Backline acquisition: Bass & guitar amps

[muziekschuur]

Hi,

for my rental business I wanted to acquire backlinegear. As musicians usually do not have them big gear themselves anymore.

Right now I have a;
Trace Elliot Commando 12 and a 12"cabinet
Behringer BX4500 with 2x10 and a 18"cabinet
Three Fender M80's And two 1x12 extention cabinets
1x Fender 65w Blues de luxe solidstate guitar amp.

I'm looking at:
Bas: Trace Elliot head and 4x10 cab.
Ampeg SVt2Pro and 1x15 cab
SWR Black Beauty with 1x15

Guitar: Fender Twin (new one)
Marshall Bluesbraker & extention cab....
Or: Peavey......... yeah wich one
Groove Tubes....... tube amp with 2x12

But I guess Twin and Marshall will satisfy much more players.....
I have MXR distortion, Mesa Boogie Vtwin, Ibanez Chorus, Vox Wah, players can use if interested...... But that stuff usually is bring you own.....

What tuner should I get, as a racktuner may or may not be handy.

What would you guys want to see on stage....

I do mid sized venues to around 6000 people.


Muziekschuur

[leddy]

As a professional bass player (though mostly upright, not electric) I think you would make most bass players happy with a 4-10" cab. Very few guys use just a 15". The more popular heads for rock would be Ampeg, SWR, maybe Eden.

I love Bergantino cabs, but those might be too high-end for rental duty.

[muziekschuur]

My P.A. is Bagend. Pretty high end. But people often ask me, why I dunnot have EV....

So, it's gotta be some name brand. To keep the bands & clients happy.

Muziekschuur

[muziekschuur]

I have a 2x10 cab & a 1x18"wich I can add to any future purchase.

A 1x15 combo is handy in the cafe environment.....

[leddy]

Originally Posted by muziekschuur

I have a 2x10 cab & a 1x18"wich I can add to any future purchase.

A 1x15 combo is handy in the cafe environment.....

A 2-10" is good for small rooms - you could just use what you have.

[muziekschuur]

Would you be tempted to play "on what is available" if the bass amp is a tube amp (Fender Pro300 tubehead or SVT2Pro Ampeg), rather then Solidstate (like SWR/Trace Elliot). Those Solidstate heads are 'better' for me in terms like reliability and maintenance... But.... if a tubehead is what the client wants....


Muziekschuur

[leddy]

Originally Posted by muziekschuur

Would you be tempted to play "on what is available" if the bass amp is a tube amp (Fender Pro300 tubehead or SVT2Pro Ampeg), rather then Solidstate (like SWR/Trace Elliot). Those Solidstate heads are 'better' for me in terms like reliability and maintenance... But.... if a tubehead is what the client wants....


Muziekschuur

I like tubes. SWR, by the way has tube preamp stages. I've owned the SM900 and I still have a Baby Blue. I've been provided with an SM900 as backline many times. Lots of GK too. You could check them out. I also have a Solid State Markbass head I love.

Not sure what to suggest for reliability. I've had rare problems, but when they happen it sucks. I keep a spare of just about everything (including a spare amp hidden in my car) on important gigs.

I'm not too picky, and if you're not lugging your own gear you get what you get. I even showed up to an outdoor festival where we were told there was backline and there was not. Luckliy, I had my spare amp in the car (just a head) and used the preamp to go direct and relied on the monitors. The gig went fine.

[muziekschuur]

It's essentially all about the music. Wich means it's my job to provide decent stuff. Stuff that makes the musician happy.....

If you go on stage... what's that what you don't have at home, but could help you on stage to shine...... and what is not complicated....

[nedorama]

If you look at other music rental places (SIR, etc) most have the following:

Bass - SVT with 4x10 or 8x10

Guitar - Fender Twin, Marshall stack (of some kind - JCM800, 900)

Alternates to get as you build up inventory
AC30
Mesa rectifier of some kind
SWR seems to be a good 2nd choice for bass


Other than that, it's all additional flavors - I think you'll satisfy most of the riders with those 3.

Pedals - let them bring their own, as usually bands traveling will have their pedalboards.

Tuner - I'd recommend the rackmount Petersen strobe as it's good, accomodates Buzz Feiten tuning, and is readable from afar.