Mesa Boogie Subway WD-800 + Subway Ultra-Lite 1x15 Cab.
Tube preamp, tiny footprint...
Tube preamp, tiny footprint...
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To downsize or not to downsize
- Thread starter NL_Bsss65
- Start date
Yeah that rig doesn’t sound all that big really. The options mentioned aren’t much smaller really. If your happy with the sound / features then I would keep it. If you want a different sound or feature set then I’d consider options but only in that case. I’m sure you tolerate a bunch of your wife’s decor choices so she should tolerate a medium sized bass amp
Keep it, I think you would regret getting rid of it. I know I would.
I have the opposite problem. I’ve got a similar wattage tube head and a 4x10 for practice at home and for the occasional gigs I soon hope will become less occasional. My wife keeps talking me out of selling/downsizing, reminding me I will regret the compromise. Is it overkill for 90% of my current needs: yes. Does it make me happy: absolutely. I feel a little guilty/silly sometimes having it, but she encourages me to stick with it.
If you had a fridge and SVT, perhaps I could see her point, but other than purchasing tubes once every decade or so, I think as soon as it leaves your possession, you will deeply regret it.
Do you have kids, or kids on the way? I’ve got 4. My wife insists I keep the smaller guest bedroom for myself. My children think it’s cool dad has his own man cave. My youngest twin daughters draw me sweet little pictures and leave them in there for me, telling me they love me or pictures of me with my bass in hand. Sometimes the older two will come in when I’m practicing and noodle around a bit on the student guitar hanging on the wall. My hope is at least one of them will feel the itch like I did and make a concerted effort to do more than noodle.
It is important for people, single or married (and I think especially married) to have something they love to do and a reasonable amount of space to do it and not feel like they are being impractical and burdensome.
EDIT: I’m a very lucky man.
If you had a fridge and SVT, perhaps I could see her point, but other than purchasing tubes once every decade or so, I think as soon as it leaves your possession, you will deeply regret it.
Do you have kids, or kids on the way? I’ve got 4. My wife insists I keep the smaller guest bedroom for myself. My children think it’s cool dad has his own man cave. My youngest twin daughters draw me sweet little pictures and leave them in there for me, telling me they love me or pictures of me with my bass in hand. Sometimes the older two will come in when I’m practicing and noodle around a bit on the student guitar hanging on the wall. My hope is at least one of them will feel the itch like I did and make a concerted effort to do more than noodle.
It is important for people, single or married (and I think especially married) to have something they love to do and a reasonable amount of space to do it and not feel like they are being impractical and burdensome.
EDIT: I’m a very lucky man.
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I loan a lot of gear to my buds. If I brought it all home...well...let's just say...she doesn't need to know about everything. Get a small combo that you can plug headphones into and loan your tuber/cab to someone for awhile.
I agree. Put a 1x12 rig next to it and the size difference is minimal. And if you are not gigging, no need to spend more money.
You could see if she might prefer you pick up hunting as a hobby. Couple thousand in camo, rifle, optics etc to get started. Oh, and you will be gone most weekends from October through December during the season as well as June through August for scouting out your hunting areas. Don't forget to clear out an area in the garage to hang, skin, and disassemble what ever animals you bring home.
Going by the facts you laid out, I'm inclined to think the Mrs is being somewhat unreasonable here despite the fact that you "agree with her in some ways.'"
I'm order to give us the bigger picture I have a few questions...
1) what kind of square footage are you guys living in?
2) is there a child involved?
3) are you guys living paycheck to paycheck?
4) How many costly or space hogging hobbies to you have?
5) How much of the furniture and decor did she pick out, vs you?
6) What kind of "other things" do you see that money going to?
7) does she neither like or respect your parents?
8) does she support your musical aspirations whether it's just unwinding by playing solo thru that tube amp on weekends, or...
9) how would it go over if you told her you wanted to get into a band situation that plays out a few times per year??
You don't have to answer these questions out loud as some are quite personal, but you at least know the answers in your head.
The only way I'd see it her way here is if you're having trouble affording diapers for junior, or you also already have a boat, a couple cars, or have other hobbies that add up in cost and space.
Offer to put a 2×3 piece of plywood on top and throw a tablecloth over it so when company comes she could use it as a functional place to put the horderves. Done
Build an addition to your crib!
