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Simple question are we moving back to combo amps?

#121
After years of not playing I came back (covid, of course)
If I start to band reaherse again, I will get Rumble stage 800 210 combo sized as 210 cab and one, perhaps two 210 matching cabs
I have a 110 combo for home use and it's more than enough. Actually for home use a decent 1x6 is enough, but no company makes good sounding 1W 6" combos.
Decent sound starts at 30W 1x10.
 
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#122
rtslinger said:
If you were to switch back what would be your rig of choice for gigs?
Click to expand...

I have done small rehearsals and gigs with my Fender Rumble 100, a 1x12 combo. That amp was not on my radar until I used one at a friend's garage jam. I have heard good things about the bigger/larger Rumble combos, so that might be my choice (along with extension cab - I sometimes play really loud gigs :() if I switched to combos full time.

That said: I appreciate the simplicity of combo amps, but right now I love my class D heads and various cabinets (mostly lightweight neo) that provide excellent modularity, so IMO simplicity alone is no reason to flip all that gear. I bring two class D heads to every gig, mostly for peace of mind (even though it's been decades since an amp failed on me). Another aspect is that one of my heads has onboard distortion, and I use that when I don't have time or stage space to set up distortion pedals. Yes, I could replicate all this modularity and versatility with the right combo(s)... but it would require a lot of research, and then a lot of gear flipping (I don't have the budget or storage space to keep all I own plus more).

But I'm definitely not trying to talk YOU out of it. Best of luck... and don't overlook Fender! :)
 
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#123
If Mesa came out with a new Walkabout Scout, I would move back to combos immediately.

It wouldn't need to be a WD-800 head, a D-800 would be fine. The appeal of the combo over just a head and 112 or 115 cab would be convenience. I have a Genzler 350 112 vertical combo that does well, but isn't quite "Subway good". It's downfall is that the you can't keep the speakon cable connected to the cab, so I roll up the speakon with the power cable and I can't leave the power cable connected with the cover on. I did forget the cables once, but fortunately it was a close to home gig.
 
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#125
I tried going back to a combo. Fender Rumble 100, 40, GK MB-200 - They all sounded too colored to me. Boxy. I got tired of them.

So I went back to a separate small head plus a Trace 2x8 cab. Even for home practice, I appreciate the features of the amp and sound of the better cab.

I could be happy with a combo provided it sounded as good as separates.
 
#127
I've tried it, but like the flexibility of different cabinets and heads. My Ampeg SVT3 really has a sound I can't get with much else. Also, people compliment my Fender Neo 4x10 after shows. It adds a nice look to the stage even if it's not more than a monitor at most shows.
 
#129
I have always ended up using combos without really thinking through why. At the moment in a rehearsal studio, I use my Fender stage 800 combo switched to 4 ohms to match the line out to the resident old peavy 8x10 cab. At small gigs I use my stage 800 or rumble 500. For a bit more oomph I connect the rumble 2x10 extention cab or use the rumble 500 as an extention. That way still leaves me a combo if one stops working. I just don't think separates would suit me better.
 
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#135
I am.

The last show I was privileged enough to play was an IEM only situation. We were the last act up and they had me only going through the subs for some reason. Subs thermal protection kicked in on song 2. Ok, I’ll just play along and pretend I can be heard. Song 5 my IEM system has a critical failure, so now I am basically just trying to finish the gig.

If I would have had my Markbass AC combo I could have still been a part of the show. I’ll never be without it again, not even by accident. If the gig goes perfectly and I don’t need it for sound it will still make a great stool. A 38# insurance policy.
 
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#139
Are we moving to pedalboard DI's, running direct and a small amp (combo) for our monitoring if IEMs not used and for the big stage, whatever is supplied for the back line? Point being that instead of needing a big rig, most of us just need a smaller combo to cover the acoustic trios up through the 100-150 seat bars.
 
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#140
I did.

From Eden WT-405 + Eden D112-XLT
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To Mesa Walkabout Scout 12
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However, as RichSnyder said..."If Mesa came out with a new Walkabout Scout, I would move back to combos immediately."

I would be very interested in a lighter Walkabout Scout. At 51 pounds, its a tad cumbersome.
 
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