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The Combo Club

#23,961
My Corner of Craziness in the Room of Requirement at home. Bottom Rumble developed a nasty popping shortly after purchase. Fender sent a replacement (inside the Custom cover); I use the old cab as a stand only. The top combo was my first Rumble 100, purchased used through GC. Note the white curly Q at the lower right of the top amp - that's a sock in the port. Playing out, I typically take the top two, daisy chaining the second one (with no port sock). The combination of sock / no sock does a great job, at least in the space I usually play.
1735583560440.png
 
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#23,962
I mentioned this a while back... My first bass combo (or amp) was a Kalamazoo Bass 30. The sealed 2x10 cab is OK. It's marginal on a low E and fairly useless below that. It was my practice amp for maybe a month before I bought a Rumble. I originally got it when I was working on tube amps as a side gig; I wanted one of every Kalamazoo tube amp. I never did get a 50, but that's fine.

I needed something for both practice and gigging (or so I thought), so I went straight to the R100V3. I got a used one in like new condition for between $50 and $100 off the price of the new ones at the time. Then I found out our church's main sound guy and stage manager wanted a "clean stage", so I just went into a DI for several years. At our new church, that's not an issue, and the Rumbles do a great job there (as well as at home, of course).

So that's my (bass) combo journey. So far.

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1735584784610.png
 
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#23,963
Miles_ONeal said:
We'd love to hear more about your combo journey, bass journey, your den (or din) of iniquity (within TalkBass standards, of course), and you in general.
Click to expand...
Sadly there is no news on the amp front. Still waiting to hear re: fate of the SWR Workingman 15 combo.

Recap:

First amp: Crate BX50, a combo amp, gone but not missed.
Second amp: SWR Workingman 15 (still in the shop - down but not out...yet), another combo amp.
Third amp: Markbass Black Line CMB 101 (current).
 
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#23,965
Morrighan said:
The Phil Jones BG-400 combo is what I take to "work"


View attachment 7111634


right there behind the mic with a stealie and sasquatch for the Webcam. It's my bass space! I, and other students are in live practice on Zoom. What has changed is I am now an affiliate of Ari Cap, as well as the volunteer Music Theory for the Bass Player uber coach.

Every student in the cohort has a coach. I'm the coach to the coaches, reporting to the head coach. My work as an uber coach is quite a privilege, yes? I take my bass pretty seriously. Maybe one day I figure it out. The winter cohort starts very soon (see sig for disclaimer)

I bought that StingRay in the spring of 1979. By 81 I graduated to my first real bass amp: the venerable Peavey TNT! The combo is as loud as it is heavy.

All these years along, and I still play a combo.
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Still cool, M! Congrats and continue having fun making music and helping create musicians.
 
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#23,967
Miles_ONeal said:
I mentioned this a while back... My first bass combo (or amp) was a Kalamazoo Bass 30. The sealed 2x10 cab is OK. It's marginal on a low E and fairly useless below that. It was my practice amp for maybe a month before I bought a Rumble. I originally got it when I was working on tube amps as a side gig; I wanted one of every Kalamazoo tube amp. I never did get a 50, but that's fine.

I needed something for both practice and gigging (or so I thought), so I went straight to the R100V3. I got a used one in like new condition for between $50 and $100 off the price of the new ones at the time. Then I found out our church's main sound guy and stage manager wanted a "clean stage", so I just went into a DI for several years. At our new church, that's not an issue, and the Rumbles do a great job there (as well as at home, of course).

So that's my (bass) combo journey. So far.