Tell her "your argument is invalid."
Or just tell her "the rig and I stay, or the rig and I go!"
My wife once commented to me that my woodshop (outbuilding) and metal shop (garage) were
"overstuffed" with cabinets, drawers, and bins full of parts, tooling, bits, screws, whatever, and needed reduction.
I countered with the fact that she could name any item, in any size, and I could walk right to it, whereas she had to hunt through three kitchen drawers just to turn up a wooden spoon.
She called it a draw.
Tell her "your argument is invalid."
Or just tell her "the rig and I stay, or the rig and I go!"
My wife once commented to me that my woodshop (outbuilding) and metal shop (garage) were
"overstuffed" with cabinets, drawers, and bins full of parts, tooling, bits, screws, whatever, and needed reduction.
I countered with the fact that she could name any item, in any size, and I could walk right to it, whereas she had to hunt through three kitchen drawers just to turn up a wooden spoon.
She called it a draw.
It’s not like she’s demanding I get rid of it I think she was coming more from a position that it’s overkill for what I need and that I could put the money toward something else’s I want bass related like the Gibson lp bass I showed her a couple weeks ago at l&m
she’s not hard to get along whit and she knows it makes me happy
she’s never seen me play with I group and I always tell her of my past glories
but she has a hard time understanding what all my gear dose lol
she bought me my ric a few years ago as a surprise Christmas gift so she’s not against any off it but she’s one of those a people that can’t tell the difference between the sound of a ric and a jazz
or and I quote “you buy(not me nessacearly) a bass because it sounds a certain way but then u want to change how it sounds with ur amp and then change that with ur pedalboards?
she’s not hard to get along whit and she knows it makes me happy
she’s never seen me play with I group and I always tell her of my past glories
but she has a hard time understanding what all my gear dose lol
she bought me my ric a few years ago as a surprise Christmas gift so she’s not against any off it but she’s one of those a people that can’t tell the difference between the sound of a ric and a jazz
or and I quote “you buy(not me nessacearly) a bass because it sounds a certain way but then u want to change how it sounds with ur amp and then change that with ur pedalboards?
I also mentioned this to her as well that I could have way more expensive hobbies and she agreed.
then a light clicked in her head and she said your like a collector kind of ? Lol
in some ways yes
now I think if I got my ash down 4x10 out of storage at my parents in my home town and brought that here and had 2 “big amps” she might have a vailed point lol
but it be nice to try that ric o sound hahahahahah
everything’s kept in the guests room/office/ my music room so but it’s a small room. It’s only me and her in the house with the dog and the cats
Now there is another room avalible for expansion in the future after the wedding in the summer ( by that I mean little skinners )
then a light clicked in her head and she said your like a collector kind of ? Lol
in some ways yes
now I think if I got my ash down 4x10 out of storage at my parents in my home town and brought that here and had 2 “big amps” she might have a vailed point lol
but it be nice to try that ric o sound hahahahahah
everything’s kept in the guests room/office/ my music room so but it’s a small room. It’s only me and her in the house with the dog and the cats
Now there is another room avalible for expansion in the future after the wedding in the summer ( by that I mean little skinners )
Alright, it's not like she's trying to quash your musical endeavors, that's great news. And it's not really about saving space of she's encouraging you to get another bass, and whatever small amp and cab you get is still gonna have a similar footprint, the head just won't look like such a monstrosity to her.
Maybe it's time you busted out the laser pointer and gave her a brief lesson regarding the evolution of amplification. Explain that you own a piece of history (with sentimental value attached), and it's something that would be very difficult to reaquire once it's gone. If she's into classic rock this will be infinitely easier to explain
Good luck to you.
We sold our house and moved into a camper where space is a determining factor...so, I did some serious downsizing. I wanted something for practice purposes. I bought an Acoustic B300HD head ($212 on sale) and placed it on a fold up table in the bedroom. I can plug in my bass, an iPod and headphones...it works great. If I want to practice with my wife (also in my band), I break out my Roland Street Cube ($500)...it has inputs for my bass a mic and iPod. Just my 2¢.
My first thought too. How much space do you think you're going to save? I used my SVT and 8X10 cabinet for practice for years.
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Would you play gigs with a band that doesn't have a great PA?- Latest: Thumpin6string
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