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Sleeper rigs

aaronious

aaronious

May 23, 2011
1,697
2,532
Denver CO
#1
I've been going to this local jam session. The first time I went, they had a rig. It was and old GK RB 400 and a rough looking no name cab. Which I later found out was a Carvin from the 90's.
I had low expectations. Last week I plugged my jazz bass in, and guess what it sounded good. This week is sounded even better. Then I really started to listen to it.
It sounded fantastic no matter what bass was plugged into it.

Ever plug into a rig thinking it was going to suck and get completely blown away by how much it doesn't?
 
#2
You are now just more bit of proof that your rig basically doesn't matter. It's all the same after a while. If this was a great rig, a person would probably say it didn't sound so great. If it's a crappy rig, a person is likely to say it was great.

If it puts out enough volume, and isn't god awful, it's good enough for almost anyone but the player.
 
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#3
Jammed with a vintage Acoustic 150v with a 1x15 cab kept under a blanket in a garage. Sounded fine and only turned up to 1.5-2.

I think I was playing my active Ibanez Musician 924DS. It could push the amp pretty good so getting nice tone/volume with a 3 piece group was easy.
 
#4
IMG_0103.JPG
Yeah those old Acoustic amps rock, I have a 140 (same head as the 150b) driving an EVM 15b into an old MM 115RH cab. At 70 watts into 8ohms that rig will run you out of a room, my all tube Sunn 200s is the same wattage, and the Acoustic is easily as loud!
 
Last edited:
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#7
FingerDub said:
You are now just more bit of proof that your rig basically doesn't matter. It's all the same after a while. If this was a great rig, a person would probably say it didn't sound so great. If it's a crappy rig, a person is likely to say it was great.

If it puts out enough volume, and isn't god awful, it's good enough for almost anyone but the player.
Click to expand...
Please explain.

The rig absolutely does matter. It's part of the instrument. It needs to produce the desired sound; and it needs to be sufficiently mobile to take to gigs.

OP simply described what is a fairly time tested rig. No doubt it sounds fine.

I would definitely not haul that cab around, however, if I have other choices. The main effort with bass rigs in recent years has been to produce as much large rig performance as possible in smaller and lighter formats. The reasons for that should be obvious. People are not purchasing more recent rigs due to la la consumerism.

There is another thread on here about the Hartke 410XL etc cabs. Same thing. Great cabs. But, you can get as good or better sound out of cabs that are half the weight now.

No, you do not need a lot of coin for a decent sounding rig; and there are very inexpensive options on the used market, if you are young and haven't ruptured any disks yet. Just because older more experienced players wanting high performance and better schlepp capability have created a higher end market does not invalidate that market. Make sense?
 
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#8
bucephylus said:
Please explain.

The rig absolutely does matter. It's part of the instrument. It needs to produce the desired sound; and it needs to be sufficiently mobile to take to gigs.

OP simply described what is a fairly time tested rig. No doubt it sounds fine.

I would definitely not haul that cab around, however, if I have other choices. The main effort with bass rigs in recent years has been to produce as much large rig performance as possible in smaller and lighter formats. The reasons for that should be obvious. People are not purchasing more recent rigs due to la la consumerism.

There is another thread on here about the Hartke 410XL etc cabs. Same thing. Great cabs. But, you can get as good or better sound out of cabs that are half the weight now.

No, you do not need a lot of coin for a decent sounding rig; and there are very inexpensive options on the used market, if you are young and haven't ruptured any disks yet. Just because older more experienced players wanting high performance and better schlepp capability have created a higher end market does not invalidate that market. Make sense?
Click to expand...

Well, first of all, he didn't describe a full rig. He only said what the head was, a GK 400 RB and a "rough looking no name cab". So how would you know that you would not haul that cab around?

And I'm not sure where you extrapolated anything to do with schlep ability or "higher end markets", or lighter or smaller cabs, or consumerism.

My comment was geared around psychology. If it looks bad, you are more likely to be surprised by it. If it looks amazing, people will try to find fault.

Gear matters to me, and me only, and perhaps my bandmates. Yes, gear matters in this regard, because I do, like you said, want a sound I like and think is good for our music. Outside of that, no one else cares. You could show up at any given gig with the a "sleeper rig", or a beautiful looking 8x10 stack with a shiny new amp and no one in the crowd would know (or care about) the difference.
 
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#9
FingerDub said:
Well, first of all, he didn't describe a full rig. He only said what the head was, a GK 400 RB and a "rough looking no name cab". So how would you know that you would not haul that cab around?

And I'm not sure where you extrapolated anything to do with schlep ability or "higher end markets", or lighter or smaller cabs, or consumerism.

My comment was geared around psychology. If it looks bad, you are more likely to be surprised by it. If it looks amazing, people will try to find fault.

Gear matters to me, and me only, and perhaps my bandmates. Yes, gear matters in this regard, because I do, like you said, want a sound I like and think is good for our music. Outside of that, no one else cares. You could show up at any given gig with the a "sleeper rig", or a beautiful looking 8x10 stack with a shiny new amp and no one in the crowd would know (or care about) the difference.
Click to expand...
I see. Yes, +1.
 
#10
You never know what you are going to get when you mix and match amps and cabinets. Don't rule anything out, it pays to experiment.

Professional comportment is important and this extends to how you and your equipment look. Some gigs require a dignified presentation. In those cases, a ratty rig just won't do, no matter how good it may sound. Some contracts are very clear as to what they expect.
 
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#13
Bobby Bass said:
I played a small club last weekend & there was a Peavey house amp. I have never been a big fan of Peavey. But it sounded real good. Peavey Tour TNT 115 bass amp 600 watts. I was impressed with the sound that I got from it. Sounded so good I was asked to turn down. :woot:
Click to expand...

I just played a house backline of a Peavey keyboard amp. It made me long for the days of my TNT130, which sounded great. It was very hard to move around though. So, my answer to the thread: TNT130, probably $125 or so anymore.
 
#14
Yep.
Never completely rule any rig out until you try it.
Sometimes odd combinations of old stuff work
out better than anyone would dream.
Other times even new, high end gear,
when mixed, can end up in a combintion that
never seems to match your expections.

One of my rigs is an early G-K 400RB
and a PV 215.
You'd think it would struggle to cover a gig,
but I have been asked to turn that down
a bunch of times.
 
#15
I agree with the OP to a certain degree. After you've reached a certain level your rig essentially becomes a stage monitor where there's a Professional PA involved. Like an A-List Cat once explained to me....."What's an Amp to me?" He broke it down and I completely agreed. Where you see Cats with their Name Brand Rigs onstage usually some Endorsement Contract or money is involved. :).
 

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