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What's Your 'Old Guy' Back Saver Rig?
- Thread starter LHbassist
- Start date
my most compact rig for regular gigs has been GK1001RBI with a single GB Neox 212T cab, 540 watts @ 4 ohms, not bad. I went to audition for a country band last year and the guy had a Fender Rumble 100 sitting in a corner. Well I had not heard a combo amp that I liked yet but he mentioned he just bought it new for like $350 to have on hand. He was going to post it on CL for $200. I played thru it a bit with my 5 stringer and was pretty impressed with what I heard. So I cut the guy a check and took it home.
I use it next to my PC as a practice amp and late nites I can run music from my PC thru the amp into headphones and rehearse without bothering sleeping wife or pups. And I even use it on my Sunday afternoon outdoor gigs with a g**tar/singer/songwriter at a small biker bar doing alt country. So actually I guess the Rumble is my smallest, old fart rig. And I should know, cause Im an old fart.
I use it next to my PC as a practice amp and late nites I can run music from my PC thru the amp into headphones and rehearse without bothering sleeping wife or pups. And I even use it on my Sunday afternoon outdoor gigs with a g**tar/singer/songwriter at a small biker bar doing alt country. So actually I guess the Rumble is my smallest, old fart rig. And I should know, cause Im an old fart.
Small gigs- GK Microbass, 24 lbs, tiny stage footprint, and for upright in small rooms, just right. Bigger gigs- and doubling- same amp, and my Mesa Powerhouse 12 neo cab underneath it plugged into the extension speaker out on the GK. Very nice little rig.
Bigger rooms, electric bass 5 string required gigs- my Pearce B2-p, reasonably light in a 3 space rack, bridged to 600 watts- or, a GK 1001 RB MK 3 in a 2 space, and an Avatar B-410 neo cabinet- mounted on the back saving casters. This rig sounds great with either head! I also have an original Acoustic Image Clarus head... ultra lightweight. I remember flying to Vegas once, and putting the AI head in the acc pocket of my gig bag! Soon, I'll be playin' in a casino band here in Reno... my amps will be home and unused a lot of the time, in-ears are unfortunately in my future. I'm an old school player- I like the feel of my pants leg moving in the turbulence from the bass cab! LOL!
Bigger rooms, electric bass 5 string required gigs- my Pearce B2-p, reasonably light in a 3 space rack, bridged to 600 watts- or, a GK 1001 RB MK 3 in a 2 space, and an Avatar B-410 neo cabinet- mounted on the back saving casters. This rig sounds great with either head! I also have an original Acoustic Image Clarus head... ultra lightweight. I remember flying to Vegas once, and putting the AI head in the acc pocket of my gig bag! Soon, I'll be playin' in a casino band here in Reno... my amps will be home and unused a lot of the time, in-ears are unfortunately in my future. I'm an old school player- I like the feel of my pants leg moving in the turbulence from the bass cab! LOL!
In small gigs it's the MarkBass F-1 Head , with MarkBass 2x10 neodym cab . In larger gigs I add an EBS 15 NEO cabinet , and that's all ( the F-1 fits my bass-bag front pocket ... not bad for 500 REAL watts ) . The age of 47 does NOT allow Zorro stunts .
i use a an eden wtx260 with an avatar b112neo...i wheel it in on a luggage cart with by bass in my other hand......less than 30 lbs i think....if i need more oomph i just go into the FOH.....
A cart.
'kay, I'm enjoying two 1x12s but when the big summer outside gigs start I'm young again and the big rigs start coming out.
'kay, I'm enjoying two 1x12s but when the big summer outside gigs start I'm young again and the big rigs start coming out.
Eden WT-400 into one or two EV TL606. Or a EBS 611. Kind of heavy gear, but it sounds great for the money! The EV cabs fit very nicely in the back seat of my midsize car.
I took a different compromise - plenty of time in the gym. Back problems went away after getting in better condition.
I'm old enough to very clearly remember watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan.
I took a different compromise - plenty of time in the gym. Back problems went away after getting in better condition.
I'm old enough to very clearly remember watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan.
Either:
1. G-K 700RB-II (17 lbs.) into G-K Neo112 (38 lbs.), which has worked at several club gigs; or
2. Roland Cube 100, which I haven't gigged with yet, but would if I knew I'd have great PA support.
In the next few weeks, I'm hoping to sell my two larger cabs (SWR Goliath III and Epifani PS 115), and buy either another G-K Neo112 or a Genz-Benz NeoX 212.
If I were starting over, I'd probably go with one of the MarkBass combos.
