Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Typical wattage used at small bar gigs
- Thread starter Blister
- Start date
For 10 years I used a 200 watt GK 400RB. It was always plenty and I never had it cranked wide open. How far I turned it up means nothing as all amps are different. But I never had the amp driven so hard it was distorting. Only on a few outdoor gigs did I need more power.
A lot depends on how efficient and how good your speaker cabinets are.
I first used a 4 ohm GK 4x10 cabinet (the old style one) and it wasn't a very efficient cabinet and didn't have a solid bass sound with any volume. I switched to a pair of 1x15" cabinets and that made all the difference. On many small rooms all I used was one cabinet and the amp was only capable of about 125 watts that way. Still sounded good.
I used a P bass almost all the time.
A lot depends on how efficient and how good your speaker cabinets are.
I first used a 4 ohm GK 4x10 cabinet (the old style one) and it wasn't a very efficient cabinet and didn't have a solid bass sound with any volume. I switched to a pair of 1x15" cabinets and that made all the difference. On many small rooms all I used was one cabinet and the amp was only capable of about 125 watts that way. Still sounded good.
I used a P bass almost all the time.
I've played a lot of blues gigs at small to medium sized bars with two setups, 300 watts into 2x10 (Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0-10t combo + extension) and 225 watts into 1x12 (Genz NeoPak 3.5 into a Neox112t cab). Both worked extremely well with a little PA support (not much) with both a P bass and a fretless Stingray 5.
If you have a sane band and PA support, you really don't need much for small bar gigs, imho. It all depends on the context ... two guitarists with Marshall 412's and a double-kick drummer who hits like Mike Tyson, and you'll need a lot of amp.
Cheers
If you have a sane band and PA support, you really don't need much for small bar gigs, imho. It all depends on the context ... two guitarists with Marshall 412's and a double-kick drummer who hits like Mike Tyson, and you'll need a lot of amp.
Cheers
I've used anything from a 25w B-15 to a 500w Markbass rig. How much you need is dependent on the type of music and the size of your PA and whether you'll use it for instruments or not. 300w is considered enough to do most any gig that isn't insanely ear-splittingly loud, and it will even do a few that are. I sincerely doubt if I've ever used more than 150w worth of volume from any amp I've ever used in a bar, though, and I've played some very loud gigs.
I use exactly the same rig for small places as I do for bigger ones: 2 x Acme B2 stacked vertically (same footprint as one) and a 1000W Carvin DCM1000 driven by my pre-amp of the moment. The system does have a volume control after all.
Paul
Paul
With the bands I'm currently playing with, I can usually take one of my old Ampeg Fliptops...about 60 watts. My rule about bar gigs is to cover the stage and 10 feet in front of it (for anyone dancing). The people sitting in the back are there for a reason, let them talk or listen as they wish.
I've got other amps for larger rooms and outside gigs.
A 300 watt amp can cover almost any room, even if you're in a loud band.
I've got other amps for larger rooms and outside gigs.
A 300 watt amp can cover almost any room, even if you're in a loud band.
My Peavey Max 160 and 8 ohm Eden D210T cab is more than suffifient for the small bars I play. In the past I have used an Eden Nemesis NC210 combo (with and without the Eden D210T extension cab) and going way back I used to use a 150 watt Dean Markley Spectra 315B combo.
My usual rig is an Alembic/QSC/4x10/1x15 biamp system which has more headroom than I really need...
But, a while back I played a show using a Peavey TKO 115 sitting on top of an extra 1x15 cabinet. This was ~ 100 Watts and it kept up with the guitars and drums just fine. The 'Clip' light was on almost all the time, but it sounded fine.
But, a while back I played a show using a Peavey TKO 115 sitting on top of an extra 1x15 cabinet. This was ~ 100 Watts and it kept up with the guitars and drums just fine. The 'Clip' light was on almost all the time, but it sounded fine.
I play through either a 100 watt tube head with 210/115, or a 300 watt 212 set up. I like the 100 watt amp's tone, but the 300 watter definately has better volume. Either one works in normal bar gigs, with or without PA support.
