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No PA support-whaddaya use for cab(S)?

2x Schroeder 15+L cabs (got 'em from an amazing player & super sweetheart of a TB brother in Madison!)

Powered ably by GB Streamliner 6.0 (got it from another, equally talented and nice TB brother in Madison!)

Now if I could just stop playing bass like such a guitar player...
 
I don't do clubs with over a hundred patrons, without PA support. Ever heard the term "stupid loud"? There's a reason it's called that. ;)
+1
4-500 peeps needs real PA, period.

trying to blast low end from stage just wrecks the mix for everybody else in the band and still doesn't make it to the back.

your bass rig never needs to be any louder than the acoustic drums are.
 
Bergantino NV215 covers most eventualities for me, with or without PA support. If there is no FOH support I suppose I would just turn it up as necessary, but to be honest I can't imagine doing 100+ without at least a touch going through the subs.
 
I think sometimes we grossly overestimate how much we need as bass players. A 500 seat joint, while not small, is also not big. And making it to the back of the room with a 112 and a 115 and a decently powered amp should be fairly easy in all but the most ear-splitting of cases. And when you're doing stage volume gigs, the idea should be the same as when you do a full PA gig...make the music sound balanced. How much do you need for that? I think Walter's advice about using the acoustic drums as a guide is sound.