Looking for a new small Amp

[craigc]

Just order a new Music Man Stingray 4HH. Looking for a small good sounding amp to learn on and maybe church. Looking at the Fender Rumble 30 or 75 combo. Any advice.

[scottfeldstein]

I wouldn't buy a combo with a single 12- or 10-inch speaker in it for anything but bedroom practice. Perhaps not even that. I say get something with a 15 or 2x10 at least.

[Ibanez Bassist]

Originally Posted by craigc

Just order a new Music Man Stingray 4HH. Looking for a small good sounding amp to learn on and maybe church. Looking at the Fender Rumble 30 or 75 combo. Any advice.

For what your looking to do with it, a combo gives you the best bang for your buck and several options.. I have several combos that range from 20 watt to 200 watt and then others.. Acoustic makes a great sounding little amp.. good tones for the size of the amp.. I like Mine..

[BillyIVbass]

I thought the Rumble 30 had a tighter sound due to the 10" speaker. The 75 was OK just not as much definition.

For smaller amps I always really dug my Acoustic B20 while I had it.

[cybersnyder]

If you have PA backup at church, check out the Line 6 Studio 110.

[IvanMike]

I would go with separates for a few reasons (as always, YMMV)

First, you can use the head with a lot of cabs -you can use a small 15 or 12 or 210 for the church gig and just leave it there. A lot of times churches have some old semi-crappy PA speakers laying around. I did a church gig for a long time with my head and a 1x15 + horn tweeter (horn blown) and it worked just great. I brought my head, and left the cab there as it was theirs anyway...

The used marked can be really good as long as you get some advice from people who know what's up (as in find out that X is available, and then ask a local player and/or on here in terms of "is this crap?"). The bass amp market is really volatile and we are fickle. What was the best greatest thing some years ago now isn't, and sells for a good price. Regrettably, with the economy the way it is, some folk just need to sell stuff, and it's a buyer's market these days. Feel free to help these people out!

Finally, with a separate amp (hopefully at least 200 watts @ 4 ohms or more) you can always have the amp grow with you. (i.e., you can buy better speakers down the road).

[pbasswil]

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

I wouldn't buy a combo with a single 12- or 10-inch speaker in it for anything but bedroom practice. Perhaps not even that. I say get something with a 15 or 2x10 at least.

Depends on your style(s), who you play with, where you play, drummer (or not), etc.

Bass is used for everything from acoustic folk duos, thru jazz, pop, up to stadium metal, hardcore, etc.

You can buy bass amps from 1 x 8" driver to sky's the limit. Because everyone has different needs.

I have some big cabs, but never want to be without a small combo that I can carry several blocks with one hand. Something like that's certainly appropriate for starting out in a bedroom.

[Ibanez Bassist]

I have a Rumble 100 and it has a tremendous sound and quite a bit of power but much to big/heavy to lug around for what you were talking about I think.. although it can be used elsewhere.. tough call someone said check your needs and I think thats the best call..

[AwkwardLoudness]

I also prefer separate amps / cabs rather than combos.

Genz Benz Streamliner 900 amp + Genz Benz NEOX 212 cab

or

Ampeg Micro VR amp + a pair of matching 2x10s

or

GK MB200 amp + GK 2x10 or two

[wideload]

GK has some combos with enough power to play, and light enough to move easily. I think a 200 watt 1x12 or 350 watt 2x12 will handle most any church gig. I use a (Peavey)350 watt 2x10 because I want to hear myself over the drummer, and still have a clean sound. It is a heavy beast, though!