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Fender Rumble 200 1x15" 200-watt Bass Combo Amp, the Hartke HD150 1x15" 150-watt Bass Combo Amp
jerryburke
is 50 watts less than the 15" rumble combo and weighs 66 pounds
fender rumble 200 watt with 15" cab
jerryburke
weighs in at only 34.5 lbs. and has 50 more watts.
yes, the fender costs more, but if you can get it somewhere with sale prices, you can probably knock 10 to 15% off. there should be a mothers day sale, but sometimes you can get sam ash, guitar center and musiciansfriend to take something off the price by talking to a rep in live chat or on the phone.
jerryburke
is 50 watts less than the 15" rumble combo and weighs 66 pounds
fender rumble 200 watt with 15" cab
jerryburke
weighs in at only 34.5 lbs. and has 50 more watts.
yes, the fender costs more, but if you can get it somewhere with sale prices, you can probably knock 10 to 15% off. there should be a mothers day sale, but sometimes you can get sam ash, guitar center and musiciansfriend to take something off the price by talking to a rep in live chat or on the phone.
i really like the jeff berlin - i have played it with many basses at many guitar centers. i never tried to move one, and i assumed for no reason at all that it was heavier than it is. and right now, the price is at the top end of the OP's budget
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Markba...W-1x15-Bass-Combo-Amp-Black-1358268440554.gc?
some people say that markbass sounds sterile. i have never heard that, and sometimes wonder (not to be snarky - i really do wonder) whether some of them have hearing dropoff, because to me markbass tends to sound rich, warm and delicious. i came very close to buying the jeff berlin, and considering how things sorted out at that time, i wish i had.
maybe it isn't a deciding factor for you, but for some (including me) it is.
fender 15" 200 watt combo - 34.5 pounds
Fender Rumble 200 1x15" 200-watt Bass Combo Amp
hartke 15" 150 watt combo - 66 pounds
Hartke HD150 1x15" 150-watt Bass Combo Amp
66 pounds is too heavy for me and could cause not only pain but further shoulder damage; 34 pounds i can move with the right ergonomics.
long gone are the days when i used to schlep around a 185 pound stack. two torn rotator cuffs that will never be as robust as they used to be took care of that.
I would also suggest a Rumble 200. They're actually even lighter than the specs... mine weighs just under 32 lbs. It's so light that my drummer almost threw it across the room once at a gig when he went to move it. I also have a Rumble 40 for acoustic gigs that weighs under 15 lbs. For small gigs I can carry the 40 with one finger and for anything larger I just use the 200. Between the two I've played over 150 gigs the past 4 years without a hitch and my back has never felt better. Everyone who picks up either amp is shocked at how light they are.
The Rumble series right now is pretty hard to beat. They are inexpensive, look fantastic, great tone, super light, good warranty and there's a dealer on every street corner. Just pick your favorite model.
The Rumble series right now is pretty hard to beat. They are inexpensive, look fantastic, great tone, super light, good warranty and there's a dealer on every street corner. Just pick your favorite model.
The HD150 is listed at 55 lbs. Maybe a newer model? I'm thinking about it. At 71, can still handle 50-ish weights but would not want to go to 66 lbs.
Not under $500, but very lightweight - my current setup is a Markbass Mini Marcus 250 head, with Aerotech AT110 400W carbon fibre cabinet. I can literally lift the cabinet with my pinky.
Before this I had a PJB double 4, but I found it didn't have enough uumph (sometimes I play in a band with horns), and somewhere along the line the pre-amp blew.
