550

 

[mmbongo]

I need some amp advice. I'm about to get an amp. I am upgrading from a V2 Rumble 350 because it's just not enough juice anymore. I am stuck between a v3 Rumble 500 + Carvin RL410T or an ampeg b2-re head and 410HLF cab. Both are about the same price $500-$550

Ampeg all the way there. Fender Rumbles don't even have Speakon connectors. Ampeg is a huge step up. The only thing the Rumble does better is the weight, as it weighs pretty much nothing as opposed to 26lbs. on the Ampeg.

 

[Slappa De Bass]

Ampeg all the way there. Fender Rumbles don't even have Speakon connectors. Ampeg is a huge step up. The only thing the Rumble does better is the weight, as it weighs pretty much nothing as opposed to 26lbs. on the Ampeg.

Can you explain to me the Speakon connectors? And I have been reading a couple reviews about the b2-re not being all that...

 

[mmbongo]

Can you explain to me the Speakon connectors? And I have been reading a couple reviews about the b2-re not being all that...

They are high current, secure locking speaker connectors that are found on higher end amps. They give you a much better connection than 1/4" plugs because they have more surface area, and they don't short your amp when you plug/unplug them like 1/4" plugs do.

If you decide against the amps you're looking at, check into Carvin. They have the BX500 on sale for $319 right now.

 

[JakobT]

Congratulations, OP, in true Talkbass style you now have a ton of recommendations from many helpful souls about what works best for them. If you want to find out what works best for YOU, you're going to have to go and try some of them out.

 

[beaglesandbass]

Congratulations, OP, in true Talkbass style you now have a ton of recommendations from many helpful souls about what works best for them. If you want to find out what works best for YOU, you're going to have to go and try some of them out.

Isn't that how it always goes? ha

 

[Linnin]

Congratulations, OP, in true Talkbass style you now have a ton of recommendations from many helpful souls about what works best for them. If you want to find out what works best for YOU, you're going to have to go and try some of them out.

Amazing is it not?

 

[gary m]

Affordable amp + 80s thrash metal = ?? (thinking noises, unidentifiable thumps, grinding of gears)

Hartke, Trace Elliot, G-K and Peavey are brands that come to mind in that genre. For myself in the 80s, I was using older Vox amps...but I wasn't thrashing anything, obviously.