The Combo Club

[Deleted member 409896]

wow, there really is a club here for everything.

Have only owned combos (Crate BX-50, then SWR Workingman 15) and have no plans to change. Sorry, no pics of the SWR available now, it's in the shop.

Don't want to spend the money for separate head + cab, plus don't have the room. I need a relatively compact, easy-to-move-around unit, which is why I'm shopping for a replacement for the SWR.

The closest I get to a "gig" is annoying my SO at home, so I don't need a lot of power. I can't afford a big enough home to dedicate a room to bass equipment, so the amp needs to move and stow easily when not in use.

I am interested in the greatly reduced weight of today's combo amps. I do not miss that Crate, which was around 50 lb. as well as 50 watts. The SWR has wheels which don't help that much, and weighs a very annoying 65 lb. Better weight-to-watts ratio than the Crate, but still a PITA.

 

[iagtrplyr]

wow, there really is a club here for everything.

Have only owned combos (Crate BX-50, then SWR Workingman 15) and have no plans to change. Sorry, no pics of the SWR available now, it's in the shop.

Don't want to spend the money for separate head + cab, plus don't have the room. I need a relatively compact, easy-to-move-around unit, which is why I'm shopping for a replacement for the SWR.

The closest I get to a "gig" is annoying my SO at home, so I don't need a lot of power. I can't afford a big enough home to dedicate a room to bass equipment, so the amp needs to move and stow easily when not in use.

I am interested in the greatly reduced weight of today's combo amps. I do not miss that Crate, which was around 50 lb. as well as 50 watts. The SWR has wheels which don't help that much, and weighs a very annoying 65 lb. Better weight-to-watts ratio than the Crate, but still a PITA.

CompleteHack, you are at THE best club on TB! The knowledge in this club’s membership amounts to decades worth of gigs, jams, and practices. Now you’ll read a number of opinions and they’re all gonna be good ones. Your best bet is to head to your local music store and do some combo listening that fits your budget.

Bass your purchase on the style of music you enjoy playing, your room dimensions (trust me, a 15” combo played in a closet is a poor choice), future goals (rocking out with the buds in the garage, possibly gigging), and of course, features and even looks.

Finally, check out the classifieds here on TB, maybe Reverb or Sweetwater’s Gear Exchange. Paying near retail is only for chumps like me…

Good hunting and don’t forget to visit here frequently with questions. Our fearless leader, Miles, will give you a membership number after you post a pic of your rig. Now go get it!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

View attachment 7076567
Hello, all! I just wanted to share my precious combo that has become my #1 workhorse.
It has yet to see a gig, but as soon as the next one comes, this is what I'll be playing!
Amp is a GK Legacy 212 Combo. It gets LOUD

I would love a number if they're still being issued!

No more numbers are being issued.
You are not #330 and you should not tuck that number in your signature for safe keeping!
Please do not visit the Combo Club Wiki at https://www.talkbass.com/wiki/combo-club/ .
Least but not last, please don't tell us more about you and your journeys - combos, bass, life, whatever.
Also, today is not Opposite Day. Definitely not. At all.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

It has been a fun ride for the past few years and I have enjoyed posting new threads, most of which promoting the appreciation for the bassists and music of the 60's.

I have met many new friends. Unfortunately, some have since passed but, it is time to move on.

Thanks for the support I have received from many. To others, I hope you will remember where your music originated...

Best Regards,
Jim

Thanks for the fun times, the information, the stories, the support. You rock, sir, and I wish you all the best.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

wow, there really is a club here for everything.

Have only owned combos (Crate BX-50, then SWR Workingman 15) and have no plans to change. Sorry, no pics of the SWR available now, it's in the shop.

Don't want to spend the money for separate head + cab, plus don't have the room. I need a relatively compact, easy-to-move-around unit, which is why I'm shopping for a replacement for the SWR.

The closest I get to a "gig" is annoying my SO at home, so I don't need a lot of power. I can't afford a big enough home to dedicate a room to bass equipment, so the amp needs to move and stow easily when not in use.

I am interested in the greatly reduced weight of today's combo amps. I do not miss that Crate, which was around 50 lb. as well as 50 watts. The SWR has wheels which don't help that much, and weighs a very annoying 65 lb. Better weight-to-watts ratio than the Crate, but still a PITA.

A number of us like the Rumble series. The Ampeg combos have quite a few dedicated followers as well. PJB gets a fair amount of love. I know people who love MarkBass, but they don't get too much attention here for some reason. And there are others, of course. If you find something you're interested in, I'm sure you can get feedback from club members!

A Rumble 40 would probably be fine. A Rumble 100 would be overkill for home use (heck, a 40 usually is) but if you ever did get a chance to play with others, outside, at a gig, etc., you could.

If you'd like a club number, just say so and post a photo of whatever combo you have now! Either way, we're happy to help.

 

[iagtrplyr]

A number of us like the Rumble series. The Ampeg combos have quite a few dedicated followers as well. PJB gets a fair amount of love. I know people who love MarkBass, but they don't get too much attention here for some reason. And there are others, of course. If you find something you're interested in, I'm sure you can get feedback from club members!

