The Combo Club

[GonePlaid]

I’d guess regardless of how $ you make now compared back to the day, you still enjoy playing as much now than ever. Because if not, then why would you be still dragging your equipment all around? Music is all the motivation I need, but a couple of extra shekels in the pocket probably doesn’t hurt either.

I used my 100 yesterday in our school’s music room (probably 700 square feet) and I thought even the tone was really clean it lacked some heft. Though I remember the 15 in the 200 puts out a wallop, I just thought the 12 wasn’t pushing enough air. I had the gain at 10:00 and the volume about the same, so I wasn’t cranking, but the combo sounded smaller yesterday than usual. It sits small on the floor too, like the 40. I need to bring out the 800 and see how that sounds. Again, no complaint about the 100s tone. Very pleased.

This just in: bass-playing son to purchase pop’s Ampeg head/cab tomorrow. He’s getting in a new group and needs more than his BA108 II combo. Now I’m down to the 800 as my only true playing-out amp. Hmm...what to do?

Fortunately, since I try for the 60s-70s Jamerson sound, I have no need-or GAS-for the 800 and all its bells and whistles. I set an amp tone at the beginning of the gig and make minor tonal tweaks on whichever bass I'm using. Having just sent a buncha $ to the Infernal Revenooers, gear has gotta wait awhile.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Fortunately, since I try for the 60s-70s Jamerson sound, I have no need-or GAS-for the 800 and all its bells and whistles. I set an amp tone at the beginning of the gig and make minor tonal tweaks on whichever bass I'm using. Having just sent a buncha $ to the Infernal Revenooers, gear has gotta wait awhile.

That’s what happens when you make all that Florida gigging money! I hear ya about all the bells and whistles, and it’s what had turned me off about modelers in the past. But I tell ya, GP, this thing was built using voodoo. I can get a perfect Rumble tone, do a little ‘Peg if needed, or create something totally from my ears. It’s nutty.

So how many presets gaff I created so far? Eight, I think. Will I use all the empty preset slots? Not likely, though I do like the option to do so.

 

[iagtrplyr]

You got it! And may I nominate this MB rig as possibly the club’s most complicated-looking wiring setup in recent memory?

staurosjohn, my sincerest apologies for getting you your membership so late. This darn day job continues to get in my way of world domination, er, I mean...fulfilling my duties as your Fearless Leader. Now, I bestow upon you membership number 127. It's your for life, or until Mshuts down the laundromat, whichever comes first. Congratulations and enjoy our friendly confines.

 

[Yahboy]

Have the Tech21 VT 200 bass combo almost 6+ months with zero failure.
Play 4～5 days per week , 2～4 hours each day. Gain on noon and volume on 2 o clock. Quite loud for practice.
Supprising this combo never get hot , even warm-less on back panel after few hours playing. She has no cooling fan at all.

The 12in driver can handle low B as my current hartke KB15 and previous rumble 200 combo which both has 15 driver.
The character knob, character shift button and bite button could create from warmth juicy tone to modern fuzz tone, Awsome flexible.

If you guy who play 5 string bass looking for good tone,price-friendly and lightweight 12 driver combo, you should try this Tech21 VT bass 200 combo. I believe add a new extension 12 cab could full throttle it 200 watts output.

Another great price-friendly 12 driver combo could handle low B nicely with good tone are EBS classic session 120 combo, but she weight 26kg Vs 12.6kg on Tech21 VT combo.

Thanks for reading.

 

[GonePlaid]

There's a 'jam'(?)session tonight a little south of me in the Jupiter/Tequesta area. Their regular bass man is outta town and I've been recruited/volunteered/coerced to fill in. Also, our group is encouraged to show up and do a few numbers as there is s'posed to be an agent there*. I have mixed feelings about the entire thing, but we'll see. Putting on my Kreskin hat, I predict 'waste of time'. Maybe make some contacts? Post session report tonight.

* I'll believe it when we see her-she was s'posed to have been at our Saturday night gig.

 

[ghostinthemach]

There's a 'jam'(?)session tonight a little south of me in the Jupiter/Tequesta area. Their regular bass man is outta town and I've been recruited/volunteered/coerced to fill in. Also, our group is encouraged to show up and do a few numbers as there is s'posed to be an agent there*. I have mixed feelings about the entire thing, but we'll see. Putting on my Kreskin hat, I predict 'waste of time'. Maybe make some contacts? Post session report tonight.

