Bass through guitar amps (JTM45)

[Deleted member 271037]

Many vintage tube guitar amp from before the high-gain, channel switching era can be FANTASTIC bass amps when they're paired with a bass cab. To me it's usually just a matter of whether they deliver enough clean(ish) output volume for the job. In fact, all my favorite bass amps are 60s/70s tube amps that can in many ways be described as guitar amps when they're paired with a guitar cab, and bass amps when they're paired with a bass cab. Hiwatt, Marshall, Selmer, Matamp, Carlsbro. Fender, and several others. They sound fanastic for bass, and I prefer that kinda tone/feel over any modern Class D amps I've tried.

A JTM45 would probably not give me enough clean(ish) volume for live gigs or rehearsals with a loud band though. I typically need between 100-200w tube amps for that (depending on the amp and on the situation). But I've used JTM45s for recording bass with fantastic results. I did blend it with a clean DI for tighter/deeper lows though, but that something I nearly always do when recording ANY bass amp.

 

[leonard]

My Tube Amp Doctor 100W Plexi clone works great for bass. I increased the negative feedback to get more cleans. Some other minor mods too. Sounds awesome. No Lemmy tones but not too clean either.

 

[Robal]

I have gotten some pretty nice bass sounds with a vintage VOX AC50 MKIII (solid state rectifier and 2xEL34 power tubes producing 50 loud watts) into a vintage Marshall 4x12 cab. These amps were designed by VOX to be used as either guitar or bass amps, depending on the matching VOX speaker cabinet used. Would love to try a VOX AC100 (4xEL34 for 100 watts), which VOX also designed to be used for bass and/or guitar. Good enough for the Beatles, good enough for me.

 

[edwinhurwitz]

Back in the late seventies, when I switched from guitar to bass, I used my Dual Showman head. It was okay, but I have no desire to go back to it.

Back in the late 60s and early 70s, Phil Lesh used 4 Showman heads and cabs and filled venues like the Fillmore with no PA support. I'm sure it wasn't the gut shaking bass we are used to now, but with efficient speakers, like the Sunn cabs he was using, it was pretty good. I still like to fire up my Showman/Sunn combination every now and then.

 

[pbass2]

My first bass head when I started playing mid-70s was a Sunn Concert Lead (with an Acoustic 4x12 guitar cab). It was my "Baby Chris Squire" rig. I recall it sounding pretty bad-ass!

 

[vvvmmm]

I sometimes use a Musicman HD130 for bass, with a 1x12, either Bagend or a Hydrive.

This weekend, I used it for guitar with a 2x12 Celestion open back cab - best Twin sound I ever played.

I have recorded bass with a ProJr and it sounded fine.

 

[Aussie Player]

And then there are bass tube amps still available in the market.
I have sold my hybrid amps and sidelined my class D amp for practice and use a Marshall JCM800 for small rooms and a VBA 400 for larger rooms.
For cabs , I have 3 Marshall and 1 Hartke to mix and match.
I love my bass sound.

 

[Hnz]

I've used either a Marshall Origin 50 watt or a Peavey Mace 160 watt - both tube amps designed for guitar - with very heavy Yamaha 15"+10" front ported PA speakers (8 ohm). I choose which one to bring with me depending on the size of the venue. Awesome sound out of both of them, although I like the Peavey a bit more due to its headroom. Stays clean a loooooong time.

Nowadays, now that I'm older, I use a Quilter head and various PhilJones cabs for venues without FOH and a Hartke KB15 tilted in front of me on stage when playing with FOH.

 

[BruceG68]

In the late 70s thru early 80s I played thru an early 70s Traynor 100 watt guitar head.If I remember right was a YGL3A or something like that.It pushed a homemade 215 4 ohm cab surprisingly well.At that time between another bass player and myself we compared that Traynor amp,an old Ampeg V4B and a solid state 250 watt GK head on that 215 cab.Those 2 tube amps played circles around that GK amp although they were less than half the power.

 

[Patrice B]

In the late 70s thru early 80s I played thru an early 70s Traynor 100 watt guitar head.If I remember right was a YGL3A or something like that.It pushed a homemade 215 4 ohm cab surprisingly well.At that time between another bass player and myself we compared that Traynor amp,an old Ampeg V4B and a solid state 250 watt GK head on that 215 cab.Those 2 tube amps played circles around that GK amp although they were less than half the power.

