Jump to content

From guitar to bass ... equipment hints?


snakum

Recommended Posts

  • Members

I've been playing guitar off and on for twenty-five years, including a few stints on bass just to make a little money. But I'm finding I want to really dive into bass for a while, and I have narrowed down my equipment selections and was wondering what you guys thought:

 

Peavey Grind 4-string or Indonesian Millenium BPX4

 

SWR LA12 combo

 

DigiTech Bad Monkey (sounded surprisingly awesome as an EQ/clean boost with a bass guitar)

 

DigiTech Delay set to a low slap-back

 

Is this a decent setup to get started? I anticipate playing the odd fill-in gig (mic'd) and the 1x12 SWR combo seemed loud enough to me, but I don't really know a lot about most recent lower-end equipment lines.

 

Any other suggestions for a four-string/combo amp in the $600 range?

 

How's the Behringer bass combos? Decent? Reliability issues?

 

Thanks! :wave:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Firstly, I usually run my bass direct instead of using a mic, it's just a lot easier that way. And if you're going to be gigging, I'd get something with a little more umph. It'd make a pretty nice practice amp but 60w through a single 12 is going to suffer big time in rehearsal situations. Since there's a good chance that you're not always going to have PA support, I'd go with a minimum of 210's or 115. Check out the Yorkville stuff, (XM200/200T) haven't played through them but there are a few forumites here who swear by them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

If I buy the Peavey (Indo) Millenium four-string, I'd be able to afford an SWR LA15, Peavey Max115, GK Backline 112. Would that be better, to start? If I were gigging regularly I'd add a second amp of the same kind and run two out of the DigiDelay, just as I do with my Classic 30s.

 

The only amp I've ever used for bass was an old Peavey Mace 2x12 with Black Widows, a killer bass amp with a Boss EQ pedal in the chain, and it was loud enough to kill any small mammals that wandered in front of the thing. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

i owned a swr la 12 and was not very happy with it. If i were to look for a combo today i would consider Peavey, Yorkville, and Roland. For basses i'd consider Yamaha, OLP, and Cort. Peavey basses look good but i have no experience with them so i can not comment on them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Originally posted by link wray

i owned a swr la 12 and was not very happy with it. If i were to look for a combo today i would consider Peavey, Yorkville, and Roland. For basses i'd consider Yamaha, OLP, and Cort. Peavey basses look good but i have no experience with them so i can not comment on them.

 

First ... LOVE the screen name! :D

 

Now, what was it about the SWR you didn't like? Not enough power? Farting out at high volume?

 

I played a Peavey Max 112 and while it looks like a cheap practice amp, I thought it was pretty decent-sounding, and reasonably loud. I took it over halfway up on the volume and I got no farting, buzzing, or flab. I thought a pair of those might do, as well. However ... they just look so cheesy. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

600 for a rig is going to be tight, so I would go as much used as possible.

 

I'd say for the price you could get a used bass (I've got some old US made Peaveys which play great for dirt cheap) and a used 200 (at least) combo.

 

Depending on what sound you are looking for you could get a decent sound out of a Fender BXR 200 (or even a 300) for less than 300 bucks.

 

Good luck.

Yo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I've been reading everything and I can get my hands on all day, and calling around to talk to bass players. Right now, it looks like a used newer-style Peavey TNT or TKO (the black and silver models) is the ticket, or a new Peavey Max 115. For the money, the general consensus is that the Peavey 1x15 combos are tops. The older TNT and TKO models can get a little louder, but they're often a lot heavier and at 10+ years old they may begin to show their age at some point. So I'm going to start shopping around tomorrow for a used TNT, TKO, or Max 115.

 

On the axe side ... I think the non-active Peavey Millenium is going to be the ticket. They played wonderfully and felt a little more comfortable to me than the Grind, but if I can find a used Grind I might jump on that, as well.

 

So ... anyone have a black and silver 'transtube' style TNT or TKO for sale?

 

Anyone have a Peavey Grind or Millenium for sale?

 

:D

 

Thanks for the input all! :wave:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Well ... instead of jumping the gun, I've been digging around a bit more. I still like the Peavey Grind, and I have three opening up right now from $285 to $349.

 

On the amp side ... I'm going to use my old Peavey Bandit 85 watts with an Emi Delta 12" bass speaker until I can find a deal on a couple PV Basic 112s or TKO 115s. I hope to wind up running two if them out of my Delay eventually. But I'd jump on an older Mark VI or Firebass head if I see a deal, too.

 

Thanks for all the input.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I don't recommend delay for bass at this stage.

Being a guitar player first and foremost, it's important to note that bass must be approached as a completely different instrument... 'cause it is.

 

Technique, timing, and feel are crucial to laying down the proper groove. Having a delay in the mix when you're only now seriously getting into bass could get in the way of the groove. When laying down the low end, definitive notes with no additional clutter are what your bandmates and audience want to hear.

 

Delay is cool in small doses during solos or maybe here and there in a song, but that's usually as far as you want to go with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Originally posted by snakum

I've been reading everything and I can get my hands on all day, and calling around to talk to bass players. Right now, it looks like a used newer-style Peavey TNT or TKO (the black and silver models) is the ticket, or a new Peavey Max 115. For the money, the general consensus is that the Peavey 1x15 combos are tops. The older TNT and TKO models can get a little louder, but they're often a lot heavier and at 10+ years old they may begin to show their age at some point. So I'm going to start shopping around tomorrow for a used TNT, TKO, or Max 115.


On the axe side ... I think the non-active Peavey Millenium is going to be the ticket. They played wonderfully and felt a little more comfortable to me than the Grind, but if I can find a used Grind I might jump on that, as well.


So ... anyone have a black and silver 'transtube' style TNT or TKO for sale?


Anyone have a Peavey Grind or Millenium for sale?


:D

Thanks for the input all!
:wave:

 

I happen to own a Peavy TNT 130. I bought it new back in '83. It still looks and sounds very good . I havn't used it since '95 but I fired it up a few times last year for old time sake. It was a great amp for the $. Maybe I'll put it up on ebay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I just got back from picking up an almost new Peavey Basic 112. I tried it out and it rattled the windows on 4, so I figure for $125 I can't lose, unless it explodes tonight. :D

 

About Delay ... I only use it for the barest hint of a slapback, merely 'opening up' the sound, not the way most people use one. Point taken though.

 

Thanks all ... I'm having a blast, and it's very odd to be this excited about music again, over a mere instrument change. Nice though. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Snakum, what deville said is spot on. At your time in developing a feel for bass you should'nt complicate feel with sound mods. Most if not all bassists can pick out a former guitarist playing a bass; they tend to misplace the underlying groove when doing a run. And that's because they don't "think" like a bassist. We have to think of a run as a part of the groove: meaning you can't leave your runs/statements hanging beyond the tempo as with a guitar, and let the timing catch up to you. We ARE the timing.

The best way i heard bass runs described is, in one measure you ask a question (musically) your next run in another measure will be the answer to it.

Oh and welcome to the most "taken for granted" position in a band. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Point taken, thanks. I'm here to learn.

 

As a former SRV hero-worshipper, I'm 'studying' Tommy Shannon for bass, in the same way I studied Ace Frehley and Gary Rossington on guitar while in high school, and Stevie Ray and Johnny Winter when I discovered Blues. Tommy seems to have the 'POCKET' thing down.

 

Good selection? Someone better?

 

I'll be filling in primarily in Blues, Classic Rock, and Top Forty gigs, and eventually hope to tackle some less-complex Jazz.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...