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old school tone, but portable

#61
JimmyM said:
This is a big advantage of not worrying about color schemes. My Markbass 12 combo is black and yellow, but it weighs 29 lbs. :p :D
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you know, I get where, maybe, some players are constantly having to haul their gear to gig after gig on a daily basis, sometimes doing triples and such. But I'd have to say that an 18lbs delta is not a big deal for pro gear. I mean that's not even a challenging curl. :cool:

I read about 300w, 18lb rigs with 1 8" driver and wonder what the point is .. really. I guess, if your a non driving, subway or cab riding urban player who is constantly on the move, this might make sense. Or, that college poster, who recently asked about rigs he could shuffle around on his bicycle (and drop occasionally) :eek:

personally, I don't care about color schemes, if the rig sounds good.
 
#62
pfschim said:
you know, I get where, maybe, some players are constantly having to haul their gear to gig after gig on a daily basis, sometimes doing triples and such. But I'd have to say that an 18lbs delta is not a big deal for pro gear. I mean that's not even a challenging curl. :cool:

I read about 300w, 18lb rigs with 1 8" driver and wonder what the point is .. really. I guess, if your a non driving, subway or cab riding urban player who is constantly on the move, this might make sense. Or, that college poster, who recently asked about rigs he could shuffle around on his bicycle (and drop occasionally) :eek:
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Yes, I know it's silly, but when I have a 1000 yard walk to the stage, I'm pretty grateful my Markbass combo weighs 29 lbs and not 47. And if I could find a 300w combo with an 8 inch driver that actually sounds good like the Markbass, I'd buy it too, and I'd sell the Markbass.

Having said that, my B-15N is getting the call on most of my gigs these days, and it weighs over 100 lbs ;)
 
#63
I go for old-school tone playing blues with my P Bass. My current favorite rig is my NeoPak 3.5 head (predeccessor of the Shuttle 6.0 with less power) into a Genz Benz Neox112t cab. This cab weighs about 35 pounds, give or take, and it's handling fairly loud gigs (loud for me, at least). I do have two of them, but have been playing just one lately. Here's a thread I started about playing this setup with a fusion trio, but the two most recent posts by me are rehearsal and gig reports from my blues band:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=337931

To eliminate a little bias (I'm a Genz endorser), let me also say that a Markbass LMII into a Bag End 15 would do the exact same job for me (ask Brad Johnson), as would a Walkabout Scout combo, most likely. And while I don't personally love the little Markbass 112 combo, JimmyM has used it professionally and proven its worth on bigger stages than I play.

Good luck!
 
#64
liam_g said:
I go for old-school tone playing blues with my P Bass. My current favorite rig is my NeoPak 3.5 head (predeccessor of the Shuttle 6.0 with less power) into a Genz Benz Neox112t cab. This cab weighs about 35 pounds, give or take, and it's handling fairly loud gigs (loud for me, at least). I do have two of them, but have been playing just one lately. Here's a thread I started about playing this setup with a fusion trio, but the two most recent posts by me are rehearsal and gig reports from my blues band:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=337931

To eliminate a little bias (I'm a Genz endorser), let me also say that a Markbass LMII into a Bag End 15 would do the exact same job for me (ask Brad Johnson), as would a Walkabout Scout combo, most likely. And while I don't personally love the little Markbass 112 combo, JimmyM has used it professionally and proven its worth on bigger stages than I play.
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And on many smaller stages than you play as well. It's not all kumquats and Cool Whip in the oldies biz ;)

Liam, I must admit that I hate it when someone busts an endorsee's chops about what gear they play and they call them shills and other stupid names. I don't think you should have to temper your feelings about Genz Benz with statements like that. You disclosed your relationship...that should be the end of it.
 
#65
JimmyM said:
And on many smaller stages than you play as well. It's not all kumquats and Cool Whip in the oldies biz ;)

Liam, I must admit that I hate it when someone busts an endorsee's chops about what gear they play and they call them shills and other stupid names. I don't think you should have to temper your feelings about Genz Benz with statements like that. You disclosed your relationship...that should be the end of it.
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Thanks man. Also, though, the sentiments I expressed in my "disclaimer" are true ... I'm not just throwing them out there to try to balance things out. I really do think any of those other rigs would do the job the OP is looking for.

Thanks!
 
#66
jeremynyc said:
Thanks for all the responses guys. Very helpful!

So it looks like a choice head-wise between the mesa walkabout and the GB shuttle.

The cab is the trickier choice as I do have those darn 3 flights to deal with.

The Bag End S15 is small, but at 45 lbs that's still a lot to lug...but sometimes you have to suffer for your art!

My guess is that a 112 is only going to cover the smaller situations..
Keep the ideas coming if you have, and I'll keep you posted on what I go with.
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I use the one 112 for small places w/o PA support, and it has plenty of vollume to be heard over 2 guitarists and a LOUD drummer. Add PA support and it could serve very well. We just don't have PA support so I bring the second 112 for larger places.
 
#67
I have a Walkabout Scout 12" combo and it does sound great but I wouldn't want to carry it up and down 3 flights of stairs. I used to jam at a guy's apt in Boston and would bring a Wizzy 12, iAmp500 and my URB and it was a bear to go up 2 flights of stairs.

