The Combo Club

[68Tele-Bass]

Just to let you know, though I’m sure you do, it’s a guitar amp, not a bass amp. Maybe a moot point but I wouldn’t expect much bass output. If you play guitar though I think it’d be a fun ‘lil combo to own. Congrats!

While primarily a (mediocre) bassist, I DO hack on guitar- my present project is modding one of those $129 Squier Bullet Telecasters in surf green- throwing a lot stuff into it for fun- tuners, pots, Gavitt wire, PIO Soviet NOS 0.047 cap, and a GraphTech nut. Oh, and a set of Bootstrap AlNiCo III pickups.
I have a collection of tiny amps- mostly combos, but a “mini stack” as well with my Vox AmPlug and “extension cab”! It’s pretty cool, and they sound better than they should! Here are the minis, and the Telecaster with my Fender Mustang I modeling amp- 20W with 8” speaker- also sounds pretty good!

I saw the Vox 10W bass version as well, but for about the same cost, I’d probably look at the Ampeg BA108...hmmmm. Maybe??? Lol

 

[iagtrplyr]

While primarily a (mediocre) bassist, I DO hack on guitar- my present project is modding one of those $129 Squier Bullet Telecasters in surf green- throwing a lot stuff into it for fun- tuners, pots, Gavitt wire, PIO Soviet NOS 0.047 cap, and a GraphTech nut. Oh, and a set of Bootstrap AlNiCo III pickups.
I have a collection of tiny amps- mostly combos, but a “mini stack” as well with my Vox AmPlug and “extension cab”! It’s pretty cool, and they sound better than they should! Here are the minis, and the Telecaster with my Fender Mustang I modeling amp- 20W with 8” speaker- also sounds pretty good!
View attachment 4162352 View attachment 4162354

I saw the Vox 10W bass version as well, but for about the same cost, I’d probably look at the Ampeg BA108...hmmmm. Maybe??? Lol

Gotcha. Yes, if you gonna spend a Franklin on a bass combo, there’s none better than an Ampeg combo. If you don’t believe me, just ask our buddy, Morrighan.

 

[GwenOnBass]

M, do you think the Elf can do the cleans at higher levels? That would be my one reservation. I’m sensing a zero to full gain time in 2.1 seconds, but maybe not? Set the record, please.

Correcting myself here!

Dimed the gain on the Elf, just to see, because it's been a long time. It's not fuzz. It's a lot of breakup like a tube amp driven hard, but it's not fuzz. Back the gain off a bit and it's out of beast mode.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Correcting myself here!

Dimed the gain on the Elf, just to see, because it's been a long time. It's not fuzz. It's a lot of breakup like a tube amp driven hard, but it's not fuzz. Back the gain off a bit and it's out of beast mode.

Thanks for the update. I do love the idea of the whole Elf vibe, but clean is my first love and I must be true. Your comments were quite helpful, thank you.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Thanks for the update. I do love the idea of the whole Elf vibe, but clean is my first love and I must be true. Your comments were quite helpful, thank you.

And an interesting juxtaposition for me with the PJB combo with gain as clean as a Mormon bachelor party. My tendency has been to keep the Elf gain low, and the volume knob high. That's an astonishing amount sound for not a (comparatively) lot of watts through four 7 inch drivers.

 

[Nuage420]

And an interesting juxtaposition for me with the PJB combo with gain as clean as a Mormon bachelor party. My tendency has been to keep the Elf gain low, and the volume knob high. That's an astonishing amount sound for not a (comparatively) lot of watts through four 7 inch drivers.

my quest for a travel combo has been looking towards a PJ or one of those little Elf 10"

 

[iagtrplyr]

my quest for a travel combo has been looking towards a PJ or one of those little Elf 10"

Seems like this has been our theme this week: small combos, big sound. I think a neat idea would be to have a smallish combo that handles smallish gigs but an he run into a larger cab for larger gigs. Does that make sense?

I owned the Markbass 801 (8” speaker 50 watts, I think) that could be plugged into an ext cab and put out 60 Watts.

If only the D4 had that extension cab output...

 

[Nuage420]

Seems like this has been our theme this week: small combos, big sound. I think a neat idea would be to have a smallish combo that handles smallish gigs but an he run into a larger cab for larger gigs. Does that make sense?

I owned the Markbass 801 (8” speaker 50 watts, I think) that could be plugged into an ext cab and put out 60 Watts.

If only the D4 had that extension cab output...

See I want the big power out of the smallest package. I know it's just for practice but I know if I don't get something that really thumps I won't be satisfied.

 

[iagtrplyr]

See I want the big power out of the smallest package. I know it's just for practice but I know if I don't get something that really thumps I won't be satisfied.

Interesting. You’re sounding like you’re wanting to rewrite physics, but there are some combos which might interest you. If ya don’t feel like messing around then I’d take a look at any of the high-power Fender combos. Lots of power, lightweight, and built to last.

My Stage 800 nets you 400 watts into two Eminence ten-inch drivers with the ability to add an extension cabinet and another 400 watts! And only 40 lbs for all that firepower to boot.

 

[Nuage420]

It's gotta be very small. I'll be in a very small living quarter for a while it'll be tough to have even an ampeg 108 size amp. The Roland cube may be another option but I'm looking at these guys here.

