The Combo Club

[Killed_by_Death]

I got the GSR100 in on Friday evening & it has reminded how great that little VX50BA is:

GSR100EXMOL

• Killed_by_Death
• Jun 8, 2019
• ibanez

best bang for buck

That Power Pole pickup has output that I think would rival G&L's MFD pickup & makes the little amp really thunderous!
I wanted to get a photo on the back porch with it & the amp, but it's been raining all weekend, so maybe tomorrow.

 

[Windowliquor]

I like basses, but I love bass amps. I will spend the majority of the time in a music store looking at the bass amps. When I was a Roadie, and ran road crews, I tended to the Amps primarily, and had the others start on the other gear.

I’m the same way. I’ve had exactly 5 basses my entire life, currently 2 in the arsenal, and no desire to add any. But I’ve had 5 different amps, 4 cabs, and this new combo in just the last 6 months. And don’t even get me started on pedals....

 

[Windowliquor]

Purely aesthetic question for those of you using your combo in a stack: combo on top or bottom? Is there a reason other than aesthetics that it SHOULD ago on top or below?

 

[GwenOnBass]

My combo goes on top of the extension cabinet because the input jacks and preamp controls are on the top and back of the combo.

And very disappointed cabinets do not, in fact, look like little cabins

 

[iagtrplyr]

I'm here to help!

Where the heck was my brain’s Spell Check when I needed it most?

 

[iagtrplyr]

I like basses, but I love bass amps. I will spend the majority of the time in a music store looking at the bass amps. When I was a Roadie, and ran road crews, I tended to the Amps primarily, and had the others start on the other gear.

My long lost brotha! We thinks alike, ‘ole gsg!

 

[iagtrplyr]

I got the GSR100 in on Friday evening & it has reminded how great that little VX50BA is:

GSR100EXMOL

• Killed_by_Death
• Jun 8, 2019
• ibanez

best bang for buck

That Power Pole pickup has output that I think would rival G&L's MFD pickup & makes the little amp really thunderous!
I wanted to get a photo on the back porch with it & the amp, but it's been raining all weekend, so maybe tomorrow.

A beautiful bass you gave there, Killed by Death. Congrats to that and nay it and the Foxy Voxy bring you years of enjoyment!

 

[iriegnome]

Didn't know this club existed!! Hope there is a place here for me.. I am in the market (I think). I have had a bunch of different combo's and none have ever lived up to my needs.
From Markbass, to Eden, Ashdown, Peavey, Hartke, SWR, TC Electronics. Not one has been able to handle my needs. I think I am looking for the impossible. My small rig that I use currently is a
DNA 800w Head into a DNA DNS 112 on top of a Bag End D-15S. This does the job for most all my smaller gigs. (Yes I do have a bigger rig). What I need is a combo that gives me everything my stack does, but in 1 trip.
My main bass is a G. Gould GGi5 and I have a Modulus Q5 as a backup. Suggestions?

 

[iagtrplyr]

Good morning,

As usual, great posts to begin a new week. Just responded to a gent asking about boutique combos. Go find his post to read on it if you’re interested. Here’s what I wrote in response. Hope it will illicit a small chuckle:

If you’re looking for more advice or ideas, head on over to the Combo Club. We don’t trash products but offer a lot insight based on the varied experiences of our members. Oh yeah, and we’re snobby too. In fact, we’re so snobby we allow people to join so we can kick ‘em out!

 

[John M Ewers]

The last live (non-church) gig I played was a wedding reception. I used my Hartke Kickback combo amp (500 watts and 1-12). It did the job remarkably well.

 

[G-Dog]

... ... I have had a bunch of different combo's and none have ever lived up to my needs. ... ... Not one has been able to handle my needs. I think I am looking for the impossible. ... ... What I need is a combo that gives me everything my stack does, but in 1 trip. ... ... Suggestions?

Please advise your specific needs that have remained unmet, so that we can more accurately advise the combos we think can help. If it's high power you need, then an extension cab may be required with the combo, possibly negating the 1 trip. Is there a speaker size you prefer, such as 10", 12", or 15"? Is there a particular type of control or EQ that you need? Or is it a particular sound you've never heard from a combo. Help us help you.
.

