Bass Amp for Guitarist

[Moonrider]

I'm pretty much doing the same thing you are, and opted for a Fender Bassman 25, for about $200 (it was the floor model). It's only 25 watts, but I really liked the sound. Plus, it's I/O setup gives it a bit more flexibility than almost all of the amps I tried in the same price range (less than $300)

 

[dejacky]

But if the the Fender Rumble 60 Bass Combo is 60watts, it should be easier to hear when jamming with friends than the 25watt? Or am I just beating a dead horse here?... I really want a 12in speaker cheap bass amp that sounds good. It's main use will be at home playing with one drummer, electric guitar, and possibly a pa OR the singer's voice will just be distributed thru headphones.

-dejacky

 

[Adam P]

I would save the extra cash and go with one of the Ampeg combos with a 15". I've used the Fender BXR series...weak (although I do have a BXR25 I got for free). Crate bass amps are crap, in my opinion. The Ampeg may cost more, but in the long run it would be the better investment, in my opinion. Plus, if you plan to take it to a serious gig in the future, you can always add in a 4x10" or another 1x15" cab. Look for used deals, too. I bought an Ampeg B2R head and SVT410 cabinet when I was 16 and I still use the head now (I'm 23) and I would use the cab except that I sold it to buy an SVT810. I think it pays to go with more than necessary...there's nothign worse than buying a piece of gear and having it do the job for the time being, but turn out to be next to useless when you need to take a step up.

 

[Moonrider]

But if the the Fender Rumble 60 Bass Combo is 60watts, it should be easier to hear when jamming with friends than the 25watt?

I should have emphasized that when I use the Bassman 25 by itself, it's almost always for tracking. The few times I've used at in jams, it's been jacked into a PA or a 1000 watt power amp with appropriate cabs, and a REAL bass player was using it

 

[W.S. Walcott]

In the "combo" amps I've played through above...w/ the exception of the Ampeg....which I bet is killer...I think the SWR Working mans series are great....

 

[dejacky]

Walcott,
thanks! You and the previous owner of my bass guitar both highly recommended the SWR workingman's amp. I think I'm going to get one!

-dejacky

 

[DJL]

My favorite small bass combo amps are (in order)... 1) Ampeg B-15R. 2) Ampeg B-100R... then the Trace Elliot Commando 15 and SWR Workingman's 15.

 

[Roaf]

"upgrade" = bad idea

Thanks guys for the input. Looks like I will buy the Crate for practice/studio applications and later will invest in a more powerful amp for loud jamming and giging.

I may be too late to help VirtualSamana but since this thread is still active maybe I can save another soul...

You may be on a budget but buying a 50W bass amp (regardless of the brand) and upgrading later is a bad idea and here is why...

Everyone is absolutely correct when they say that the 50 watt won't keep up with the drums or even a 25 watt guitar. It may sound great in the store but it will sound like horsesh!t when you jam with other instruments. You will have to crank it up to 10 just to be heard and at that volume you will overdrive the speaker and the sound will be something like a scratchy guitar but in a lower register.

You will get frustrated with the sound and then when you go and upgrade you will get a fraction of what you paid for the 50W as a trade in.

Do yourself a favor and go into a little debt if you have to and get a 75 if not 100W right of the bat. Also, just as important as wattage is speaker size 15" is better than 12".

SWR makes a 15" 100W combo amp that retails for $300. Pick up something like that USED at guitar center and take advantage of there 30 day money back trial period on used gear.

I don't even try stuff in the store any more. If the light goes on when I hit the switch I just buy it, take it to the studio, and put it through its paces. If it doesn't work, return it. So far I've never had to return anything. (This isn't plug for GC - go to any store that has such a return policy).

I have been playing bass for 16 years and found you should never skimp on amplifiers or those acoustic basses. They sound good in the store but not when you get them home!

The 15" combo is small enough to take home and if you want to practice set the volume low or use head phones.

I personally own a Peavy TKO 75 with a 12" cone. When I practice I would actually rather drag my 350W head and 18" cabinet with me.

When it comes to bass amps don't skimp!

-Roaf

 

[dejacky]

15" is better than 12".

Isn't this debateable? My good friend, who is an amazing bass player and musician, says the 12's sound better in his opinion...more musical overall. Could you please be specific about why you think or know 15inchers are better than 12's? I'm just trying to make the best purchase desicion for my bass amp. Thanks!

-dejacky

 

[Roaf]

15" vs 12"

I guess thate there is some gray area here. The 15" cone will give you a more bassy (frequency wise) sound. In my experience - and anyone jump in here if they think otherwise - the combo amps with 12" cones tend to distort a lot easier than those with bigger cones. If you aren't playing full blast, and maybe you are playing some slap/funk bass where you might roll off the bass and boost the mids and highs, then I supposed a 12" would suffice.

I am biased toward being low and loud. My rig is an Ampeg 350 Watt head with an SWR Big Ben (EIGHTEEN INCH!!!) cab and an Ampeg SVT 4X10 cab. When I practice I don't usually bring the 410 with me and boost the mids more than I would live. - I know I am expousing the virtues of larger cones and I go an tell you I have four 10" cones but I use that cab more for volume and a little bit of definition (that 18" alone full blast sounds like a truck).

Again feel free to contradict me here but my thought is with a 15" cone you can go places down low that the 12 " won't get to, but you can also use the EQ to get those mids and trebles. I think the larger the cone the more versitility you have.

 

[DJL]

Yeah, 15" vs 12" is debateable... but I rather have a 15" over a 12" any day of the week... I even like 10 inchers better than 12". Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Oh, and remember... your sound will have a lot to do with what strings you use.

 

[kid klash]

Hi there -

I'm a guitarist too, but also play bass occasionally. Have you checked out the Carvin bass amps? Our bass player has a Carvin R-600 with a 2x10" and 1x 18", and it's awsome!!! They've got a killer 100w combo with one 15" and lots of features for $299 that looks mighty cool to me. The following is from Carvin's website :

PB100-15 - PB100-15: 100W 15'' Combo Bass Amp

Carvin has broken the price/performance barrier with the newest Pro-Bass 100 Series which is available in 2 models. The PB100-15 features the heavy-duty PS15 400 watt 15" woofer for louder & deeper bass response down to 41 Hz. Unlike other small amps, these are loud, powerful 100 Watt models delivering their full power into an 8ohm speaker-not 4ohm. And, because they are built for professional users, pro features include; 3 pre-shape filter buttons for contouring the initial sound from your pickup, shelving bass & treble tone controls with a parametric sweep control for those important mid range frequencies, effects loop, variable compressor that limits peaks and a noise gate to quiet any hum from your pickups.