Asking advice: recommendations on a combo amp priced under $400

[rooftop]

Hello,

My friend approached me yesterday and asked if I could recommend any bass combo amp under $400. He said he would like to give the combo amp to his friend as a birthday gift.

Usage of the amp:
a practice amp at his house (no need to worry about neighbors)
a monitor and/or actual amp for a venue that accommodates around 200 people

Despite having played the bass guitar for a while, I am new to purchasing a combo amp and lack knowledge about amps in general. I'm ignorant to the extent that I am not sure about the appropriate wattage for an amp suitable for a venue that accommodates around 200 people.

Could you offer recommendations, guidance, or tips for selecting a combo amp priced under $400?
Any tip, guidance, or recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you.

FYI: current prices of some of the combo amps I found on guitar center today (under $400)

Fender Rumble 100 1x12 100W Bass Combo Amp $330
Fender Rumble 40 1x10 40W Bass Combo Amp $230
Fender Rumble Studio 40 40W 1x10 Bass Combo Amplifier $400
Orange Amplifiers Crush Bass 50 50W 1x12 Bass Combo Amplifier $330
Orange Amplifiers Crush Bass 25 25W Bass Combo Amplifier $220
Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-110 1x10 50W Bass Combo Amp $280
Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108 1x8 30W Bass Combo Amp $180
Phil Jones Bass Micro 7 50W 1x7 Bass Combo Amp $330
VOX VX50 BA 50W 1x8 Bass Combo Amp $300
Peavey MAX 100 100W 1x10 Bass Combo Amp $300
BOSS Katana-110 60W 1x10 Bass Combo Amp $330

 

[Lobster11]

Not to harsh your mellow, but personally I would never consider buying a bass amp/combo for another bass player unless I was intimately familiar with his/her specific tastes and interests. We can make suggestions about which prices for which amps look like particularly good or bad deals, but none of us can predict with this other player will like. Instead, I'd consider giving a gift card for $400 (or whatever amount) so the person can go pick out their own.

 

[G-Dog]

.
Welcome to TalkBass and your first post, roofie!

So, lemme get this straight: your friend wants to buy his other friend a bass amp costing up to $400?!? Hmmm, ... where to start with the questions ... ... ... How long have you known your friend? What gifts has he given you? What gifts have you given him? Do you know his other friend? ... ... ... uh, ... I'll stop there as the questions just grow exponentially from here.. The Lobster also makes a good point about how the gift might be received. Prepare your friend in case his gift gets returned for exchange, sold for cash or traded on on something else.

Besides number of people in a venue it matters how loud the rest of the band is, bass in PA or not, how big the rooms are (length, width & height), type of flooring/decor, etc. So, there's really no accounting for what amp each venue requires until you try it and see.

I generally recommend getting the most power & biggest(most) speaker(s) you can afford in order to accommodate the most venues. I'm unabashedly a Fender Rumble fan. They have lotsa different sizes for all uses, from straight analog controls to digital bass modeling, too; and their new product warranty is great. Best value for the money. A fully functional, and fully tested, used Rumble can be a great bargain, too.

The Rumble 100 1x12" combo on your list is a great choice new. A fully operational used Rumble 200 1x15" combo is functionally better! A fully operational used Rumble 500 2x10" combo under $400 would be fantastic, but also suspect at that price. Although, such good deals are not totally unheard of, especially from a store with a generous return policy, like GC.

Good luck! Please let us know here how it goes.
.

 

[Marko 1]

 

[hrodbert696]

For home practice alone, any of those would do. For gigging with a band in a 200-person venue, probably none of them, unless the band is very quiet (playing light jazz or acoustic folk or something) or the amp is just running into a PA to do the real amplifying anyway. I remember a TBer pointing out that he was using a 1x12 with maybe 50 watts or something in church just fine, but I believe it was a small church, playing with an acoustic guitar or piano. But none of those would cut it in themselves in a rock band.

For a basic gigging combo amp, I would generally say at least 200 watts into 2x10" or 1x15" speakers. Speaker area adds volume faster than wattage does (i.e. you'll be better off with 100 watts into 2x10 than 200 into 1x10, if they make such a thing). But those don't fit the budget new: Sweetwater is showing the cheapest starting at $529 (the Ampeg Rocket RB-115 and the Boss Katana-210). You might be able to find something used, though.

 

[Old Blastard]

If he's learning and not gigging, grab the Fender 40 and add a tuning pedal. The 40 is plenty loud for home and I use mine both at home and in small gigs with an acoustic Americana trio at wineries. It will give him a few different sounds to mess with and from there he can decide to go Genzler, Mesa or Ampeg as he gets addicted to bass

 

[eriky4003]

As a Canadian, I'd also throw any decent sized Traynor combo into your list.
The usual TB wisdom is a minimum of 300 watts into a 2x10 or 1x15 for a band. I'd say get the best combo you can as you can always turn it down to practice but would still be giggable. One more piece of advice: if you get to play with a band, make sure you prop up your combo so it is closer to/aimed at your ears. I've ruined speakers not being able to hear myself play.