A Rumble 40 would probably be fine. A Rumble 100 would be overkill for home use (heck, a 40 usually is) but if you ever did get a chance to play with others, outside, at a gig, etc., you could.

If you'd like a club number, just say so and post a photo of whatever combo you have now! Either way, we're happy to help.

Thanks for setting things straight, Miles. I'da sure looked dumb with my previous post, but that wouldn't have been the first time.

 

[iagtrplyr]

A number of us like the Rumble series. The Ampeg combos have quite a few dedicated followers as well. PJB gets a fair amount of love. I know people who love MarkBass, but they don't get too much attention here for some reason. And there are others, of course. If you find something you're interested in, I'm sure you can get feedback from club members!

A Rumble 40 would probably be fine. A Rumble 100 would be overkill for home use (heck, a 40 usually is) but if you ever did get a chance to play with others, outside, at a gig, etc., you could.

If you'd like a club number, just say so and post a photo of whatever combo you have now! Either way, we're happy to help.

Markbass representation here. Santa came early because somehow he knew I was hoping for either world peace or a 15" combo that recorded well. More deets as I continue gathering info. I might need some time though. Also, I second the R40 over the 100. Most musical combo, IMHO, in the line.

 

[Deleted member 268085]

The original mutes on my early 79 StingRay turned to hard nubbins — the ones that were still left, that is. The 'Ray went to Santa's Workshop for new EBMM bridge hardware [and other work]. Before and after


View attachment 7076613View attachment 7076614


In other news

The BG-400 combo I rely on turns out to be a perfect amp to teach with because it has a two channel preamp.

Found one problem I haven't overcome:
when I am in class online, the PreSonus Audiobox USB 96 handles the mic, and the DI from the amp. The amp's master is down for silent work. What's missing is how to pipe a metronome through. That's because the AUX IN on the PJB amp does not go through the DI. Which, I expect, is the correct thing to do.

All I can figure out is run the DI from the Elf in silent mode (which means simply unplugging the speaker cable, that's by design). Then pipe the AUX IN to the live mic from the BG-400.

Normally I would pipe the metronome through the Ampeg BA-108, but it's on loan to a student.

I found a simpler solution. Just tell the teacher I want to play along with her backing track or metronome.

Here's mine (photo taken by the boutique in Estonia that I bought it from). The adjustable height finger ramp is also a cool feature!

 

[RavenousPoe]

No more numbers are being issued.
You are not #330 and you should not tuck that number in your signature for safe keeping!
Please do not visit the Combo Club Wiki at https://www.talkbass.com/wiki/combo-club/ .

Worry not, I have done none of these things and shall continue to (not!) do so.

Least but not last, please don't tell us more about you and your journeys - combos, bass, life, whatever.
Also, today is not Opposite Day. Definitely not. At all.

Happy to oblige!
I didn't want to share my obsession with minimalism, or having a rig transportable all in one trip!

In all seriousness, I'm a pretty new player at just over a year and a half under my belt. But I prefer to get good gear out of the gate since I wholeheartedly subscribe to the "buy once, cry once" mentality.

I've bought and sold a lot of pedals over that year and a half, and only recently came to the conclusion that no pedal assortment was going to make me love my amp, and I should just bite the bullet on something that ticks every box for me. Well, as you can see in the pic, I am only using a tuner and nothing else with the GK! I don't have any stores that stock GK around me, but after all of my research, it seemed that GK or Aguilar would be my best options, and I got very lucky with the TB classifieds on this one.

The tone of the Rick into the GK leaves me wanting for nothing, and that is what I play every day. I also run a Spector NS Pulse II into it for my band, which requires a more straightforward modern metal sound.

And lastly, I started with the Hartke HD500 combo, and while it sounds great and the weight is amazing, it didn't quite have the volume output that I need or the built in drive. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone that isn't as eager to ditch the pedalboard as I am.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Markbass representation here. Santa came early because somehow he knew I was hoping for either world peace or a 15" combo that recorded well. More deets as I continue gathering info. I might need some time though. Also, I second the R40 over the 100. Most musical combo, IMHO, in the line.

View attachment 7077090

Looking forward to the review. I had no idea MB used big speakers; all I’ve seen have been 8s and 10s.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Can chime in on the Rumble 40. Played a friend's, and it sure sounds good to my ears. And that's from someone who considers Aunt Peg a good friend.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Worry not, I have done none of these things and shall continue to (not!) do so.

Happy to oblige!
I didn't want to share my obsession with minimalism, or having a rig transportable all in one trip!

In all seriousness, I'm a pretty new player at just over a year and a half under my belt. But I prefer to get good gear out of the gate since I wholeheartedly subscribe to the "buy once, cry once" mentality.

