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What are we complaining about?

D

De Teng

Oct 27, 2003
534
1
46
Utrecht, Holland
#1
A lot of bassplayers -perhaps all bassplayers-, including me, want great tone and power in their cabs. But... in a small package, which weighs not a kilogram more than 2 and which fit in a plastic bag, which you take to the supermarket for putting your groceries in.

Aren't we a little pathetic now boys and girls? We have chosen to become bassplayer! So we carry the burden, isn't it? Alright... sometimes a cab is heavy, but when you're on stage and enjoying the fantastic sound, then all the efforts don't matter anymore, don't they? And it can't almost be done by some small, tiny boxes in comparison with a huge 410 or bigger. It's all about the airpressure and movement, I think. :rolleyes:
 
#3
I'm getting old and have a bad back. I believe that gives me the right to complain again. :D

Seriously though, I understand what you are saying. I don't know that anyone is actually complaining though. I think it is human nature to want everything at no cost. So, yes, we want loud rigs that weigh nothing. Can we get it? Well, not currently. This doesn't mean that cabinet manufacturers shouldn't strive to find new materials and new technologies.

So, I'm not complaining, but I am hopeful that technological improvements will bring us more for less.
 
#4
We bassists want heavy-duty sound without the heavy-duty weight.

Modern science is helping somewhat: lighter weight magnets and cabinet materials.

The predominant four options seem to be (Note -- options 3 & 4 only work if a decent PA is available):
1. A modular system consisting of several pieces (which ='s several trips from vehicle to stage).
2. One cab does it all (usually heavier & bulkier).
3. Small stage unit for monitor only and use PA for main output to audience.
4. DI only and use PA for monitor & audience output.


[P.S. I went with option 2 (@ 93 lbs.) & am happy with my decision. I do believe that the quality of the sound is worth some heavy lifting. I have a weak back, but I don't have to deal with stairs. My cab has a very good set of 3" casters that make moving it around a lot easier. I believe that option 2 would have been a very good choice as well. I don't care as much for options 3 & 4 because I don't want to be at the mercy of PA availability/quality (not to mention dependant on soundmen for my sound). YMMV. ;) ]
 
#5
One day, after getting an eyefull of my Sonic 6x10, my Peavey BX115BW and my Peavey FireBass II, my guitarist neighbor said to me, "You know, the days of the big cabinets are over."

My lower back would agree.

On a more serious note, if you can get the "perfect" tone out of a 45 lb. combo, why would you continue to lug around an 80 lb. 4x10 cab and 50 lb. head?
 
#6
Originally posted by lo-freq
Modern science is helping somewhat: lighter weight magnets and cabinet materials.
Click to expand...

Personally, I'm surprised we don't see too many neodynium drivers on the market. This is especially confusing the musician's sector, as our speakers need to be moved constantly, as opposed to fixed installations or home audio.

Anyone know why?
 
#7
My guess is that most MI speaker companies are small and have to focus on what sells... Those with bigger budgets or cater to a customer that is perhaps a little more open minded or willing to spend the extra bux, might have a better shot at doing well with ultralight construction.

The first time I picked up an Ampeg Portabass 1x12, I laughed. It felt like some flimsy little no-name third world made junk. I know that it's not, but even though we complain about weight and bulk, we still want it to feel solid.
 
#10
i dont know of any "pro" muso's around town that play with 8x10's and 100+ pound heads. Sure they're great for the power rock gigs, and blowing the heads off your audience. But farg carrying a rig like that around 4 nights a week to the average paid gig. I'd feel a bit weird rocking upto a small restaurant/club gig with an 8x10 and an SVT.
 
#13
Originally posted by De Teng
...Aren't we a little pathetic now boys and girls? We have chosen to become bassplayer! So we carry the burden, isn't it? Alright... sometimes a cab is heavy, but when you're on stage and enjoying the fantastic sound, then all the efforts don't matter anymore, don't they? And it can't almost be done by some small, tiny boxes in comparison with a huge 410 or bigger. It's all about the airpressure and movement, I think. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Would this be the same "De Teng" whose profile touts such feather-light gear like a Bag Eng 2x10 and an Ashdown Peacemaker 20? And what's up with the Aria TSB350? Only 4 strings? If you were a "real" man, you'd be slinging something like this around your neck for 4 hours every night ;) :spit:

jtdblneck1.jpg
 
#14
I've finally pared down to an Eden WT-800 and an Eden 410XLT. Two recent experiences make me happy in my choice:

One - we were playing a gig in a medium size bar, with only PA support for the vocals. I was initially worried I wouldn't be loud enough. I kept my volume about the same as always. We did a quick sound check song, and the bass player from the other band and some other folks said "The bass needs to be turned down a bit!" Normally this would make me mad, but I was happy knowing I had tons of headroom.

