Small bass amp for the ignorant

[gibs]

Trust me, I know next to nothing about bass amps...I've always DI'd for recording using my minimal bass skills, but I wanna get a bass amp that I can play with for fun as well as mic.....

I don't gig out, so I don't need to compete with other instruments....but I'd kinda like a full sound for my own pleasure....

I've looked at some stuff on the net to get an idea of list prices, speaker size, bells and whistles and stuff, keeping in mind that I would rather not spend a million dollars for something that's not a drop dead necessity...and a couple of ones stuck out price-wise....namely:

Hartke B30, (30 watts 10") sez it handles active/passive pickups well (my new bass has one P and one J, but has a built in preamp)and has an out for DI....list $219....$169 at samash

Rogue CG50B (50 watts 12") has effects loop.....$319 list... $119 musiciansfriend....

but there's also even smaller versions of both of these:

Hartke B20 (20 watts 8") list $169...$129 samash

Rogue CG20R (20 watts 8") fxloops and reverb...list $89....$69 musiciansfriend...

Would the smaller ones be ok?...

the Rogues kinda scare me because they're so inexpensive....I mean $69????

but the plain vanilla Hartke 20 watt job might just be the ticket....?

or the 30????

I'd for sure like to have an old tube, but price and size pretty much negates that idea.......

any ideas or suggestions appreciated.......gibs

[Wide Awake]

There are some reviews of small bass amps at www.bassplayer.com

They liked the Peavey Microbass in that shootout. I played an Ampeg the other day that was good but it was still heavier than I would like....I'm looking for a practice amp that I can easily throw in the car. The SWR Workingman LA8 is a 30-watt amp with an 8'' speaker and costs around $220....I plan to go play one soon.

[gibs]

Thanks for the great link, Wide Awake......the Peavey might be the right one....they seemed to like the Danelcetro's looks better than its sound.....I need to go to one of the bigger towns around here and try to find and hear the Peavey Micro, the Hartke, and the Rogue............gibs

[someone else]

I wouldn't rule out E-bay, to make your dollars go further, or even local used sources, sometimes you can find some real gems, and I'm sure if you're not in a big hurry, you will find something that works just right,....
Example, in my local paper under articles for sale, someone is advertising a Kramer bass, and amp for $350. I called just to see what the amp was, and to ask if he would take any less.

It was a Rogue amp, 50 watts I think he said, and yes he would take less...... I wasn't interested myself, but passed along the info to someone who was.....

This is the stuff I mean, it's all a moot point if you are decided to buy new, but I thought you may want another post to read...... and another opinion , after all, we are here to help each other make music, .......right..??

Upstate

[gibs]

ebay's not out of the question...but I still need to try to see and hear one of these things....I wish Rogue had been on the bass comparisons on that link that Wide Awake gave above.....I don't even know where Rogue is made, but from the prices I've found new, sounds like it's from overseas......

I'm kinda leaning toward the Peavey if I can find one to listen to....gibs

[GT]

Hey Gibs,

The one I tried at Sam Ash that sounded really good, was the Hartke kickback twelve. Nice sound, and that aluminum speaker looks really cool.

This maybe bigger than what you want, but check it out if you get a chance.

www.samsontech.com

GT

[faithmonster]

Gibs,

Look at Crate's lineup of bass amps-


Faithmonster