1. G-K 700RB-II (17 lbs.) into G-K Neo112 (38 lbs.), which has worked at several club gigs; or
2. Roland Cube 100, which I haven't gigged with yet, but would if I knew I'd have great PA support.
In the next few weeks, I'm hoping to sell my two larger cabs (SWR Goliath III and Epifani PS 115), and buy either another G-K Neo112 or a Genz-Benz NeoX 212.
If I were starting over, I'd probably go with one of the MarkBass combos.
Eden Traveler 300 and a 12" Ampeg Portabass cab. I add a 2X10 SWR if needed, but I don't usually play with drummers. They're so expensive these days...The Portabass sounds great with my upright, but the SWR 2X10 is better for electric.
GK 1001-rb2 => 21lbs
GK Neo 1x15 => 54lbs, wheels
GK Neo 2x12 => 65lbs, wheels.
You can't beat Neo cabs, especially if they've got wheels.
GK Neo 1x15 => 54lbs, wheels
GK Neo 2x12 => 65lbs, wheels.
You can't beat Neo cabs, especially if they've got wheels.
I don't have a lightweight rig - but I'm 57 and I've learned that it's getting much easier to tweak my back. I added good casters under my Peavey BX-115 cab and I don't carry it by myself. When it need to go somewhere I can't roll it, I get someone to life the other side. All the rest of my gear is light enough that it's no problem....but speaker cabs get two people to handle them.
MarkBass TA-501 head
Epifani UL 212 II cabinet
About 67 pounds, in two packages (8 + 59). Add in a Rick Turner or Rob Allen bass, in a gig bag, with cables, a tuner, and maybe a ham and swiss on rye, and it's still under 80 pounds. I can live with that.
This rig is a little shy in the mid-range, but certainly very acceptable for what I'm doing these days. But I still dream about a 6" paper cone instead of the tweeter, with the appropriate lower crossover point. I could probably live with the few extra pounds that would cost!
A bad back can screw up every other element of your life. This is serious business for some of us!
Epifani UL 212 II cabinet
About 67 pounds, in two packages (8 + 59). Add in a Rick Turner or Rob Allen bass, in a gig bag, with cables, a tuner, and maybe a ham and swiss on rye, and it's still under 80 pounds. I can live with that.
This rig is a little shy in the mid-range, but certainly very acceptable for what I'm doing these days. But I still dream about a 6" paper cone instead of the tweeter, with the appropriate lower crossover point. I could probably live with the few extra pounds that would cost!
A bad back can screw up every other element of your life. This is serious business for some of us!
GK MB 150S with DrBass 112LF as needed for bass guitar, or AI Clarus SLR or Focus I with EA WZ 110 for EUB and acoustic.
I suffer from sciatica - I've changed from:
1980's Trace Elliot Head
Peavey 2 x 10
Peavey 1 x 15
to:
Yamaha BBT500H
2 x Epifani UL110's
I can do two trips to the car for all my gear - the rig is big enough for the vast majority of venues my band plays, sounds great, & it's saved my back considerably.
Cheers,
Essexbass
1980's Trace Elliot Head
Peavey 2 x 10
Peavey 1 x 15
to:
Yamaha BBT500H
2 x Epifani UL110's
I can do two trips to the car for all my gear - the rig is big enough for the vast majority of venues my band plays, sounds great, & it's saved my back considerably.
Cheers,
Essexbass
I currently have a Yorkville Bassmaster Combo 100 that weighs 50 lbs. It has one carrying handle which is starting to break. Lifting it into my car, carrying it up stairs is a back killer for me and doesn't help the double hernia surgery I had last year.
I have ordered an Epifani UL-210 cabinet (38 lbs) and Little Mark 11 (7 lbs) and my Yorkwille Combo has been accepted as a trade in. Hopefully, in 2 wks or so my days of straining with my Yorkville will be over.
I have ordered an Epifani UL-210 cabinet (38 lbs) and Little Mark 11 (7 lbs) and my Yorkwille Combo has been accepted as a trade in. Hopefully, in 2 wks or so my days of straining with my Yorkville will be over.
This is what I use (I'm 57) and I love it!
Eden Time Traveller 390 head with either one, two or three Eden D112XLT cabinets. The 390 head will handle a 2 ohm load (all three cabinets) just fine.
This whole setup, with all three cabinets, will fit in my 1996 Subaru SVX coupe (with the back seat folded down) and I still have room for two basses.
It's a VERY modular setup so I can use just as much as I need for the type of gig and the size of the room.
Eden Time Traveller 390 head with either one, two or three Eden D112XLT cabinets. The 390 head will handle a 2 ohm load (all three cabinets) just fine.
This whole setup, with all three cabinets, will fit in my 1996 Subaru SVX coupe (with the back seat folded down) and I still have room for two basses.
It's a VERY modular setup so I can use just as much as I need for the type of gig and the size of the room.
