• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Noob speaker question

T

thxcuz

Nov 5, 2009
5
3
#1
I’ve got a cheap amp I use for practice and some gigs (we only play block parties and the occasional small bar)
I’d like to gig with it regularly because my other rig (acoustic b300h & b410c cab)are too much of a pita for this old guy to schlep around anymore. This Chinese cheepie is only 80 watts but has held its own on some gigs (our drummer is very professional and knows when to use rods and such) but I’m looking for a little more umph from this amp. Would some high efficiency speakers help with that? If so do you have any suggestions. I know this is a noob question and I apologize. I suppose the easiest option is to sell my acoustic rig and get something more manageable but I’ve never been one to take the easy route.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop
#3
My budget is what I can get for my acoustic rig.

the amp in question is a junky generic Johnson 100b I got it off eBay probably 20 years ago and it served me well for many years. I just needed something to make sounds, brand or quality weren’t on the top of my list at the time
 
#4
I'd think a new 200- 500 watt combo would be a good target. Explore the comparable Fender, Ampeg, GK, and Hartke offerings for each of the four respective baked in sounds and feature sets. For what you could likely get from selling the Acoustic rig, you may need to add some cash to buy new; but shopping used might fit the budget.

You're currently in (depending on the description you turn up on Google) a 20-ish year old 60-100 watt 1x12 combo. Almost anything in a 200 watt modern combo will be an improvement I'd bet.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Bill Whitehurst, DJ Bebop, S-Bigbottom and 1 other person
#6
First you need to remove the back cover and see what rating your current speaker is, look for the ohms.
Secondly you get an external speaker jack installed on the back of your amp.
And finally go and buy a 1x10" or 1x12" modern speaker cab that you can plug in the external speaker jack you got put in.

Maybe something like a Trace Elliot Elf cab or a small Mark Bass cab or any of the small lightweight ones out there.
Then it will look good when you realize you need that tiny 300w amp that goes with the cab later.
Get the Speaker cab now and write to santa about that little 200-500watt micro amp for christmas.

The other way is to measure the internal volume of your cabinet, and measure the ports etc.
Then you need to work out the best speaker driver for your volume and port dimensions, and cross your fingers that you got it all worked out right.
Cheers
Mick
 
#7
Unless you are somehow beholden to your acoustic or cheap practice amps, get rid of them for something that works for you. I can fully appreciate you wanting to modify what you have to make it work, I'm cutbfrom the same cloth. Ask yourself, why am I fighting this gear to make it work? Given that 80% of all statistics are made up, 99.9% of the time I find a "cheaper solution" to make something work, I spend as much or more than the gear that would work and wind up with something that "sort of" works. It is a daily struggle.

I have a Fender Rumble 350 combo that works well for most anything I want to do. It is heavy, but it is on casters. It does have a hum, but that goes away when I turn the post gain past 12 o'clock. Unfortunately I almost never need it that loud.
 
#9
Unless you love the sound of the 80 watter and hafta have it, leave it as is.

You'll get more mileage out of buying a more modern 100 watter (if 80 worked worked, any mod 100 watter will work better re volume).

I would look for a used Rumble or Ampeg combo, etc. - you might get lucky under US$200.
 
#10
Just get a good 2x10 or 1x15 cab to use with your head. That will be a good in-between solution that will be easy to schlep. MarkBass cabs are very light and super loud, for instance.

BTW - the difference in loudness of a bigger amp are insignificant until you get much larger. You get much more out of speaker that is more efficient and larger.
 
Last edited:
#11
thxcuz said:
I’ve got a cheap amp I use for practice and some gigs (we only play block parties and the occasional small bar)
I’d like to gig with it regularly because my other rig (acoustic b300h & b410c cab)are too much of a pita for this old guy to schlep around anymore. This Chinese cheepie is only 80 watts but has held its own on some gigs (our drummer is very professional and knows when to use rods and such) but I’m looking for a little more umph from this amp. Would some high efficiency speakers help with that? If so do you have any suggestions. I know this is a noob question and I apologize. I suppose the easiest option is to sell my acoustic rig and get something more manageable but I’ve never been one to take the easy route.
Click to expand...
If it has an external speaker jack you can get another speaker. You can buy another amp just like the one you have under $100 (some are under $50) and play through two when you need the extra volume.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back