No doubt. I like to run a little chorus most of the time and could use a better pdal than what I've currently got.
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TC Electronic BG250 Club
- Thread starter drpepper
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No doubt. I like to run a little chorus most of the time and could use a better pdal than what I've currently got.
Just thought I'd update my review now that I've been playing this guy for a month.
I've had zero problems with it. Not even a fart or a belch. This past weekend it took a 1600 mile round trip in the back of a truck to an out of town (way out of town) gig and made the trip like it was born to travel. You'll definitely want a padded cover though if it's riding in close quarters with other gear. That tolex does dent easily.
This amp has an amazing amount of punch and a big bottom end for a 250w combo. I had the amp sitting up off a carpeted plywood stage and while our drummer said he could hear me OK he said he wasn't "feeling" the bass like he had at a few other gigs. So I ran the master up from about 4.5 to just over 5 and added just a little more low end and even sitting on it's stand I could begin to feel it through my feet and he said; "yeah, that's better".
I'm always amazed at just how much volume this thing is capable of and how it seems to really jump out at you once you get past 5 on the master. I've usually got the gain at around 7 and the Tube Drive between 2 and 4 so there's still a lot left to be had yet I'm not having any trouble being heard even with a guitarist playing through a 100w Marshall.
I like the way the EQ works as well. The controls are fairly sensitive to small changes and I don't need to go hunting around much to find what I want. Some might call them too limited but as far as I'm concerned all they limit is a lot of unusable range in the settings. It would be pretty tough to mess this amp up to the point where it sounded poorly.
So nothing but good news to report so far. It's working like a champ.
I've had zero problems with it. Not even a fart or a belch. This past weekend it took a 1600 mile round trip in the back of a truck to an out of town (way out of town) gig and made the trip like it was born to travel. You'll definitely want a padded cover though if it's riding in close quarters with other gear. That tolex does dent easily.
This amp has an amazing amount of punch and a big bottom end for a 250w combo. I had the amp sitting up off a carpeted plywood stage and while our drummer said he could hear me OK he said he wasn't "feeling" the bass like he had at a few other gigs. So I ran the master up from about 4.5 to just over 5 and added just a little more low end and even sitting on it's stand I could begin to feel it through my feet and he said; "yeah, that's better".
I'm always amazed at just how much volume this thing is capable of and how it seems to really jump out at you once you get past 5 on the master. I've usually got the gain at around 7 and the Tube Drive between 2 and 4 so there's still a lot left to be had yet I'm not having any trouble being heard even with a guitarist playing through a 100w Marshall.
I like the way the EQ works as well. The controls are fairly sensitive to small changes and I don't need to go hunting around much to find what I want. Some might call them too limited but as far as I'm concerned all they limit is a lot of unusable range in the settings. It would be pretty tough to mess this amp up to the point where it sounded poorly.
So nothing but good news to report so far. It's working like a champ.
Just musing...
It would be nice if the controls had detents or more resistance. I find that after moving it around a bit with the cover on, most of the controls end up at the 3:00 and/or 9:00 positions from being turned by the edge contour of the cover.
Again, not a big deal in any way, just mental not I had come to.
It would be nice if the controls had detents or more resistance. I find that after moving it around a bit with the cover on, most of the controls end up at the 3:00 and/or 9:00 positions from being turned by the edge contour of the cover.
Again, not a big deal in any way, just mental not I had come to.
Was just thinking the same yesterday - the controls move SO easy I'll often plug in after moving it and wonder why so bright? Why so bassy? Look and see the knobs have moved position a lot.
Minor gripe for such a fantastic sounding lightweight combo.
J
One option that could work for knobs that move to easy is something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-FENDER-Stack-Knob-Jazz-J-Bass-DETENT-PLATE-/310271805286
Normally used to keep the bottom knob on a stacked-knob setup from turning too easily when using the top knob. If the pots on the combo attach similarly to those on a bass, you could throw a couple of these on there, or put a rubber O-ring under the knob that contacts the bottom of the knob and the faceplate of the amp, creating resistance.
I'm considering picking one of these amps up for rehearsal and gigs, but I'd prefer something that could support an extension cab.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-FENDER-Stack-Knob-Jazz-J-Bass-DETENT-PLATE-/310271805286
Normally used to keep the bottom knob on a stacked-knob setup from turning too easily when using the top knob. If the pots on the combo attach similarly to those on a bass, you could throw a couple of these on there, or put a rubber O-ring under the knob that contacts the bottom of the knob and the faceplate of the amp, creating resistance.
I'm considering picking one of these amps up for rehearsal and gigs, but I'd prefer something that could support an extension cab.
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Yeah unfortunately it won't support an extension cab but it would be easy enough to run a direct out to a powered cab or a sub. I've done that before with my MB112 and the drummer in our trio is looking into a powered sub he can run his kick and my bass into. Apparently just hearing the bottom end isn't quite enough. He wants to feel it too, LOL.
I'm looking to buy a new amp. Ideally I'd like the RH750 but its currently out of my budget.
What are the biggest crowds you've played with this? I'm worried 250w might eventually get in the way.
