• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Travelling & bass playing (what amp?)

K

Kujallaa

Dec 3, 2009
9
0
Hämeenlinna, Finland
soundcloud.com
#1
Hello people in Talkbass! It's my first message in these forums, and right in the start i'm starting a topic of my own.

The question is, what kind of amp would be the best when travelling. And i'm not talking about travelling like "yeah, i'm going to spain for 7 days" but for longer periods of time. I have though, that if i would buy a small amphead (like markbass little mark) and a small cabinet in my homeland, or buy the cabinet in the destination. Do you have any recommends of a small, finely working cabinet? And subscribe another type of solutions with amps.

(sorry for my english, hope you understand my point :)
 
#2
Will you be staying in one location or constantly moving around all the time? Will you be gigging or rehearsing with band or just practicing?

When travelling around, weight obviously is an issue and you should go for lightweight combos: Markbass, Ibanez Promethean or similar. You can add expansion cabinets to those when needed on the spot.

When you will be staying in one place for longer, its probably better to buy something locally. It doesn't really have to be lightweight then and if you buy something relatively cheap second hand you can sell it before coming back.
 
#4
Kujallaa said:
Hello people in Talkbass! It's my first message in these forums, and right in the start i'm starting a topic of my own.

The question is, what kind of amp would be the best when travelling. And i'm not talking about travelling like "yeah, i'm going to spain for 7 days" but for longer periods of time. I have though, that if i would buy a small amphead (like markbass little mark) and a small cabinet in my homeland, or buy the cabinet in the destination. Do you have any recommends of a small, finely working cabinet? And subscribe another type of solutions with amps.

(sorry for my english, hope you understand my point :)
Click to expand...
Hi Kujalaa. Your written English is easily understood. No Apology is needed.

FYI, Steve Swallow travels with his Bass & a Walter Woods amp using available cabinets wherever he goes. The remarkable amps made by Walter Woods have inspired other designers to build small powerful amps. You're in luck, there are several good designs available.

I am not fussy about 'my tone'. I bought basses with very nice voices & generally play with flat EQ & no FX. I have a 150w into 8 ohm (250w into 4 ohm) amp that weighs 1.25Kg (Acoustic Image Clarus SL) & fits into my gig bag. It has a very quiet DI & 4 band EQ but no headphone out. I drive a Galleon Kreuger 112MBX 12" speaker & in the studio, add the speaker in my Hartke KB 15, for my pleasure. The GK 12" cabinet has limitations; no mid range speaker, not ported, but it sounds good & weighs only 6.5 Kg.

For more sound, I use the Clarus DI line out to a PA or recording device. When a PA is involved, I don't think you can play & know what the audience hears. The PA sound person is there to ensure that the audience hears the bass at the right level. The amp & speaker make a usable stage monitor.

If I need to practice & won't be able to hear the bass un-amplified, I use a headphone amplifier (Pocket Rock-It).

Simple & light weight let me load everything onto a luggage cart + gig bag on my back to walk long distances & use public transport. Large plastic bags protect things from rain. If I ever need more power (doubtful), I'll have to rent a big rig. That's not too hard in the US. 8-)
 
#5
Id take the lightest thing that you can be happy playing. As long as you get your sound the way you want it and the volume you need, then go for the lightest thing possible. Unless your me, then you go for a Trace Elliot AH600SMX and 4 4x10 cabinets.
 
#10
depending on what you are planning on doing during these travels, another way to go is to just use a laptop and a basic interface like Amplitube or the Native Instruments GuitarRig interface, and headphones to practice or record tracks. This would be very portable (and multi-pupose). You can even use the output of these devices into a an amp for playing live. Pro guitar players do this more and more, and there is no reason that bass players can't do it too.

If you were planning on regular gigging or jamming with other players in a live setting this approach might not be as useful as a lightweight amp. But, for a traveling player, this is a great set-up top consider, particularly if you already have a decent laptop.

good luck and happy travels
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back