Backline suggestions please.

[jazzyvee]

We have to send over our backline requests for our upcoming USA tour.
I think it is unlikely they will be able to provide an rack with alembic preamps and barefaced Big Twin II.
so i'm open to suggestions for alternatives

My first choice will be a Barefaced Big Twin II bass cab since that is what i use here and know. As for a bass head, the only one I know well is a Mesa Boogie Walkabout head so will ask for one of those or maybe the bigger ones like the Mesa Boogie Big Block 750 M-Pulse which should have a similar sound.
Since i have not had any real experience with many bass rigs, any suggestions for alternative choices would be welcome?
I would rather not use an ampeg, ashdown or trace elliot gear since almost all the ones I have ever had to use as backline rigs have not given me a good experience.


In the end i may just end up using what is available there but since i'm being given a choice, why not.
And if John Prock is here on this forum, no i can't see them providing me with a Meyer bass rig. :-)

[JimmyJ]

Hey Jazzyvee,

Since they asked you might as well pitch them a couple of ideas but I have the feeling it might be "bass amp du jour".  Maybe they'll respond with a list of "available" gear.  It looks like you'll be flying these dates so my guess is you'll be using locally hired backline which could change from day to day.  But I'm betting there will be a great PA system so you might want to make sure you have a monitor wedge with some bass in it...

Expect the 1st day's soundcheck to be hectic but once you have a workable balance the monitor person should be able to save the whole thing and bring it to the next gig.  That monitor operator is your friend!!

Wishing you a great time and a fun experience.

Jimmy J

[Songdog]

You may not always get what you ask for, but if you don't ask....

Given that you like the Walkabout, you might consider asking for the current WD-800, which has a similar preamp. And the Mesa Boogie Subway 1x15 gets a lot of love over on a well-known forum where people talk about bass. A pair of those (or the 2x15) seems likely to give you a satisfying personal monitor experience. (I don't own any of that gear myself - saving up for a short-scale Alembic.)

If all else fails, just plug your bass into the effects return of whatever backline is provided, hard to go wrong with the unprocessed sound of an Alembic. 

[edwardofhuncote]

I love my old WalkAbout too, Jazzy, but that design is a bit dated at this point. I would doubt any pro-audio outlets are still renting them. (if there was a way to work it out logistically, you'd be welcome to use mine for your tour over here... it's just sitting here idle this year) The new(ish) WD-800 though is in pretty wide circulation. The controls on it are much like the WalkAbout we know, with more power on-tap. It's basically a WalkAbout with a D-800 power section. If they have one available, you might go for that and feel at home with it.

Also wishing you guys a great time over here. Wish I could catch the show.


*man, that font size Gremlin really has my number today.

[kilowatt]

I have the Mesa D800+, and the Mesa Subway 115. You will be very happy with any of their Subway line, if you can get them.
Have a great tour. Enjoy.

Regards,
Pete

[jazzyvee]

We have a gig on Saturday so i ask if there is an existing list of rig options or if i really do have free choice. I believe the keyboard player is being asked what keyboard he wants too. Which is understandable but it seems a bit of a luxury to give me a free range of bass rig considering our set on these gigs is about 15 minutes long and it could take almost that long for a changeover of bands.

When I was touring as a guitarist, i suggested Fender Twin (or any other fender amp) or a Roland JC 120 and for most gigs that was provided. Occasionally it was a Mesa Boogie amp or Marshall but always something useable. 

Gigging on bass at large festivals with multi bands where rigs are provided, i have found that most rigs provided are not in good condition or i just don't take to the sound.

If it is, as Jimmy suggests, whatever is available locally i will just take what is there or use monitors. I don't want to make a fuss on the day.

[gtrguy]

SVT classic!

[keith_h]

As a backup have you considered carrying a pair of in-ear monitors and a DI? If the rig is unacceptable this could give you a system you are familiar with and depending upon what you use potentially give you more control over what you hear (both individually and the rest of the group).

[jazzyvee]

Yes good point, I had planned to take my IEM headphones. I hope to buy a decent bodypack whilst over there as things are usually cheaper in the US than the UK.

[StephenR]

I always carry my own D.I. which gives peace of mind that the sound of my bass going to FOH is going to be as good as possible regardless of backline. For a tour like you are doing IEM's should let you hear a consistent sound from venue to venue. As far as backline requests I would think Mesa is a safe choice due to wide availability. I see a lot of Aguilar rigs used as festival backline, to my ears they sound too much like an Ampeg, which is something I hate playing through, just a bit more modern. They are really popular currently but not my thing. It may be worth visiting a shop that stocks Aguilar gear so you can try one out in case you find yourself on stage with an Aquilar rig. Should be a fun tour as long as you don't get hung up on technical stuff, a 15 minute set passes quickly, time to relax and play.

[JimmyJ]

As great as IEMs are, they require a good monitor engineer and TIME to get them dialed in and sounding musical.  I'm just anticipating that in this case, playing a 3 or 4 song set on a bill with multiple bands will leave very little time for soundchecks.  That time will mostly be spent making sure the singers can hear what they need and then they'll move on to the next band. (Soundechecks are usually in reverse order with the headliner going first.  But if anybody takes longer than expected the opening bands on the bill can run out of time...)

So keep your expectations low and be prepared to "go with the flow" a bit to make it work.  Everybody will appreciate you having a positive "no problem" attitude.  Having a bass amp (any bass amp) onstage and standing near the drummer would mean you could play with the very minimum requirements from the sound crew.  They will have a good DI for you so you don't need to carry one.  And hopefully a monitor wedge which could bring some consistency to what you hear from gig to gig.  Once you get there, check out what the bass player in the band before or after you in your area of the stage is using and ask if you can just use that rig.  One less thing for the crew to strike at changeover.

I don't mean to make it sound like won't be fun, you're gonna have a great time!  Just hanging out with all those musicians and hearing the other bands will be a treat.  I just know that logistically it's complicated to put on a show like this and keep everybody happy.  We hope you start a thread with running stories of your experiences as you're traveling around over here!

Jimmy J

[jazzyvee]

Thanks as always for expert and experienced advice it is always a pleasure to take.
As long as i have good internet connections I will try to keep a thread going. Hopefully there may be some time along the way to have some kind of mini gathering with some forum members.

[bigredbass]

I'd guess you should be ready to stare down a lot of SVT's and GK rigs as far as what contractors are going to have on their list or the rider.

[cntrabssn]

Hello Jazzy,

+1 with Stephen. Many companies provide the DB750/751 with 4x10 or 8x10 cabs. If you get one, make sure the cab's tweeter isn't turned off, depending on your taste, of course. I had that happen to me a couple of times.

-nate.
 

[BeenDown139]

after all the grief i've been through setting up my backline, i'd say anything but m@rkb@ss.  or h@rtk3.  at least if yer gonna be playing an alembic thru it..  since it sounds like the roadies are gonna be humping the gear, might as well go with something massive and heavy.    sheesh.  how did i turn into such an spoiled elitist gear snob?