* I'll believe it when we see her-she was s'posed to have been at our Saturday night gig.

I used to never miss an op to jam. Love it. Especially when bass is scarce so I can play a lot.
That’s similar to my Open-Mic situation, which could go from solo acoustic player/singer up to impromptu ‘bands’ of 5 or 6 players. Including sax, violin and blues harp with guitars, keys on a good night.
Mui bueno.

 

[ghostinthemach]

Have the Tech21 VT 200 bass combo almost 6+ months with zero failure.
Play 4～5 days per week , 2～4 hours each day. Gain on noon and volume on 2 o clock. Quite loud for practice.
Supprising this combo never get hot , even warm-less on back panel after few hours playing. She has no cooling fan at all.

The 12in driver can handle low B as my current hartke KB15 and previous rumble 200 combo which both has 15 driver.
The character knob, character shift button and bite button could create from warmth juicy tone to modern fuzz tone, Awsome flexible.

If you guy who play 5 string bass looking for good tone,price-friendly and lightweight 12 driver combo, you should try this Tech21 VT bass 200 combo. I believe add a new extension 12 cab could full throttle it 200 watts output.

Another great price-friendly 12 driver combo could handle low B nicely with good tone are EBS classic session 120 combo, but she weight 26kg Vs 12.6kg on Tech21 VT combo.

Thanks for reading.

Thanks @Yahboy ! Awesome review. That’s really useful for those in full shopping mode.
Are you a Combo Club member? You oughta be, cause your passion about combos is showing

 

[mikeyjm2]

Having just sent a buncha $ to the Infernal Revenooers, gear has gotta wait awhile.

Boooooo.... hissssss....

But yeah, me too.

 

[bhendrix]

Have the Tech21 VT 200 bass combo almost 6+ months with zero failure.
Play 4～5 days per week , 2～4 hours each day. Gain on noon and volume on 2 o clock. Quite loud for practice.
Supprising this combo never get hot , even warm-less on back panel after few hours playing. She has no cooling fan at all.

The 12in driver can handle low B as my current hartke KB15 and previous rumble 200 combo which both has 15 driver.
The character knob, character shift button and bite button could create from warmth juicy tone to modern fuzz tone, Awsome flexible.

If you guy who play 5 string bass looking for good tone,price-friendly and lightweight 12 driver combo, you should try this Tech21 VT bass 200 combo. I believe add a new extension 12 cab could full throttle it 200 watts output.

Another great price-friendly 12 driver combo could handle low B nicely with good tone are EBS classic session 120 combo, but she weight 26kg Vs 12.6kg on Tech21 VT combo.

Thanks for reading.

Great review! I got to try one of these out a couple months ago. Super light - big sound! Very wide palette of tonal possibilities with this amp. Appears to be very well built - sans amp di is excellent. And - one mighty handsome combo!

 

[Yahboy]

Thanks @Yahboy ! Awesome review. That’s really useful for those in full shopping mode.
Are you a Combo Club member? You oughta be, cause your passion about combos is showing

I already a combo club member

 

[Yahboy]

Great review! I got to try one of these out a couple months ago. Super light - big sound! Very wide palette of tonal possibilities with this amp. Appears to be very well built - sans amp di is excellent. And - one mighty handsome combo!
View attachment 3382988

The reason I bought it because she can produce Ampeg-like and Fender-like classic sound without digital tone.
After few months I own this combo, I swap My band use Messa D800 to VT500 .

 

[GwenOnBass]

Have the Tech21 VT 200 bass combo almost 6+ months with zero failure.
Play 4～5 days per week , 2～4 hours each day. Gain on noon and volume on 2 o clock. Quite loud for practice.
Supprising this combo never get hot , even warm-less on back panel after few hours playing. She has no cooling fan at all.

The 12in driver can handle low B as my current hartke KB15 and previous rumble 200 combo which both has 15 driver.
The character knob, character shift button and bite button could create from warmth juicy tone to modern fuzz tone, Awsome flexible.

If you guy who play 5 string bass looking for good tone,price-friendly and lightweight 12 driver combo, you should try this Tech21 VT bass 200 combo. I believe add a new extension 12 cab could full throttle it 200 watts output.

Another great price-friendly 12 driver combo could handle low B nicely with good tone are EBS classic session 120 combo, but she weight 26kg Vs 12.6kg on Tech21 VT combo.

Thanks for reading.

