Guitar Amps as Bass Amps

dmwynn · #1 10-08-2011, 04:24 PM

Anyone out there do this? I had an experience in the studio just hours before, using the overdrive on a Mesa/Boogie Maverick through a Sansamp Bass Driver and it sounded pretty incredible. At least recorded. Anyone out there use a guitar amp as a bass amp live? What seems to work best?

Mr. Foxen · #2 10-08-2011, 04:32 PM

I use a guitar amp as well as a bass amp (or as well as a PA amp/preamp). Generally they have the 'tone' in the midrange, but not the bottom. The guitar amp I have has big old transformers, so it is pretty bassy still. DI for lows and a guitar amp is probably the handy way.

Clammy · #3 10-08-2011, 04:36 PM

I used to play my 4001 through an early 90s full Marshall guitar stack (Model 4100 100W tube head, 1960A and B 4x12 cabs). Worked perfectly for what I was after (think Lemmy, with MORE distortion!

)

Cheers!

Munjibunga · #4 10-08-2011, 04:40 PM

The amps can work fine. Cabinets, not so much.

paganjack · #5 10-08-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

The amps can work fine. Cabinets, not so much.

This.

**bassistjoe93** · #6 10-08-2011, 04:54 PM

I never could get it to work. Whenever I played a note lower than the open "A" each note just sounded really farty.

dmwynn · #7 10-08-2011, 04:56 PM

Quote:

The amps can work fine. Cabinets, not so much.

Guitar speakers tuned differently? I was just enamored with the overdrive on the guitar amp using an American P with flats. It sounded so awesome. I dunno if it would translate live, but with the Bass Driver, I don't see why not.

Mr. Foxen · #8 10-08-2011, 05:02 PM

Guitar speakers operate differently. They break up loads, on purpose, adds colouration and 'tone'. The cabs don't do bottom end, as long as you don't expect it of them and try and eq it in, you are good to go. Tend to sound better with guitar amps than putting a guitar amp into a bass cab, tweeters and dark, clean speakers don't mix brilliantly.

**B-string** · #9 10-08-2011, 05:56 PM

Lets see a Fender Dual Showman WAS my rig with a Sunn 215 for a while, worked great as it did for many in those days.

Caca de Kick · #10 10-08-2011, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmwynn

Guitar speakers tuned differently? I was just enamored with the overdrive on the guitar amp using an American P with flats. It sounded so awesome. I dunno if it would translate live, but with the Bass Driver, I don't see why not.

Yes guitar speakers are very differen't. But for years many pros have used dual amps (one bass amp for clean, and a guitar amp for distortion) with their signals split and eq'd differently so not to blow the guitar speakers with bass frequencies. Listen to King's X when you get a chance....
Quite the many modern players are doing this with two bass amps.

Hoodee · #11 10-09-2011, 01:23 AM

Isn't that Justin Chancellor of Tool who uses both in the studio and on stage a guitar cab ( Marshall 4x12, no idea which speakers in it) ?

I was actually thinking about using that sort of setup for my next recording session. The band I'll have in the studio have already done some recording in the past and I know the bass player likes to get some more midrange into his signal ( he uses a lot of overdrive BTW). My idea his to have 3 signal chains :
1)Sansamp RBI (for the top end)
2)Peavey VTM 60 + Marshall 4x12 with Vinatge 30's (for the mids, with lots of distortion))
3)TE ah-250 + TE 1048h (for the lows, running clean)

Crystalman85 · #12 10-09-2011, 01:59 AM

I once used my brother's hartke gt100 guitar head through an ampeg svt 4x10 bass cab during rehearsals with a hard rock band that I use to play with. it actually had a pretty decent sound. the overdrive channel on the amp does give a really nice grit. even though I never really gigged with this set-up, I would say this set-up sounded awesome.

Jeff Scott · #13 10-09-2011, 08:46 PM

Both my early '70s Fender Princeton Reverb Amp (15 watts) and 1962 Fender Concert Amp (40 watts) make great bass amps when plugged into either of my bass cabinets (2-8 or 2-12). I get great, clean tone that can get quite loud enough to use with my band. The Concert Amp into it's own speakers sound great for low level playing, and especially nice for recording.

rickwebb · #14 10-09-2011, 08:50 PM

back in the 80's, i used to run my 4001 and my P-bass through a Sunn 100S head (1968 vintage) and a Sunn 6x10 cabinet. the 100s head had a reverb circuit and a tremolo circuit, so i'm guessing it was more of a guitar amp. but damn, that rig sounded tight and punchy. the low end was full and clean, never boomy at all. wish i still had it... and my old 4001, and my old P-bass... but i digress...