Two - did a gig this weekend out of town with two other bands we're friends with, so I volunteered my rig for use so everyone didn't have to lug all their gear. The first band played and I was really happy hearing my rig offstage - it sounded great! Then we played. The third band started and after their first song one of their guitarists says "How do I turn down this bass rig???" I laughed - didn't seem too loud to me, but he was standing right in front of it, heh.

So anytime i get hit with GAS for a new, bigger, louder, mega-rig, I just realize I'm in tone / volume heaven right now and my back is relatively happy as well.
 
#15
Fgenus: My Ashdown is too keep up my guitar skills, and because I have a small room (15 square metres) I don't need a Marshall 100W Stack. :D

It just occured I bought this double necked bass at the picture. My balls are growing you see. Kidding ;)

The Aria is in fact heavy, I can tell you that! It surprises me every time again, that this sucker isn't a thin piece of paper, but it has got balls as solid rock! I would just like to have it weighed I guess. With the Barts installed, it's never going to leave this guy's hands.

AND I WANT TO GET RID OF THE BAG END ALRIGHT???

(Nice for my room, but not to cope with the drummer.)
 
#16
Complain? Who complains? Complaining is useless.

Can't lift heavy gear anymore? Do something about it!

My solution includes a Walter Woods amp head (1200 watts, 7 pounds), and a modular set of BagEnd cabs (S-12's and S-15's, I take as many as I need for a given gig). If I need more power (which is doubtful) I'll take a rack case full of Stewart amps. 2100 watts at 17 pounds each.

Does it sound okay? Well, yeah!
 
#17
Jeez.

All I want is a uber light bass made with woods from the amazon that will make my tone more flat, so I can really make the natural tone of my fingers shine thru, but not shine that much. I want a very natural sounding flat amp, that really costs lots of money because it sounds more neutral , and lets the tone of my fingers really flow thru the exotic hardwoods in my bass, which make it sound natural. And weighs around 3 pounds, or at least something I can fit in my man purse. The cabs would have clean and clear sound, but with thump, and no coloring to my flat EQ. They would have 4 inch drivers, that rate at around 40Hz. Everything has to be this light because I'm in good health and in my 20's.

Jeez. Is that to much to ask?*



*Polly gone mad.
 
#18
Originally posted by Hategear
On a more serious note, if you can get the "perfect" tone out of a 45 lb. combo, why would you continue to lug around an 80 lb. 4x10 cab and 50 lb. head?
Click to expand...

My cab weighs about 128 lbs. and is an Ampeg PR-410hlf, and my head weighs about 50 and is an Ampeg SVT-III (3), I don't complain. I just don't move it around that often!! ;);)
 
#20
I'm not complaining. No component of my rig weighs more than 42lbs. I do not own a cab that I can't carry with one hand. 3 herniated discs and a desire to gig often mandate that I get lightweight stuff.

I don't feel like I need to get something that weighs a ton to get a tone I like. I prefer the sounds of some of the lightweight cabs over the heavier ones. My Bag End S15-D is lightweight, but I prefered it's sound over other 15's that weighed considerably more. My Aguilar is light, but I find that it goes deeper than some bigger and heavier 15's. My EA cabs are tiny and lightweight, and they have great highs and mids. So why carry something heavy when you like the tone of something light? 3 AM after a gig is not the time for me to get my weight training.

It's also a matter of practicality and value. Why buy a rig that weighs a ton with a great tone, when out of practicality, tiredness, laziness, etc. you leave it at home and bring your little combo to a gig? I had a situation where I owned a Trace Elliot 2x10 Combo with a 15" extension. Killer tone, but my SWR Workingman's 12 always got the call. Much easier to lug around, and the sound was good enough. Most of the time, my bass goes into the PA anyway. I've played plenty of gigs with nothing more than a Sansamp Bass Driver DI. In the end the Trace got sold on E-bay. I couldn't bear to have a great sounding amp hanging around in my garage going gigless. That amp and the money that I invested in it went wasted during the time I had it in the garage. Bought some GS112s with the money and they are now used constantly. I getting my money's worth out of the GS112s.
 

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