Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I want an amp/cab set-up or a combo rig that is both powerful for small to medium gigs, sounds
great and is somewhat lightweight. Does this even exist? Thanks in advance for your help.
cp

I've got an SWR Workingman's 2004 head (200W) & a 4X10T cab (97 lbs), plus an additional Peavey 2X10 cab. The head has an extra rack space for mounting a tuner or tube preamp, or whatever.
It's pretty easy to move & has enough power for a good stage sound (we always go through the PA).

I've also used it for outdoor parties where only the kick drum & vocals went through the PA & it sounded fantastic, even when I went inside for a few minutes while another band was playing.

For the money it's hard to beat Avatar cabs . I use the Neo 112 and 210 s . Add a good light 300 watt head and your home free . Unless you are playing really loud with a low B all the time.....then you will need more speaker .

Trace Elliot make a really nice range of bass combos. They're not exactly light though, but they do take a lot of abuse.

The Ampeg PortaBass 250 head puts out 250 watts at 4 ohms and weighs 11 pounds. The PortaBass 212 cab that goes with it will handle400 watts at 4 ohms into a x-over,mid horn and two 12's. It weighs 39 pounds and has a built in dolly with wheels.

There is a new Eden head that is very light.

http://www.eden-electronics.com/products/amps/indiv/wt550.asp

Bill Henshell is our resident Eden expert.

I'd second the Avatar cabinets, been using them for about 3 years now with no issues and superb sound via an Ampeg B-25, the particualr 4x12 I use is rated at 2000w RMS, so I've room to use bigger Ampeg Tube amps ..

I an Avatar Neo B212. It has 2 12 inch speakers, only weighs 56 pounds. It has no problem keeping up with a loud band. It projects sound into a room very well and it can handle a B string. It sounds great. Like Barry said, you can't beat it for the price.

big sound light weight ... sans amp ... go direct ... no amp at all ... listen to Rush's R30 ... Geddy has not used an amp on stage for years ... Sometimes I use my line6 bass pod direct and no amp at all ... but you do need a good pa system ...

Now, it is true that I have no training as a sound man. I am self taught, and do a pretty good job considering. It seems to me, especially with a 5 string, that you would pull down excessively on the power supply of the PA, therefore robbing the rest of the inputs of power. Am I missing something?

Mesa Boogie Walkabout with 12" speaker.

Light, powerful (300watts), rich smooth tube sound.

A/B against anything else in the store & the decision will become easy.

Well, you might want to stay away from a SVT A/B.

"Does this even exist?"

Yep!

For a better perspective of it's size:

Quote"Now, it is true that I have no training as a sound man. I am self taught, and do a pretty good job considering. It seems to me, especially with a 5 string, that you would pull down excessively on the power supply of the PA, therefore robbing the rest of the inputs of power. Am I missing something?"

I am not talking about a PA on a stick with a 15" and a horn on each side ... but a pa with subs ... the last band I was had a pa that made my 350 watt ampeg seem like a 30 watt combo with an 8" speaker ... a good pa usually has horns, for highs, mid speakers, and subs for lows ... and plenty of overhead ...

When I play out the 350 watt ampeg sound is for stage volume ... a good pa will project much farther and more effectively that all 3 of my ampegs run together ...

That Walter Woods, Jeff, is about as light and compact as it gets.