 

[GonePlaid]

Please advise your specific needs that have remained unmet, so that we can more accurately advise the combos we think can help. If it's high power you need, then an extension cab may be required with the combo, possibly negating the 1 trip. Is there a speaker size you prefer, such as 10", 12", or 15"? Is there a particular type of control or EQ that you need? Or is it a particular sound you've never heard from a combo. Help us help you.
.

What he said.^ It sounds as if you need something like the Rumble Stage 800.

 

[Haroldo]

G'Day.

I've lurked here quite a bit but now am in need, perhaps, of some advice.

My combo trajectory over the years has been one of more power and less weight (and the older I get, the more important the weight side of the ledger becomes):

Ampeg B15-N (w/ extension speaker) -> Mesa Walkabout 12 (w/ extension speaker). I'm currently living dangerously with a Mesa Subway 800+ into a MAS 18 (tho' will use an ELF when saner). What true combos would y'all recommend? I no longer play with other folks, tho' that may change.

 

[Windowliquor]

Since my office/practice area is in the basement, directly under my father in-law’s room, I had to wait til he went to the store to really let it rip, and boy howdy does it. I barely had the master at 2, and it rattled the walls. I can only imagine this with a full band and the extension cab.... That’ll really bring the thunder!

View attachment 3440676 NEW AMP DAY! Scored this lovely beast at the local consignment shop. Trace Elliot GP12,15” speaker, solid state with a tube preamp, in relatively good shape compared to a lot of secondhand TE stuff I’ve perused. Very tweakable, and pretty transparent overall, which is good because I tend to get a little pedal crazy.... Also found a used TE 1153 speaker to stack it on/access all those lovely watts.

And I’ve apparently discovered, after years of searching and dissatisfaction, that I must be a British bass tone guy. My Ashdown combo that I use at band practice gives me the same warm fuzzies. They both scratch an itch that Ampeg, GK, etc just didn’t.

Pro tip: while I rarely ever physically go to Guitar Center, I find they have a pretty wide selection of used items online, which they ship to your door and only charge a nominal flat shipping fee. I once bought a 90lb+ Tyrant Tone 215 shipped from a store in Iowa, and shipping was only 30 bux! Same with the new cab I have en route from Texas.

 

[iagtrplyr]

In regard to your tone inquiry the other day I thought you might be interested in the Hofner bass fuzz pedal pictured below. It can fit any bass, but is designed specifically for violin basses. Thomann is selling them at a great price right now. There are some videos on YouTube too if you want to check out the pedal further.
View attachment 3440699

Interesting pedal, Doc. Have you used or own one yourself? I’m wondering if the fuzz amount is varied enough for different tonal desires? I can always use fuzz, but would also enjoy a mild overdrive as well. Admittedly, I am sorta creeped out by all the hands on the bass. It’s like a Hofner orgy or something. Just sayin’...

 

[iagtrplyr]

Didn't know this club existed!! Hope there is a place here for me.. I am in the market (I think). I have had a bunch of different combo's and none have ever lived up to my needs.
From Markbass, to Eden, Ashdown, Peavey, Hartke, SWR, TC Electronics. Not one has been able to handle my needs. I think I am looking for the impossible. My small rig that I use currently is a
DNA 800w Head into a DNA DNS 112 on top of a Bag End D-15S. This does the job for most all my smaller gigs. (Yes I do have a bigger rig). What I need is a combo that gives me everything my stack does, but in 1 trip.
My main bass is a G. Gould GGi5 and I have a Modulus Q5 as a backup. Suggestions?

Welcome iriegnome! Make yourself at home and let’s see what this bass-playing-combo-loving bunch can come up with. To me, a single-trip rig means the amp has to be easy enough to schlep, but you also wish for great tone too. Might I submit one of the new Trace Elliot Elf combos? Everyone raves about the speakers and the amp itself is owned by our very own Morrighan. I’m trying to remember how much power you were wanting. They may not be enough, but could be worth looking at.

I think the Mesa and Genzler combos would definitely be checking out as well.

Come on CC members, let’s put I our collective minds together and help out a new recruit. ‘gnome, if you’d like to join, post a pic of one of your recent combo adventures or wait until you see if you buy something. I’ll take it from there and issue you a membership number.

