Your amp is probably enough

[bobyoung53]

College kids are broke and Make music with what they have. It's not the best but they make it work.

Granted I always wear ear plugs which helps the bass come through a little better

Most likely a LOT better unless you have professionally made plugs, if you're using those old foam things you compress they shut out almost all the treble but the bass comes shining through.

 

[denton57]

I am contemplating which amp to play this weekend. Outdoors, but supposedly smaller crowd (surprise party…I won’t know anyone there), so it’s a guessing game which amp and cab to bring. I could bring just the revolt and plug into the PA (probably the sensible choice), but I can’t get into playing with just the monitor firing back at me. I play physically harder to hear myself , and I play and sound like crap when I’m in that situation. If I’m not IEM, I want that amp for feel and tone…even if it’s not carrying any load outside of my own personal monitor onstage. We aren’t running a sub (powered 15 mains), so I feel I need to support the low end a tad anyway. My options are:

a. TH 350 into a 4 ohm 2x10 that I put on an amp stand. Run a line to the PA from the head or from the Revolt.

b. 76 Fender Bassman 100 with Eminence 2515 loaded original sealed diagonal 2x15. Looks really cool and sounds great

c. 73 SVT with a cut down flat back 4x10 loaded with Eminence SC10-16’s. No explanation needed. It’s the Cadillac.

It’s a toss up between b. and c. for this gig. I have a Countryman 10 en route to send a line post amp to the board. Anyway, for me, I want that tube tone, even if it’s just for me. I play better when I can hear and feel my bass. A 12” combo would work I guess, but I would not enjoy it. Anyway IMO, IME, etc..

 

[bobyoung53]

I have always found 300 watts to be enough.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

When it comes to keeping up with a drummer, talk bass is quick to recommend 500+ watts and 2 12 cabs.

I live in a college town with many alt rock and punk bands. In nearly every band here, the bassist is using some sort 100w 12in combo without pa support. Hearing the bass is rarely an issue. These bands are loud and the drummers play hard.

Even in the largest bands, a Rumble 500 can be heard in the mix with 2 AC30s.

A small combo isn't going to get you the best tone and heft in the mix. And it's not going to compete if you're guitarist are painfully loud. But in most situations, you'll be fine, especially with pa support.

I think the members here way overstate the actual power needed for a gig.

If you have a big rig, your going to sound better in a loud band. If you only have a small amp, go uses it, you'll get by

When I first started gigging in 1963, both Bass and guitar amps were about 25 watts. We filled average clubs just fine. I don't know when nor why we now have to have power equal to long range search radar to play the same clubs.

 

[MtManiac]

Man, when you’re playing multiple venues and don’t know what you’re going to be walking into in terms of PA, FOH speakers, monitors, walls, floors, ceilings, electricity supply, distance of cable runs, etc etc you really learn to take things into your own hands, to take responsibility for some of these variables so you don’t get stuck with hope, prayers, swears, or alcohol as your strategy for making it through the gig alive.

Show up with more than you need, and that reduces the unmet needs you’ll have on the gig. More wattage, more speakers, more cables, more basses, more power bars, more extension cords, more picks, more batteries, and so on. Bring a digital mixer so your IEMs and FOH can be the sound for the evening, but also set up your amp and cabs. If you’re very lucky, nothing will go wrong. If it’s typical, something will go wrong, and you won’t know what it will be until it happens, and hopefully you’ll have a redundant whatever it is to fall back on.

For sure - like I said elsewhere on TB, I played for decades with a 40 watt Traynor amp, and zero backup of anything. It’s possible, it’s doable. I also didn’t have gigs that I took seriously. Now I take every gig seriously, and that’s reflected in how I prepare. I also sound and play 100x better than I ever used to.

 

[bobyoung53]

Enough amp is determined more by speaker area and cabinet efficiency than by wattage. I can make 5W work for a bar gig with no PA support if it's going through a decent 810. Conversely, 500W through an average 210 without PA support will not work for most outdoor gigs without PA support.

