I looking for my first amp and have read that a few people on the forums like the ampeg-ba108. I found it for 100 shipped from amazon. Is there ano other amp I should look at in this price point? Bass is a Squier Affinity P-bass
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Ampeg-ba108 or something else???
- Thread starter DARKLINKS614
- Start date
I'll tell you, for $100, I don't know of anything better. I use mine all the time on my smallest of small gigs. Yeah, I'm an endorser 
but I still think it's a killer little practice combo for the money.
but I still think it's a killer little practice combo for the money.I'd maybe look at the Acoustic B20 as well. I don't know how it sounds because they're not available here in Australia but I hear they are very good bang for buck. I also am not a fan of 8" speakers in practice combos, I have an 8" in my Ashton BA15 and it sounds horrible for my E and B strings, whereas the 12" in my Yamaha BA2500 is much more friendly to the lower notes.
why not shop used? pick up something better and cheaper.... heck I picked up a peavey basic 50 for 35 bucks a while back, it's great for practicing at home and I have used it on a few small gigs too.
It mainly depends on what you need the amp to do.
(any chance you can get somewhere to play the ba-108? If not and you think it will be enough amp for you then it might be worth a shot.... I put a fair amount of weight on JimmyM's opinion on these matters)
It mainly depends on what you need the amp to do.
(any chance you can get somewhere to play the ba-108? If not and you think it will be enough amp for you then it might be worth a shot.... I put a fair amount of weight on JimmyM's opinion on these matters)
If the BA-108 is a good as my St. Louis made BA-110 I fully endorse it. My BA-110 has been quite a portable little rig over the years. A keeper.
+1 to used, I just bought a line 6 studio 110 for 130 this week, I feel I got a better value than a new ba108.
IF (I said IF) you can save up enough money to get the BA-112, that amp is a killer. I'm a long time SVT user and the only portable combo with which I played and liked the sound is an Ampeg BA-112. That said, on a budget, the 108 should be OK, but my experience with speakers smaller then 10 inch is that they tend to fart out easily.
Another option in your price range would be the little Marshall combos. The 1x10 combo is just a few bucks more expensive then the Ampeg and it as an overdrive channel that is pretty cool at that price point.
Another option in your price range would be the little Marshall combos. The 1x10 combo is just a few bucks more expensive then the Ampeg and it as an overdrive channel that is pretty cool at that price point.
+1.
I have one of these and it is great for practice and jamming with an acoustic guitar. But, it does fart out if you push it. If you're planning on playing with a drummer and/or electric guitarist you'll need to get something bigger.
I said 'something else'
I don't doubt the ampeg will be nice, but It's a single 8" cone.
JimmyM is a big ampeg fan, and knows his stuff, but I'd bet it's only covering very intimate, low volume gigs for him (That's kinda what he said).
The combo will be audible but not a capable of hanging proud with a drummer or couple of enthusiastic guitars and a singer or sax. My Impression of small combos isn't great though. I haven't heard the ampeg so I could be wrong. What is pretty certain is the P-Bass rich low mid tone won't translate well at the amps volume limits - It will fart out towards the low notes.
If all you need is a personal practice monitor it will probably be great. I had a similar budget and intents a while ago. I got a cheapo 110W 112 combo, a copy of a roland Bass cube... It's not the best sounding but It's OK. I found it helpful to have the headroom. 25W would be enough for me 50% of the time, but when I play dEEEEP bass or up against a fairly controlled drummer - I'd need 300% of the headroom. It manages but barely. I guess It depends on your goal. If you're playing Ska or Reggae tones You'll need a few more watts
You can't get loud and great sounding for cheap IME. The ampeg will sound... well like an ampeg - great. But for the same price or near you can go a whole lot louder and put off the need for buying a bigger system for a while. You can feel bass through headphones or a small amp - but the big loud bass sound doesn't bathe one in bassy goodness in nearly the same way.
My recommendation? Cheapo amp for now, later a 'Big boy' ampeg like a BA 300 or PF350 rig.They are a lot more expensive than a BA108 - but they are serious rigs, and more worthy of your dosh. The cheapo amp will give you moderate volume for cheap for now. I guess your decision needs to be informed by your short term goals (do I want to play with other musicians early on? (the answer should be yes, nothing beats playing with a good drummer and 'locking in'
).
I don't doubt the ampeg will be nice, but It's a single 8" cone.
JimmyM is a big ampeg fan, and knows his stuff, but I'd bet it's only covering very intimate, low volume gigs for him (That's kinda what he said).
The combo will be audible but not a capable of hanging proud with a drummer or couple of enthusiastic guitars and a singer or sax. My Impression of small combos isn't great though. I haven't heard the ampeg so I could be wrong. What is pretty certain is the P-Bass rich low mid tone won't translate well at the amps volume limits - It will fart out towards the low notes.
If all you need is a personal practice monitor it will probably be great. I had a similar budget and intents a while ago. I got a cheapo 110W 112 combo, a copy of a roland Bass cube... It's not the best sounding but It's OK. I found it helpful to have the headroom. 25W would be enough for me 50% of the time, but when I play dEEEEP bass or up against a fairly controlled drummer - I'd need 300% of the headroom. It manages but barely. I guess It depends on your goal. If you're playing Ska or Reggae tones You'll need a few more watts
You can't get loud and great sounding for cheap IME. The ampeg will sound... well like an ampeg - great. But for the same price or near you can go a whole lot louder and put off the need for buying a bigger system for a while. You can feel bass through headphones or a small amp - but the big loud bass sound doesn't bathe one in bassy goodness in nearly the same way.
My recommendation? Cheapo amp for now, later a 'Big boy' ampeg like a BA 300 or PF350 rig.They are a lot more expensive than a BA108 - but they are serious rigs, and more worthy of your dosh. The cheapo amp will give you moderate volume for cheap for now. I guess your decision needs to be informed by your short term goals (do I want to play with other musicians early on? (the answer should be yes, nothing beats playing with a good drummer and 'locking in'
).
I think everyone has legit points here. Still, it's $100 and even less if you wait for a sale, and if you take all that into consideration, I still think it's a pretty good value. I'm fixing to go use it on my little old timey upright jazz gig if I can get up off my butt and get dressed (yes, pretty intimate venue).
(an ampeg for $100? not impossible? that's cool)http://www.amazon.com/Ampeg-BA108-2...F8&qid=1342375555&sr=8-1&keywords=Ampeg-ba108
This is where I found it for $99.99 if your wondering.
I am looking up the other amps now guys. This well be a practice amp for my bedroom I would just learn to play and need a better. I may end goal is to play in my church when I get better. I been looking at bigger amp but as I live in a college dorm on the 3th floor that would not go over well I think.
This is where I found it for $99.99 if your wondering.
I am looking up the other amps now guys. This well be a practice amp for my bedroom I would just learn to play and need a better. I may end goal is to play in my church when I get better. I been looking at bigger amp but as I live in a college dorm on the 3th floor that would not go over well I think.
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Well the nice thing about bigger stuff with more power is that they have volume knobs for when you can't wail. But practice amps have their place IMHO. I'm quite happy to have mine, that's for sure.
