Which would you upgrade first? An amp or a bass? - Page 4

Lackey · #61 05-14-2003, 05:45 PM

DEFINITELY better bass! Its what you create music with, the amp merely creates volume and a bit'a tone.

It's like saying: would you rather have a bass and no amp, or an amp and no bass? Hmm...

Z_Bass · #62 05-17-2003, 05:30 PM

I said carrots because amps and basses are interdependent on each other its hard to say which goes first.
But I do slightly lean towards the bass

Piezoman · #63 05-17-2003, 06:01 PM

Whats the joke with carrots on TB???

Nino Valenti · #64 05-18-2003, 12:27 PM

bump.

Troll alert

Kevinlane · #65 05-28-2003, 12:28 PM

I'd say it depends on whether you record very much or not.

Better bass if you record.

If you play live most of the time, then I'd get a better amp. i DID NOT do this when I was younger and now that I'm older and have more money (when you're younger upgrading a guitar is a lot more appealing than an amp)upgrading the amp to at least 200 watts RMS into 8 ohms has given me a lot of joy when playing live.
If your bass is junk, then go for the bass, but if I had it all to do over again I'd be upgrading amps a lot more than I did when I was starting out.

godlikenothing · #66 06-06-2003, 06:56 PM

Right now, all I have is a P bass copy (Kramer focus) and a little 15w practice amp. When I play with my band, I just go through the PA we have. I decided that I want to update my gear, well, at least one part of it. I was wondering what you think I should do (or at least what you would do in my situation), get a new bass or a new amp (modular of course). I don't have a large amount of money to spend. If I get a new bass I was thinking of getting a used Fender Precision (MIM) for around $200-$300. If I got a new amp, I would most likely get a used head for the same price and then hit all the music shops in my area and check out cabs that sound good with it. Decent heads that I have found on ebay for my price are Hartke's and Peaveys. My bass at the moment has no major physical defects or anything and it gets the job done but a new one would be nice. I don't really do many gigs, just a lot of garage jamming and talent shows. At the moment, I am leaning more towards the purchasing of a new amp but I am open to any and all opinions. Thanks a lot in advance.

PS - Thanks for moving my post and showing me this thread.

incognito89x · #67 06-06-2003, 07:25 PM

Upgrade whichever you want more out of. If you like your bass and it works fine, than go for an amp. If you'd rather have a nicer bass, go far that. If you're using a PA system, it may be good to upgrade the bass first, as long as you're cutting through fine and having a good equal sound with the rest of the band.

adouglas · #68 08-27-2003, 01:02 PM

I recently sold off a bunch of gear and bought a new component amp rig to replace my "okay" combo.

Makes my $700 Carvin LB75A sound AWESOME.

Here's the link to the thread:

Best $1K I ever spent

Figjam · #69 08-27-2003, 01:41 PM

It depends what level of quality it is. If i had a decent amp, say, 100 watts, like my Ampeg combo, and a Fender MIM jazz bass, like i did, i upgraded my bass because it seemed more important. If the amp sucks, get an amp. If they are both decent, depends what i can get a deal on.

Kevinlane · #70 08-27-2003, 10:39 PM

Hey godlikenothing,
belive me if you band has ANY volme at all get the amp first.

**embellisher** · #71 08-27-2003, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kevinlane
Hey godlikenothing,
belive me if you band has ANY volme at all get the amp first.

That's a new look for you, Kevin. When did you get a haircut?

miccheck1516 · #72 08-28-2003, 05:50 AM

Last christmass i got a budget bass and amp combo deal thing from my music store, it was a westfield jazz bass and a 20w soundking amp, the amp farted horibly at high volumes just as you would expect any **** amp to do. I joined a band and immeditely needed more power so i upgraded to my laney hcm65b which is what i have now. At teh time i still had my westfield. I couldnt believe the differance a good amp made to the sound of my bass. Then i got the chance to play a gig, which was through some ashdown head and an ashdown 4x10 and the bass sounded puncy as ali himself. It was fantastic the differance an amp could make to my sound.

Then i got a good deal on a yamaha RBX270 (£5 + 20 marlboro lights

)and plugged it into my amp, there is a better sound from it, but the differance between it and the westdield is not the same as the differance between the soundking or the laney.

In conclusion, i feel that a good amp can make a bad bass sound alot better. I dont think i could have got rid of the farty sound from the soundking if i had plugged a musicman stingray into it.
Oh and before bruce jumps down my throat, this is my opinion, and my experiance, just because your experiance and opinion may be differant, does not mean everyone else is wrong.