I own a '67 50 watt Fender bassman, just for the heck of it I brought it one night and plugged it into two SVT cabs, it actually sounded pretty and had decent volume until you got below about low A then it was complete distortion and unuseable. I didn't try it with the band, I'm talking just fooling around before we started playing

 

[Frankie Fender]

Gotta disagree here. No 100w 12" combo without PA support is keeping up with any loud band and hard hitting drummer. I call BS.

 

[agedhorse]

When I first started gigging in 1963, both Bass and guitar amps were about 25 watts. We filled average clubs just fine. I don't know when nor why we now have to have power equal to long range search radar to play the same clubs.

Perhaps because you are remembering those experiences with rose colored glasses?

 

[MtManiac]

When I first started gigging in 1963, both Bass and guitar amps were about 25 watts. We filled average clubs just fine. I don't know when nor why we now have to have power equal to long range search radar to play the same clubs.

Inflation.

 

[MtManiac]

I am contemplating which amp to play this weekend. Outdoors, but supposedly smaller crowd (surprise party…I won’t know anyone there), so it’s a guessing game which amp and cab to bring. I could bring just the revolt and plug into the PA (probably the sensible choice), but I can’t get into playing with just the monitor firing back at me. I play physically harder to hear myself , and I play and sound like crap when I’m in that situation. If I’m not IEM, I want that amp for feel and tone…even if it’s not carrying any load outside of my own personal monitor onstage. We aren’t running a sub (powered 15 mains), so I feel I need to support the low end a tad anyway. My options are:

a. TH 350 into a 4 ohm 2x10 that I put on an amp stand. Run a line to the PA from the head or from the Revolt.

b. 76 Fender Bassman 100 with Eminence 2515 loaded original sealed diagonal 2x15. Looks really cool and sounds great

c. 73 SVT with a cut down flat back 4x10 loaded with Eminence SC10-16’s. No explanation needed. It’s the Cadillac.

It’s a toss up between b. and c. for this gig. I have a Countryman 10 en route to send a line post amp to the board. Anyway, for me, I want that tube tone, even if it’s just for me. I play better when I can hear and feel my bass. A 12” combo would work I guess, but I would not enjoy it. Anyway IMO, IME, etc..

Take B *and * C and you won’t regret it.

 

[denton57]

Man, when you’re playing multiple venues and don’t know what you’re going to be walking into in terms of PA, FOH speakers, monitors, walls, floors, ceilings, electricity supply, distance of cable runs, etc etc you really learn to take things into your own hands, to take responsibility for some of these variables so you don’t get stuck with hope, prayers, swears, or alcohol as your strategy for making it through the gig alive.

Show up with more than you need, and that reduces the unmet needs you’ll have on the gig. More wattage, more speakers, more cables, more basses, more power bars, more extension cords, more picks, more batteries, and so on. Bring a digital mixer so your IEMs and FOH can be the sound for the evening, but also set up your amp and cabs. If you’re very lucky, nothing will go wrong. If it’s typical, something will go wrong, and you won’t know what it will be until it happens, and hopefully you’ll have a redundant whatever it is to fall back on.

For sure - like I said elsewhere on TB, I played for decades with a 40 watt Traynor amp, and zero backup of anything. It’s possible, it’s doable. I also didn’t have gigs that I took seriously. Now I take every gig seriously, and that’s reflected in how I prepare. I also sound and play 100x better than I ever used to.

Ok…I’m taking the SVT this weekend

I agree 100% with what you’re saying here. It’s better to be prepared and enjoy the show instead of dealing with things that negatively affect your playing, tone, sanity, etc. if something goes wrong. Plus…I have always considered the quality of tone my bass produces one of the main reasons I play. I’m a nerd and obsessive, I get it…but I get that usually through a tube amp that is creating sounds that I hope people in the crowd hear and think wow…that bass sounds different than other bands I’ve heard. I know, I’m a tone nerd.

How I got here is listening to Chris Squire early in my playing years and then, opening for a real band 25 years ago at a private party, playing through a vintage SVT on a flatbed trailer the real band had. That was life changing from a bass playing standpoint. I was smiling for days afterwards. Asked about buying it, but the going rate was $850 for SVT’s at the time. I don’t think I had $8.50 at the time.

