All the Small Things

The recent repair to my Ashdown Bass Combo highlighted that it’s not exactly the lightest, or smallest, bit of kit. It does pump out 500 watts, but that is really a bit too much for the small pub gigs I am likely to play this year.
So, time to downsize. Now that the guitar shop is open I was able to ask their advice. Their suggestion was this little Trace Elliot head, coupled with the matching 1x10 cabinet. And when I say little, I really mean very small indeed. The iPhone7 in the picture gives a sense of scale, but that does not mean the amp is lacking in power in any way. It still pumps out 200 watts, which is quite sufficient for my needs. The speaker cabinet obviously adds to the size of the whole rig but, as the amp can fit into a pocket and the cabinet can be easily carried in one hand, I don’t think I’ll be at any risk of putting my back out when setting up for a gig!
Sounds good as well. Some quite sophisticated electrickery inside this little box, so a variety of tones can be easily dialled in. There is even a headphone socket so I can practice without annoying Mrs C or the neighbours.
And though the amp comes with its own padded bag, the cab only has a crackle paint finish to protect it. Being the kind of nerd I am, a protective cover for the cab will be ordered ASAP. And because I’m totally OCD, I’m going to have to order a custom made cable to connect the head to the cab because the supplied cable is 1.5M long and only has to bridge a gap of 50cm. And unnecessarily long and untidy cables really make my brain itch!
Probably won’t be playing before July, so plenty of time to get used to it and dial in an ideal tone. And when you’re dealing with something small enough to sit on the arm of a chair, there’s absolutely no excuse for not practising regularly!