Where do I start?

[D_T]

Ugh. Not seeing too many "how to get your first amp" type threads. I'm a total noob here. Hooking up to the home stereo will soon reach its useful life expectancy.

But there does seem to be a ton of stuff online to read about amps. The thing is, not much is devoted to the beginner. Most discussions are for higher end stuff.

I'm looking for a decent first amp. $200 is the MAX I should really spend on this. I spent $250 on a new Squier Vintage Modified (passive P and J) and I really like it. I'd rather spend less than $200 on the amp if I can help it.

I'm looking for an amp that will compliment this instrument and use the same logic ... buying something that is just a slight bit above total beginner and will let me grow into the instrument and various playing styles.

Even name brands would be helpful. I see a few $100 ish combo units for sale within an hour or so of me:

Crate MXB-10 Small Bass Combo Amp ($35)
Crate BX 80 Bass Amp ($100)
Crate Bass Amp Cabinet BX-25 ($100)
Peavey Max 112 Combo ($125)

Are the 10 and 15w amps just a total waste of time? Is there a minimum cone size I should be looking at (eg., 12")?

Just trying to get a basic setup. No real gigging intended for a while. Mainly want to enjoy myself, learn, and play along with some of my favorite tunes. I want to feel good about the sound and occasionally surprise myself with the potential of the instrument (hopefully).

Thanks,

D

[Russell L]

I have a 25w combo that is a waste of money. All it's good for , for me, is to use the headphone feature. Sure can't gig with it unless it were something REAL quiet, like an acoustic gig. Why don't you save a bit and get something like a GK MB112 combo ($339). Or the MB115. That 15 will make it louder, even though it's still 200w. But, it's $399. If you get something so small now, you'll just wish you had something bigger later. 200w will gig.

Just a thought. Or you might find something used that's better, too.

[D_T]

Yeah, I'm talking used for sure here.

[CL400Peavey]

Shop USED. I cant stress this enough. You have a tight budget then get the most for your money. For $200 you can get a decent practice combo.

As far as brands go I do love a PV product, and I have never had good experiences with Crate. I have also played through Fenders, Ampegs, and Acoustics that I have enjoyed. Hell I have even played through a Behrinnger that while not fantastic, wasnt bad.

[Russell L]

Maybe an old SWR Workingman's 12. You can get 'em for $100-$200.

[fivestringgecko]

This isn't directed at you in particular, just my opinion in general: an amp isn't something you want to cheap out on. It's a vital part of the Bass Guitar sound.

I personally would avoid the 10-15w combos... I've tried a few and the ones in your price range will probably sound tinny and flat and/or not have enough volume for your needs. A great starting amp will probably be in the 100 watt range and have a 12" driver.

I'd suggest hitting up some of the online retailers just to get an idea... Musician's Friend, Zzounds, American Musical, Guitar Center, etc. Read reviews and research brands. Then like others have said, hit the used market and see what you can find. The Talkbass classifieds are great, also check out Ebay and your local Craigslist. You may have to be more patient to find the right deal, but you'll get much more amp for your money.

Is $200 the max you SHOULD spend, or the max you CAN spend? If you can save up a little more scratch and get a better amp up front, it'll be with you longer and will have a longer "useful life expectancy." My very first amp was a Hartke Kickback 12. I bought it new 14 years ago for $450 out the door and you know what? I still use it to this day. It was my main amp for quite a while, I even used it on a 40ft outdoor stage (with monitor support though). Now it's my amp at church, I use it for practice and service every week.

5sg.

[alecduncan]

I'd reccomend looking on craigslist or the locals here for something to fit your budget.

Good products to be had:

Acoustic B20
GK MB115/112
Hartke Kickback 12
Peavey (Pretty much anything)
SWR Workingman

If you're extremely lucky you can find an SWR Basic Black, which is pretty much perfect. I saw one at a pawn shop recently for $200. If I had the money to spare I'd pick one of those babies up.

[tabdog]

The Acoustic B100 can be had new for
$150 plus tax right now. Just Google it,

Tabdog

[Joe Louvar]

I don’t know where you live but if there is a Guitar Center or any music store (the larger the better) I recommend taking your bass there and trying all the bass amps that cost a little more than you can afford (and within your budget too) and write down their Make and Model numbers plus the cost of the amp(s) you like. Then after you know which amp(s) you like best search for a used one here in the TB classified ads, Craigslist, Ebay, pawnshops, and etc. But first you need the personal experience of playing through some different bass rigs.

[WoodyG3]

I have a Hartke Kickback 12 that is a great little practice amp and would be fine for medium volume gigs in small venues. I used to have the little SWR 10 inch Workingman amp and it was great for the price, as well.

As a beginner, I'd suggest you buy the most amp you can afford, because it really makes a difference in how you sound, and therefore in how you feel about your playing. Nothing sounds very good through a cheap, low powered amp.

[Oobly]

Some of the Peavey combos sound surprisingly good and can be had for peanuts.

Otherwise try to find a used GK MB112 or 115. Great value, even when new.

