Guitar player to become a bass player to be in a band (merged with bass gear thread)

[brian123]

I'm sorry there is a misunderstanding. They don't mike the bass during rehearsals. They probably mike the guitar player who uses a Line 6 half stack at gigs. What kind of line outs would you want on a bass amplifier the ability to go to a soundboard or PA system from the amp. Maybe an effects out.

[BATCAT]

I'm sorry there is a misunderstanding. They don't mike the bass during rehearsals. They probably mike the guitar player who uses a Line 6 half stack at gigs. What kind of line outs would you want on a bass amplifier the ability to go to a soundboard or PA system from the amp. Maybe an effects out.

I'm sure a basic 1/4" line out would work fine.

[brian123]

I have tried to contact three music stores and thats all about there is in this area. Two of them said they don't rent equipment like bass amps. The third said he did not have anything available at this time. I guess I have to get creative and post adverisements in the paper or internet for rentals. I do know an old bass player I was in a band 30 years ago. I don't think I have the balls to call him up and borrow his rig. I have only seen him once briefly 10 minutes at his gig in the last 30 years. Were not chummy.
Does Guitar Center rent bass amplifiers?

[MusicalSchizo]

 

Yes you need an amp that will be loud. I'd say optimally you'd want a full stack (head + 2 cabs)"

 

 

Use caution, Brian. I don't like this. This attitude would make me not even bother unless it was a very high-paying situation. Sounds like their stage volume might be abominable if they expect a full stack...

 

Or not...maybe they just expect that sort of look. Who knows?

Brian V.

[modulusman]

I'm sorry there is a misunderstanding. They don't mike the bass during rehearsals. They probably mike the guitar player who uses a Line 6 half stack at gigs. What kind of line outs would you want on a bass amplifier the ability to go to a soundboard or PA system from the amp. Maybe an effects out.

 

 

Most decent bass amps have a built in Direct out that uses a mic cable. I don't know if guitar center rents amps or not.

[TIMKEYS]

Most decent bass amps have a built in Direct out that uses a mic cable. I don't know if guitar center rents amps or not.

 

 

I dont think guitar center rents anything ,,, You do have 30 days to return things.

[BATCAT]

Most decent bass amps have a built in Direct out that uses a mic cable. I don't know if guitar center rents amps or not.

And even most cheap ones have a regular line out.

[brian123]

From the band I am auditioning for
"Johnny has a half stack and I don't know his wattage ... I have a 75W amp that needs to be mic'd because it doesn't have an external output for a PA ... I have found my amp to be bareley sufficient for both practice and gigging .. I probably need at least a half stack. ... Yes, our bass player before used a full stack ... maybe you can get by with a half stack for bass? - I'm not really sure because I'm not a bass player."

[BATCAT]

[brian123]

Thats a 75 watt Solid State Line 6 spider he has. I have a 45 watt Hot rod Deluxe thats plenty loud. Actually a 75 watt is not much different in volume than a 45 watt. Just because you have doubled your number of watts in power does not mean you have twice as much output. I'm not sure but you would have to go to maybe 150 watts from 45 watts to double your output. volume.http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SpiderJam/

[modulusman]

Thats a 75 watt Solid State Line 6 spider he has. I have a 45 watt Hot rod Deluxe thats plenty loud. Actually a 75 watt is not much different in volume than a 45 watt. Just because you have doubled your number of watts in power does not mean you have twice as much output. I'm not sure but you would have to go to maybe 150 watts from 45 watts to double your output. volume. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SpiderJam/

 

 

I believe the rule is 10x the power to be twice as loud.

[wades_keys]

"Avoid combo amps. They don't scale well in general. " What do you mean by this statement? They don't scale well. What does that mean?

 

It means you're stuck with what you bought, for the most part. Don't like the sound of the speakers? Tough. Not loud enough? Tough. Too heavy? Tough.

 

That kind of thing.

