Bass Amp Buying Help

Where are you located? Open to buying used? Any preference for head/cab vs combo? Goals?

 

Used gets you more bang for the buck, and on a $500 budget that’s a good thing.

Combos are generally more affordable and more “idiot proof.” (As in perfectly matched.) if you do go combo, look for something with extension out, as that is upgradeable. Head/cab gives you more versatility, and is the long-game option.

IMHO a 500w head and a 115 or 210 is a great starting point. (Either head/cab or combo form.) “very good sound quality” and “warm and clean” are all subjective and debatable, so you’ll have to do a little more digging. Each brand has its own baked-in flavor.

Just looking at Orlando Craigslist, a few workable options but these jumped out at me:
Markbass CMD 151 P - Jeff Berlin Signature Combo Amp - musical...
(I have the 12” version of this combo and I love it. Markbass has a pretty clean sound, popular with jazz players, but a nice low-mid bump that warms it up a bit.)

Fender Rumble V3 500 bass amp - musical instruments - by owner - sale
(Rumble have a strong lean towards warm, “baked in vintage,” but are very popular, light n’ loud!)

GK gear is also worth noting. Flexible EQ, popular with jazz and rock players alike. Might have stretch the budget tho.

just a few examples , many more to look at. Happy hunting!

 

To be safe in any club you really need at least 500 Watts. 300, absolute minimum IME, but in some clubs that will leave you with little to no headroom. I'd search out heads on this page, see which has features you like most, and then read lots of reviews. Most amps today are fairly reliable, and all of them will have issues from time to time. Spending more doesn't always mean you're getting something better, though some may argue. I've owned Berhinger equipment that outlasted and outperformed equipment costing 3X its price. Check here and the other online stores https://www.musiciansfriend.com/sea...profileCountryCode=US&profileCurrencyCode=USD

My preference on that page would be this. I own the 250 version and have used it as a backup. Its kicks butt, sounds great, and the price is right https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amp...882000000000?rNtt=bass amplifier head&index=5

For a speaker cabinet, I wouldn't go with less than a 15" or a 2X10" cab. A 12" might cover a lot of gigs, but there will be times you'll be wishing you had more. There will be times you'll probably be wishing you had more than a 15 or 2X10s, but it will get you by. You can always add on later. Given your budget, I think I might go with something like this Peavey Headliner 210 - 2x10" 400-watt Bass Cabinet

Hope that helps some.