Joe's suggestion is a good one, too, although it can get confusing for a beginner to listen to a bunch of different amps. You can tweak most amps to get "your" sound or close to it, but without knowing what "your" sound is to begin with, means you may miss out on the best amp to get it with, simply because you didn't know how to adjust it to sound how you want it to. So I reckon almost any decent quality combo will do to start with.

I started with a GK combo and although "my" sound is not "the" GK sound, I managed to get it to sound good to my ear. When I moved on to my next rig (which is actually my current one), I went for something less "modern", with a tube preamp (into a power amp and a fEARful). The GK helped to find "my" sound.

Th MB112 and 115 are powerful enough for coffee shop gigs, too.

[Dekker]

I don't know why people need to knock those <25w amps. They have their place.

Pros:

• Cheap - $25-50 used
• Small - tucks into a corner, or under table
• Plenty of volume for solo work (practice)

Cons:

• Volume is extremely limited
• Tone is "thin"
• Not usable for gigs (unless tiny/acoustic)
• May induce giggles if used in public

That said, it gets the job done. If you're at home and are practicing, and want to hear yourself play bass, they work great. I use one. I especially like the fact that it nicely tucks into the space behind my bass stand, next to my computer. I don't use it for learning tunes and practicing.

But as everyone's tried to say, do start saving up for a real amp (probably a combo) since as soon as you play with someone else, you'll need something more.

Dekker

[chadds]

I'm knocking those <25watters 'cause I use a 30w.
Actually there's a time and stage for every size rig.
I often gig professionally with an LA-8. Those are house concerts. The scrutiny of your musicianship and tone is amplified.

[oldcatfish]

Quote "The Acoustic B100 can be had new for
$150 plus tax right now. Just Google it,"

This is a great price on a decent combo.

That being said, I recommend whatever you choose to have at least a 12 inch speaker (a 15 inch or 2 x 10 would be even better), and at least 100 watts. A speaker extension jack and DI/line output would also be very useful. You need to be able to at least hear yourself over other instruments, like a moderately quiet drummer.

[Fishheadjoe]

Since you are not going to be gigging in the near future, I would recommend the Fender Rumble 30. It has many of the features listed above, has a tilt back so it can be used as a monitor and sounds pretty good (IMHO) for practice.
They can be had in your price range.
I got one for Xmas last year and have not used my big rig at home since... plenty of volume and tone shaping for practice.
It also has an over-drive that can add some grit to your tone if you need it.
Again, if you are not going to be gigging, it's a great practive amp.
Fishheadjoe

[fivestringgecko]

Originally Posted by oldcatfish

Quote "The Acoustic B100 can be had new for
$150 plus tax right now. Just Google it,"

This is a great price on a decent combo.

Agreed. And if you can get one at Guitar Center, they frequently have 15% off sales... Not a huge amount, but it'd cover the sales tax at least. I'm sure they'll have a sale coming up soon for Christmas.

5sg.

[ThudThudThud]

I saw a used Peavey TNT with Sheffield 15 in a (overpriced) pawn shop yesterday for $179.
Something like that would get you a decent tone and have enough power to get you through gigs when the time comes.

Being a poor immigrant to the US, I could only afford a PV TKO (with Scorpion 15) when I got into my first band here (and I'd left an Orange Matamp + Ampeg 810 behind when I left Blighty). It saw me through lots of gigs, and I still use it in practice. That's 20 years of service. I could have saved for something bigger/better, but it served my purpose at the time.

If you have the time/patience to save for something newer, then by all means do it. However, for a quick solution the deals are out there.

[dave_p]

an often overlooked combo is the gallien krueger backline 112. 100 watts into a 12 inch speaker and a kickback design. small but stout, very well constructed for the price / size. puts out a decent sound. I use mine for rehearsal and small gigs with a rock cover trio and everyone seems to like the tone. they are not popular and can be found used cheap. very underrated combo if you ask me.

[Sneakypete]

The important thing to know about amps is that they are exactly like sheds and greenhouses - whatever size you get you'll soon wish you'd got a bigger one. Choose something around 150W+ from any respectable MOR manufacturer like Peavey, Carvin, Trace and many others and you should have something perfectly adequate for small gigs unless you're in a band stuck in the Volume Wars saga. Personally, I've bought most of my rig secondhand from other members of the Basschat forum here in the UK and never regretted it. The safest buys are probably from older players who are more likely to have bought better stuff and looked after it. This may sound naive but the people I've bought from have so far have been honest about equipment condition and while obviously wanting to get the best price no-one has tried to rip me off. Good luck!

[christw]

Originally Posted by oldcatfish

Quote "The Acoustic B100 can be had new for
$150 plus tax right now. Just Google it,"

This is a great price on a decent combo.

That being said, I recommend whatever you choose to have at least a 12 inch speaker (a 15 inch or 2 x 10 would be even better), and at least 100 watts. A speaker extension jack and DI/line output would also be very useful. You need to be able to at least hear yourself over other instruments, like a moderately quiet drummer.

Good advice here and lots in this thread.

I also suggest the B100 as a great value with a warranty should anything occur!