Anyhoo, for those who haven't been following my adventures here at Eden, my name is Sean O'Bryan Smith and I'm a professional bassist out of Nashville and a die-hard Edenite. For nearly a decade, I've been using Eden cabs and heads as my primary backline with a number of artists. Whether doing coliseums with Billy Ray Cyrus and Rodney Atkins, or theaters with artists like Anna Wilson and Justin Conn, I've relied on Eden to save the day multiple times.

About a two years ago, I was referred to our good buddy Lane Baldwin here at Eden by fellow low end brother Professor Roy Vogt. Roy and I are good friends and he knew I was interested in pursuing a partnership with Eden. Needless to say, I'm totally stoked about the move to Eden and it was like going home hearing my arsenal through the O'Great Collection of Eden gear I now own. Let me point out one every important thing before moving on -- I consider myself a True Endorser. See, they don't give me free gear to say I like their stuff. I paid for every piece of gear in my personal arsenal, and will continue to do so. OK, fine. I get to buy direct, but I still buy this stuff. Using free gear and calling yourself an endorser is like selling that cheap insurance on late night TV. Know what I mean? (wink, nod)

So, enough of Baldy Locks, let's get to the good stuff and discuss the Three Rigs. . .

Deep, deep in the forest (actually, it was at the end of my dead end street), there lived three rigs. There was Papa Bear: a WT-800 and two D-410XSTs. Mama Bear: a WT-405 with a D-210XLT and a D-210XST, and Baby Bear (currently loaned out to Professor Roy) : a WTX-260 and a pair of D-112XLTs. Can we say "glad I have a good security system?" Obviously I can combine all this stuff in multiple ways depending on my live requirements but these are the main combinations I use and setup has its purpose. Our story today is a breakdown and comparison of these rigs to see who may have been grooving in whoever's bed, and then had a restraining order placed on them then ended up with a "Will Play Bass for Food" sign, and . . . never mind.

Now, Papa Bear is just that, boys and girls. He is big, burly, fierce, and growls for days. Seriously, the WT-800 is one of the most widely used and respected amps in the industry. The list of players that have relied on the WT-800 to supply them their groove over the years is staggering. In Nashville, these are everywhere and owned by some of the top cats in town including Abe White (Cold Truth, Dan Shaffer), John Billings (Donna Summer), and Anthony Joyner (Shania Twain, Faith Hill). This is just a sample of the many reasons I have used this amp for nearly a decade for my backline.

The features of the WT-800 cover everything I ever need from medium sized venues to coliseums. The tone section of the WT-800 is my personal favorite feature. I currently own over 20 basses ranging from real hi-fi sounding active pieces like my Tobias and Valley Arts to my vintage and passive arsenal including my early 70's Hagstrom and Gibson Thunderbird. The WT-800 makes every bass I own sound like a million bucks. Once you pair them with the pair of D-410XSTs, let me just say HOLY CRAP!!

Having used XLT cabs for a number of years, I was skeptical about switching because I was part of the "ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. Leave it to Lane to convince me to try the XSTs and glad you did, buddy. The XST cabs I own are the most significant improvement I have had to my tone in years. I play extremely percussive and the focus and attack of these cabs are breathtaking to me. My first experience with this rig was taping segments for the FOX TV show Nashville. It destroyed! I also took Papa Bear to Memphis recently with The Justin Conn Band and there were not many people in the house not grooving. I think that says it all.

Even though Papa Bear is the man of the house, we can't forget Mama Bear. Let's face it kiddies. Who actually does most of the REAL grunt work in a household? That's right, it's good ole Mom. My rig is no different. As much as I love hauling the big rig, it is not always practical to transport and serious overkill for most venues. Just like a Man!!! Enter the WT-405 (arguably my favorite in my collection) paired with a D-210XLT and a D-210XST. This setup has become a staple for me because it's significantly more compact yet still has enough wattage to carry most venues. I love simple, elegant setups and the WT-405 is great for me. Something about a real straight forward preamp combined with a good amount of power gets me jolly quickly. I also love the fact that there are speaker mutes and a mute switch right on the front of the amp since I switch basses live a lot.

Mental note: The Bass Dynamic Boost switch REALLY pisses off sax players.

The WT-405 is extremely diverse once coupled with the D-210XST and my trusty D-210XLT. The latter has been my pride and joy for over six years and done more tours and shows than I can count and never once gave me a lick of problems. Put THAT in the testimonial section Lane!! [OK... no problem. Ed.] The combination of the XLT and XST cabs is very hip in that you get the best of both worlds -- tons of growl, yet a serious bottom end. I particularly appreciate it with this setup since the tone section on the WT-405 is not as intensive as the WT-800. Translation: not missing a darn thing in the rump shaking category. You go, Mama!!!

Just for the record, whoever coined the phrase "Big Things Come in Small Packages" must have been using my Baby Bear rig on a gig. The WTX-260 head is nothing short of life changing for me because a) It thumps like Papa Bear, b) it weighs only 3 pounds, and c) did I mention I'm older and don't always have roadies to carry Papa Bear around? I literally throw mine in a briefcase and set it in my car which is good since I drive a Nissan Z car. YOU try to fit a pair of 410s in there. That being said, my "in-town rig" is Baby Bear. I can toss the two D-112XLTs in the front seat and then the WTX-260, a couple of basses, and my pedal board in the back and I'm off to the gig. It's a super-straightforward amp with two very capable cabinets. I really like the way that the 12s respond to my passive basses in particular. There's something about 12s combined with hollow bodies or vintage instruments that is extremely cool. This is also my primary upright rig due to the fact that it is so compact and just makes my electric upright sing. It wins the "most bang for the small package" award hands down.

Side Note: A WTX-260 can and WILL drive that 410XST if you so choose. Been there, done that, and shook the booties.

There ya go kiddies. As usual, I'm not the most technical minded fella but wanted to give an overview of these setups in case you were in a quandary as to which rig is best for you. Keep in mind that everyone's musical requirements are different. Even though I have the luxury of using the vast array of riggage in my basement, I can honestly say that I would rely on ANY of these setups to get the job done night after night after night. All three rigs just deliver and I'm never worried about getting to the gig and the rig not working. (Unfortunately, I cannot say that about the last manufacturer I worked with.) Bassically speaking (pun intended), Eden never compromises and it shows.

Thanks for letting me blab and if you like, go check out my Music Business Survival Column, or blog, or just buy me a cup of coffee.

Later,

S

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