Help me pick a budget bass amp

[thebigcheese]

I'm looking for something that I can find under $300 (used is fine). I've been using a J-Station amp modeler to record, but I might start gigging soon, so it might be nice to have an actual amp. The J-Station also doesn't have very good overdrive tones. It doesn't seem to tough to find an amp that has a good clean sound (the 100w Acoustic amp at GC sounds nice, though it might not be enough power), but I'm having trouble finding one that distorts nicely. It needs to have enough power to be heard over half stacks and drums (metal band), so I'm guessing 200w would be nice. In terms of sound, I'd like it to distort nice, like Tool or A Perfect Circle (Thirteenth Step) or especially Lamb of God. A lot of them seem to use the Mesa 400+, but I don't have that kind of money. A lot of people also seem to use the Gallien Krueger, but I haven't had much chance to check those out. Someone near me is selling a Backline 600, so I was going to check that out. I'd like to either have a combo or a head with a direct out so I can use it for recording or running it to the PA system. I realize it's not nearly as cool as having a big stack, but I am extremely short on funds ($300 is really stretching it; $200 is more like it).

The band I would be using it with drops down to C, so the amp needs to handle low tunings well (I've read that can be an issue, so I thought I'd mention it).

 

[Roguetitan]

for that kind of budget you might need to scout around the local pawn shops.
the best thing for something new in that price range would be a GK Brat Pack IMO the Brat Pack is equipped with an XLR direct out so hooking up to a PA will be no problem.

 

[thebigcheese]

Would 115w really be loud enough? Also, to clarify what I mean by the distortion/overdrive, listen to the verses in Vicarious by Tool. It's still well-defined as a bass, it's just a little dirty.

 

[witzendoz]

I think it will be impossible to find a decent live rig new for $300, from my many years experience as a bass player you need at least 300 watts to keep up with any guitar amp of 30 watts.

The reason is that bass needs a clean signal, if guitar amps are cranked up and distort the guitar players love it, if the bass amp distorts forget it. You also need enough power to move air and create bass.

Look around for a second hand rig.

Cheers

Alan.

 

[Roguetitan]

Would 115w really be loud enough? Also, to clarify what I mean by the distortion/overdrive, listen to the verses in Vicarious by Tool. It's still well-defined as a bass, it's just a little dirty.

you are very limited to the wattage bass amp with your limited budget, you could add a couple of hundred dollars to that budget and get a Kustom Groove C310 which would be loud enough to blow windows out and would definately be the biggest bang for the buck but is heavier than hades.
but like I said most all venues have live sound enforcement so the BP would give you enough stage dynamics to work for gigs and is certainly loud enough for garage rehearsals.

 

[Fletch-X]

I agree with witzendoz. You are going to need at least 300 watts and a something like a 4x10. Go used!!! Your best bet is to look for an old Peavey rig on craigslist or even ebay.

 

[cephus]

I got a used peavey mark iV (or mark VI) head and a 1x15 fender cab from some fellow musician down on his luck. Good enough for me. I think I got it for $200. Well, it was $200 he owed me. Don't know the currency exchange rate for money out of pocket versus money owed.

 

[thebigcheese]

Used is just fine by me. If I can find a head and cab separate, that's also fine. That Backline 600 is 300w and the guy is selling it for $200, which seems like a reasonable price. I'm going to try one out at Guitar Center today, I think, and see if it sucks or not. I'm not in any rush to buy anything, but I thought I'd start looking now so I know what to look for and can keep an eye out for deals.

In theory, by the time the band starts gigging I will have a job and thus some actual money, so I'm thinking it might be best to start out with focusing on just a good head while I am still jobless. The rehearsal space has a full stack and an Ampeg B2E head (I think), so I can use that for now, though I could swap in my own head if I had one.

 

[Yonce N Mild]

My bro just bought a new bass and bass amp to use exactly like you want. He plays in a metal band and they play in drop C he's also after a similar tone.
He got the Acoustic 200 watt head with the 15 cab. It's loud enough too keep up with a couple of guitars and live drums during rehearsal. Nice thing about it is you can crank it and it doesn't distort.
I'm really impressed with it. Sounds awesome. It handles that open C like a champ.


They have a factory restock head at MF for $179. http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product?sku=482904V

It's about $250 brand new.


Go to you local GC and check one out.

 

[Roguetitan]

I agree with witzendoz. You are going to need at least 300 watts and a something like a 4x10. Go used!!! Your best bet is to look for an old Peavey rig on craigslist or even ebay.

that is the biggest load of BS.
with sound reinforcement you don't even need an amp you can get by with a Sansamp Bass DI

How many times have dimed your 300 watt amp in order to be heard?
never I bet.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Peavey TNT-130, look for one on your local Craigslist.

Fender Bassman Ten, try your local Craigslist, if you're lucky you could find one for around $300

Peavey Mark III head and some 4x10 or some 1x15 cab, maybe you could find one with the matching 2x15 or 2x10/1x18/ cab, those go for about $300 usually.

 

[cephus]

that is the biggest load of BS.
with sound reinforcement you don't even need an amp you can get by with a Sansamp Bass DI

How many times have dimed your 300 watt amp in order to be heard?
never I bet.

You're batshit.

Sound reinforcement?

If you want to get hired as a sideman, you should probably have a freaking amp.

"I don't need one. I have a sansamp."

 

[thebigcheese]

You're batshit.

Sound reinforcement?

If you want to get hired as a sideman, you should probably have a freaking amp.