ZuluFunk · #73 08-28-2003, 06:33 AM

If there is a problem with the way the bass plays, and you can't adjust it (set-up, neck issues, fretbuzz), then upgrade to a better bass if it's a cheapo bass. If it's a high quality bass in need of TLC, get it to a good tech who can work out the kinks.

If it's primarily a tone issue, you will make more noticable improvements by upgrading your rig (pre amp, cabs).

I see folks spending hundreds upgrading their p'ups, then running through a crappy rig.

Richard Lindsey · #74 08-28-2003, 07:15 AM

IMO, this isn't a question that has a definite answer. It all depends on exactly what you've got.

If both your amp and your bass are real crap, to the point where they're scarcely acceptable, I'd get a new bass first. That's your first interface with what you're trying to play.

I'm a proponent of the "good enough" rule. If your bass is "good enough"--i.e., at a basic acceptable level of quality, capable of being set up reasonably well and of emitting a decent (doesn't have to be great) tone, I'd get a new amp first. In that setting, that's where you'll get the most quality improvement for the $. If your amp is "good enough" for what you're doing, I'd get the bass first.

I know it's often said that a great amp will make a lousy bass sound good, but IME that's sorta but not entirely true. A great amp will often make a lousy bass sound *better*, but that's not the same thing. And sometimes, as was said earlier, great gear will let you hear just how bad your bass is. Especially if it's very revealing gear like, say, Euphonic Audio.

A lot depends on your personal situation too. If you know you'll be able to get both bass and amp before too long, and the question is which to get first, I'd get the bass first. More immediate gratification. If you have to pick one, and don't know when you'd be able to get the other, I'd get the bass first if your current amp will cut it for your current playing situation (i.e., is "good enough"), and the amp first if your current amp is physically incapable of doing the job.

Personally, I'm kinda with what rickbass said earlier--to me it makes sense for your bass and amp expenditures to go roughly hand in hand, without overspending wildly on either aspect. Somebody earlier (embellisher?) said he'd rather play a Squier through an Eden than a Zon through a Rogue. I would too; but frankly, I'd rather play a Carvin through a (big) Carvin than either of those choices. Not because Carvin is the ultimate in either bass or amp, but because (a) the bass-amp quality ratio is more evenly matched, and (b) I think your TSQI (total sound quality index--how's that for a bogus buzzword?) is higher that way. In other words, more net sound improvement for the $.

arky86 · #75 08-28-2003, 08:30 AM

for me it is mostly the amp all the way, but i say that mostly because i play all live shows and record very little and my bass is good enough that it sounds good and the amp makes all the difference.

CamMcIntyre · #76 08-28-2003, 08:05 PM

I voted amp as that is what i did. I intially got a Fender MIM Jazz, and a Fender BXR 15-i bought a DeArmond Pilot Plus 5-i don't consider this an upgrade as it was just different and cost less than the Fender. I then got a new bass amp for birthday/christmas the BassMan 200.

This amp will last me a while-it's got enough power that i can do marching band, show choir band, and jazz band without flinching yet i could use more power for when in Pep/Show Band the guitarist has his marshall half stack, but that is another story. After i got the BassMan 200 i didn't have to worry about having enough amp for what i'm doing.

A year or so later then came the Ray5-makes me realize how bad the pilot felt/sounded compared to it and it makes me want a bigger amp and tubes [mesa thanks a lot

]. Now my teacher is borrowing the Pilot Plus 5 for awhile as i don't need it but won't sell it.

That's all

Kevinlane · #77 08-29-2003, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by embellisher

That's a new look for you, Kevin. When did you get a haircut?

I've gone short now for about a year.
I just started losing it and thought "hmnn, I don't want to look like Klaus Meine!~!!!! (lead singer fir the Scorpions :-)

So I went short, quite a change, as for years I've kinda been known as the guy that's got the hair.
It's funny, now maybe I'll get the calls for gigs other than Rock!?!

Oh well, life is not always what you think you want.

**embellisher** · #78 08-29-2003, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kevinlane
I just started losing it and thought "hmnn, I don't want to look like Klaus Meine!~!!!! (lead singer fir the Scorpions :-)

Now that's a scary thought!!!

cwbassist · #79 08-29-2003, 08:20 PM

amp first, you can play a crappy bass and still get a good sound from the amp, but playing a good bass through a crappy sounding amp just leaves you with a crappy tone from a crappy amp no matter what you do

pyrohr · #80 08-30-2003, 11:54 AM

As with any amplified sound the amp and speakers are the bottom line. If does not matter what is being amplified if your speakers don't reproduce it it dont matter. How many of you guy's got stereo in your vehicle? I bet most have amps and aftermaket speakers too. Remember it is all about sound and the biggest contributing factor to all sound are the amps and speakers.