There's a lot to love with a combo with the VT bass built in. My own experimentation with my VT Bass Deluxe has me settled, for the moment, with the Character and Drive set for Flip Top, and flat EQ (Low 1:30, Mid 1:30, High 9:30 - 10 with the cab sim engaged ).

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Great review! I got to try one of these out a couple months ago. Super light - big sound! Very wide palette of tonal possibilities with this amp. Appears to be very well built - sans amp di is excellent. And - one mighty handsome combo!
View attachment 3382988

Yeah, I have a theory. Tech 21 first came out with a Geddy Lee signature rack sansamp (GED 2112). This year they came out with the Geddy Lee pedal (YYZ). I think the next product with be the Geddy Lee bass combo. I won't be able to resist that. Anyone want to start a pool on the name?

 

[GonePlaid]

Yeah, I have a theory. Tech 21 first came out with a Geddy Lee signature rack sansamp (GED 2112). This year they came out with the Geddy Lee pedal (YYZ). I think the next product with be the Geddy Lee bass combo. I won't be able to resist that. Anyone want to start a pool on the name?

Bob?

 

[GonePlaid]

Update on the 'jam': it was to raise money for a charity. 2 or 3 other actual 'bands' showed up in addition to the 'Jam' band. The 3 other guys from my group were unable to come(2 had good reasons, IDK about the 3rd). Naturally the bookers were there.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Bob?

Lol. We have a winner!

 

[iagtrplyr]

Lol. We have a winner!

No you don’t. I’ve enjoyed reading today’s thread very much.

Yahboy, thanks for a really nice review. I wish our club had an unlimited fund to buy new equipment every week so we could get great reviews like this one. I also enjoyed the VT pedal and would assume the combo version is decent. I read nothing to change that assumption.

GP, I’m still trying to decide if you’re disappointed in missing the opportunity for the booking agent to check out your band. By your description it all sounded legit. Don’t worry though, I’m sure your group will get another chance to be found, cut an album, tour the world, get taken by management, fall into the abyss, live to write about in a best-selling book, be found by an agent, write s sequel, tour the country, get taken by management, fall into the abyss, live to go on TV talk shows to discuss it...and on and on.

 

[GonePlaid]

No you don’t. I’ve enjoyed reading today’s thread very much.

Yahboy, thanks for a really nice review. I wish our club had an unlimited fund to buy new equipment every week so we could get great reviews like this one. I also enjoyed the VT pedal and would assume the combo version is decent. I read nothing to change that assumption.

GP, I’m still trying to decide if you’re disappointed in missing the opportunity for the booking agent to check out your band. By your description it all sounded legit. Don’t worry though, I’m sure your group will get another chance to be found, cut an album, tour the world, get taken by management, fall into the abyss, live to write about in a best-selling book, be found by an agent, write s sequel, tour the country, get taken by management, fall into the abyss, live to go on TV talk shows to discuss it...and on and on.

I'm somewhat irritated at not being informed of some of the details of my involvement. The reasons 2 of the guys not showing were legit, esp. considering the fairly short notice of those reasons. I prolly woulda done it anyway, but it woulda been nice to have had all the info.
An amp was provided(!)so all I needed was my bass and gig bag. That part was nice, however I did learn that a R100 can't keep up with 2 loud guitarists and drums. I coulda turned up a bit more but I really didn't wanna blow up someone else's amp.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Lol. We have a winner!

Doc, I forgot all about you when I went in my GP rant. No, you don’t have a winner for the new Geddy Combo you’re promising us. Here’s my offerings:

1) 2112 (two channel, 1 X 12, 200-watts)

2) Prince By-Tor (a 410 super heavy-duty combo that snarls, spits, and throws flames)

3) Working Man (gig-friendly, 500-Watts, 115, built-in Sansamp, 30 lbs, basic rock amp)

How’s that? Do we have a winner now?

 

[iagtrplyr]

I'm somewhat irritated at not being informed of some of the details of my involvement. The reasons 2 of the guys not showing were legit, esp. considering the fairly short notice of those reasons. I prolly woulda done it anyway, but it woulda been nice to have had all the info.
An amp was provided(!)so all I needed was my bass and gig bag. That part was nice, however I did learn that a R100 can't keep up with 2 loud guitarists and drums. I coulda turned up a bit more but I really didn't wanna blow up someone else's amp.

Good point. Did they DI the 100 out? If the guitars were anything like you’re saying the Rumble wouldn’t have had a chance other than cranked with the vintage button in.