"I don't need one. I have a sansamp."

Well, that was the approach I was originally hoping for--just plug the J-Station into the PA and be done with it. But I think they would rather I get an amp, so... yeah.

I tried out that Acoustic B200H today. I like it better than the GK. All the Acoustics I've tried out have nice tone, but the B200H seems kind of noisey (hiss whenever it's on). I don't think it's the bass, but I dunno. I do have EMGs, if that means anything. Hiss seems more prevalent overall on bass amps than on guitar amps, IMO. Could that just be the cab rather than the amp? I was playing that one on a big Acoustic full stack and the GK on a GK half stack.

As for the distortion bit... only the GK, which has an actual "overdrive" channel, has any sort of distortion. Even the expensive Ampegs and Mesas don't distort. Am I just taking the wrong approach? Do the bassists I was talking about just use a pedal? It seemed like such a minimal amount of distortion that I figured it had to be the amp rather than getting a pedal for just that little bit, but maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.
Edit: I'm noticing that most of them use a Sansamp, which seems to have a distortion channel of sorts. Is that where it's coming from?

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Well, that was the approach I was originally hoping for--just plug the J-Station into the PA and be done with it. But I think they would rather I get an amp, so... yeah.

I tried out that Acoustic B200H today. I like it better than the GK. All the Acoustics I've tried out have nice tone, but the B200H seems kind of noisey (hiss whenever it's on). I don't think it's the bass, but I dunno. I do have EMGs, if that means anything. Hiss seems more prevalent overall on bass amps than on guitar amps, IMO. Could that just be the cab rather than the amp? I was playing that one on a big Acoustic full stack and the GK on a GK half stack.

As for the distortion bit... only the GK, which has an actual "overdrive" channel, has any sort of distortion. Even the expensive Ampegs and Mesas don't distort. Am I just taking the wrong approach? Do the bassists I was talking about just use a pedal? It seemed like such a minimal amount of distortion that I figured it had to be the amp rather than getting a pedal for just that little bit, but maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.
Edit: I'm noticing that most of them use a Sansamp, which seems to have a distortion channel of sorts. Is that where it's coming from?

Actual distortion for bass = DISGUSTING.

Use the gain control.

 

[thebigcheese]

Actual distortion for bass = DISGUSTING.

Use the gain control.

Personal preference, perhaps, but I know what I'm looking for, and if you read what I wrote, you would know what I'm looking for, too (which is generally not lots of distortion). The gain control on any of the amps I have tried doesn't do anything except make it louder.

 

[darrin_h2000]

You're batshit.

Sound reinforcement?

If you want to get hired as a sideman, you should probably have a freaking amp.

"I don't need one. I have a sansamp."

Geddy Lee does that.
A used sansbass is like what $50...add a slave...and I saw a Peavey 1820 cabnet on craigslist for $100.

I bought a Sunn 200b for $5 at a swap-meet...and with that Peavey 1820 and my $50 sansbass...theres a killer bass rig.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Personal preference, perhaps, but I know what I'm looking for, and if you read what I wrote, you would know what I'm looking for, too (which is generally not lots of distortion). The gain control on any of the amps I have tried doesn't do anything except make it louder.

Yeah I was just saying haha.

Well I always mess around on those new Acoustic rigs at Guitar Center, I just dime the gain and tweak the volume so they wont kick me out and it gets pretty distorted, at least enough for me.

If you want distortion, like legit guitar type distortion/overdrive. Your best bet probably is the GK head, or some sort of bass distortion/overdrive pedal.

 

[thebigcheese]

Yeah I was just saying haha.

Well I always mess around on those new Acoustic rigs at Guitar Center, I just dime the gain and tweak the volume so they wont kick me out and it gets pretty distorted, at least enough for me.

If you want distortion, like legit guitar type distortion/overdrive. Your best bet probably is the GK head, or some sort of bass distortion/overdrive pedal.

I just want some grit, which I think I said already. Even with the gain cranked all the way up I couldn't get any distortion, but maybe if I plugged it into the passive input? I dunno, that seems like it could be a bad idea with an active bass.

I was looking at the specs and the B200H says 200w @ 4 ohms, then it lists a couple Acoustic cabinets it could be matched with (B115 and B410), but both of those are 8 ohm cabinets. I thought the idea was to match impedance... am I missing something here?

 

[cavedog101]

The cheapest bass amp you can get is one that some schmuck of a friend of a friend bought to "Be In A Band" that broke up and he doesnt have room to store it.

Borrow one. You'd be surprised how many of these are out there.

 

[cephus]

Geddy Lee does that.
A used sansbass is like what $50...add a slave...and I saw a Peavey 1820 cabnet on craigslist for $100.

I bought a Sunn 200b for $5 at a swap-meet...and with that Peavey 1820 and my $50 sansbass...theres a killer bass rig.

Geddy lee isn't out shopping for sideman gigs in my area.

I was responding to a post that seemed to think that it would be OK for you to pump your bass through the vocal monitors because an amp is unnecessary. And that is batshit.

clearly a player, particularly a sideman is responsible for his own monitor. That one of the things that sucks about keyboard players. They come with a 400# keyboard and no amp and expect to razz out the horn on your vocal monitors all night. Sorry. I'd sooner hire bagpipes for a bluegrass band.

Bring your own amp.

And I agree that there are cheap amps out there. I am guilty myself of convincing more than one guy who really wanted to be in a band to pick up bass. Not a single one of them still plays.