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Somebody help Please! First Giggin rigg

Outlaw_son

Outlaw_son

Mar 8, 2007
444
37
Omahell
#1
Okay I am pulling my hair out trying to make a decision on buying my first gigging rigg. I am stuck at a crossroad wondering if I should buy a combo amp or a half-stack and a head. I was thinking about picking up the new Ampeg BA300/210 combo. I can get it for $700 which is where my price range is. $700-$800. Am i blowin my money on this? can i get something better for the money? We play hard rock music with hints of blues and funk. I really want something that plays nice deep lows with growl and clean highs. I play an Ibanez BTB400QM. Also one last thing my guitar has active electronics, but passive pups? Can I switch to active,and what would be the difference? And can I put an Aguilar preamp on my axe or does it require active pups?
 
#2
Outlaw_son said:
Okay I am pulling my hair out trying to make a decision on buying my first gigging rigg. I am stuck at a crossroad wondering if I should buy a combo amp or a half-stack and a head. I was thinking about picking up the new Ampeg BA300/210 combo. I can get it for $700 which is where my price range is. $700-$800. Am i blowin my money on this? can i get something better for the money? We play hard rock music with hints of blues and funk. I really want something that plays nice deep lows with growl and clean highs. I play an Ibanez BTB400QM. Also one last thing my guitar has active electronics, but passive pups? Can I switch to active,and what would be the difference? And can I put an Aguilar preamp on my axe or does it require active pups?
Click to expand...

Buy used!!

Or buy Carvin. I don't have any Carvin, but I want it.
 
#3
Outlaw_son said:
Okay I am pulling my hair out trying to make a decision on buying my first gigging rigg. I am stuck at a crossroad wondering if I should buy a combo amp or a half-stack and a head. I was thinking about picking up the new Ampeg BA300/210 combo. I can get it for $700 which is where my price range is. $700-$800. Am i blowin my money on this? can i get something better for the money? We play hard rock music with hints of blues and funk. I really want something that plays nice deep lows with growl and clean highs. I play an Ibanez BTB400QM. Also one last thing my guitar has active electronics, but passive pups? Can I switch to active,and what would be the difference? And can I put an Aguilar preamp on my axe or does it require active pups?
Click to expand...

Yo,

I'm in the market for a new amp too, I've decided on getting another combo and when I start gigging I'll just throw another cab in with it or something. Naturally being an amp noob the first brand I checked out was Ampeg. They look good, and sound okay (in my opinion). I would check out MarkBass instead of Ampeg, a bit more pricey (atleast in Australia it is), but from what a hear you get a MUCH better sound.
 
#4
I always recommend separate heads and cabs, for a few reasons.

One, ease of transport,

Two, If something goes wrong with one of them you only have to find a cab or head to replace them while you're getting it looked at, instead of another combo or both,

Three, much more flexibility in changing or adding cabs as your needs change or develop,

Four, much more choice to begin with in choosing heads and cabs.
 
#5
are you going to run your bass throught the PA or not, if you are going to mic your rig you can get by with something that sounds great and doesnt have to be huge, if you arent going to mic your rig...well then..you are left to testing stuff out and seeing what kind of output you can get,
i agree that seperate heads and cabs are better, especially in the long run, you can always add to your right if you have components, but more difficult if you have a combo, there are some rad combos out there, but i dont personally like any of ampegs current combo setups at all.
you can buy used or you can buy new, but check it over in and out before you do it, if you arent going to run through the pa, then make sure you get plenty of horsepower, 15's are good and sound ok, 18's can be super loud but you lose serious sound quality, also, there are some really nice 410 cabs out there that can put out some serious sound as well...
 
#10
if you're going to get a combo, get a markbass 210 (it's 500W, overly ****ing loud, and i couldn't get it to clip (peak)). i absolutely love ampeg, but markbass really does have better sounding amps. not sure if it's in your price range though, lemme grab a link.

-site
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

it's tough to find pricing on these, but i'm sure you could look it up, and it's probably at the nearest guitar center, not sure about samash
 
#12
tone vol portability.........grab that one little handle on top of that combo and walk 50 yards.....do the same with a small head cab stacked rig......head in one hand cab in the other......that is my advise.....assuming price and tone are similar.......peace
 
#14
ROON said:
Yo,

Ampeg. They look good, and sound okay (in my opinion). I would check out MarkBass instead of Ampeg, a bit more pricey (atleast in Australia it is), but from what a hear you get a MUCH better sound.
Click to expand...

I completely disagree but that is why you should always try before you buy and compare as many amps as possible.

I hated the MarkBass I tested and love my new Ampeg. To each their own.:bassist:
 
#15
I always recommend separate heads and cabs, for a few reasons.

One, ease of transport,

Two, If something goes wrong with one of them you only have to find a cab or head to replace them while you're getting it looked at, instead of another combo or both,

Three, much more flexibility in changing or adding cabs as your needs change or develop,

Four, much more choice to begin with in choosing heads and cabs.


+1 and BUY USED! 700 beans will get you a great rig in the used market! The local GC here had a couple of used Ampeg B2r for $250. You can find used GK RB heads for $300-400. As already mentioned your local Craigslist should have some good stuff.

I got great deals on both of my cabs (2x10 and 1x15) from the TB Classifieds!
 
#16
Go with the head / cabinet. It will give you more flexibility and you will get more performamnce for the money. If you buy used your money will go much farther.

Check out Avatar cabinets. Used they are a steal but you can buy them new for a great price. Peavey heads can be purchased used are are an excellent bargain. 700 watt Peavey Max and Firebass heads can be found for $350 or less used.
 
#17
There are not many options where i live, only a few ampeg models (svt-3, v4bh, svt-1000) and the mesa 400 head are pretty much the only heads availiable to play, besides a few peavy combos. So i gotta make a decision on going with ampeg which soounds good to me, but its all ive really heard. So can anyone generally compare the Ampeg sound to some other brands?
 
#18
If your only choice is heads you listed I would go with the Mesa.

Mesa 400. Nice head, nice tone. Mesa stuff is nice and sounds great. Should have plenty of power. Get it if you have the cash for it.

The SVT 1000 is the second choice. It's a solid state head but will have enough juice to drive just about anything. I like the Ampeg SS tone. Some people don't.

The SVT3 is a nice sounding tube/solid state head but people in here complain that it really lacks power. I have played through them in stores but have never gigged one.

As far a sounding like an Ampeg. The Mesa could cop a pretty good SVT like tone but not exactly. Adding a Sansamp BDDI to your rig has helped my gear to reproduce something similar to an Ampeg SVT tube tone.

Just my $0.02:)
 
#19
i hate to moan.......crown 402 with out rebate 269 bucks......get a 4x10 cab and a pre amp you like.......youll never lack power and you can trade parts and always upgrade........funny thing the sans amp classic guitar pedal has a bass setting .....its pretty dang good i use it for recording...and also works for guitar.......just ideas that all just ideas
 

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