Ibanez Promethean P3110. 300 watts, auxiliary input, headphones out, XLR/DI, 23lbs, 5 year warranty, $350
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10" practice amp
- Thread starter pappabass
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- amp practice practice amp
I've had the SWR LA-12 and i loved it for practice. The amp sounds very dry - a great bass will sound great and a lesser instrument. . well, less great.
Anything i played that sounded good on my SWR at home would totally kill on my big rig.
I swapped that for a barefaced one10 cab, which is, given your selection of amps, out of the desired price-range, i guess. I found the rumble quite good, but given the choice, i'd spend a few bucks more for the 12" version. That is still below 10kgs and seems to pack light, loud and cheap into a package.
Anything i played that sounded good on my SWR at home would totally kill on my big rig.
I swapped that for a barefaced one10 cab, which is, given your selection of amps, out of the desired price-range, i guess. I found the rumble quite good, but given the choice, i'd spend a few bucks more for the 12" version. That is still below 10kgs and seems to pack light, loud and cheap into a package.
Another vote for the Fender Rumble 40. I read that someone mentioned the Fender Bronco 40. That is an excellent choice if you like digital modeling amps and USB direct recording and tone tweaking via Fender Fuse software. Close in price to: $250 vs 200.
+1
You can't beat the value here. auxiliary input, headphones out, very clean at low volume. I got mine on sale for $70.
The SWR Workingman's 10 is an excellent option. I'd definitely stay away from the SWR LA series, though.
The Workingman's 10 is small enough for bedroom use, but I've also used it to rehearse in a blues-rock trio and to play acoustic-ish coffee house gigs. Honestly, I've even used it as my go-to stage (monitor) amp of choice for venues with decent PA systems. The DI out is nice when playing live, too, if all you like to have is an amp and a tuner pedal.
The Workingman's 10 is small enough for bedroom use, but I've also used it to rehearse in a blues-rock trio and to play acoustic-ish coffee house gigs. Honestly, I've even used it as my go-to stage (monitor) amp of choice for venues with decent PA systems. The DI out is nice when playing live, too, if all you like to have is an amp and a tuner pedal.
Just do the Rumble 40. You will like it. Weighs less than my wifes pocketbook.
+1 to that! I had the p5110 combo before they were discontinued, which was 250@8/500@4 with a 110! It was unbelievable!
Warwick BC40 is another option you can add to the list for you to look into. Great speaker cabinet design, and great tone using the full range of volume.
Nevertheless: Not all 10" amps are created equal. If you plan to use the full volume and tone spectrum of the amp, from low volume to moderate volume, get one that can handle the power. Some amps will crap out with the volume over 1/2 way, and the tone will start to change, losing bass, and distorting mids. And some lack the ability to produce low frequencies when you start to increase the volume. Some amps cost more, but you can turn the volume up all the way, and still retain tone, where the low frequency is not crapping out, and the mids continue to punch louder.
Thus, when you test out the amps at the store, crank it up over 80% to see if the amp can maintain a good tone with the volume increase. Check for noise issues, and see If it can maintain the low frequency without cracking, and farting. If the tone starts to change, distort, and the speaker is farting, and you hear hiss and humm while idle, you may want to avoid that amp. Technology in small combo amps have come a long way in recent years. A well designed amp gives you consistent tone and frequency from low volume to moderate and loud volumes. Cabinet and speaker design allows for higher volumes, and lower volume while maintaining the tone.
In the past all small combos have gotten a bad rap because MOST were built cheap with poor design, cheap components, and sold to the masses of entry level players. And yes they were a lot of crappy small combo amps. But in today's market there are a lot of manufacturers designing high end small 10" combos that are amazing little amps. Sure they cost more, but you get a lot more. They range from the small room practice amp to larger gigging amps. If you spend most of your bass playing in small rooms and lower volumes, investing in a good high quality 10" combo is a good investment. And you'll enjoy your time with it.
Nevertheless: Not all 10" amps are created equal. If you plan to use the full volume and tone spectrum of the amp, from low volume to moderate volume, get one that can handle the power. Some amps will crap out with the volume over 1/2 way, and the tone will start to change, losing bass, and distorting mids. And some lack the ability to produce low frequencies when you start to increase the volume. Some amps cost more, but you can turn the volume up all the way, and still retain tone, where the low frequency is not crapping out, and the mids continue to punch louder.
