Beginner bass player trying to put a decent rig together for a decent price. Using the advice of many here on TB, I picked up a Mark IV in excellent condition for little over a C note. Now I need to match it up with a nice cab. I have researched 2X10, 1X15 and 2X12's but not sure which configuration/brand will match this old school amp. My budget is $500 max, I play a USA Fender Jazz and the rig will mostly be used for practice but will need to transport it for monthly Praise Band services. I prefer a more traditional warm sound but don't want to get too muddy. Thanks to all!
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Peavey Mark IV head...which Cab?
- Thread starter bmaker
- Start date
dhomer
Commercial User
- Apr 9, 2009
- 675
- 13
- Disclosures
- Owner, Gigmaster Soundworks, Auth. greenboy designs builder, MI
I think a 2-12" would work just fine with that amp. However the "traditional" pairing is with a 2-15". If you search a little more you should be able to find a matching cab for relatively cheap. The old Peavey 2-15"s feature casters... I played through one of those heads for a few years, really can't go wrong with it..
Congrats on the Mark IV.
If it was me I'd watch craigslist or local pawnshops to score a deal on a used Peavey 1 X 15 or similar (maybe a 215 for total awesomeness if you are okay with the idea of moving it around), but if you want something new here are some ideas:
http://www.avatarspeakers.com/
Avatar neo 2 X 12 $369 plus $48 shipping.
Avatar neo 2 X 10 $299 plus $29 shipping.
Avatar neo 1 X 12 $269 plus $29 shipping.
Peavey Tour 115
$449.90 plus $69.99 shipping
http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Peavey-Tour-115-1x15-Bass-Cabinet-?sku=480326
Peavey Tour 210
$449.99 plus $19.99 shipping
http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Peavey-Tour-210-2x10-Bass-Cabinet-?sku=480318
Hope this helps.
I always ran mine through a 1x15 or the 1x15 + a 4x8, sounded sweet as!
grats on the amp, I miss mine heaps
grats on the amp, I miss mine heaps
Thanks for all of the help. The choices are limitless (good for us?) but it makes it hard to decide. I know the Avatars are well regarded @ TB and I am leaning that way. With the money I saved on the amp, I could swing a new cab. Are certain brands/models of amps just "suited" better for a certain cab or is that somewhat overblown? I have very limited experience with this stuff and with Avatar being a rare find used or in stores, I will have to roll the dice if I go that way. Should I be concerned?
i dont know if its still on ebay,but there was a peavey 2 15 cab for 150.00 on ebay that would work well with that head,good luck!
I know what you mean about it hard to decide. Matching heads to cabinets is a subject that could very well be debated and discussed until the cows come home.
Here's my two cents, IMO and IME and all that:
Make sure the impedance will work, that is make sure the ohms of the cabinet(s) are appropriate for the head. Make sure the speaker wattage is close to or above the wattage of the head (If I remember the Mark iv is good for 2 ohms and around 300 watts?). And use speaker cables and not instrument cables to connect the head to the cab. That's really the only hard and fast rules IMO. Everything else is based on what YOU want and what works FOR YOU.
If you want, take your head and bass to a music store and try some cabs out.
Find a cab that sounds good, that you can transport without killing yourself, and (yes) find something that looks good to you.
No, you don't NEED to get a Peavey cabinet for a Peavey head, but perhaps you want a slick, matching rig. Or maybe that means nothing to you and you'd rather get an economical Avatar in a nifty color scheme, or you may find you prefer a classic sounding Ampeg cab. Maybe you want a small cab now, and later want get a larger cab for a modular rig (again as long as you pay attention to total impedance). It's completely up to you!
anything.
the mark 4 has the old school heavy poweramp in it that runs at 300 watts into 2 ohms, 210 into 4 ohms, and about 160ish into 8 ohms (that was PV's best guess about 7 years ago when i asked).
as a 2 ohm stable amp it leaves your cab choices way open. (confused? click the link in my sig and read the thread on impedance ohms, etc)
i always found it to be a bit loud for its rating, but that was through a pv 2x15 cabinet.
Do yourself a favor, hang on to this head even when you buy something else. I sold mine and regret it. Not the best tone, very big for its power, but bulletproof and useful.
the mark 4 has the old school heavy poweramp in it that runs at 300 watts into 2 ohms, 210 into 4 ohms, and about 160ish into 8 ohms (that was PV's best guess about 7 years ago when i asked).
as a 2 ohm stable amp it leaves your cab choices way open. (confused? click the link in my sig and read the thread on impedance ohms, etc)
i always found it to be a bit loud for its rating, but that was through a pv 2x15 cabinet.
