Stingray + SVT + Bergantino = Great (at least for me)

[Jim C]

As a part time, weekend warrior, I've been super happy with a Mark Bass LMII; loud, clear, punchy and easy to carry in a small laptop bag.
This will continue to be my amp for 90% of the bar gigs I play due to praticality.

For the record, my thing is clear, full range tone without distortion.
Just for kicks I A/B'd the LMII with an SVT via an Ampeg selector switch at the house.
Forgot that an SVT has a depth and sound stage that I have never been able to duplicate with any other piece of gear (including my V4B).

Will have to man up and haul it to the next gig to see how it feels in context.
How many of you guys still carry big heavy amps to small local bar gigs?

 

[stoneboy26]

I don't carry a big heavy rig to gigs these days.

But have played a SR5 through an SVT Classic and Berg nv610. It basically convinced me to buy my first Stingray!

Great sounding rig.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I don't do big and *too* heavy any more, within reason. I've just bought a Markbass CL152 2x15 cab, and that's 70lbs, but very managable for me. I also have a pair of SWR Goliath Jr 2x10 cabs that are 55lbs each. Either the CL152 or the pair of Goliath Jrs fit in the hatch compartment of my Mazda 3 without moving the back seat.

In the amp department I can choose from a Markbass LM800 (6lbs), a racked Ampeg SVT7-Pro (23lbs including the rack), a racked Alembic F1-X with QSC PLX1804 (35lbs including the rack), or a Ampeg SB-12 combo (60lbs).

My days of lugging an 80lb SVT head (or equivalent) and a 120lb cab are definitely history.

 

[five7]

I ditched my svt cab and svt 6 for a markbass lmt 800 and a 108 cab and my back loves it. Plus I get more than 1 good sound. I found it hard to get anyone to help me move the ampeg rig more than once or twice and now if I have to I can move my rig myself. No more ampigs for me!

 

[Jim C]

Aussie Mark,
How does the 7-pro compare to the SVT with your Ray?
I had a 3-pro but sold it in favor of the LMII and never looked back

 

[Aussie Mark]

Jim, I really liked my LMII as well, but grabbed the LM800 when I found one used for around the same price that I could sell the LMII for. I basically picked up 300 watts for $50.

I bought the SVT7-Pro because I wanted a lightweight Ampeg sound for my Rolling Stones tribute band. I did have a 100w V4BH but it was underpowered for my gig, and I don't want to get into the weight and maintenance involved with a 300w tube head.

The SVT-7 has that nice reassuring Ampeg fatness happening, with some noticeable inherent compression even with the onboard compression dialled off. The tube preamp in this head is warm and sounds very natural and tubey at gig volume. I'm not convinced that the claimed 1000 watts output is any louder than the 800w LM800, based on where I had the master volume on the Ampeg compared to where I would have the master on the LM800, but it does sound lovely and creamy, just like all my favourite rock albums from the 1970s.

That said, I haven't gigged the Stingray with the SVT7-Pro yet, so can't really answer your question.

 

[MingusBASS]

For most gigs I still drag out my SVT-VR and Bergantino NV610. My main bass is a Ray5.

 

[clmjlg]

I always use my SVT at all gigs. I just can get past the tone of it with my sterling running through it. I also must say that P90X is the big reasons I take it out and my back is not hurting.