Good hunting. This is the stuff we here live for!

 

[Xjenrbcjsmsbfjw]

Purely aesthetic question for those of you using your combo in a stack: combo on top or bottom? Is there a reason other than aesthetics that it SHOULD ago on top or below?

I always go combo on top for heat reasons. I'm certain they get plenty of airflow and I'm just being precious with the whole thing, but if I can get the heat to dissipate 2% faster by stacking one way as opposed to the other, why not? By a similar token, if I were playing my combo in the baking sun I'd use the cab to shade the combo. That's never come up though because when I'm outside I pretty much exclusively use my stack, the head of which I then end up hiding from the sun.

I'm weird though. I spent a few years doing minor physical tech support for a company with a couple thousand PCs that were all purchased for cost not dependability. The kind of thing where all I did all day was just replace the broken part with a new one, and it gave me PTSD about heat and tech. I filled construction site sized trashcans with boaards with little brown spots on them.

That all assumes there's no sound based reason to stack differently (like stacking a 2x10 and a 2x10 extension vertically).

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Interesting pedal, Doc. Have you used or own one yourself? I’m wondering if the fuzz amount is varied enough for different tonal desires? I can always use fuzz, but would also enjoy a mild overdrive as well. Admittedly, I am sorta creeped out by all the hands on the bass. It’s like a Hofner orgy or something. Just sayin’...

Lol. YeahN

Interesting pedal, Doc. Have you used or own one yourself? I’m wondering if the fuzz amount is varied enough for different tonal desires? I can always use fuzz, but would also enjoy a mild overdrive as well. Admittedly, I am sorta creeped out by all the hands on the bass. It’s like a Hofner orgy or something. Just sayin’...

lol. Yeah the hands are different but the art is cool and used on all of this line of pedals. The one in the picture is mine and I love it! They are handmade in Germany, but I don't think they were too successful. That is why you can find them cheap at Thomann. They also have an overdrive pedal. I will likely get a few more in this line, since I am such a Hofner nerd.

Anyway, here is a useful video for the fuzz:

 

[iagtrplyr]

G'Day.

I've lurked here quite a bit but now am in need, perhaps, of some advice.

My combo trajectory over the years has been one of more power and less weight (and the older I get, the more important the weight side of the ledger becomes):

Ampeg B15-N (w/ extension speaker) -> Mesa Walkabout 12 (w/ extension speaker). I'm currently living dangerously with a Mesa Subway 800+ into a MAS 18 (tho' will use an ELF when saner). What true combos would y'all recommend? I no longer play with other folks, tho' that may change.

Haroldo, welcome to the Combo Club! If ya end up purchasing a new combo, please post a pic of it here and we’ll end your lurking days forever.

I think we’ll need to know a little more info before one of our geniuses can prescribe you a combo. What kind of music do you play? The Ampeg says rock/pop classics or maybe Motown. The Mesa, to me, could be about anything from The Beatles to country. Describe what you love to play and listen to.

Also, you mentioned you’re not playing out any longer, right? Depending on how loud you play in your environment will help us to determine combo size. I love me a 100-watt single 12 in a large music room, but prefer a smaller 8 or 10 practice amp in a dinky bedroom. Again, tell us where you’ll be playing at most of the time.

You came to the right place; let’s see what we can do for ya!

 

[Haroldo]

Didn't know this club existed!! Hope there is a place here for me.. I am in the market (I think). I have had a bunch of different combo's and none have ever lived up to my needs.
From Markbass, to Eden, Ashdown, Peavey, Hartke, SWR, TC Electronics. Not one has been able to handle my needs. I think I am looking for the impossible. My small rig that I use currently is a
DNA 800w Head into a DNA DNS 112 on top of a Bag End D-15S. This does the job for most all my smaller gigs. (Yes I do have a bigger rig). What I need is a combo that gives me everything my stack does, but in 1 trip.
My main bass is a G. Gould GGi5 and I have a Modulus Q5 as a backup. Suggestions?

If weight is no concern, a Mesa Walkabout with a 4 ohm speaker might do you well. And, tho' it's not strictly a combo, I can attest that the mixture of a Trace Elliot ELF and the Bag End D-15S is very nice, indeed. (This, of course, depends on the SPL you need.)