Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

If combo and staying away from Rumbles, is a requirement I would start with solid state Ampegs....can he leave it at the venue?

I have a 100 watt Ampeg RB 112 that I think is great sounding, and lightweight.

The RB115 is also 100 watt, with the option of getting to 200 watt with an 8 ohm extension cabinet. Not to mention the RB210 250w (500w with 8 ohm extension).

I have a small Ampeg. Sounds really good for small combo. The other church has a Ampeg Rocket combo with a 115, I think. I played through it once I liked it. Not having played an Ashdown combo, if I needed one the Ambeg would be where I would start. They sound big and have good punch. Had mine for years and had zero trouble with it. Had a Rumble for a while and sold it. I liked it, then didn't. Go figure. Before that the last combo was an Acoustic decades ago but don't recall much about it. Not that you can get one.

I’d go Rumble but I know some don’t like them.

GK

I think if I were in the market for a combo that is versatile, relatively light, and can dial in classic tone, this would be the choice if I could afford it.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...s-115-1x15-inch-500-watt-ultralite-bass-combo

I own the old version of the Crush 100 1x15 and have been happy with it since day one. It sounds fantastic to my ears, and when I've played through it at jam sessions and small town punk gigs, it's had more than enough power; and it gets compliments from people whose opinion I respect, who have played much nicer basses and guitars than mine through much nicer amps. Even a couple of folks who've got experience in audio engineering have told me it sounds awesome.

They're solid state, convenient to move around, easy to set up, and even have a built-in tuner that's pretty darn accurate. There's an effects loop, which is a nice add-on at its price point. It has a DI, which can come in handy. (I know I would've appreciated that on song night back when I was a highschooler working the soundboard and PA at my own church!)

Orange redesigned the geometry and made some internal changes on the Crush line a few years back, making mine "vintage," but I'm sure the current version is something your nephew would be able to play through for years to come if he so chooses.

Some people pout-pout the solid state stuff from Orange, but a certain type of person will look down their nose at anything solid state, despite solid state amps being perfectly serviceable even 40+ years ago.

Rumble 100(100W/12")or 500(350W internal/2x10"). Lightweight, plenty of oomph.

Thanks for all the input! Looks like there’s some great combo choices out there that I can pass on to him.
Rumble, Orange, Ampeg, GK - all pretty evenly split. My advice will be for him to find a place where he can audition a 100 to 200watt 15” version of each of those amps side by side to see which flavor suits his needs best. Is there such a place in Seattle?

 

[Nocturnal]

From me too also.

Happy belated birthday!

Thank you!!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Thanks for all the input! Looks like there’s some great combo choices out there that I can pass on to him.
Rumble, Orange, Ampeg, GK - all pretty evenly split. My advice will be for him to find a place where he can audition a 100 to 200watt 15” version of each of those amps side by side to see which flavor suits his needs best. Is there such a place in Seattle?

for the price difference between 100 or 200 Watt (especially used) I would cut to the chase and go for the 200 Watter....no later regrets, trust me....only issue could be the added bulkiness in a combo format which begs the question, why not a head and separate cab?

 

[GonePlaid]

 

[Stealth57]

One for Mike.

 

[MCF]

One for Mike.

View attachment 7373085

Had the left cataract removed Tuesday. I can already tell vision is much better.

 

[dagrev]

Thank you both!!

Wow, seems like everyone had a good time!

Well, hopefully you didn't do anything stupid, need to puke in a vase, or had a terrible hangover.

But hope it was otherwise a great day!

 

[dagrev]

Thanks for all the input! Looks like there’s some great combo choices out there that I can pass on to him.
Rumble, Orange, Ampeg, GK - all pretty evenly split. My advice will be for him to find a place where he can audition a 100 to 200watt 15” version of each of those amps side by side to see which flavor suits his needs best. Is there such a place in Seattle?

More is often better. Doesn't hurt to have it if you don't need it, but if you need it and don't have it...
But my Ampeg is 40w and would be plenty for use at our church. PA support or not.