If you're in NYC, you may want to take a road trip to NJ to Gollihur music and try out the Wizzy 10's. A pair of them put out a lot and at 17 lbs each you could walk up and down the stairs all day long. Then get a small head like the Focus (1000 watts at 2 ohms and about 4 lbs or so) and a Sansamp pre to get a more tubey tone. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised. You already have the big amp for bigger shows.

The other alternative would be a Schroeder 1212L (plenty loud) but still in around 42 lbs) and then a light amp.
 
#68
I would highly recommend the Mesa Walkabout Scout. I am using the Scout 1x12" cabinet and it gets me as close to the "motown sound" as I have heard(with my old P-bass/flats). It has a TON of low end for its size(nicely controlled low end at that), and is lightweight to carry. I am using it right now with a MarkBass SA450 head although I do use a Sansamp BDDI in front of it to give it a bit of that tube-like breakup when you dig in.
 
#69
for my lightweight amp, i bought two hartke transporter 2-10 cabs, replaced the 10's with Eminence deltalite 2510's so each cab can handle 500 watts. i also added a tweeter and a crossover (with a true bypass switch for old school tones). each of these cabs now weigh 24 lbs and with two of them i can play just about any sized gig. i have run them with anything from an old Sunn 2000s, an SVT, an Eden WT550B, a Yamaha 500BTH and a Genz Benz GBE-600 and i can get the motown sound out of any of them with my original '62 P bass. even with just one of them i can play mid sized rooms and they are as light as a feather to transport. Paired with the Yamaha digi bass head (10lbs) its super easy to take to the gigs where the stage is along way form my car.
 
#70
JimmyM said:
Liam, I must admit that I hate it when someone busts an endorsee's chops about what gear they play and they call them shills and other stupid names. I don't think you should have to temper your feelings about Genz Benz with statements like that. You disclosed your relationship...that should be the end of it.
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I must have missed where anyone busted anyone else's chops on this particular thread. And Liam's specifically. I see his opinions as very balanced and not at all pushy.

So, having said that first ..... :hiding:

I get where an endorser has the right to do what the endorsed manufacturer expects .. put positive messages out on the gear they endorse. That's obviously one of the reasons for the endorsement game. It's also the reason for the TB disclosure rule and I support that totally.

BUT, I think that an endorser who repeatedly chimes in on a thread to keep a positive spin going in a discussion that has a basic questioning or negative vibe to it, is rightly going to have to expect some flack (should be polite and professional though) from the general audience here on TB. I feel that most player here come for good info without any salesmanship or bias. It's sometimes a fine line I know.

I mean, after all, an endorser is fundamentally biased by way of the endorsement deal. So, their opinion is going to reflect that bias, and some folks don't appreciate bias. Same is true of members who work for a particular manufacturer. While it's good that they appear here and represent their stuff and offer factual replies and support, it's also pretty well understood that they are biased .. naturally ... towards their own products.

anyway, Liam, hope you don't feel like anyone took a shot at you here.

and JimmyM, while not an official endorser, you have certainly been waay solidly behind MB gear .. and in some cases, got some grief for a pretty aggressive (what!, not JimmyM :D) and fairly one way view of this manufacturers stuff.

bias is tricky

hope everyone has a good Memorial Day - peace
 
#71
I have been solidly behind Markbass products because I genuinely think they make the best SS amp on the market. If I genuinely believe it, why should I not be allowed to say it? True, I was a little gay for them when I first got one, but so what? It was my honest feeling, without getting so much as a t-shirt over it (Peter said he was going to send me one but I never got it...dont' really care, either...my opinion is the same).

And while it hasn't happened in this thread, it has happened in numerous other threads. I don't believe endorsers should have to give all sides when they talk about similar gear to what they endorse. Most endorsers still have to pay for it...they just pay slightly less than the rest of us. So I think this whole business about "shills" is a red herring.
 
#72
jeremynyc said:
Ok, one more requirement I should have mentioned. It has to look good (or at least unobtrusive) on stage!

Sorry to all you Markbass fans out there, but I really don't like that orange speaker. If they made it in black I would have bought one.
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If you like the sound of the cab, a $4.00 can of spray paint will change the color of the speakers. I don't imagine the sound will be affected at all.

Rick B.
 
#76
jeremynyc said:
I have played the walkabout and like it...never tried it through a decent cab though. Maybe I should consider that one.

I guess the main issue for me is finding the right loud/portable/old school cab.

The head issue is more or less solved...maybe a shuttle, maybe a walkabout.

I could always get two cabs: a smaller 112 and something larger (2 12s?) for bigger gigs.

Of course...that's more $$, too. :)
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You want loud because of the size of the gig or because of the volume of the band?
 
#78
OK,

It's almost official. I just got back from my first of 2 outdoor gigs, and my new LIGHTweight rig just blew me away! :hyper:

I mean the punch and bottom was both clear and boomy at the same time. I have a wireless system that allowed me to roam about 50-75 yards out in front of the band, and I was hearing my bass loud and clear. We were playing under a small tent with nothing solid behind us. :bassist:

It had a definite old school tone, but was still very clear. I'll have to test it out next week at an indoor gig to see how this baby cuts the mix.
 

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