Great sound from my two YGL3’s with suitable bass cabs, I agree!

 

[sprag]

Hmmm
I have a sealed Berg 610 on one side of my studio and a newly acquired Ulbrick stadium 80 (Aussie boutique plexish amp)

... maybe they're going to have to come together.

 

[Guitalia]

My first real amp was a Peavey MACE matched to a sealed Acoustic 610. It was awesome. I learned a lot about gain and eq with that amp. It was so loud and paired with the cabinet, very punchy if not bass-shy.

Do you mean it was bass-shy or it wasn't bass-shy? Not clear from what you wrote.

 

[burgerdj]

Do you mean it was bass-shy or it wasn't bass-shy? Not clear from what you wrote.

Punchy and bass shy. The cabinet had a pretty steep roll off and didn’t produce the deep bass we associate with modern cabs…but it sounded great!

 

[Jeff Scott]

In the late 70s thru early 80s I played thru an early 70s Traynor 100 watt guitar head.If I remember right was a YGL3A or something like that.It pushed a homemade 215 4 ohm cab surprisingly well.At that time between another bass player and myself we compared that Traynor amp,an old Ampeg V4B and a solid state 250 watt GK head on that 215 cab.Those 2 tube amps played circles around that GK amp although they were less than half the power.

Great sound from my two YGL3’s with suitable bass cabs, I agree!

In the early '80s I had one of these that sounded great for bass.

I ran it into a front-loaded folded horn with a JBL 2225. I used it for recording (no gigging in those days) mic'd with a Western Electric 639B. And yes, the tremolo (and reverb, occasionally) did see use with my bass (February '67 4005WB).

"Walking Towards Infinity" Copyright © Jeffrey P. Scott 1982. All rights reserved.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Another example.

"Seduction of the Blue Princess" Copyright © Stephen J. Rago & Jeffrey P. Scott 1981. All rights reserved.

 

[Patrice B]

In the early '80s I had one of these that sounded great for bass.

View attachment 7254240

I ran it into a front-loaded folded horn with a JBL 2225. I used it for recording (no gigging in those days) mic'd with a Western Electric 639B. And yes, the tremolo (and reverb, occasionally) did see use with my bass (February '67 4005WB).

"Walking Towards Infinity" Copyright © Jeffrey P. Scott 1982. All rights reserved.

I know I repeat myself (from other threads ), but my first bass amp I got 6 years ago is a YVM-1, wonderful bass tone! I heard once someone playing a Ric through a YSR-1 and it was « the » sound!

I still have the YVM-1 and will never sell it… Those Traynor’s were good for anything, keys, bass, guitar and in the case of the YVM-1, not that bad with an high impedance microphone.

@Jeff Scott , love the music! Reminiscent of Yes, Renaissance, Genesis and al.

 

[iguigd]

My first bass head when I started playing mid-70s was a Sunn Concert Lead (with an Acoustic 4x12 guitar cab). It was my "Baby Chris Squire" rig. I recall it sounding pretty bad-ass!

Me in 1973... Marshall Super Lead and a Sunn 6x12 searching for that "Squire" sound, KABOOM!

 

[pbass2]

Me in 1973... Marshall Super Lead and a Sunn 6x12 searching for that "Squire" sound, KABOOM!

Nice!!! I was trying to get there with the Sunn Lead head (which we all know now was only half of his rig). I had a Maestro Brassmaster too, always on. Later I tried a Sound City 50w guitar head--sounded pretty great until it went up in smoke. And of course, a 4001 and Rotos!

 

[cdef]

These last years my rig has included a Roland JC-120 (2x12") for its glorious stereo chorus. I route the signal from the bass with a Lehle P-Split box.

 

[Jctanner78]

I built a JTM45 clone for exactly that use case scenario. I've been using it for about 15 years and love it.

That’s fantastic. I recently put mine on the shelf. I bought an Ampeg PF50T head and was gigging with that mostly the past month. I just plugged my JTM45 back in and I noticed how much I’m missed it. I’m gonna bring it out this weekend. It sounds so sweet