Help needed with bass amp choice

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FriskyDingoFriskyDingo Frets: 18
So I've moved from guitar to bass for my rock covers band to accommodate new members. I already have a tokai bass, just need an amp. Parameters;
More Watts the better as I'll be pub gigging
£500 tops, new or used 
Don't mind head + cab or combo
If it has options like compressor or sub harmonics that's good but not necessary 
I play rock with a pick (the lazy choice)
Thanks
P. S. Heard behringer 3000bxd is good for budget? 
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Comments

  • KKJaleKKJale Frets: 982
    edited July 2019
    Take a look at the Fender Rumble 500. 

    Having said that, my choice for rock with a pick in a pub might be a used Mk1 Orange Terror 500 with a quality used 2x10".
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    If you can lift it, anything old by Peavey - either a 1x15" combo or a head and 1x15" or 4x10" cab. Bombproof, loud, not refined-sounding but very punchy, and cheap. Don't be put off by the relatively low power ratings by modern standards, they shift a lot of air. They're a pain in the backside to carry around but I'd still rather play through one in a pub than almost anything - you know you can rely on them. You could probably buy two or three for £500...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    ICBM said:
    If you can lift it, ...
    Marshall DBS72115. Maybe add a 2x10 or 2x8 extension cabinet.
    Be seeing you.
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  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    Rock covers, Ampeg pf-500 and a 212 or 210 cab would be my call, have the pf350 and love it, the 500 has a few more bells and whistles and another 150 watts

    a quality cab is essential, check out the classifieds on basschat, always some bargains there
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  • Thanks guys, it all sounds like you're saying head and cab rather than combos.
    I've found a few heads on reverb, some a fews years old but in good nick and with a lot of Watts.
    Peavey tour series 700
    Ampeg br2e
    Lane rb9
    There's newer stuff like Ashdown rootmaster, Mark bass Big bang or orange 4 stroke if I want to push the boat out
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    Thanks guys, it all sounds like you're saying head and cab rather than combos.
    It's more flexible and easier to carry than a heavy combo - you probably aren't going to get a combo you can carry with one hand that's loud enough for a pub gig, reliable enough to depend on *and* cheap enough to be in your budget, although they do exist if you want to spend more. You can also have more than one cab, for different situations or to use two together for more projection.

    There's a further problem with a lot of modern combos - there's a stupid fashion trend (also with guitar amps) to go back to having the controls on the top at the back. This is a total pain for gigging - the controls are in the wrong place to easily see and adjust, you can't put anything else on top of the amp if you need to, and the electronics are vulnerable to spilled drinks. Heads almost all have the controls on the front, although many do also have 'beer traps' in the top...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • I hate that style as well. I guess they're trying to stop you bending down to see the controls.
    No drinks are ever left on my amp. Anyone who does this deserves to miss their train! 
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  • pintspillerpintspiller Frets: 994
    There was a Laney combo in a rehearsal room I used years ago. That was good.

    I like valves though, try find an old head for about £300. I use a Sound City B50+ sounds  nice and clean with headroom. Even an old guitar head could do. A 410 will be louder than a 210 as I learned after downgrading. You should be able to get a used cab for £150 or less
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  • bandmaster188bandmaster188 Frets: 390
    edited July 2019
    I’ve been using a rumble 500 combo which I wouldn’t say is the best bass amp for rock by a long way. But recently added one of these into the front end and it’s been a bit of game changer. The built in overdrive on the rumble isn’t very pleasant. The vt bass gives you that nice gritty sound without being  over saturated and nasty.
    rumble head & cab + VT maybe?
    https://i.imgur.com/9mjlGia.jpg
    The Swamp City Shakers
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  • pintspillerpintspiller Frets: 994
    I tried a Blackstar and thought it was bollocks.
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  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    edited July 2019
    Is portability a factor?  It's amazing what you can get these days, heres my gigging bass rig, all 10kg of it



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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    I've got one of these which weighs only a couple of Kg more...



    500W, 1x10", detachable head section (I've got a second one of those too) and comes in its own nylon shoulder bag.

    But I wouldn't rely on it for a pub gig without going through the PA or using an extension cab - it's loud enough to do a band practice or a small non-rock gig, but no more than that. It would definitely not fill a room against a noisy drummer and a loud-ish guitar amp or two.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    Bass monkey has a mark bass CMD 102... little 2x10 thing... will blow the doors off most venues...
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  • DontgiveupyourdayjobDontgiveupyourdayjob Frets: 3753
    edited July 2019
    This seems like it could fit the bill? Never played a GK amp myself, but heard them at gigs and they sound pretty decent to me.

    Would leave £200 spare for a decent ext cab if you wanted more power.

    https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/157770/fs-gallien-krueger-mb210ii-500-watt-bass-combo-450-cut-to-300#latest
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  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    @ICBM Yes, agree PA support or an additional cab most likely required for a rock gig.   Those Promethean's are great little amps
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    John_A said:

    Those Promethean's are great little amps
    They don't seem to do them any more unfortunately - although if you can find one, they don't sell for a lot... I paid £250 for the combo and £200 for the head. I tried the cheaper 3110 which replaced it and it's not remotely as good - everything has been downgraded, from the output power to the preamp to even the material the cabinet is made from. Very disappointing.

    I've also got a huge but remarkably lightweight Warwick 1x15" cab fitted with a Celestion neodymium speaker, and that definitely would be enough for a pub gig either as an extension with the combo or just as a cab with the head.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    Yes, the 3110 isn't a patch on the 5110
    Love my little Ampeg, picked it up used for £130, makes a great poweramp for guitar with my Helix too

    Would say the OP's requirement of 'More Watts the better as I'll be pub gigging' is a bit of a tricky one, it's not just watts that matter, a 250W bass amp through a good couple of cabs, is much better than a 500W through a 1x10 
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  • MattBansheeMattBanshee Frets: 1498
    I use an Ampeg PF350 into an Ashdown RM112 (fitted with a 400W 8ohm Eminence) for small gigs and it is plenty, plenty loud enough, even running into 8ohm rather than 4 (this is because I double up on cabs for bigger gigs, so each needs to be 8). I play in a noise/grunge band with loads of distortion and it has never ever got lost in the mix.
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723

    Nowt wrong with playing with a pick.

    Playing the bass like a guitar player though is another matter.....

    Sub harmonic feature, like tweeters, is in my view pointless on a bass amp.

    Like ICBM, older Peavey "boat anchor" gear is very good value. 

    I would avoid Behringer and Ashdown gear.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    John_A said:

    Would say the OP's requirement of 'More Watts the better as I'll be pub gigging' is a bit of a tricky one, it's not just watts that matter, a 250W bass amp through a good couple of cabs, is much better than a 500W through a 1x10 
    I would say the cab size and efficiency is *more* important than the amp power for filling a room from the stage. With modern high-excursion drivers some of the little ones will really shift a lot of air though - it's the 'swept volume' which matters. As usual this starts to cost money...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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