newbie needs help

[byronkowalski]

hi,

im almost afraid to ask but i need help. i cant just blindly buy an amp.

i havent been playing all that long but i wanna kick the practice amp and get a real amp. and i know nothin so i need help.
i like a mid to high tone but with the option of going very low if needs be.

i was lookin at this
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warwick 4x10 600w +1x15 400w for e450

is this thejackpot or toal overkill. what kinda head do i want for this and what kinda money will i be payin

or should i go for somethin else altigehter

 

[thesilence]

more than you need as a beginner and probably more than you want to spend

 

["Q"]

What sound are you looking for?

Vintage or modern?

What kind of bass do you play?

What kind of music do you play?

What kind of strings do you use?

What kind of equipment do your guitar players use? (Do you have one lead player with a 60w combo or two players with full marshall stacks?)

 

[bobcruz]

General advice I can give you without knowing more: (1) don't be in a hurry. Read as much of the amp forum posts as you can stomach, and keep doing it for a while. (2) Shop for used equipment that you can try out. If you buy used and later your needs or goals change, you won't lose much selling it. When you buy used speaker cabinets, play them at low and high volume to listen for issues, and shine a bright light on the cones to check for creases from misuse. Look for pristine gear that some newbie bought who didn't follow this advice and get a good deal on it! Good luck, bob

 

[thesilence]

Definitely shop used I used to only consider new gear until I started hanging around at a local music store and playing through some of the used stuff and realized how much more bang I could get for the buck by buying used

 

[srayb]

General advice I can give you without knowing more: (1) don't be in a hurry. Read as much of the amp forum posts as you can stomach, and keep doing it for a while. (2) Shop for used equipment that you can try out. If you buy used and later your needs or goals change, you won't lose much selling it. When you buy used speaker cabinets, play them at low and high volume to listen for issues, and shine a bright light on the cones to check for creases from misuse. Look for pristine gear that some newbie bought who didn't follow this advice and get a good deal on it! Good luck, bob

Great advice. Here's another thing that worked for me many times: rent gear. A lot of music stores will rent out anything that is for sale used. Rent it for a month and see how you like it, then buy it if it fits the bill, or rent something else. Good luck!

 

[byronkowalski]

Thanks all for advice, what im lookin at is used and seems like a sweet deal, but i dont think its goin anywhere so i'll keep ahopping around and researching.

in response to "Q"
I'm looking for a modern tone with a lot of bite, something akin to Dick Lovgren just a bit less mental.

I play a peavey grind bxp 4 string but theres a good chance thatll be getting upgraded soonish too.

i like to play metal, roc, a touch of funk, some bluesy stuff. whatevers inside my head at the time y'know.

i play the lightest gauge strings i can get my hands on.

i have no full time guitarist or band, all personal satisfaction here.
i want my neighbours to think something really awful is happening when they hear me

 

["Q"]

Well I've heard good things about the Warwick amps on here not so sure about their cabs.

From your description the only thing that really springs to mind is Hartke for cabs and SWR for the amp. But Hartke has a good reputation for amps too.

 

[AntekStalich]

I'd like to join with similar question as Byron and ask for advice.

What sound are you looking for?
-- Deep, still a little bit percussive, I play with a pick

Vintage or modern?
-- Vintage

What kind of bass do you play?
-- Sandberg 4-string with active pu (MusicMan style)

What kind of music do you play?
-- '77 punk-rock, classic rock

What kind of strings do you use?
-- 40-100

What kind of equipment do your guitar players use? (Do you have one lead player with a 60w combo or two players with full marshall stacks?)
--Single guitarist with full Marshall 100W, 412 stack, drum set.

I think of Fender Bassman TV Fifteen combo, do you think it would be a good choice?

 

["Q"]

Well Antek it depends a lot on what you want from the percussive part of your sound. When I play with a pick I'm looking for more of a "thunk" than a snappy bitey sound. I'm guessing you're using roundwounds and want a little more upper mid zing than I would want. On the surface, that Fender looks like a great choice my only reservation would be if the included Celestion speaker can really cleanly handle that 350 watts it puts out.

Something on the small side from Gallien Krueger might be just right for you too. Like an 800rb or one of their combo's. I've tried some of their bigger heads like 1001 and they just sound too sterile to me. All the combos I've tried from them lately though are nice and growly/grindy.....not cold sounding but still snappy and quick. I think the MB212 was the last thing I played from them and it sounds right up your alley.

But check out that Fender too as I haven't tried one out yet and have heard good things about them.

 

[AntekStalich]

Thank you, Q!
With Fender, I am -- as a newbie -- concerned with lack of Low Mid / Hi Mid tone controls. I wonder if this has really so big meaning?

Many good things are said on Markbass. Only as many people are excited with that as many people think Markbasses are too sterile. I do not know what to think. The light-weight stuff is really appealing to me.

Gallien-Kruger might be a choice. I'm afraid to buy head/cab as the first choice because then I don't know how to select a good cab... Is choosing a GK head and a matching GK cab a right move? (I have looked whether MB212 could be readily available in my area. It is not!)

 

[kosmicwizard]

A lot of companies cabs sound good with their own heads, G-K in particular make most of their heads with an extra amp inside each amp head that connects to their cabs only and provides additional power to the tweeters, if you use G-K heads and not their cabs this extra amp is of little to no use to you. Look into what I am talking about. Cheers.

 

[Chris K]

Thank you, Q!
With Fender, I am -- as a newbie -- concerned with lack of Low Mid / Hi Mid tone controls. I wonder if this has really so big meaning?

Many good things are said on Markbass. Only as many people are excited with that as many people think Markbasses are too sterile. I do not know what to think. The light-weight stuff is really appealing to me.

Gallien-Kruger might be a choice. I'm afraid to buy head/cab as the first choice because then I don't know how to select a good cab... Is choosing a GK head and a matching GK cab a right move?

IMHO:
Markbass is pretty clean (I play it) and lightweight.

You might combine it with a good preamp with EQ or a pedal to shape your tone.

I use the 5-band EQ and compressor of my PJB Briefcase and in front of that I have a VT bass pedal. Gives you all of the grit you might like to hear.

 

[AntekStalich]

Thank you, kosmicwizard and Chris K!

I'll have a lot of thinking. All the stuff you're mentioning (except the MB212) are at least easy to import to my country. It's far harder to have them available at a shop to try them out

Thank you especially for reminding me that the tone could be shaped with stompboxes. (While playing electric guitar I got stuck to thinking in terms of "all tube amp", "no need for effects". The electric bass is no doubt different).

So given also price into consideration, there are amps I could think of now.

Lot of thanks!
------
Got the G.A.S. for GK MB500 + MBE212 4OHM. Thanks for your help!

 

[kosmicwizard]

I also have a Tech 21 VT bass pedal that I use with a G-K 1001RB II in order to make it sound more tubey. Great pedal and to some ears as good as having a tube preamp, but you avoid the tube replacement cost. Cheers.