Best all-around starter amp?

[Tupac]

I'm a very flimsy person when it comes to the instruments I like to play. Can someone give me cheapest starter amp with the best quality? If you really need a genre, I'll likely be playing funk and jazz the most, but I don't want to be stuck in a corner where I lose interest for it and have an amp that can't optimally take a non-funk bass and sound.

[unclekebm]

Acoustic B10 or B20

[JxBass]

+1 for Acoustic B20.

[BigOldHarry]

No no no

Get a used GK400 RB and a 2x12" cab. The head will run you ~$150 and be much better than anything you get from GC's "acoustic" line.

[lomo]

Need to know:
1) budget
2) features wanted>>headphone out a plus?
3)do you care how big and heavy it is?

[seamonkey]

Go PA powered speaker.
A medium powered PA speaker with a small mixer, you'll get your bass, and a mic, and a seat all in one.
Walk over to the PA/FOH part of the store and check them out. Some are very good.
Some not, so buy from a store that lets you try for 30 days.

[Bassamatic]

Another vote for the B20. Starting to see them for less than $100 now on Craig's List.

[RickenBoogie]

The "best" is any amp that you like and can afford. Period.

[Tupac]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

The "best" is any amp that you like and can afford. Period.

I mostly want reliability and lasting a long time. It's hard to check those things from trying it in a store.

Originally Posted by lomo

Need to know:
1) budget
2) features wanted>>headphone out a plus?
3)do you care how big and heavy it is?

Oooh, I headphone jack would be nice, but I can do without it. And I don't exactly care about how big and heavy it is. And I'd prefer something small, but It's another thing I can do without, provided it isn't a mammoth. As for budget, I just want something cheap. I don't really know about prices for bass amps, I'd say maybe under $100? I can raise it if that's too constricting.

[MuthaFunk]

Up here in Ontario Canada many of us bass players started playing Yorkville equipment. It's virtually indestructible and is priced exceptionably well. It's worth a look.

[HertzWhenIPlay]

i use an old fender keyboard amp to practice with. It's a KXR60 to be specific.
it really rocks as a practice amp IMHO. It has a 12" speaker, 2 input channels (great for my drum machine) and headphone out. not sure what they are going for but, keep your options open and you should find something more than adequate for $100. One thing to keep in mind is that bass players are usually in demand and even if ya ain't that good you might find opportunities to gig.
that being said, you might wanna spend a lil more and get something you can gig with, if you plan to have just one amp.

[SolomonHelsing]

small and lightweight dont seem to exist for bass amps, starter amps maybe, but i went straight to a 30watt Marshall MB, Speaking of which, it might be over $100 as its £75 roughly here but the 15watt Marshall MB might not be a bad call, good sound when i used the 30watt version. and It was only about 4/5 years after i bought it that it came into problems relating to the jack socket, but i think it was jack socket alone.

[Russell L]

Look at Squier brand. Decent stuff and inexpensive.

[Tupac]

Originally Posted by HertzWhenIPlay

i use an old fender keyboard amp to practice with. It's a KXR60 to be specific.
it really rocks as a practice amp IMHO. It has a 12" speaker, 2 input channels (great for my drum machine) and headphone out. not sure what they are going for but, keep your options open and you should find something more than adequate for $100. One thing to keep in mind is that bass players are usually in demand and even if ya ain't that good you might find opportunities to gig.
that being said, you might wanna spend a lil more and get something you can gig with, if you plan to have just one amp.

Haha, I can tell you right now that I won't be doing gigs for a while. I'm just a shy person like that. The most I can picture myself doing is a small demo.

Originally Posted by SolomonHelsing

small and lightweight dont seem to exist for bass amps, starter amps maybe, but i went straight to a 30watt Marshall MB, Speaking of which, it might be over $100 as its £75 roughly here but the 15watt Marshall MB might not be a bad call, good sound when i used the 30watt version. and It was only about 4/5 years after i bought it that it came into problems relating to the jack socket, but i think it was jack socket alone.

Hmm, I've heard bad about Marshall amps. But from your description that seems good.

[My name is Mudd]

Even tho I've dealt mine off, I'll +1 the Ac B20. No, it's not equal to the OG Acoustic and yes, it's a GC house brand - it's also a nice inexpensive (as opposed to cheap) practice amp that has some good tone potential in it with its 12" speaker, headphone and line-in jacks, and IMO sounds about a THOUSAND times better than the Fender equivalents. I'd recommend putting it up on an amp stand.

- edit; get a VT Bass and the B20 can imitate an Ampeg SB12 rather well.

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

The "best" is any amp that you like and can afford. Period.

There's a LOT to be said for this as truth.

[Tupac]

The B20 is a tad too expensive for my budget, anything cheaper? I can make it work, but still...

[SurferJoe46]

The Acoustic B20 is $129.00 right now - and there isn't any amp or combo that is gonna be that inexpensive for what it is.

That's c h e a p !

The B-20 isn't gonna blow your doors out - but it WILL make your neighbors angry.

If you buy new from GC and get the Pro-Gear service contract, it will be covered for EVERYTHING - even falling out of the sky or having something fall out of the sky on IT!

[Bruce B]

You can get it in the pack for $119.99:

Buy Acoustic B20 Bass Amp Pack | Solid State Combo Amps | Musician's Friend

There was a coupon code for $15 off recently so you could get it for $104.99 with that and free shipping. PM me if you want the code and I'll see if I can dig it up.

[SurferJoe46]

^^ That's even better! I never think of gear packs!

[waleross]

My 2 cents: Fender combo Rumble or Bassman . I just heard a band in a bar setting and the bass amp was a small Bassman combo going through the PA. It did the job which is what you want.