# Can I use a power amp + bass cab for decent bass rig?



## skeeballcore (Jun 21, 2008)

title basically says it

I've got a 1000W Mackie power-amp that I got for like $20. I can get a bass cab relatively cheap. I need a decent rig to fill in for(possibly take the place of) the bass player of a local band. 

I guess my question is, I have this power-amp and will get a cab. Will this work for a bass rig, or will I need a pre-amp and other accessories as well?


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## Josh Lawson (Jun 21, 2008)

skeeballcore said:


> title basically says it
> 
> I've got a 1000W Mackie power-amp that I got for like $20. I can get a bass cab relatively cheap. I need a decent rig to fill in for(possibly take the place of) the bass player of a local band.
> 
> I guess my question is, I have this power-amp and will get a cab. Will this work for a bass rig, or will I need a pre-amp and other accessories as well?


It'll work but you'll need a preamp of some sort.


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## skeeballcore (Jun 21, 2008)

Josh Lawson said:


> It'll work but you'll need a preamp of some sort.



any cheap recommendations?
I've actually got a PODxt with the bass pack. But I don't guess that would work would it?


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## Josh Lawson (Jun 21, 2008)

skeeballcore said:


> any cheap recommendations?
> I've actually got a PODxt with the bass pack. But I don't guess that would work would it?


Yes, this will work. In fact a bass player I used to jam with did this exact thing, just with a DigiTech BP8 instead of the L6 floorboard. The only concern I see is if the floorboard doesn't have enough output level to properly feed the amp. If it doesn't, get a one space EQ and bring up the output volume to drive the poweramp a little harder. I think that the L6 XT will work just fine on it's own though.


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## skeeballcore (Jun 21, 2008)

Josh Lawson said:


> Yes, this will work. In fact a bass player I used to jam with did this exact thing, just with a DigiTech BP8 instead of the L6 floorboard. The only concern I see is if the floorboard doesn't have enough output level to properly feed the amp. If it doesn't, get a one space EQ and bring up the output volume to drive the poweramp a little harder. I think that the L6 XT will work just fine on it's own though.



cool, i'll see if that will work when I get the cab. 

It's actually kind've weird, I just bought this power amp and EQ from one of the guys in the band like 2 months ago for dirt cheap, and now they need a bassist.


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## TomAwesome (Jun 22, 2008)

If I was going to build a bass rig like that, I'd probably end up using something like a Tech 21 Sansamp as my preamp.


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## skeeballcore (Jun 22, 2008)

TomAwesome said:


> If I was going to build a bass rig like that, I'd probably end up using something like a Tech 21 Sansamp as my preamp.


 
what advantages would that bring?


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## TomAwesome (Jun 22, 2008)

Well, you'd have a preamp for one. For two, it's a pretty decent and popular preamp, though it's also really handy to use in front of another preamp (since there's a "blend" knob on it so you can mix the clean signal with the distorted one), which is how my bassist is using his. Modelers aside, I'm not really familiar with many dedicated bass preamps.


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## john turner (Jun 22, 2008)

the sansamp sounds really good. i'd second that suggestion.


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## Beta (Jun 22, 2008)

TomAwesome said:


> Well, you'd have a preamp for one. For two, it's a pretty decent and popular preamp, though it's also really handy to use in front of another preamp (since there's a "blend" knob on it so you can mix the clean signal with the distorted one), which is how my bassist is using his.



On top of these, any of the SansAmps would also give you DI capability right from the unit, whether it's one of the rackmounts or the Bass Driver ones. You don't have that on the PodXT (assuming it's not the PodXT Live or Pro). Not that you'll necessarily need that with a 1000w power amp, but you never know.


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## skeeballcore (Jun 22, 2008)

i guess my main concern was what kind of tone I'll be getting out of this set-up


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## Josh Lawson (Jun 22, 2008)

skeeballcore said:


> i guess my main concern was what kind of tone I'll be getting out of this set-up


Try it out and let us know how it works.


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## Sippin40oz (Sep 19, 2008)

TomAwesome said:


> Well, you'd have a preamp for one. For two, it's a pretty decent and popular preamp, though it's also really handy to use in front of another preamp (since there's a "blend" knob on it so you can mix the clean signal with the distorted one), which is how my bassist is using his. Modelers aside, I'm not really familiar with many dedicated bass preamps.


 
Ashdown used to make bass preamps not that long ago. Dont know if there are any of those still floating around online? 

Ashdown Engineering | Bass Amplification


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