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Amp for a beginner?

A

Arti

Sep 23, 2005
14
0
#1
Planning to start playing bass soon, so I need to get an amp. For now, I just one that I can hear and practice with. I see some 10W ones, are these ok? What wattage should I be looking at? And are brands important? If so, what brands are good?

P.S. This may seem like a stupid question but do new guitars usually come with cables, straps, and picks?
 
#2
Try to get something that will hold up in a band practice situation. At least about 50 watts, 12" speaker or 15" speaker, or 2 10" if you can afford. If you buy a crappy beginner pack, they will give you cables and such. But if you buy the amp and bass separately, you might be able to get the person to throw in a cable and strap, or you might not. In terms of brands, all I'd be concerned about for you is reliability. I'd try to avoid Berhinger. Theres a neat Alesis combo out there, and Crate and Fender combos hold up well, as do Peaveys.
 
#5
I have a Kustom KBA30 for practicing and I think it's a GREAT amp for that purpose. More info Invalid Link Removed. In the website it appears as KBA 30X, but I don't see any differences with the KBA30.

Hope this helps.

P.S.: As far as I know, straps and cables are sold separately. Some guitars (Carvin, for instance) come with a couple of picks.
 
#6
Warwick Blue Cab 20, or Warwick Blue Cab 30.

I have the Blue Cab 20, and as a practice amp, it is sweet! Gorgeous tone and great quality.

Yum Yum! :D

For a practice amp, enough said :D

Don't bother with trying to get a 50w combo or similar thinking it will cut in with a band. It won't. Get a practice amp for practice, and when the time is right, get a bigger rig (probably starting around 300w) to play with a band.

;)
 
#7
Without knowing your budget, recommendations are tough, but the small Roland Cubes are excellent practice amps, and I'm fond of Peaveys as well. If you have any aspirations of jamming with drums and guitars, you'll want at least 100 watts through a 12" or 15" speaker, which will run you around $300. Several options exist in that range.
 
#8
I think you're better off buying a real practise amp now and buying a (semi)-proper band amp later on when and if you need it. I've played some of those so-called '100W that can keep up with a band', and none of them were ever anywhere even *near* loud enough. Don't waste your money here.

I recommend the peavey microbass. Sounds nice, is pretty cheap, and pretty decent quality. It can hold its own next to a guitar (if the guitar player doesn't overdo it), but it won't cut it in a band. I play the roland cubes where I take music classes, and they're pretty nice too, but I think they're a bit too sharp. Not sure about the price though.
 
#9
A 15watt Crate amp is a good practice amp. It is light and therefore easy to carry. The quality is good. The settings are simple. The price is a little over 100. I've used it for a while now and I am happy with it. Check it out here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#11
I'm in the US (Texas).

I just want to get a low power amp so I can practice by myself for a few months. I don't plan on jamming anytime soon. So probably not anything above the 20 watt area and preferably not much more than $100.
 
#12
Arti said:
I'm in the US (Texas).

I just want to get a low power amp so I can practice by myself for a few months. I don't plan on jamming anytime soon. So probably not anything above the 20 watt area and preferably not much more than $100.
Click to expand...

In that case, get the least expensive amp you can that has a headphone jack and CD input. For that purpose, the Ibanez Soundwave series is a good bet.
 

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