[brian123]

This is advice from Sweetwater Music.
"A 4x10 is usually passable but can be tough to hear. An 8x10 will always be preferable. "


"The dream situation, I think, would be an Ampeg SVT4 Pro and an SVT 8x10 (or a set of 4x10's). I've always been an ampeg player and found the SVT-4 Pro to be a good balance between volume and tone, it was loud and sounded almost as perfect as the SVT-Classic. Harkte HyDrive amps are also really nice and cost a lot less. I guess it depends -- how much $ are you trying to spend? How much room do you have in your car?"

[modulusman]

This is advice from Sweetwater Music. "A 4x10 is usually passable but can be tough to hear. An 8x10 will always be preferable . " "The dream situation, I think, would be an Ampeg SVT4 Pro and an SVT 8x10 (or a set of 4x10's). I've always been an ampeg player and found the SVT-4 Pro to be a good balance between volume and tone, it was loud and sounded almost as perfect as the SVT-Classic. Harkte HyDrive amps are also really nice and cost a lot less. I guess it depends -- how much $ are you trying to spend? How much room do you have in your car?"

Only for bands that are too stupid to own a decent PA.

[wades_keys]

A 4x10 should be plenty for all but the biggest outdoor stages with no PA support.

An 8x10 is just ridiculous.

How many gigs do these guys have on the books? With all due respect, they sound like non-gigging amateurs to me.

[modulusman]

A 4x10 should be plenty for all but the biggest outdoor stages with no PA support. An 8x10 is just ridiculous. How many gigs do these guys have on the books? With all due respect, they sound like non-gigging amateurs to me .

 

 

+ one. If you are playing big outdoor events without PA support then you shouldn't be playing.

[wades_keys]

I've got nothing against the fridge. They sound good. But it's a stretch to say you NEED one to be heard. That kind of stage volume is probably going to cost you gigs.

[tim_7string]

Agreed. Maybe you should pass on these guys. They don't sound like they know a whole lot and it might be painfully loud with two guitars through half-stacks.

 

But if you still want to give it a go, a 4x10 cab and separate head should do the trick. The head should be 400w but 300w might be fine. Why so many watts? Bass frequencies take a lot more power to amplify than midrange and higher frequencies produced by guitars.

 

In one of my old bands, the bass player started with a 5-string Samick bass guitar and a Fender BXR combo amp. After looking at my Randall half stack, he wanted to have something that 'matched', so he decided to upgrade to a huge Hartke system: 350w solid state w/tube preamp head, 1x15 cabinet and a 4x10 designed for 5-string bass frequencies.

 

When it arrived (ordered from AMS or Musician's Friend, can't remember), the 4x10 was too big to put on top of the 1x15, so he had to put the 1x15 on top of the 4x10 cabinet instead. So, he was hearing a woofer at ear level instead of the smaller cones. As a result, he would often turn up way too loud. It was way too much power for the clubs we were playing in. I told him he should just bring one or the other, but not both, until the gig actually required both, but he liked the way it looked. He was more into looking like a rockstar than working hard to play like one.

 

The reason I went the combo route when I briefly became a bass player was because I wanted something portable, good enough for the clubs and bars, and one that had a decent line out that could be hooked into the PA system. But I was doing this with the intention to join cover bands that played at reasonable volumes. In fact, I ended up in a band that played casinos, and since it is frowned upon to be too loud in those, it actually worked to my advantage to have a smaller amp rather than lugging around a huge amp and cabinet that was barely on 1.

[juliebee]

Own the stage and become a guitar player, trust me, girls love guys that run the show.