Do yourself a favor, hang on to this head even when you buy something else. I sold mine and regret it. Not the best tone, very big for its power, but bulletproof and useful.
Those originally came with the Peavey 215 loaded with black widows, actually a pretty decent rig for it's day. The amp will sound a good bit stronger than it's low wattage ratings. Nowdays a 4ohm 212neo would probably be a good choice. Full and loud but much easier to move around. The original package looked like this. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/3286984682_ec0f4f7ee8_b.jpg
I'm prettty stoked about it. 
I cleaned her up last night. I will try and get some pics out. I like the idea of the 2-15 but the weight has me a little concerned. Not a show stopper but to be honest, but my eyes are getting bigger than my needs! I'm starting to wonder if there will be any room for the choir once I get all this stuff up there (a fairly small church).
Again, thanks to all of the good advice/support from TB, a 2X10 AND a 1X15 sounds like it will be a great all around sound that would probably last me a LONG time. One will have to wait for later so if one had to choose which cab to get first, would it be the 2X10 or 1X15?
I cleaned her up last night. I will try and get some pics out. I like the idea of the 2-15 but the weight has me a little concerned. Not a show stopper but to be honest, but my eyes are getting bigger than my needs! I'm starting to wonder if there will be any room for the choir once I get all this stuff up there (a fairly small church). Again, thanks to all of the good advice/support from TB, a 2X10 AND a 1X15 sounds like it will be a great all around sound that would probably last me a LONG time. One will have to wait for later so if one had to choose which cab to get first, would it be the 2X10 or 1X15?
Depends on the cabs. In general a 210 will be a little more punch and a little less lows, the 15 would put more bottom in the rig but not so much punch but that's no hard and fast rule. Depending on the speakers used the result could be the opposite. You don't need a lot of rig to play a small church, it's easy to get too boomy in there. I think getting a pair of 8ohm cabs would be a good idea because you'll probably find yourself needing only one for that gig. Bring both for outdoor parties, bar gigs, etc.
I'm prettty stoked about it.
There's much Peavey love in these parts.
Looking forward to the pics!
A 2-15 is probably major overkill for your situation, but there's where the possibility of multiple smaller cabs can be useful.
210/115 is a killer setup. I'm not sure which is better on it's own as I have used both a 210 combo and a 115 setup and like them both.
I will say that I am pleased with my vintage Peavey head and 115 4 ohm cab and consider it quite a "giant killer".
I also have the MarkIV and use Avatar cabs, 1-12 & 2-210, for prac, usually use the 1-210 only, and really punches, can't really go wrong with Avatars in my opinion, esp for the price, and as someone stated they have great color choices, I also have the original cab, mine came with the 1516 comb., 2-8inch scorpions and a 15inch black widow, my buddy's mom (whose house we prac. at) threatened to call an exterminator when she over heard me tell my band mates what I was bringing over, we still have a good laugh over that, God bless her.
Good to some feedback with the exact setup I am condsidering. I found an Ampeg SVT 210 HE on Craigs for $200 OBO. If that doesn't work out, I am probably going to pull the trigger on an Avatar. I need a cab by 5/31 so I am running out of time. I like the idea of a 210 and 115 but still can't decide which to go with first. Buying used, I will get what pops up first. Going new, I may just flip a coin
I too have this head. In my opinion, for your immediate needs, a 2-10" w/tweeter @ 4ohm would be just right. You would be running the head on a 4 ohm load and that will give you an output of 210 watts. Down the road as you need or want more power add a 1-15" bottom also rated @ 4 ohm, thus giving you a 2 ohm load on the amp with an output of 300 watts...max for this head. Any 8 ohm cabinet thrown in this mix, ( with this particular head) will automatically cut your output down to 100 watts...still quite loud for a mark IV...but it is the lowest output rating for this head. Remeber even if you have a 4 ohm and an 8 ohm...your only getting 100 watts so go for two-4 ohm or one-2 ohm cabinet and you'll be at max output. Another bonus is that with seperate cabinets, you'll have more combo options and transporting will be much easier
I bought mine new in 1983. It has been a reliable unit. I would try and get a 4ohm cabinet, that is pretty efficient. Then, as your taste or requirements change, you can add another matching cab to complete it.