Invalid Link Removed

P: BG-110 Bass Combo Amp “Bass CUB 2” | Phil Jones Bass

 

[donahue]

Is it me or does the elf combo seem spendy? Also 17lbs? Actually seems heavy for a package that small. I mean, they say the amp only weighs 1.6lbs. That means a little 8" speaker and a small wood box weighs 16lbs? Hmmm.

 

[Nuage420]

Is it me or does the elf combo seem spendy? Also 17lbs? Actually seems heavy for a package that small. I mean, they say the amp only weighs 1.6lbs. That means a little 8" speaker and a small wood box weighs 16lbs? Hmmm.

I'm sure it's gotta be a heavy magnet to deal with that much power and such a small cabinet.

 

[iagtrplyr]

It's gotta be very small. I'll be in a very small living quarter for a while it'll be tough to have even an ampeg 108 size amp. The Roland cube may be another option but I'm looking at these guys here.

Invalid Link Removed

P: BG-110 Bass Combo Amp “Bass CUB 2” | Phil Jones Bass

This may be a tough choice. Both have the +s and -s. Maybe we can call in those with any actual experience with either of these fine products. For me, it’s be the TE for the expansion possibilities. I can imagine a 3X8, 200-watt rig sitting on stage. Sounds tasty!

Heading to school...bye all!

 

[Andy Marshman]

I saw the Vox 10W bass version as well, but for about the same cost, I’d probably look at the Ampeg BA108...hmmmm. Maybe??? Lol[/QUOTE]

Don't bother with the Vox 10B Pathfinder. It's open back so the poor little speakers can't develop decent bass tone. I've rigged them up to play through proper, larger bass cabs and the amp is good - up to its 10 Watts. Spend your money on something else.

 

[RodRy]

my quest for a travel combo has been looking towards a PJ or one of those little Elf 10"

How potent are you wanting to go? The PJB Double Four is a really nice little amp.

 

[RodRy]

Seems like this has been our theme this week: small combos, big sound. I think a neat idea would be to have a smallish combo that handles smallish gigs but an he run into a larger cab for larger gigs. Does that make sense?

I owned the Markbass 801 (8” speaker 50 watts, I think) that could be plugged into an ext cab and put out 60 Watts.

If only the D4 had that extension cab output...

My Gallien-Krueger MB150E-112 is just like that. Plenty powerful for coffee-shop gigs, and I can plug in my 410 cabinet and hang with a rock drummer.

150 Watts and the "deep" switch have kept me happy for over 15 years.

 

[Nuage420]

How potent are you wanting to go? The PJB Double Four is a really nice little amp.

Size and power is the biggest priority and those two check those blocks.

Expansion doesn't matter to me. I have the BA210V2 and whatever I end up replacing my Markbass with for heavy hitting.

 

[GwenOnBass]

This may be a tough choice. Both have the +s and -s. Maybe we can call in those with any actual experience with either of these fine products. For me, it’s be the TE for the expansion possibilities. I can imagine a 3X8, 200-watt rig sitting on stage. Sounds tasty!

Heading to school...bye all!

The alleged test bed here is powering a PJB C4 cabinet with the Elf, and as a BG-400. As the BG-400 combo is essentially a C4 and a PJB amp ... this means I'm hearing both amps through the same cab. Probably closer to home is I'm hearing both preamps through the same cab. I very much doubt I can hear the difference between two Class D amps. Though I suspect neither use off-the-shelf Class D amps. <shrug>

The giveaway is the BG-400 combo has two inputs with two preamps, which means this is an amp a Doubler would choose. It's going to be My Bass Only Louder (with a sprinkling of PJB pixie dust that means it's musical, not sterile). The Elf is more of a rocker. I'd be hauling that and as many speakers my back can handle because there's a lot of meat on that bone. Even if the bone is ... green ... An Elf and a fridge is said to be devastating

The biggest little combo between the two? Well, I've got both, so to speak, I'd say OTOH the Elf is going to make more loud than the Double Four. Really, I'd like both

 

[Nuage420]

The alleged test bed here is powering a PJB C4 cabinet with the Elf, and as a BG-400. As the BG-400 combo is essentially a C4 and a PJB amp ... this means I'm hearing both amps through the same cab. Probably closer to home is I'm hearing both preamps through the same cab. I very much doubt I can hear the difference between two Class D amps. Though I suspect neither use off-the-shelf Class D amps. <shrug>

The giveaway is the BG-400 combo has two inputs with two preamps, which means this is an amp a Doubler would choose. It's going to be My Bass Only Louder (with a sprinkling of PJB pixie dust that means it's musical, not sterile). The Elf is more of a rocker. I'd be hauling that and as many speakers my back can handle because there's a lot of meat on that bone. Even if the bone is ... green ... An Elf and a fridge is said to be devastating

The biggest little combo between the two? Well, I've got both, so to speak, I'd say OTOH the Elf is going to make more loud than the Double Four. Really, I'd like both

It seems the TE might be the winner. But then I received this...

 

[GwenOnBass]

It seems the TE might be the winner. But then I received this...

View attachment 4163886

The Cub II has a line out, and no speaker out. The PJB powered cabs that paired with the original Cub are no longer part of their lineup.