FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Laney Amplifiers

Question:
I'm just about to buy a Laney 300 watt bass combo... are Laney amps any good for LOUD gigs (I mean loud!)? I've just given up on buying a Trace Elliot combo as they sound awful and I hear they have a reputation for blowing up regularly. Is a Laney amp worth the investment?

Answer:
Laney seem to have re-vamped their range over the last few years, and are certainly better made than they used to be, but Trace Elliot are really in another league. I'm a professional player, and a long-term Trace user (15 years +). In all this time, the only time I had any trouble was when I was on tour in Germany a couple of years ago, and a hired Trace amp head (which looked like it had seen a lot of action) blew up on on me. The only gear that has tone and performance that I like, and I would trust on the road apart from Trace, are SWR cabs, and GK heads. I've had one problem or another with most other major makes. The only real problem you *will* have is that if you want to shift air in a high volume situation, a combo just isn't going to cut it. You need to seriously consider a seperate head (400 watts +) and cabinets (at least a 4x10 plus a 1x15). That should deliver what you're after fairly comfortably - anything else will just be a big disappointment and ultimately a waste of money.