[brian123]

If I do buy a 4/10 cabinet along with a bass amp. I'll have something to play my bass guitar thru so at least I can try out for the band. This will be the first time in my life I tried out for a band so I am anxious to jump in there. I played guitar in my brothers band in high school. We played a high school graduation party. Somebody shut the electricity down or pulled the plug on us. That was my only gig. My best friend and my brother were in the band so it was not to hard to get in that band. Will I benefit from this ? Yes It will be a learning experience and I will look forward on hearing the bands feedback about my playing. I don't like the idea of spending $500-$1000 on bass equipment when there is no guarantee that I'll get the job. Bass has played second fiddle to my guitar playing for several years . I can't stress this enough if you do not invest in your careers ,whether that be money or time spent learning the craft you will never get anywhere. There are two other bands at this time in my area that are looking for a bass player.So bass players are probably in more demand than guitar players. Bass players that sing and own PA sytem and drive a van to carry equipment are really in demand. I don't sing or own a PA. or have a bass rig. So maybe I don't have alot going on for me at this time. This can change if I get the bass rig and get in a band and start gigging.

One of the songs I must learn for this audition. I pretty much have down it's Hotel California. Its very easy. The bass part is so much easier than The guitar part in Hotel California. I just may find playing bass for me is easier than the guitar. I just have to appregate the chord progression that repeats over and over. My guitar playing experience helped me learn this song very quickly. I think at least getting the experience of auditioning will help me learn a few things. If I don't get the job I might be able to return it within 30 days and exchange these items for a Martin 0015 mahogony guitar which is about a $1000. I was planning on buying a Martin mahogony guitar this year anyway. I'm not sure if my local music store has a 30 day return policy. The band I'm auditioning for I think played 6-8 gigs last year. The guitar player did not know much about the equipment the other band members were using. They have been together since 2008. They have no bookings lined up for 2011 yet.

I don't mind hooking up with girls. But I think for me this is about finding myself as a musician and becoming very skilled at it ,and hoping other people value my musical skills so I will use this as a stepping stone and become something greater than a closet musician. I went to college but not to get girls. I am not employed at jobs to get girls. And getting girls is lot about having a nice personality and looks. If you just became a guitar player to get girls . Is that a good reason to be in a band to be popular with women? Are women driving you to the woodshed, making you sacrifice your time and causing you to spend money on musical equipment? I would think just loving to play music and real desire to get good and feeling good about your accomplishments drives alot of people. Just because your guitar player don't make you a chick magnet. Most guitar players I know can't make a decent living at it. Chicks like dudes with money.

[lsits]

Coming from a drummer: When they say to lock in with a drummer, it means specifically to lock in with the bass drum. You don't have to copy the kick drum note-for-note, just try to cop the same groove. In my opinion, that's what gets people out on the floor.

[Cortfan]

6-8 gigs last year. None lined up for 2011. PASS!

[badhabit]

I have played in bands for nearly 50 yrs. ( yes, I started real young and now, I'm real old . The bass guitar player is an under rated position but so very important. I agree that many guitar players cannot make the adjustment to playing bass well, but some do. Paul McCartney did. Time and feel are everything. Over playing is one of the biggest problems, IMO. Playing simple, solid and grooving bass lines are what impresses me when I hear a bassist I admire ( I'm talkin' pop, rock and blues music, not jazz ). An example of what I'm referring to is the bass lines Tine Weymouth played on "Once in a Lifetime". VERY simple, yet she placed the notes on beats that where not just 1/4 notes, complimented the drums and still left lots of sonic space for the other instruments and vocal. Some bass chores can be very physical, where the bass player is supposed to play 1/8 notes almost the entire song. And it's gotta be right on the money, timing wise. Shuffles are another area where bassists can struggle with time ( drummers too for that matter ). And don't get hung up on playing higher up on the neck. I just want a bassist to lay down that bottom groove with the drummer that makes my foot tap and gets the girls bootys shaking. James Brown's bass grooves are great examples of "less is more". Check this out:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsOmvSlPuys

 

As to equipment, while I'm not a bass player, and I'm a gear hound. I agree if you're gonna play bass, then get a rig that can handle it. Saying that, I'm not found of combos and have heard few that can cut it when things get a little louder. IMO, Hartke is got the lower cost yet good and dependable bass gear down. The Hartke LH500 bass head is a real winner. It has everything a bassist NEEDS, it's 500 watts with a tube pre-amp and only $350.00.

