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Basses, Into Guitar Amps?

JoeyM

JoeyM

Mar 5, 2014
29
15
29
#1
I was once told that you shouldn't play a guitar into a bass amp, and that you shouldn't play a bass into a guitar amp. But more recently, I've heard otherwise, and I often play my guitar through my bass amp. But I've also heard that you can play a bass through a guitar amp, as long as you use bass speakers. And I see people playing their Bass VI's and double neck guitar/basses straight into guitar combos.

So, my question Is, what can I safely do without damaging my equipment? Will I damage my guitar amp if I play my bass through it? Does my bass amp get upset when I play a guitar through it?

What are my real options?
 
#3
JoeyM said:
I was once told that you shouldn't play a guitar into a bass amp, and that you shouldn't play a bass into a guitar amp. But more recently, I've heard otherwise, and I often play my guitar through my bass amp. But I've also heard that you can play a bass through a guitar amp, as long as you use bass speakers. And I see people playing their Bass VI's and double neck guitar/basses straight into guitar combos.

So, my question Is, what can I safely do without damaging my equipment? Will I damage my guitar amp if I play my bass through it? Does my bass amp get upset when I play a guitar through it?

What are my real options?
Click to expand...

I have heard of this being done at low volumes, but i am pretty sure you could easily damage the cone of the guitar speakers due to low frequency vibrations coming from the bass....especially if you are playing a low b....at higher volumes, the risk increases.

If you own both a guitar amp and bass amp, what situation would call for you to use the bass with a guitar amp, and vice versa?
 
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#5
I don't know about guitar into bass gear, but I happily plug into a little guitar combo for bass practice at low volume, being mindful of the potential to shred the speaker.

Way back I plugged into a 50w Marshall 4x12 stack. Not happening for bass at band volume.
 
#6
Cheers for all that guys.

As to why I'm playing guitars into bass amps - you tend to get a huge sound for playing around with heavier riffs when using a fuzz or distortion pedals.

And my reason for playing bass into guitar amps is a matter of being heard rather than felt in when playing groups where the bass becomes a more melodic instrument, rather than the player of the groove.

I really just wanted to know if there was any harm to the electronics, but that doesn't seem to be an issue.
 
#10
I believe bass into guitar amp or vice versa has been done. I heard Kyuss used to play guitar through bass amps (nothing I've researched to verify). I've also read that Red Fang was running bass into guitar cabs.

I've played bass through my Mesa 20w Subway Rocket guitar amp. I've run a guitar through a Fender combo amp. Each was just for practice volume, not with a band.


"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt
 
#12
JoeyM said:
I was once told that you...shouldn't play a bass into a guitar amp.
Click to expand...
That all depends on the amp and how it is used, such as recording, acoustic jams, etc.

This one sounds great with a bass. :bassist:

Concert-Amp-1200_0106.jpg

Photo Copyright © Jeffrey P. Scott 2014 All rights reserved
 
#13
My first amp was a guitar amp. A tiny little crappy thing with an 8" speaker.

I played through it for ages. All distorted and that.

It never blew out. And to this day, I like a tiny bit of distortion on the high end.
 
#16
we used the solid state marshall 100 watt with the 412 and the 212 line 6 combo at different points for a year and didn't break either one with the ibanez expressionator, however my vintage guy said that the reason we didn't break them was because the other bass player was using an effects processor with envelope and octave effects through the guitar based amplification
 
#17
Agreed, no problem playing a bass through a guitar amp, but you want to run into a proper bass cab.

You wont' have quite the depth of tone, but it will not damage the amp.

For recording, big block guitar amps are used all the time for bass.
You still want a proper bass cab or bass speakers, but you won't need to play very loud.
In that situation, the goal is just to add some life to the D/I track.
 

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