String Musicman Bass
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Musicman BONGO BLUE PEARL 5 STRING BASS HH MADE IN THE USA
US $1,799.00
Musicman STINGRAY CLASSIC 4 STRING BASS MINT GREEN
US $1,799.99
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What’s the best amp combo for a 5-String Musicman Sterling Bass?
So im in the process of buying a Musicman Sterling and am just wondering what amp goes best with it? i wanna know what to look for next time i go amp shopping. XD
Hey, congrats on getting Sterling, you won’t be disappointed. I was in the same situation as you about a month or so ago, so this is my advice based on my experience in the search for an amp combo. I ended up purchasing a Gallien-Krueger MB212 which is perfect for my needs/wants.
Take a look at the manual: http://www.gallien-krueger.com/productmanuals/160-0520-B0.pdf
Some of the many specs:
True 500watts @4 ohms Class D power Supply
Piezo Tweeter
2×12” Neodymium speakers
Limiter
Clip Detector
4 band EQ
Boost
Contour
Gain
Active and Passive InputsThe Decision Process…
The biggest factor in deciding on a combo is whether you like the sound of a Solid State amp or Tube amp, these configuration are made and sound a little different, so I suggest you get down to a music store and try each out to see what you like. The MB212 is Solid State…I have a MM Stingray 4 and think the MusicMans sound awesome with Solid States. For some reason the Tube amp’s I tried filtered their growl and found slapping somewhat muddled… So this directed me towards a Solid State. SS’s are also cheaper, your get more power for your money, and won’t have to worry about maintenance costs, such as replacing any fuses or tubes (you generally have to replace tubes over a period of 1 to 3.5 years which is very costly)
The second thing you should think about is power. For small gigs and to fill a small room, you will be wanting at the very least 250 watts of clean power, some say 300, to compete with a drummer, guitarist and a singer (note bass amps need more watts to produce sound than guitars amps because of the lower frequencies). You might be thinking that the MB212 is way too much for what you need but I believe it’s better to have more power and not need it, than it is to have less and find out you don’t have it.
You mentioned you wanted the “Best” Combo. From my experience, I noticed, the more power you want/need, the more features that comes with it, which means the higher the quality of the product becomes, which means the more expensive it will be…. I don’t think you can get any louder than the MB212 in a Solid State, I might add that Gallien Krueger’s construction and manufacturing processes are very developed. E.g. the stages of tone testing, harmonic tuning, break-in, cabinet timber/materials, bracing/joining methods, etc…To me, THIS is what makes an amp the “Best”. Quality control at GK is unsurpassed… Here’s what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHK8eTTuP-A
The next consideration would be Speaker size. I went with and suggest 2×12” speakers. 12′s, in my opinion, are the ideal speaker size for bass, 10’s can be too tight and tangy and 15’s can be too muddy and boomy and should really be stacked with 10’s… So 12’s cancel out that age old argument and have the best of both worlds, good punch/articulation and good lows.
Last but not least important is portability (otherwise we would all be buying heads and cabs) this thing weighs 37lbs/17kgs. And there is no other combo out there for its size that is lighter, this comes back to it’s construction configuration, bracing, neo-speakers etc…
Choosing an amp can be a big decision but I hope my decision/experience can help yours and steer you in the right direction. But the best thing you can do, above all, is to go into your local music store and try the MB out for yourself, if not, some of the GK products and of course other companies/brands.
Cheers
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