recommended minimum size bass amp for gigging?

calerbass

Hi folks,, im wondering what would be the minimum size bass amp you would want for gigging,60,100,150watts?

68 lost souls

What size venues will you be playing and how heavy is your drummer?

I would recommend getting something with a decent D.I. so that either way you can run it through the desk.

Generally speaking, double the output of your guitar players amp.

Personally I use a 300W Ashdown and I have done a gig with a 100W Fender which I found too quite.

calerbass

thanks for the advice, not in any band at the moment, was in a band back in the late eighties where i played the drums and yer man on bass only had a sixty watt but the venues were small, the reason i asked though is i took up the bass three years ago and only being using very cheap practice amp, 15 watt, so going to purchase soon now an amp that will cover me if i do get together with some other musicians

tubedude

Yeah any serious gig will be done through a PA, so the volume issue should be only be for monitoring. Get an amp with a DI out, 150 watts would suffice, anything lower, you'd have to drive too hard.

Malice

I played a few gigs in small venues with an 80 watt bass amp but I would recommend at least 100 watts.

population

Yup 100 watts minimum

I had a 300w ashdown. Cheap enough and did a great job, from pubs that held 100 to the Music Centre

Rigsby

Papa Smut wrote: »

I had a 300w ashdown. Cheap enough and did a great job

+1 for the Ashdown. For the extra money involved, you are better off getting a 300w for gigging IMO.

tubedude

Or another option would be to buy yourself a good Di, like a Sansamp Di, which has an emulator function, and sounds really good, and then buy yourself a cheap monitor to put your bass through. Coz what's really important is whats going out front...

calerbass

Thanks for all the advice lads...........one more question, ill probably go for something from 200 watts to 300 watts, could ye recommend a good make to buy, so many different types out there now.......... i was recommended recently ........ the warwick sweet 15.2...........any advice would be helpful, thanks

68 lost souls

I looked at the sweet 15 when I was getting iy amp 5 or 6 years ago. In the end i went with the Ashdown Mag 210 Combo. The ashdown combo is great value for money and its 300 watts, its roughly the same price as a 100 marshall or fender. It has served me well and it has a nce D.I. ot on it. The inbuilt compression and sub harmonics is great too.

ham_n_mustard

get something that you dont need to turn up beyond half way to be heard, if you are going to DI it, all the better

dont be tempted to buy (too) cheap

best of luck with the search

unclebill98

-1 on Ashdown. Its not up to serious gigging.

Genz Benz do great light stuff. Ampeg have a new range of light combos which are very loud. I seen this EBS stuff, but i've not heard it. Looks interesting.

unclebill98

-1 on Ashdown. Its not up to serious gigging.

Genz Benz do great light stuff. Ampeg have a new range of light combos which are very loud. I seen this EBS stuff, but i've not heard it. Looks interesting.

68 lost souls

Bill I have used my Mag for some gigging at venues for 500 - 1000 people not miced and it was great.

THe EBS stuff is great if you can afford it but it is a bit pricey. I really dont think you can get better value for money then the ashdown.

Ostrom

I got away with a fifteen inch trace elliot for many years. Mainly pubs

dotzy

very minimum i would say prob 150w i played with a 150w for a few gigs but i bought a 350w marshall! well happy with it

unclebill98

Your right about them being good value for money.

But for serious gig'in it just don't cut the mustard. Not sure about it being loud enough to pull off gigs of up to 1000 people un mic'd, defo not in my experiences with a EVO head and 2x10 & 1x15. There is a sound...... not sure I'd consider it a nice sound......

Its the build quality, the companies willingness to engage its customers on units well under warranty and the overall quality of the product range inc coverings, lights and other parts to the units. Ok, I am a fan fo Ampeg, I can not talk about the new Nampeg range but I am in the same boat as the OP. I need a light weight solution and from looking at other posts I agree a 300w plus cab is needed, with the new light combos out there you can get 600w plus combos for under 1k and they way less than 27kg.

If you want a good combo, there is Ampegs new range, Marks Bass have great little combos. EBS, as stated if you can afford them and AER(even more expensive).

Seperates, Genz Benz's stuff is hard to over look. The Neo 2x12 is a savage cab and very light and I've read here very good reports of the little pre amps.

unclebill98

Sorry, my post are out of line with the OP's budget. Sorry about that.

But most of the stuff mentioned can be got 2nd hand and buy cheap buy twice.

unclebill98

Sorry, my post are out of line with the OP's budget. Sorry about that.

But most of the stuff mentioned can be got 2nd hand and buy cheap buy twice.

Sandvich

You could always go for the really cheap and nifty option and get a Bass Amplug. I love my AC30 one for guitar. Even though they're intended to be fun practice things, I'd play a gig with it if I had to. For Bass I imagine it'd work even better since most Bass amps nowadays are SS anyway.

calerbass

thanks for all the advice folks, i have a much better idea now of what to go for..............