EDIT: Also interested in opinions BG250 vs BH250 head + TC210/212?
What are the biggest crowds you've played with this? I'm worried 250w might eventually get in the way.
EDIT: Also interested in opinions BG250 vs BH250 head + TC210/212?
Interesting. If I ever actually feel inclined to do anything about it, I'll look into that.
I was more or less thinking out loud. It's the most minor of issues.
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I tried a powered sub just for s's and giggles and thought it sounded pretty bad. I didn't spend any time messing with it though.
If I felt the need to do this, I'd probably look at the GK powered cabs (don't know if they're actually out yet), but if I was really doing that, I'd probably just go for the GK combo.
What kind venues/audience sizes are you dealing with? What's the PA situation?
The BG250 can keep up with a drummer and a couple of of guitars. To my thinking, it should be able to handle anything up to the point that PA support comes into play, and at that point it should be satisfactory as a stage monitor.
If things get "really loud" and you're not through the PA, then it wouldn't be enough.
The BH is getting mostly good reviews. That should be a nice setup. The options that you have going modular are always going to be an advantage with the exception of carrying convenience, imo.
Small bars/clubs at the moment. Audiences of 100-200 people at most.
I have a feeling it wouldn't be enough for metal, but anything lighter should be fine.
The BH250 + RS112 cab could be good for now but eventually I'd have to upgrade to a RH750 and another cab.
The thing is the price. 400$/750$ vs 1500$
EDIT: I play a 5-string so a tight B would be essential. I played through a RH450 and it was good.
Small bars/clubs at the moment. Audiences of 100-200 people at most.
I have a feeling it wouldn't be enough for metal, but anything lighter should be fine.
The BH250 + RS112 cab could be good for now but eventually I'd have to upgrade to a RH750 and another cab.
The thing is the price. 400$/750$ vs 1500$
EDIT: I play a 5-string so a tight B would be essential. I played through a RH450 and it was good.
PA support is a pretty significant element of the whole.
But some opinions/generalizations:
- A BG250 should be fine for "small bar/club" situations with no PA support
- I wouldn't want to depend on a 112 where volume is a concern. I would think that you're going to get about the same (at the max that a 112 cabinet can do) from BH250 or an RH750. While the RH750 has the capacity to be louder, either one is going to reach the real-world limit of the cabinet.
- Same subject...I think a 4 ohm 410 and BH250 would probably give you just about anything you would need in a small bar/club setting...with or without PA support. Following down this path, I'd consider a BH250 and a BC212 and then adding another BC212 when funds allowed. I'd also consider a used 410.
I don't know what any of that does in terms of your overall goals. Portability, loudness and expense are all relative and if you're trying to meet a certain goals, that old "pick two" adage fits...portable, loud, cheap...pick two, because you can't have all three.
Back to the BG250, I think it gets pretty close to breaking out of that adage, but again, it's all relative.
Just to let everyone know that musicians friend is having a 15% off sale which includes the Bg250 and Bh250. ($340 & $255) Plus you get the Corona chorus pedal free. What a deal!
Small bars/clubs at the moment. Audiences of 100-200 people at most.
I have a feeling it wouldn't be enough for metal, but anything lighter should be fine.
The BH250 + RS112 cab could be good for now but eventually I'd have to upgrade to a RH750 and another cab.
The thing is the price. 400$/750$ vs 1500$
EDIT: I play a 5-string so a tight B would be essential. I played through a RH450 and it was good.
It has plenty of balls for that. I've played it without FOH support in medium sized rooms with that kind of crowd with a 7 piece blues/soul band all the way to a 3 piece rock trio with a guitarist on a 100w Marshall and I've never been more than a fraction above 5 on the master. Still plenty of headroom to go.
It amazingly loud and full for a 250w 1x15" combo. I admit that it's kind of surprised me because it has a much bigger sound than my MB112 and that's not exactly small amp volume wise.
I just gave it another test-run yesterday, and I really dig the tone. I think it'd be about perfect if they had a tweeter defeat switch, or at least a pad. That said, it seems like they've set the right high frequencies to dial in or out the sizzle, so maybe there isn't a need.
There really isn't a need for one since cutting all the way back on the treble will accomplish the same thing. It really works more like an adjustable crossover. Once you set the treble lower there's really little or nothing going to the tweeter.
Cool, that does make sense. I played around with the tone controls a little, and I made sure to boost & cut the highs to see how that affected the sound. I found that cutting the highs just a bit made a nice difference. That EQ section is very clever & responsive.
I think that was their idea in sort of pre-setting the "shelving" frequencies or what they call their "intelligent eq". It eliminates the need for boosting somewhere and cutting somewhere else in terms of adjacent frequencies to compensate or having to defeat the tweeter with a separate switch.
It's pretty hard to get a bad eq out of it and that's one of the things I liked about it. The tone controls are about as 100% useable as you can get in a mid level combo like this. It's a nice design.
I definitely dug the vintage vibe I could get out of it. Had a nice, warm, round tone to it. When I rolled off the highs a little I could get a good, soft top end, without any tinny or harsh crap in it. I'm deciding between this & the GK MB115-II, which I'll test whenever the local GC gets one.
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