mic into bass amp?

[poomwah]

Please don't even bother bringing up the classic, go out and buy something else nonsense. Not everyone can just go out and spend money they don't have.
With that said, will using a bass amp as small PA for vocals damage it?

[bassgod0dmw]

People do it, and I don't believe it damages anything. I think there is a recent enough thread about it in the Live Sound forum...I'll see if I can find it.

EDIT:
My vocals through my bass rig???

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by poomwah

With that said, will using a bass amp as small PA for vocals damage it?

No.

Regards
Sam

[Tin Cadillac]

Not a problem at all and a bass amp is probably your best "all-around" amplifier as they are usually intended for a clean, transparent sound rather than a guitar amp (all tube, especially) that adds a lot of "Color."

Of course this all goes out of the window if the bass amplifier in question is an old Fender Bassman or all tube Ampeg SVT!

Note all of the bass amplifier manufacturers that also make Acoustic guitar amps (Trace Elliot and SWR especially). Requirements for acoustic guitar amplification are much the same as vocals - you want to amplify the signal without adding too much "Color". These acoustic guitar amps are often set up with a mic as well as an instrument input which works really well in smaller "Coffee House" venues.

I play both bass and standard guitar. If I had a gig playing acoustic guitar and needed to furnish my own amplification, I'd bring along a bass amp.

Probably more information than you were asking for though!

[DogBone]

It will be perfectly safe.

And depending on how "hi-fi" the bass amp is, it will probably sound just fine.

A keyboard amp would be a step better, just in case you would have access to that.

Avoid guitar amps for "creative" uses, they are pretty useless for anything but guitars.

[Tim1]

It will be better still if you have a small preamp to boost the mic signal (and to mix if you have more than one mic). Any cheapie will do.

[poomwah]

Thanks guys :] I really appreciate all the info :]

[JMimbs]

Originally Posted by DogBone

Avoid guitar amps for "creative" uses, they are pretty useless for anything but guitars.

My old guitarist was cleaning out his grandma's attic for her and came across an old PA amplifier from the 1940s. All tube, four knobs, and a turntable on top; I think its about 20 watts or something. The thing sucks as a PA; it distorts when you turn it up passed three.

The thing ROCKS as a guitar amp though!

[Ayce]

Originally Posted by JMimbs

My old guitarist was cleaning out his grandma's attic for her and came across an old PA amplifier from the 1940s. All tube, four knobs, and a turntable on top; I think its about 20 watts or something. The thing sucks as a PA; it distorts when you turn it up passed three.

The thing ROCKS as a guitar amp though!

IIRC, my Dad had one of those in his shop once. I think it was used by square dance callers.

[JMimbs]

Originally Posted by Ayce

IIRC, my Dad had one of those in his shop once. I think it was used by square dance callers.

Did it happen to look something like this?



Just with a turntable on top?

[Ayce]

Not quite. When I get a chance, I'll do a search of my memory, (and google) and see if I can find something close.

[Electricblue]

A signal is a signal. It shouldn't damage your amp unless you have an insanely hot on your mic or a Behringer amp.

Just keep an eye on it

[Downunderwonder]

Actually, the average mic is completely the wrong output impedance for an instrument preamp. You can buy a transformer to plug into the preamp which takes it up from the hundreds of ohms to the high hundreds of thousands. About 80 dollars.