If you don't see me for a while,

[whyachi]

its because I just pulled the trigger and pre-ordered a new GK MB112. I went to GC and played a few combos and the 115 wasn't what I wanted, but the 212 was too expensive... then I tpyo'd and discovered the MB112 and went, "Yeah. I want that," and the girl in charge of my wallet found out and beat me to death with my currently disembodied P-bass neck.  :sad1:

Hey, my whole tax return can't go to credit cards, can it?  :laughing7:

 

[dbw]

I wish you a speedy recovery from your domestic violence victimhood.  Hope the amp is worth it!  :icon_biggrin: :icon_thumright:

 

[whyachi]

I wish you a speedy recovery from your domestic violence victimhood.  Hope the amp is worth it!   :icon_biggrin: :icon_thumright:

If she pitches a fit, I'm just going to tell her that she's the only reason I didn't say F the credit cards and buy a 1001RB + 412 Neo stack. I babble about bass crap so often, she'll understand.

 

[Justinginn]

Form a band, play a gig, make enough to buy her a new car, you're set. You can do it.

 

[whyachi]

Form a band, play a gig, make enough to buy her a new car, you're set. You can do it.

That'll have to wait until the shop is done with my paint job and returns the body to me..,

 

[Nando Vallart]

Cool!

 

[SlingBass]

That appears to be an ideal lil' practice/rehearsal rig!  As for appeasing the wife...think (Missionhill) JEWELRY  :laughing11:

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Better to ask for forgiveness, rather than permission.  :toothy11:

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

While I love any time anyone gets new gear, It think that may be too small a rig for your needs.  Sure it's cheaper, but lower wattage and higher ohm value means an extension cab to get to a gig level, non-PA assisted volume.  Unless you already have an extension cab, the 500w 212 with it's price difference would have been worth saving for IMO, especially since your bass isn't playable yet. 

 

[whyachi]

While I love any time anyone gets new gear, It think that may be too small a rig for your needs.  Sure it's cheaper, but lower wattage and higher ohm value means an extension cab to get to a gig level, non-PA assisted volume.  Unless you already have an extension cab, the 500w 212 with it's price difference would have been worth saving for IMO, especially since your bass isn't playable yet. 

I've never owned anything over a 30W B-DEC so 200W sounds huge to me.. The good news is, its from Guitar Center, so if it doesn't work out their return policy is awesome.

Back when I was hunting a $400 amp, several people pointed me to the GK MB115 200W combo. You really think if I'm just starting out and will be playing like, living room to coffee shop level places and mainly practicing, that I should try to get the MB212? The 112 is on pre-order so I can cancel it any time up 'til March 29th.. its over twice the money for the 212..


Thoughts?

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

That's plenty of watts for those situations.  But, I didn't know you were just starting out.  I thought you mentioned before you were in 2 gigging bands, country and metal.  Still, I'd rather have 5 to 600 watts if playing at 150 watts.  IME, when you have plenty of headroom, you have more control.  Also, you will no doubt end up getting a bigger rig and gear generally has a predictably quick depreciation rate.  So, saving and spending a little more now saves money in the long run because you're not buying another rig down the road.

 

[whyachi]

That's plenty of watts for those situations.  But, I didn't know you were just starting out.  I thought you mentioned before you were in 2 gigging bands, country and metal.  Still, I'd rather have 5 to 600 watts if playing at 150 watts.  IME, when you have plenty of headroom, you have more control.  Also, you will no doubt end up getting a bigger rig and gear generally has a predictably quick depreciation rate.  So, saving and spending a little more now saves money in the long run because you're not buying another rig down the road.

Not in two gigging bands, more like a couple guys playing in a living room. I just meant I need to be able to cover all the bases. In the past a 30W amp worked just fine, but its been a few years now since I've been able to play and I know better than to buy another one that size.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

While what an appropriate volume is subjective, I believe most bands are too loud, but I don't like being at the mercy of a guitar player turning down just to find myself in the mix.  I always want more watts than I'll need.  Some bass players will say 5 to 7 times the wattage of the guitar player is a good rule.  If a guitar amp is 50w, 350w for a bass amp is appropriate.  However a 100w all tube guitar head cranked, 1200w for a bass might be more in line.  You're moving more air and in a different frequency range than the guitar, so.....

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

...any thoughts?

 

[whyachi]

...any thoughts?

Lots. I canceled the order, largely because my bass will be here before the estimated ship date on that amp, and also because buying two or three or seven amps until I get one big enough doesn't sound intelligent.

Now I'm back to the ultimate headache, and this is worse than deciding what neck woods to get.. How much is too much? How expensive is too expensive? And most importantly, How much can I get away with?

Acoustic is the best value for the money, but I'm not sold on the tone and they feel cheap.
Line6 is lots of fun, but there are more reviews of them breaking then rocking.
GK sounds great, though a big enough amp would be stretching my budget, and they are worrying me because the company can't seem to even keep the forum online and don't haven't responded to emails.
Ampeg sounds great with a P bass similar to the one I'm doing but its really expensive to get a combo over 200W.
Mesa is entirely out of the question, but damn, its sexy.

 

[SlingBass]

Just a couple thoughts......Carvin BX500 or BR510N/BR515N 

 

[whyachi]

I've looked at those, honestly I have. I watched clips on YouTube and either everyone I saw playing one sucked, or the amp did. The first one is entirely possible.

It was a bit like when I sat Wooten playing a Hartke stack. I know the guy is talented, but it still sounded like ass. I've seen great players in front of Hartke amps and they all sound the same to me.


If you have a Carvin, could you post some clips? I don't know enough words to descibe the sound I'm going for, having only spoken Guitar for about a year now, but I do know when I hear it. Its usually produced by P-basses through 15's or 12's, and tube preamps make it extra-delicious. That's a technical term, right? Warm, bright, delicious. I think so.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I have the Carvin BX 500.  There was a video review of it (not done by Carvin) and it made the amp seem less than spectacular, although the reviewer was impressed with it.  There was little or no difference when knobs were tweaked and the licks were less than inspiring.  On the Carvin forum, there was a level of disatisfaction of the review.  Carvin employees responded and were aware of the Premier Guitar video review and had plans to make one.  They said it takes time planning and money to get the effect of how a bass amp sounds to come across on a YouTube quality video.  They have since made one with Phil Martin and Daryl Williams.  However Phil Martin chimes in little about the BX500 and is actually playing through the B2000.  Having watched the video, with everthing set flat, mine does not sound at all like Daryl's, lending to the tone in the fingers arguement.  Also, I would've loved a little mention about what pickup pan knob placement he's on because that can change the sound drastically.


Here's the Carvin video.
http://www.carvinchannel.com/play.php?vid=213

 

[tubby.twins]

Carvin's discontinued B800 model is a great little amp.  I have one and really enjoy it.  It's basically a smaller and lower-powered version of the older B1500 and newer B2000, built into a Duratex-coated case with a handle.

It has *only* 6 knobs of EQ plus a "drive" control and a master volume; but that's more than enough for me.  The tone is everything I expected it to be, and I usually leave the EQ settings at flat.

I haven't tried anything in the "BX" series yet.  But this little B800 is a keeper.

 

[whyachi]

I don't need a huge graphic EQ. Part of the reason Mesa is sexy to me is that I can get a Carbine (if I suddenly become rich) and it has, like, six knobs on it. That's it.

Question - I understand what MOSFETs are, I think, t00b sound with SS reliability if I understand right. How does the power stack up to true tube and solid state amps?

I know 300W is an average combo amp on solid state and a full stack (or two) for pure tube, so where in the mix do MOSFET-powered amps fit in?