View attachment 7111784
View attachment 7111783
Click to expand...
And a darn good one at that. Thanks, Miles, for sharing. It’s cathartic people. Dig deep (and with a pic) and tell us about a combo you loved, hated, had or currently have. We goby care if we’ve heard the tale before, it’s the end of 2024, dang it, and the CC needs to be at the top of the posting list. Join us! :thumbsup:
 
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#23,968
Miles_ONeal said:
My Corner of Craziness in the Room of Requirement at home. Bottom Rumble developed a nasty popping shortly after purchase. Fender sent a replacement (inside the Custom cover); I use the old cab as a stand only. The top combo was my first Rumble 100, purchased used through GC. Note the white curly Q at the lower right of the top amp - that's a sock in the port. Playing out, I typically take the top two, daisy chaining the second one (with no port sock). The combination of sock / no sock does a great job, at least in the space I usually play.
View attachment 7111761
Click to expand...
Sorry, I’m in the replying mood right now. Miles, obviously you feel stuffing the port is giving you improved tone, but by how much, big or little difference? I’m asking for a friend because I…I mean, he has never had any luck closing off ports and getting a nice sound, particularly with home loudspeakers.

Also, what brand do you recommend for best performance? Hanes? I’m a Dickies man myself but would be willing to switch. ;)
 
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#23,969
Deleted member 409896 said:
Sadly there is no news on the amp front. Still waiting to hear re: fate of the SWR Workingman 15 combo.

Recap:

First amp: Crate BX50, a combo amp, gone but not missed.
Second amp: SWR Workingman 15 (still in the shop - down but not out...yet), another combo amp.
Third amp: Markbass Black Line CMB 101 (current).
Click to expand...
How do you like your CMB, ‘Hack? Anything as positive as my review? I’ve owned plenty of Markbass over the years, but this honestly the first one I’ve really enjoyed for long periods of time. I’d like to read your thoughts to see if I’m nuts or not.
 
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#23,971
iagtrplyr said:
You mean, did I bring it along? Nope, never do. I know, one day I’ll get burned big time and lament, but as of. Today I’ve never had an amp malfunction. Lousy playing maybe…:eek:
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I have a P_____ MAX110 that stays in the gigmobile as a backup. I've never had a Rumble take a shi...er, break on me, but one of our guitarists had an amp quit on a gig, so he used it.
 
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#23,973
iagtrplyr said:
Sorry, I’m in the replying mood right now. Miles, obviously you feel stuffing the port is giving you improved tone, but by how much, big or little difference? I’m asking for a friend because I…I mean, he has never had any luck closing off ports and getting a nice sound, particularly with home loudspeakers.

Also, what brand do you recommend for best performance? Hanes? I’m a Dickies man myself but would be willing to switch. ;)
Click to expand...
I don’t recall; it’s been in there a couple years now. I will try to remember to play with and without it and see.

As for brand, I don’t recall. My wife bought them some time back. I don’t think they have a logo.
 
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#23,974
Side note: While I can play ok on a so-called silent stage, I far prefer feeling the bass Right There from a cab or combo, and just hearing the stage sound. No in-ear/can mix with second-hand bass from the FOH is the same. YMMV.
Granted I might feel different on a giant, sparsely populated stage, but I haven’t had that opportunity yet. In-ears/cans might make more sense in that situation.
 
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#23,978
GonePlaid said:
I have a P_____ MAX110 that stays in the gigmobile as a backup. I've never had a Rumble take a shi...er, break on me, but one of our guitarists had an amp quit on a gig, so he used it.
Click to expand...
GP, I’m fearing the day for some untold reason one of your Rumblers abruptly hangs up the window phone and you’re forced to have to run out to the ‘mobile and grab the P___y. This would be my expression: 😳
 
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#23,980
iagtrplyr said:
And a darn good one at that. Thanks, Miles, for sharing. It’s cathartic people. Dig deep (and with a pic) and tell us about a combo you loved, hated, had or currently have. We goby care if we’ve heard the tale before, it’s the end of 2024, dang it, and the CC needs to be at the top of the posting list. Join us! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Here's my first bass amp, in 1971, a combo. My beloved/hated EMC! Never saw one like it before or since. Solid state amp, but sounded good. Very heavy! But took it on the road to Colorado, Washington D.C. and the Bahamas!

EMC amp.jpg


See my other bass amps, mostly combos earlier in this thread.
 
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