Hey guys. Looking for some advice on what is a reasonably priced and good quality gigging amp for smallish venues, such as pub rooms or small (eg 100 pax) live music venues? I know nothing about amps, so treat this like an idiots guide 
. For example, I hear the terms cabs etc thrown around, but I donāt know what that means. Cheers
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The thing with the speaker inside is the cab (cabinet)
The thing with the knobs on it (gain, bass, mid, treble, etc) is the head
If it has both speaker(s) and knobs, then itās a combo
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Cabs are those yellow things you get to drive you home from the pub when youāre too pissed to make your own way back
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The Fender Rumble 100 or 200 are probably the most commonly recommended for that situation. Depends on the venue, how loud your drummer is, etc.
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In my area Markbass seems to be the favourite. I personally would go for an amp with a preamp that I like. For small gigs I would look for minimal 100+ watt. In your case I would visit a local music store and get some first hand experience and info.
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@Bassdacious, donāt be afraid to use the āsearchā function (little magnifying glass top right of your screen) . . . 
There are multiple threads which cover many aspects of this topic. We have so many new people and so many topics that are posted about!
If you click on the search button and then type in, lets say, āamps for giggingā, youāll see a slew of topics created with yours at the top . . .
HTH in your search and good luck to you,
Joe
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Are you sure you need an amp? Will the venues plug you in to their PA system (FOH)? If so just get a DI box or maybe something like a Sansamp VT Bass DI. Some amps have a DI out too so you can use a small amp (i.e. Fender Rumble 100W) just as a personal monitor. Have you considered what tone are you looking for?
Another option is rent equipment (amps, DIs, etc), try out both at home and/or the venue (see if you can get in for a soundcheck) and then settle on what you like and what is fitting for the venue you will gig at. There are may performers that are just renting their gear these days. It can save you space, money and other hassles (i.e. damage).
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When you plan to play with a drummer, you need more than 100 watts. A 500 watt amp and speaker is suitable for clubs and open air. You need more power when you play outside.
Start with one 8 Ohm speaker, you can add another speaker later if needed.
Markbass is definitely good, but costly. Google for Eden amps, they are specialized on bass amps. Owned by Marshall BTW.
I would suggest 2x 10" or 4x 10" speakers.
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Think all the good stuff has been said already. However, the most important equipment to bring to a gig are your ear plugs.
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I was going to recommend that one too, but @JT beat me to it. I agree 100%. However, for your purpose I would go with the Rumble 500. The extra headroom could come in handy, and itās always best to have more than you need. I went from the Rumble 100 to the Rumble 500 (amp head and cab), and am glad I did.
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@Bassdacious wgat amp do you have now or you are using interface at home. Do you plan to have an amp at home? If you do then consider better amp.
Fender 100 is definitely a popular choice and would likely be an overkill to most small venues but more is usually better.
Iād definitely recommend the genzler BA 10-2 itās a high quality bass amp with neutral bass tone lightweight and super high performance. It sounds great to low volume to max volume. And if you decide to grow you can just and an extension cabinet for more than double the volume at 8 ohm gig at a small concert add the 3rd at 4ohm(the lower the number usually mean higher volume/power).
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One more vote for the Rumble 500 combo. It is deceptively light (as are all of the amps in that line) It has served me well so far. No live gigs, but Iāve been using it for once a month rehearsal and its plenty loud enough with 2 guitars, drums and vocals. Fits in my back seat and does not break my back hauling it a bit. (although I did get an inexpensive 2 wheel cart that folds up so I can stack a couple things and haul from the car to the space)
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[quote=āSubsonicRob, post:7, topic:26337ā]
Are you sure you need an amp? Will the venues plug you in to their PA system (FOH)? If so just get a DI box or maybe something like a Sansamp VT Bass DI. Some amps have a DI out too so you can use a small amp (i.e. Fender Rumble 100W) just as a personal monitor.
[/quote
We have not got that far yet, but most of the venues around here are small. I also need it for rehearsals. Having a DI out would be helpful, it sounds like. Cheers
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Iāve got a Rumble 15w practice amp but usually go through a DAI into my computer with headphones. Thanks for the recommendations.
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Having a DI in your setup is always a good idea, regardless of the venueās configuration. I highly recommend getting one eventually (make sure itās a good one).
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Thanks all. I think Iām going with the Rumble 500 as suggested by a few folk here and also a mate of mine who is a sound engineer. Just waiting for the Black Friday sales to start. Thanks for all the input. 
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I think that is a very smart move. While it is true a lot of venues may have a PA many do not, so having your own amp is really a good idea.
You mentioned in the OP gigs may get up to 100 people. You take that many people and add a loud drummer into the mix and you are going to have problems cutting through the noise with even a Rumble 100 if there is no PA to plug into. Getting a Rumble 200 is still only going to give you 140Watts without an external speaker and by the time you buy that to get the 200 Watts you will be over the price of a Rumble 500 which will give you 350 watts without the external speaker which is almost twice the power of a 200 with external speaker. So for the additional $150 or so for the 500 it is a no brainer to me.
By the way make sure you research and get yourself a good set of earplugs. These are not mentioned enough on the forum and I could never understand why. Remember - Hearing loss is permanent and irreversible. A lot may scoff but I wear mine at concerts and jam sessions. You donāt get a second chance.
At 71 my constant gigging days in a band are over but I still jam a lot and attend blues and bluegrass festivals. Good luck and all the best. 
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Good choice although I prefer seperate amp and speakers, coz it gives an opportunity to replace a single component in the future. But anyways, the Rumble is best in itās class IMHO
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A collegue of mine has two Markbass boxes with 4 10" speackers each. In addition an 1.5 kWatts amplifier.
The room lamp exploded, while he tested his installation. 
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Great lineup! 
Thatās why LED light was invented!
And splitting the bass power to two speaker positions prevent the guitarist from being blown from the stage 
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