I've bought and sold a lot of pedals over that year and a half, and only recently came to the conclusion that no pedal assortment was going to make me love my amp, and I should just bite the bullet on something that ticks every box for me. Well, as you can see in the pic, I am only using a tuner and nothing else with the GK! I don't have any stores that stock GK around me, but after all of my research, it seemed that GK or Aguilar would be my best options, and I got very lucky with the TB classifieds on this one.

The tone of the Rick into the GK leaves me wanting for nothing, and that is what I play every day. I also run a Spector NS Pulse II into it for my band, which requires a more straightforward modern metal sound.

And lastly, I started with the Hartke HD500 combo, and while it sounds great and the weight is amazing, it didn't quite have the volume output that I need or the built in drive. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone that isn't as eager to ditch the pedalboard as I am.

I bought a Rumble because it got me close and was easy to carry. I have a preamp to tweak that, plus a compressor; those are always on. I have an input switch with effects loop that lets me use a separate EQ pedal for each bass. Anything else is literally for effect - overdrive, volume pedal, flanger. I will be adding a Sonic Stomp to the mix. But I do occasionally play with just the bass and amp, and am still happy when I do.

 

[G-Dog]

Can chime in on the Rumble 40. Played a friend's, and it sure sounds good to my ears. And that's from someone who considers Aunt Peg a good friend.

Ditto for the Rumble Studio 40, except I own one and frequently use it, not my friend. It's the same power amp and speaker in the same small lightweight box, but with a digital pre-amp and tons of 3rd generation models, effects, tuner, looper & all kinds of connectivity built right in, plus a switchable horn and interior lining. Handles a low B wonderfully, punches well above it's 40-watt rating, and doubles as a great 6-string guitar amp, too! Great for beginners and experienced musicians, alike. It slices! It dices! It makes julienne fries ... ... uh, ... [ahem] ... But, then, I've been a Fender fan since long before I could afford 'em.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Were I to buy a new combo today for live performance

then I would look seriously at a Trace Elliot Elf 8 or 10 inch combo. Turns out I'm quite fond of the Trace Elliot tone stack. A little is a lot, I observe, which is maybe why I'm overly fond of the Phil Jones stuff.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Ditto for the Rumble Studio 40, except I own one and frequently use it, not my friend. It's the same power amp and speaker in the same small lightweight box, but with a digital pre-amp and tons of 3rd generation models, effects, tuner, looper & all kinds of connectivity built right in, plus a switchable horn and interior lining. Handles a low B wonderfully, punches well above it's 40-watt rating, and doubles as a great 6-string guitar amp, too! Great for beginners and experienced musicians, alike. It slices! It dices! It makes julienne fries ... ... uh, ... [ahem] ... But, then, I've been a Fender fan since long before I could afford 'em.

Methinks someone misunderstood the friend reference. 8^)

 

[Deleted member 409896]

I don't need modeling, effects, or other fancy stuff built-in so it sounds like the Rumble 40 might work. Not at full retail though. Maybe I can find one on the used market.

Shipping should be reasonable, given the relative smallness and lightness.

 

[iagtrplyr]

I don't need modeling, effects, or other fancy stuff built-in so it sounds like the Rumble 40 might work. Not at full retail though. Maybe I can find one on the used market.

Shipping should be reasonable, given the relative smallness and lightness.

There's one in the Quad Cities C’List selling for $140 in mint condition. Oh yeah, that’s mine! If we were only closer. I’m too lazy to box it up, but I must admit it’d be perfect for what you’re looking for. Mixes in acoustic gigs perfectly. Check GC’s used dept. There’s always one available.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Looking forward to the review. I had no idea MB used big speakers; all I’ve seen have been 8s and 10s.

You got it. Spent last night dialing in a tone for my Hofner and found it pretty quickly. Honestly, this new CMB line is their attempt at mimicking the Rumblers, all the way down to Vintage and Contour buttons. Think of an all blacked-out R200. Big bottom, but still with the Markbass trademark mids. So far so good, I’ll report back after I dial my Sire U5 in.

 

[Deleted member 409896]

There's one in the Quad Cities C’List selling for $140 in mint condition. Oh yeah, that’s mine! If we were only closer. I’m too lazy to box it up, but I must admit it’d be perfect for what you’re looking for. Mixes in acoustic gigs perfectly. Check GC’s used dept. There’s always one available.

GC do indeed have a used Rumble 40 V3 listed at this typing, but it's not a compelling deal. It would be if I lived in or near Manchester, CT, but I don't. The shipping charge eats 70% the price difference vs. new, ouch. Not going to bother with that to save maybe $12.

$140 would indeed be a deal on one of these, but sadly I also am not anywhere near Quad Cities.

I can wait for more and better deals to come up. My old combo amp (the SWR) is still TBD whether it's worth fixing. I'm getting by with a headphone amp for now.

 

[Deleted member 268085]

Can chime in on the Rumble 40. Played a friend's, and it sure sounds good to my ears. And that's from someone who considers Aunt Peg a good friend.

Fender Rumble 40 the surprise winner. Loved mine. Sold it (not 230V compatible). Replaced it with a Studio 40. Love it even more.