Last night we had our first band gig since coming back from the US, and the first gig with our new speakers and amplifier. It was fantastic!! The amplifier has plenty of power and the speakers can handle it. And my new bass speaker, just wow!

At first I was using the former bass player’s 15” speaker while he was out if town. It was good. Then he came back, I went full time, and he moved to Colombia with his speaker. Joel made me a cabinet with two 10” speakers that weren’t really made for bass but it’s what we had. I had to be very careful to use clean settings, no distortion, and not turn up the volume too much or they distorted terribly. Joel supplemented by running a fair amount of bass through the PA, but I don’t hear that on stage so my bass always felt weak. Then, we bought a 15” speaker locally for $50 and it was wonderful to have good sound again. It lasted two gigs and went silent. It couldn’t handle the job. Ok,  back to the cabinet with two 10’s.

Then we came back from the US with my new Faital 15” $200 speaker, worth every single penny. It’s clear and strong over the entire range of the bass, and with any effects setting I want to use. I no longer have to be afraid to turn up the volume. It’s built for more than I will ever demand. At one point I had my preamp/effects pedal at about 65%, and my amplifier at about 75%, using a pick. The rest of the band complained I was killing them with volume and the audience had a somewhat dazed look. And, to think I had room to turn it up a lot more?! I had mercy and turned it down but it was sure fun for one song 😁

The PA also sounds fantastic, clear, strong, and big. Who would think upgrading equipment would be so good! We are very glad that our audience enjoys what we do, but we also play for ourselves and to have everything sounding so good, it makes us really happy.

So last night,  we went to Boquete, to Mike’s Global Grill, saw a lot of friends, caused a lot of dancing, loved how we are sounding, and came home with really yummy Asian food…. what’s not to love!

I’m sure that’s way more than you all ever wanted to know about band equipment and bass speakers, but since this has become such a big part of my life, that what I felt like writing about today.

If any of you want to see and hear for yourselves, next Sunday, in a week, we are at the Boquete Brewing Company, 5pm. They love a big sound and are always asking for more bass (it’s where I destroyed my last 15”). It’s outside on the patio so you can listen from a block away if you want to 😉 Then, in two weeks we are back at Mike’s. We do more hard rocking music at the Brewery for the younger Panamanian crowd, and more dance favorites at Mike’s for the gringo people.

We have a Facebook page if you want to keep up with our schedule. https://www.facebook.com/pg/monkeynerveband/events/

If someone had told me I’d be 65, retired, living in Panama, and playing bass in a rock band I never would have believed a word of it!