When I played "out" years ago, I had a Peavey Combo 300. This was a 210 Watt Head on a single 15 Black Widow speaker. Was perfect for every gig I played and never gave me a moments problem. Only in the larger bars did I need to turn it up, but don't ever remember being maxed out.
At an outdoor battle of the bands, a friend and I shared equip. He had a Peavey 18" & 2 X 10" cab and I put my combo 300 on top. This pulled the full 300 watts. Man, this setup would make the clothes on your body flap around from all the air moving in and out. Outstanding setup,but way too much stuff to move around all the time.
For what it's worth,
Dan
At an outdoor battle of the bands, a friend and I shared equip. He had a Peavey 18" & 2 X 10" cab and I put my combo 300 on top. This pulled the full 300 watts. Man, this setup would make the clothes on your body flap around from all the air moving in and out. Outstanding setup,but way too much stuff to move around all the time.
For what it's worth,
Dan
What a lovely and rare planet you must live on - I say that as someone who spends more time as a patron than as a musician.
In regards to the original question, and I really blame my guitarists for this, I find the Ampeg BA115HP (220watts Solid State) has to be pushed to the limit to be heard without a PA.
I might be totally wrong, but there are so many aspects why a certain wattage or not will work in a pub environment:
* How big is the area that will be covered with music
* What is the acoustics, especially parts that will reflect or absorb sounds
* How many or few humans are in this space (see above)
* Tube or solid state amp, in general tube-based amps carry the sound better than solid-state, but they are in general of lower wattage.
* Loud or non-loud drummer
* Loud or non-loud guitar player(s)
* Trio or more musicians
* How well the bass sound is eq:ed into the total sound of the band (where the low-mid range is the key, not the low range itself)
* Quality of the bass cabinets, number of cones
* PA support or not
300W should cover a lot, but it's good to have an option to go up to 500W if needed, that's my own personal concept of 'bass loudness.'
and so on... In addition, most pub/bar owners do not like loud bands, so if everyone takes care of that, 150-200W could work just fine.
--Kent
* How big is the area that will be covered with music
* What is the acoustics, especially parts that will reflect or absorb sounds
* How many or few humans are in this space (see above)
* Tube or solid state amp, in general tube-based amps carry the sound better than solid-state, but they are in general of lower wattage.
* Loud or non-loud drummer
* Loud or non-loud guitar player(s)
* Trio or more musicians
* How well the bass sound is eq:ed into the total sound of the band (where the low-mid range is the key, not the low range itself)
* Quality of the bass cabinets, number of cones
* PA support or not
300W should cover a lot, but it's good to have an option to go up to 500W if needed, that's my own personal concept of 'bass loudness.'
and so on... In addition, most pub/bar owners do not like loud bands, so if everyone takes care of that, 150-200W could work just fine.
--Kent
Usually, same here. My main rig is a Demeter pre/QSC PLX1804/Schro21012/Schro1210. Sometimes, I'll leave the 1210 at home for small stuff. Although I have used an EA iAmp800 and Cxl-112 or two for small stuff as well.
I've sold my EA stuff, so my small gig rig now consists of an Acme B2 and MarkBass TA501. Although I have yet to play it out, it's pretty dang loud in my office!
dcr
- Jun 19, 2004
- 4,782
- 83
- 42
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist, Schroeder Cabinets
Markbass Littlemark II (500 watts @ 4 ohms) & Schroeder 1210L (700 handling) does the trick for me. Halfway-up is plenty, and you really can't get much smaller than a 41-pound (head/cab) rig! Last night, I played a 1200-seater without PA support with that setup (5-piece band including drumset, keyboard, 2 guitars, and me)
100w tube head with a sealed 4x10 does it for me in all gigs. in small-med sized bars the amp is usually loud enough alone. in larger clubs, i use the same amp but mic'd.
I think you need less than you think in most cases. Bassists are so power obsessed these days. I often use a 235 watt setup and it's way more than I need, even for larger gigs (because of decent PA gear). I don't turn it up past 12 o'clock in most cases.