Anyway, I always felt the bass should sound as good or better than the guitar player. An SVT was the answer then after that night. The Bassman, V4B’s, Sunn, etc…all great…just different flavors

 

[Frankie Fender]

Ok…I’m taking the SVT this weekend I know, I’m a tone nerd.

Aren't we all?

 

[MtManiac]

Ok…I’m taking the SVT this weekend

I agree 100% with what you’re saying here. It’s better to be prepared and enjoy the show instead of dealing with things that negatively affect your playing, tone, sanity, etc. if something goes wrong. Plus…I have always considered the quality of tone my bass produces one of the main reasons I play. I’m a nerd and obsessive, I get it…but I get that usually through a tube amp that is creating sounds that I hope people in the crowd hear and think wow…that bass sounds different than other bands I’ve heard. I know, I’m a tone nerd.

Being a tone nerd is important! I know most people can’t tell the difference between the sound of a ‘76 Silverface and a ‘73 SVT, let alone a Tone Hammer, let alone know that there’s even such thing as a bass guitar on the stage, but people know what sounds good to them and what’s gonna make them shake their way to the dance floor. It’s our job to master those things that make those differences, and mastering it is all about being a nerd.

 

[Not_Shane]

lol, everyone who is stating "well this should be case by case" and "it depends on blah blah blah"....OP's post clearly says your amp is PROBABLY enough.
Probably is the key word, meaning of course its case by case - but if you have a 200w amp and have no issues, but the internet says you need 500w - you're fine.

i think everyone is missing the point.

 

[agedhorse]

lol, everyone who is stating "well this should be case by case" and "it depends on blah blah blah"....OP's post clearly says your amp is PROBABLY enough.
Probably is the key word, meaning of course its case by case - but if you have a 200w amp and have no issues, but the internet says you need 500w - you're fine.

i think everyone is missing the point.

I don’t think everyone is missing the point.

 

[Marko 1]

Now that I think about it, I mostly remember people asking what to get because THEY determined that their (typically practice) rig wasn't big enough.

I can't remember one time someone felt their rig was fine, and got scolded for it.


Edit: Okay I may have barked at one of those PJB dudes once, but... I have "issues".

 

[Stranger Danger]

When it comes to keeping up with a drummer, talk bass is quick to recommend 500+ watts and 2 12 cabs.

I live in a college town with many alt rock and punk bands. In nearly every band here, the bassist is using some sort 100w 12in combo without pa support. Hearing the bass is rarely an issue. These bands are loud and the drummers play hard.

Even in the largest bands, a Rumble 500 can be heard in the mix with 2 AC30s.

A small combo isn't going to get you the best tone and heft in the mix. And it's not going to compete if you're guitarist are painfully loud. But in most situations, you'll be fine, especially with pa support.

I think the members here way overstate the actual power needed for a gig.

If you have a big rig, your going to sound better in a loud band. If you only have a small amp, go uses it, you'll get by

No way a 100 watt 112 is gonna to work in that scenario

Nope

 

[Artman]

I have to say that in most cases, I agree with the op.
I believe that if you are playing live with a rock band without p.a. support, and the venue is larger than a very small coffee house, you need to find a new band.
You deserve better.

 

[HolmeBass]

There is a big difference between “I can hear that the bass is playing” and “the bass sounds great and I can hear all of his notes distinctly”.

I’ve seen so many bands where the bass is audible when riding the root down low, but all of the bass fills and subtlety were absolutely inaudible, and the band’s overall sound suffered for it.

 

[CochinoBass]

Another factor is that if you buy older pro level gear, you can get a killer rig for cheap, cheaper than most new 210 combos. My local Music Go Round has an SWR SM-400 head for $269, a GK 700RB-II for $416, a Genz Benz FCS-410T cab for $252, three Hartke 410XLs for $199 each and an EpiFunky 410 for $179. You can put together a great gig worthy rig for less than the price of a brand new 210 combo.