So my bass player is looking for a rig...help?

[Alexander]

I played with some metal guys two or three years ago for about six months. Your mileage may vary--but not by much. They were loud. Everyone wore ear protection at rehearsal. (This made no sense to me--just turn it down!)

Anyway, now that I've invited everyone to get off my lawn..

Do not get a combo amp.

You want a head with 500w or more @ 4ohms. Maybe even 800w.

You will probably want 4 or more 10" speakers, 4 or more 12" speakers. In my mind, a 4x12 cab or an 8x10 cab is probably called for.

Doing this can be expensive. Welcome to bassworld. Buy used. Look for the brands providing good value: peavey or GK, etc.

It's tough to deal with the fact that any guitar player can walk in carrying a combo amp with one hand and compete volume-wise with a 500w 8x10 bass rig, but those are the facts. Guitarists with half stack dual rectifiers can basically blow away any bass rig that one person can set up.

To recap:

500w or more

8x10 or 4x12 speaker cab(s)

Buy used, avoid super cheap brands and super expensive brands

I agree - more or less.

To break it down - Ampeg SVT into a matching 810. You're done. Forever.

 

[Nephilymbass]

I play hard rock and metal with two guitar players. I use a 410cab now that they use 212 rigs. My amps giving the 410 450w @ 8 ohms. When they were using half stacks(412s) i used an 810 with the same amp running at 750w at 4 ohms. I'd definetly suggest an amp with at least 700w. For the rare big outdoor shows I'll borrow a 810 or use another 410 but if i had an amp with dramatically less power that wouldn be an option.

If money is a big concern and a separate head and cab aren't a possibility. i think you might actually be better off with an ampeg 115 combo then the fender. Just my opinion.

 

[Munjibunga]

Lownered.

 

[Joe Louvar]

I think the OP guitarist xethicx in gone.

 

[Munjibunga]

I think the OP guitarist xethicx in gone.

That's what I just said. Lownered.

 

[Jim Carr]

Yup.