On the fence (need a shove)

[FatDaddySam]

I’ve been playing at bass for eight years and been serious about it for about nine months. I’ve been using a Peavey TKO 115 for about five years and keep thinking I want a new amp- something louder and lighter than my boat anchor Peavey.

I have cash saved up and am continuing to add my daily change and weekly left overs. And now, after months of saving up in my change jar, I CAN go buy pretty much any amp I want. Now I’m Gun shy and having to seriously think and probably over think the decision.

I’m an amateur with no band. I play on the worship team at church, but use DI boxes for that to run through the PA. I’ll be able to give up weekend work in a few months and hope to start jamming with some local friends that have nice Marshall Stacks, a few Fender Twins in the mix, and other amps of hearing destruction. What to get?

Do I NEED a 500w amp? Should the day come where I possibly play the small scene, what is needed and what is overkill?

thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[lomo]

Since you asked for opinions....here's my .02

Yes I'd go with a head that pushes at least 500 watts (or even 800 watts, 'cause watts are cheap and some great brands, like Mesa don't currently offer heads with less power than 800 at 4 Ohms), and a good 8 Ohm, 112 cab. That will give you a portable rig that can hang with a drummer in a small setting, and allow you to expand with another cab if you encounter different situations down the road. Great gear will sound great at low or high volume, either with or without an audience, and light gear will get hauled with a broader smile (and maybe more often)

 

[gh0st42]

Better to have more power and headroom and not need it, than to have not enough when you do need it, IMHO.

Personally I'm a big Mesa Boogie fan for Bass amplification (Subway line is feature rich, super light and easy to transport, and sounds like a rig way bigger than it actually is, not to mention designer @agedhorse is extremely helpful and active on these forums, and a real class act!), as it will cover most bases in the tone department, but there are a lot of great options out these days.

Ampeg, Genz Benz, and Gallien Kruger are my top recommendations if you don't want Mesa Boogie, but that all boils down to personal taste and your personal requirements/use case really.

 

[Scott Lynch]

I second @lomo 's recommendation. A 500-800w (rated @ 4 ohm) class D head and lightweight 8 ohm 112 cab should do the trick for a modern small rig that covers everything from practice duty to carrying small rooms up to 100 people or so. In that category there are lots of options that make a choice come down to needs and preferences. Should you start playing out and find yourself needing more volume on stage, you can add a matching 112 to make a small stack.

 

[Yummy Notes]

Great gear will sound great at low or high volume, either with or without an audience, and light gear will get hauled with a broader smile (and maybe more often)

Splurge on yourself and get something expandable.

For the record, I have Mesa amps paired with Aguilar cabs.

 

[lomo]

I second @lomo 's recommendation. A 500-800w (rated @ 4 ohm) class D head and lightweight 8 ohm 112 cab should do the trick for a modern small rig that covers everything from practice duty to carrying small rooms up to 100 people or so. In that category there are lots of options that make a choice come down to needs and preferences. Should you start playing out and find yourself needing more volume on stage, you can add a matching 112 to make a small stack.

...or get a 4 Ohm much larger cab, etc,.

 

[rickdog]

On the fence? There's a girl in California who could help

Some good suggestions so far. Just for variety I'll suggest something different: instead of a dedicated bass head, get a preamp and power amp. A preamp like the Arkham Oracle would work as a DI for the worship services, and should sound better than just a DI. Check with the sound crew first, though, and make sure that's cool with them. I have a Zephyr (rack mount version of the Oracle), and I love it.

Class D power amp technology has gotten incredibly cheap and versatile. They're light, you can drive more power than you'll ever need, they have built-in DSP filters, you can biamp....

 

[scottfeldstein]

I agree with the at-least-500w and a pair of mid sized cabs thing. If I ever get a gig again this is likely what I'll be rockin. My Ampeg PF-500 and my pair of GK Neo 112s. (Unless it's small, then I'll just grab my Hartke Kickback KB112.)

 

[Blues Bass 2]

Marshall stacks and Twin Reverbs ? The 500 watt recommendation is good but against those amps you should have at least a couple 112 cabs . Maybe the guys you will be jamming with play at low volumes but in general you need as much speaker area as the guys playing guitar to be heard .
You wouldn't want to blow up your 112 trying to keep up with a Twin or a Marshall .