 

[Stealth57]

A poll for all you that play out.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/number-of-sets-for-optimal-opportunities-to-start-gigging.1679963/

 

[JIO]

One for Mike.

View attachment 7373085

There's a Tom Waits song in there... Step Right Up!

 

[Engle]

Thanks my friends!

@RedVee I think you told me happy birthday a couple weeks ago, but it is actually today.

Because I behaved myself all year (riiiiiiight), I treated myself to an Ashdown Shavo sig model amplifier. It's basically the ABM600 EVO IV in a rackmount style, handwired in the UK custom shop. Not crazy about the name across the faceplate, but I do like the anodized red face. I picked this up after the shipping mishap with the standard ABM600 because I had my heart set on an Ashdown and I didn't want to let myself down.

Nice! Happy Birthday Andy!

 

[Gaolee]

I believe he intends to transport it for rehearsals at friends houses and then the church for worship service.

Does he really need that much power? 5 watts or maybe 10 watts with guitar is pretty good, and if he has a small amp and a dedicated microphone that can run the sound through a PA, it would save a ton of weight. Oh, wait, bass. DOH!

 

[Gaolee]

I have a small Ampeg. Sounds really good for small combo. The other church has a Ampeg Rocket combo with a 115, I think. I played through it once I liked it. Not having played an Ashdown combo, if I needed one the Ambeg would be where I would start. They sound big and have good punch. Had mine for years and had zero trouble with it. Had a Rumble for a while and sold it. I liked it, then didn't. Go figure. Before that the last combo was an Acoustic decades ago but don't recall much about it. Not that you can get one.

I still play through Acoustic Control amps. There's a 125 combo I keep at a rehearsal space. I got it barely used in about 1981 or so and have been playing through it ever since. It's rated at something like 150 watts, but it gets spectacularly loud if needed. It's been reliable as a stone, needing one resistor at one point over all these years. It's also stupid heavy, which is why it doesn't go anywhere. Those are out there and not especially expensive, but they are not fun to move.

 

[Gaolee]

Vs SOHC

Nah, pushrods.

 

[AllieCat]

for the price difference between 100 or 200 Watt (especially used) I would cut to the chase and go for the 200 Watter....no later regrets, trust me....only issue could be the added bulkiness in a combo format which begs the question, why not a head and separate cab?

If you're a kid who has to tear down and set up a lot, who has to be their own bass tech, and who has only one bass amp to use for practice at home, practice with the band, for performing, and occasionally going to a jam or something, having one object to lug around that fits in the back seat or trunk is easier to deal with. He's already got the bass, hopefully in a hardshell, to lug around, plus a road bag/case for all his bits and bobs to get through practice/the gig, but adding a separate head and cab just adds unnecessary complexity.

As young player I only had the money for one amp, so it was a combo and it was a 100w combo at that. Much less than that and I would have been inaudible with the band, much bigger than that and dad, or later my neighbors, would be upset with the "noise."

 

[Gaolee]

Thanks for all the input! Looks like there’s some great combo choices out there that I can pass on to him.
Rumble, Orange, Ampeg, GK - all pretty evenly split. My advice will be for him to find a place where he can audition a 100 to 200watt 15” version of each of those amps side by side to see which flavor suits his needs best. Is there such a place in Seattle?

Guitar Center might have those, or at least some of them. Maybe the Bass Shop in West Seattle. Other than that, I'm not sure.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Nah, pushrods.

Yup..

definitely sexier....

 

[Nocturnal]

Wow, seems like everyone had a good time!
View attachment 7373093


Well, hopefully you didn't do anything stupid, need to puke in a vase, or had a terrible hangover.

But hope it was otherwise a great day!

Nice! Happy Birthday Andy!

Thank you!!!

 

[JIO]

Thank you both!!

Happy B-day Andy!

 

[JIO]

Mike was very kind and gave me the pickguard from Bluey.
View attachment 7372895

so cool -