Thus, when you test out the amps at the store, crank it up over 80% to see if the amp can maintain a good tone with the volume increase. Check for noise issues, and see If it can maintain the low frequency without cracking, and farting. If the tone starts to change, distort, and the speaker is farting, and you hear hiss and humm while idle, you may want to avoid that amp. Technology in small combo amps have come a long way in recent years. A well designed amp gives you consistent tone and frequency from low volume to moderate and loud volumes. Cabinet and speaker design allows for higher volumes, and lower volume while maintaining the tone.
In the past all small combos have gotten a bad rap because MOST were built cheap with poor design, cheap components, and sold to the masses of entry level players. And yes they were a lot of crappy small combo amps. But in today's market there are a lot of manufacturers designing high end small 10" combos that are amazing little amps. Sure they cost more, but you get a lot more. They range from the small room practice amp to larger gigging amps. If you spend most of your bass playing in small rooms and lower volumes, investing in a good high quality 10" combo is a good investment. And you'll enjoy your time with it.
Obviously, I am more discriminating...
I tried the Rumble 40, owned the Ampeg BA110 gen1 briefly and tried some other similar combos. I found them to sound very mediocre, with the BA110 also being really poorly executed. Very *meh* stuff, all of them!
For much better functionality, quality and sound, I recommend EBS Classic 60 (surprisingly good!) and even better, the long discontinued SWR 10" non-workingman. Was it called "blue" something? Great sounding, small, professional amp.
Phil Jones 4x5" combo is also good.
Edit: SWR Spellbinder Blue!
I tried the Rumble 40, owned the Ampeg BA110 gen1 briefly and tried some other similar combos. I found them to sound very mediocre, with the BA110 also being really poorly executed. Very *meh* stuff, all of them!
For much better functionality, quality and sound, I recommend EBS Classic 60 (surprisingly good!) and even better, the long discontinued SWR 10" non-workingman. Was it called "blue" something? Great sounding, small, professional amp.
Phil Jones 4x5" combo is also good.
Edit: SWR Spellbinder Blue!
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We also need to know your budget.
There's amazing stuff here for $500 or more but not everyone has that kind of cash to blow on a practice amp.
There's amazing stuff here for $500 or more but not everyone has that kind of cash to blow on a practice amp.
I second the Ibanez Promethean. Line 6 Studio 110 is another viable option.
Also heard good things about the Carvin MB line but never tried one.
Also heard good things about the Carvin MB line but never tried one.
If you're not married to the idea of a 10" and aren't necessarily gigging it in a hard rocking band, have a look at Traynor's new SB106. I haven't touched it yet but a guy at NAMM streamed a demo the other day and I got GAS something fierce! Note from my sig that I play Markbass. I think I saw a thread about the SB106 here.
Agreed - my father bought me this one (mine is a B15 1x8, but same otherwise) because it sounded most musical.
However, volume is very limited and is pretty useless outside the bedroom. A Rumble 40 gets much, much louder and has at least a chance at a jam session or similar.
I have been in the market for a small combo for a while and got considerable time at GC with the GK 10, Rumble, and Acoustic. The Acoustic was by far the weakest. Lower power output, less bass response...overall weaker. The Rumble and GK are both much fuller and jammable, thank the Acoustic IMO.
The B10 is a practice amp, really no good outside of the bedroom, like Remy noted. I think it has a decent range of tones, but it may have less bottom than other practice amps. My personal opinion on the Rumble was that it lacked some presence and top end which I like with J bass tones. I've never tried the GK, but my previous experience with them was that they were a bit mid-scooped.
Al Kraft
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IIRC, there was a Baby Baby Blue with a 10, a Baby Blue and BBII with an two 8" and one 5" drivers. Bag End folks helped with the voicing on those 8"loaded cabs (speaker/cab design and matching) - later versions I think used Celestions. I'm old, that was a long time ago and I occasionally, albeit unintentionally, invent history that didn't actually happen.
I remember those, too.IIRC, there was a Baby Baby Blue with a 10, a Baby Blue and BBII with an two 8" and one 5" drivers. Bag End folks helped with the voicing on those 8"loaded cabs (speaker/cab design and matching) - later versions I think used Celestions. I'm old, that was a long time ago and I occasionally, albeit unintentionally, invent history that didn't actually happen.
Here is the one I am thinking about:
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