http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-HAR-LH500-PAK-LIST

 

Add a quality 4 x 10 bottom and you'll be heard and felt. Hartke's 410 XL or the 4.5 XL are quite good for the money, IMO. Ampeg is over priced, Acoustic is not very good nowdays and Kustom is junk. 4 x 10's will kick a 15's butt all day long. And they'll get low as well. It's in the cabinet design. You can always add another cab later. There are many good brands that cost much more, but Hartke stuff sounds pretty dang good to me, especially for the money. Hartke's cabs are made of plywood, not MDF like some cheaper bass cabs. http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-HAR-410XL-LIST. You can always upgrade your speakers down the road. A bass payer I worked with had the rig I'm suggesting and his Ibanez 5-string sounded awesome through it.

 

Finally, usually, being the bass player in a band is not the most glorious position, but IMO, much more important than the wanking lead guitar player. So, if you can get adjusted to it and play bass ( and not lead guitar bass ), then I say give it a shot. And BTW, GC will let you buy and return at no cost for 30 days ( not just trade in fore something else ) AMS and other online vendors give even longer 30 to 45 days. AMS will double your warranty on gear you buy as well. You MAY have to pay return shipping however, if you do decide to return something. NO sales tax usually though. Another plus.

[stevenymets]

My brother used to be a rhythm guitar player and lead singer in a band, then he moved over to play bass because one of his bands needed one. He started another band about 4 years ago with some of his friends. Him, and the other rhythm guitarist had to fight to get to play bass, because they both enjoyed it more than rhythm guitar. Point is, you don't know until you try. If you have any interest in playing the bass, or your interest in being in a band outweighs your desire to play guitar, then give it a try. If not, then don't. Only you can answer that.

Regarding the girls thing......there have been plenty of bass players that have gotten girls........and drummers, and keyboard players, etc. If Michael Bolten can get chicks, then you can to.

What time I spent practicing an instrument. 95% of my time was playing guitar and maybe 5% playing bass if that. I can play lead guitar over blues changes pretty well and rythmn guitar. Chet Atkins Mr. Sandman, Chinatown my China town, Johnny B Goode so forth. I posted a earlier post about auditioning for a band for the first time. There is an opening for a bass player in a cover band. They have had a few gigs at bars. I used to work with the lead guitar player at a job six years ago and he calls me my friend. We are not close just an acquitance. The band needs a bass player. I have Ibanez bass and few instruction books. A big book of bass tab. I don't own a bass amplifier.. My first album I played all the bass parts. Do guitar players make decent bass players? How well does guitar playing skills transfer over to bass? Should I make an effort and learn their songs for an audition? Could I rent a bass amp from a music store for an audition? I am dying to be in a band. Will my inexperience hold me back? Is it worth going after? What do you look for a bass player when auditioning? Since I am friends with the lead guitar player could that give me an edge over the other musicians who try out?

 

[wades_keys]

I don't like the idea of spending $500-$1000 on bass equipment when there is no guarantee that I'll get the job. Bass has played second fiddle to my guitar playing for several years . I can't stress this enough if you do not invest in your careers ,whether that be money or time spent learning the craft you will never get anywhere. There are two other bands at this time in my area that are looking for a bass player.So bass players are probably in more demand than guitar players. If I don't get the job I might be able to return it within 30 days and exchange these items for a Martin 0015 mahogony guitar which is about a $1000. I was planning on buying a Martin mahogony guitar this year anyway.

 

Read this and tell me what's wrong with the picture you are painting? I'll give you a hint: that Martin isn't going to help you get gigs. IN fact, it will probably seal your fate as a closet musician.

 

C'mon man - you know what you need to do. So go do it. You've said yourself that you need to invest in your career. So what are you waiting for? Of course there are no guarantees, but I can guarantee you this: if you don't have a bass rig, and you don't work on being the best bass player you can be, you won't be gigging, ever.