Bass Amp Advice

[padrejamie]

I am looking for suggestions. I want to stay under 700 bucks. I need something that can fill a high school auditorium playing with a jazz combo (piano, drums, bass) accompanying a choir. I would also use it when I travel to various schools/nursing homes for a jazz choir at Christmastime, so lighter weight is ideal for lugging it around.

I am open to either combo units or getting the head and cab separate. What do you suggest?

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by padrejamie

I am looking for suggestions. I want to stay under 700 bucks. I need something that can fill a high school auditorium playing with a jazz combo (piano, drums, bass) accompanying a choir. I would also use it when I travel to various schools/nursing homes for a jazz choir at Christmastime, so lighter weight is ideal for lugging it around.

I am open to either combo units or getting the head and cab separate. What do you suggest?

Absolutely check out the Fender Rumble series. If you read the Talkbass forum the Rumbles have very good reviews and a loyal following. They are much lighter in weight that many other combos and are very reliable.

They are available in many sizes. I have a Rumble 100 and use it for gigging. It works well in smaller clubs (150 people) and has a DI if you play bigger gigs that provide sound reinforcement. It's a super combo and weighs in at 23 pounds. (Really!)

You can step up to a Rumble 200, 500, or 800 but the smaller amps are super-efficient for their rated power output.

My Fender Rumble 100 is on the right below:

[Wissen]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Absolutely check out the Fender Rumble series.

There are many answers to your question, but this is the correct one. For your situation, buy the most expensive Rumble you can afford, which sounds like the largest combo they make. It is light, loud, and I personally think it sounds great.

/thread

[kkrell]

I like the Hartke line of bass amps.

[Wissen]

I don't mind the Hartke KB line. I have used the KB12 and 15. They would also check all of the boxes - light, loud, inexpensive, sound decent. I ran sound for an 8-piece horn band in a Legion hall once, and the bass player's KB12 carried the entire room. By the end of the night I had him completely removed from the PA mix, and no once noticed.

My money would be spent on the Fenders because they sound better to me. But the Hartkes wouldn't be a bad option by any measure.

[roylor4]

+1 on the Fender Rumble. Light, loud and great tone. I would be surprised if you needed anything bigger than the 100. My wife gigs with the 40 and my buddy has the 100. They are MUCH louder than SS bass amps from the old days.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by roylor4

+1 on the Fender Rumble. Light, loud and great tone. I would be surprised if you needed anything bigger than the 100. My wife gigs with the 40 and my buddy has the 100. They are MUCH louder than SS bass amps from the old days.

I have the older "hairy" kind, a 100, and it's great too. Plus, it has a goofy purple light inside the port on the bottom. I've seen them for $75 on Craigslist.