Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My eldest brother recently started playing bass again after almost thirty years; he is looking for a nice sounding bass amp setup that's under $1000 that will play loud and clean in small to medium venues with a full band; two guitarists, drums, and possibly keys, as well as vocals, of course. Any suggestions on wattage, brand, et cetera, would be most apprecitated. He's still stuck in 1981 wrt talking about speaker cabinets, and Music Man Heads. He says he likes a fifteen inch speaker for bass and is talking about "folded horn" and "bass reflex" cabinets. Is this the same thing as a plain old, deep, "folded" cabinet with the angled baffle inside it?

Thanks all.

Does he want a combo or separate head and speaker cab or does he not have a preference, as it sounds good and priced within his budget?

If I were to ever start gigging again, I'd try and find the same setup that worked for me 30 years ago. An Acoustic 370 head into an EV B215M. Great all around combo in terms of versatility, punch, volume, durability, and size/portability. I have no idea if many of either of these are still around or what they might be priced like. This setup worked for me in all size venues from small lounge to hotel grand ballroom. It even sounded good outside.

Like lots of other musical stuff, I now regret having let them go.

Tom

Depending on cost, look at Markbass and Gallien-Krueger. Too bad he just asked as Scott Doseck just sold a GK 700RB-II at a great price, an amp that would be perfect for him.

400-500 watts @ 4Ω is a good aim point for power into, say, a couple of 1-15 or 2-10 cabs.

jps wrote:Depending on cost, look at Markbass...

+1

I think you can pull off a 500 watt (at 4 ohm) 2x10 combo for under a grand which would be a really nice club rig. Sometimes I'd rather have that than something bigger.

rickenbrother wrote:Does he want a combo or separate head and speaker cab or does he not have a preference, as it sounds good and priced within his budget?

He's open to either type.

As far as playing the same type of rig as he did 30 years ago, some of those were taller than he was...

paologregorio wrote:He says he likes a fifteen inch speaker for bass and is talking about "folded horn" and "bass reflex" cabinets. Is this the same thing as a plain old, deep, "folded" cabinet with the angled baffle inside it?

Given that he used MM amps and cabs back then, he is thinking of the MM front loaded 1-15 cabinet.

beatbyrd wrote:If I were to ever start gigging again, I'd try and find the same setup that worked for me 30 years ago. An Acoustic 370 head into an EV B215M. Great all around combo in terms of versatility, punch, volume, durability, and size/portability. I have no idea if many of either of these are still around or what they might be priced like. This setup worked for me in all size venues from small lounge to hotel grand ballroom. It even sounded good outside.

Like lots of other musical stuff, I now regret having let them go.

Tom

+1 on the Acoustic 370. I got one for $250 BIN. It rocks big time through my 1x15 MusicMan cab. It has plenty
of headroom, and easily cuts through my 2 LOUD guitar players + drummer who can't keep his sticks off of his cymbals!

If he's interested in a Markbass head, I've got a nice LM II that I need to sell.

Will folded horn cabs make a come back ? I still have two Mitchell 115 cabs. You need to be about 30' out in front of them to really hear what they are doing

cassius987 wrote:

jps wrote:Depending on cost, look at Markbass...

+1

I think you can pull off a 500 watt (at 4 ohm) 2x10 combo for under a grand which would be a really nice club rig. Sometimes I'd rather have that than something bigger.

+1

I don't know the statistics, but I got an SWR 2x10 combo for about $400 used that does the trick just fine.

Oops! Didn't mean to post!

There's nothing to see here.

Move along, folks!

I have a markbass littlemark II that I run through an Orange SP210 cab(handles 600 watts at 8 ohms). AWESOME! The head you can throw in your gigbag, the cab is an easy carry at 40lbs. Last Sunday 5 bands used this combo with genres from screamo to ska and no one had a problem with it. Problem is, Not sure if you could get both for under $1000. The Markbass is often found used as players upgrade, but the cab used might be an issue.

I do have my GK 210T cab which handles 200W.Great sounding cab but, if your pushing heavy watts you might need another extention cab I'd be willing to part with it at $200 plus shipping.

opticnerve wrote:+1 on the Acoustic 370. I got one for $250 BIN. It rocks big time through my 1x15 MusicMan cab. It has plenty
of headroom, and easily cuts through my 2 LOUD guitar players + drummer who can't keep his sticks off of his cymbals!

I know he played through Acoustic brand gear as well, and the band situation you describe is pretty much exactly what he has to deal with, with respect to at least one of the guitar players. I think the drummer might have a heavy foot and hands as well.

I mentioned the 2x10 cabinets that are quite popular these days, but he said he didn't like those in his experienced. I told him it was up to him, but he might want to give a 2x10 or 4x10 cab a second try, since his experience with them was approaching 30 years old, and bass speaker/amp tech has advanced light years since then.

I'll let him know about the Markbass, Erik. Nice to know MM is still popular with some of thefour string set, Jeff.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone! I really appreciate it. Keep them coming! It's good info for me to know, as well.

Remind your brother that he might get sick of carrying around a heavy cab he didn't mind carrying 30 years ago.