Upgrading from an mini rig.

[dhsierra1]

Ok i'll try the GK heads at my shop after school see if they work with ashdown

let your ears be your guide, do try Mesa and EBS if you can. Try as many different brands as you can.

Ampeg, Markbass and Eden are kind of the opposite end of the spectrum from GK in terms of in your face mid range. You can get it, but have to work for it since that's not really their "baked-in" house sound. Great amps, just a matter of what you're looking for.

NB: take your time, listen, compare, and enjoy the process, you'll learn a lot

 

[Veldar]

Can you guys recomend any cabs?

 

[dhsierra1]

Can you guys recomend any cabs?

none in particular, you should be looking at 4/6/8-10s, 2-12s and 2-15s. You'll have to try them out and hear for yourself.

That said, for your particular genre(s) I'd wait to hear from some specific recommendations by TBers who're into that and have experience with that, I'm not a metallugist per se

 

[DethByDoom]

First decide if you want a head that sounds solid state or tubey. Then decide if your into ten, twelve, or fifteen inch speakers. From there… go with what you see on stages as back lines i.e. Ampeg. Then Mesa. Then maybe fender or orange.

There's a ton of nice used Ampeg out there. 810s for $500/600 and SVT-CL's and svt2's for a grand all day long.

Or go with a rack system… pre-amp, power conditioner, power amp. Yuck.

Cabs… Ampeg 810. The standard.

 

[DethByDoom]

Most metal guys seem to go Ampeg stacks or Mesa hybrids.

Last I read lamb of god was running a 400+ and a wall of 810s.

Mastodon 810s. orange and tc electric blacksmith heads.

Trujillo uses Ampeg SVT 2's I think. Twiggy too.

Google you fav artists+rig rundown or gear.

 

[dhsierra1]

Google you fav artists+rig rundown or gear.

+1

Also PM StaindBass (Johnny April of Staind), I haven't seen him post here in a while but I know he's a TB member, very helpful and quite knowledgeable about metal rigs, he's been through a few.

 

[rodl2005]

In Aus-check out www.ozbassforum.com
They have a classifieds section that has some good quality & great deals.
There are a couple of good 2x12"cabs for sale at good prices.

 

[Veldar]

First decide if you want a head that sounds solid state or tubey. Then decide if your into ten, twelve, or fifteen inch speakers. From there… go with what you see on stages as back lines i.e. Ampeg. Then Mesa. Then maybe fender or orange.

Or go with a rack system… pre-amp, power conditioner, power amp. Yuck.

I want to go solid state and use my effects as my main sound, I'm not really intrested in a rack system even though it may give me some advantages it not what i'm after but as for the speakers I really have no idea, I'll probably jus get the one that sounds the best with the head.

 

[boristhespider9]

Ok i'll try the GK heads at my shop after school see if they work with ashdown

I think a GK MB800 with a GK NEO 4x10 4ohm or 2 cabs at 8ohms each would be a great setup and within your budget. Though I'm not sure what things cost there. Oh yea, also consider the GK NEO 4x12.

 

[Downunderwonder]

I played on a small Ashdown backline rig once. It was a Mag300 combo with a 15 in a rather small box and a 2x10 extension cab, also on the small side. The tone control was quite ok for me but lordy lordy the volume was pitiful for supposedly a 300W rig. I'm used to real watts and real cabs. I highly suggest trading the whole lot my friend.

Cabs with sideways mounted tens etc have crappy dispersion characteristics. They all send a beam of highs straight ahead and none to the sides, as well as messing up the mids off to the sides. This doesn't matter so much for pros playing relatively quietly and the main sound for the audience coming from big PA speakers. So you still see pros endorsing them.

Plenty of TB'ers like them too, mostly because it's the classsic solution to needing more volume to compete with overloud guitars and drums. Ganging up with 8 speakers in a fridge was a triumph of expediency, not required in the modern age.

I recommend you look for an amp with a good EQ and a good DI. For cabs, a pair of 2x10 you can stack vertically. If that's not loud enough your bandmates are too loud. Then you need to all turn down and get a PA and a bunch of microphones for the drums and guitar amps.

 

[Veldar]

Ok so what i've got is a little over budget but by the time I have the money they might come down and I diden't plan to buy both straight away at the same time.

For a head, GKMB800 [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Ans for the cab, Warwick WCCA 611 Pro 6x10 Invalid Link Removed

So will this work for Dirty and clean jazz bits?

 

[crguti]

800 watts amp and a 6x10 cab... don't tell me that is for wanking at home.

 

[Veldar]

No.... no no no no nooooooooooooo no no no no
I live on a massive farm and want to upgrade to something I can keep for 10 years or more

 

[shaginwagin]

Dude, that's alot of cash to drop on gear you haven't heard or tried.

Stuff must be expensive down there! I could probably get two slammin rigs for $2000. Lots of people are ditching the big stuff. Id be there to scoop it up.

Look at used gear. Who knows if you are even gonna like this stuff after a year let alone 10! After you play your new rig a week you will be looking to spend more on something else. Don't try to act like this is the last rig you ever play on... its an adventure!

I vote 810, with a head, maybe with a tube pre...

 

[Duke21]

So currently I have a Ashdown mini rig and was looking for something bigger and more suited to metal, Dirt and effects, I've heard about mesa boogie and was wondering what you guys opinions are on what I should logically look at next, my balance is somewhere between $1000 - $2000 AUD.

Cheers, Sam

If you like the Ashdown tone go for the ABM 500 or 900.
If I were you with that money I would go go an Ampeg SVT CL with a 8x10 cab or the Orange AD200 with a 8x10 can.

 

[xxx666]

OP - I'm from Australia & have the Ashdown 610 from The Bass Centre, where judging from the price you quoted you are looking. - it's a sweet cab dude. I went for the package deal and got the ABM500 with it.

I went in there with a stack of cash with my heart set on Ampeg - I played just about every amp in the shop and just couldn't look past Ashdown - I've gigged the hell out of my rig and always get compliments - even from the snobby Ampeg guys!

 

[Veldar]

What about a used GK 1001 700 watts($899) for the head and a GK NEO410 for the Cab(699)?