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Best Amp for a Gibson Bass?

B

BassfulOne

Oct 30, 2011
65
0
Santa Clara, CA
#1
Hello all!

So I recently got my Gibson SG Bass (Faded Cherry) and I really love it! But I'm in need of an amp that fits this bass. What's the best type of amp to bring out the honky tone of this awesomely awesome bass? I currently have an Ampeg BA-108, but to me all it sounds like is a farty speaker (using the 0 dB input and any volume higher than 4). Whenever I plug in headphones, the bass sounds just fantastic! Is this a problem with the amp or could there be something wrong with my pickups?

Other things I'm looking for in an amp: small/bedroom amp, relatively cheap (anywhere from ~$100 to ~$350), and lightweight. I've owned a GK MB112 that crapped out on me so I don't think I'm getting another GK. Some of the bass amps I've been looking at/considering are: Vox Pathfinder 10 Bass, Roland Microcube Bass RX, and the Roland Cube 20XL.

Thanks in advance for the help and I'll have pics of this great bass soon! :bassist:

- BassfulOne
 
#2
Sounds like ur asking too much of a "bedroom" amp. Maybe that li'l speaker blew, or the hot output of the bass is too much for it past 4 on its dial. If it's sounding fine up to 4 on its dial, this is it most likely.

I'd look for a GB Shuttle 3 10" combo or similar.
Ampeg SVT-CL micro head & 210 cab.
Something like these will allow u to get the volume ur after without blowing, & have plenty in reserve
 
#4
As an example- Using my jazz bass I can run my gain at about 12 o'clock before I get overdrive on my 7 pro, using my (hot) Warwick $$, - 8 o'clock.
There are a LOT of other combos about-Hartke, GK, TC, etc...
I'd just recommend my suggestions above for versatility/ability to swap cabs/heads, ability to hand with drums etc....
Amps with gain & master vol might allow greater flexibility with hot pups.
 
#5
I've been reading up on the GB Shuttle (here on Talkbass) and it's definitely got me interested. I'd just need to save up for it since it's quite out of my price range at the moment. But it's got nearly all of the requirements I'd need for a good bedroom/practice rig: lightweight, relatively small, but still decent sounding (based on TalkBassers' opinions!). I'll have to go on the hunt to see if I can find one to try out.
 
#6
The best amp for a Gibson bass is simple. It's the amp that gives you the tone you're looking for while using as little eq as possible, or none. Every cab has a distinct flavor, or color, of sound. There are distinct differences in the color between different classes of solid state amps, and more extremely between solid state and tube amps. In my and many people's minds, a preamp should be neutral and offer no sound of its own, but there's definitely ones that do add their own flavor of sound. What I'm saying is, if you can get the sound you want by using as little processing as possible, and preferably none, that is your best rig. But what that sound is is up to your own personal taste, and no one else can answer that for you. It's up to you to use your own ears and be patient and try a lot of rigs and combinations to find that sound. If you asked me about Gibson sound, me being a Fender player since 1969, my ideal is Jack Bruce, so I'd recommend a lower-powered tube amp that can easily be overdriven, but that may not be and probably isn't the Gibson sound you're talking about. A lot of people are totally reliant on pedals and will disagree with my straight-line approach, and they're right too. Nothing is wrong that achieves the sound you're looking for, but from a pure engineering standpoint and experience, the less processing involved, the purer, more distinct and detailed the sound.
 
#7
To be quite honest, I agree with your approach to finding "that sound" Freight Train. I too am a Fender player -- I play a Fender Tele, and I love love LOVE the sound of the Tele through a simple Fender Pro JR III with no pedals, no nothing. I'll maybe add some chorus or reverb in the future, but for now, I really just love that Tele twang.

But I digress, the Gibson "sound" I'm looking for from my Gibson SG bass is the sound found from this demo: , which pretty much influenced me to get the SG bass in the first place! And now that I look back at it, he's using a Genz Benz Shuttle bass amp. Hmmm...perhaps rodl2005 was onto something! :D
 
#8
4 on the BA108 is where mine starts to distort. It's pretty typical of most amps with a single volume knob to start distorting at that point or thereabouts. Some might give you a little more room on the dial, some a little less. And of course the output of the pickups also has to do with it. Doesn't mean you're not getting full performance out of that amp. You just need considerably more amp if you want to be considerably louder.
 
#10
I'm using a Carvin Micro MB10 Bass Amp for practice with my Gibson SG Bass and Gibson Money Bass. I use a Carvin MB15 with an extension cab (Making it 2x15) for gigging. If I gig in a small venue I don't use the extension cab just the MB15. I've played Peavey and Fender amps in the past and got really tired of hauling those heavy amps around. The Carvin amps are really cool and light weight. The MB10 Micro only weighs 23 lbs and has 200 Watts. It has a 10" speaker and a tweeter. The MB15 weighs 32 lbs and is 250 watts with a 15" speaker and a tweeter. The 1x15 extension cab weighs about 30 lbs and can be used with either amp. If you want overdrive or distortion the Carvin amps have gain and master volume controls so you can overdrive at any volume. The Carvin amps also have sufficient low end to handle my Dean Pace Upright Bass.
 
#11
The Shuttle would prolly be cool...Personally I think a Genz Streamliner, or Ampeg SVT7 Pro, depending on which voicing you like best. I've played my Gibson Ripper thru a Streamliner/fEARful 15/6/1, and for me that's a pretty potent combo :)
 
#12
OP's after an amp for under $350- suitable for bedroom use. I know a 7 pro, Streamliner etc will work, but.... The MONEY! I was thinking a Shuttle 3.0, (even 6.0 if available at this price) -w/ a1x10l or 1x12" as it can be turned down & still sound good & "may" be available for about this $$-2nd hand.
There are also lots of nice combos about- Ampeg, Hartke,GK, to name a few.
I'd aim for at least 100w, pref 250-300(most higher powered amps/combos will sound good at low volume ) & at least a 10"speaker-pref 12" or 2 10"s etc.
 
#13
rodl2005 said:
OP's after an amp for under $350- suitable for bedroom use. I know a 7 pro, Streamliner etc will work, but.... The MONEY! I was thinking a Shuttle 3.0, (even 6.0 if available at this price) -w/ a1x10l or 1x12" as it can be turned down & still sound good & "may" be available for about this $$-2nd hand.
There are also lots of nice combos about- Ampeg, Hartke,GK, to name a few
Click to expand...

Good point...sorry! For that price a Shuttle could do nicely, but I'm a 'cry once' kinda guy :)
 
#14
Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! I'm currently interested in getting the Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 with the 1x10 cab now. I'm on the hunt for a used one! But I've read (here) that they usually don't turn up since they're pretty much keepers. In the meantime, I'll be saving up for it and just have to make do with what I got. I honestly don't plan on gigging at the moment, so smaller and lighter (without sacrificing tone) is what I'm after!
 
#17
D.M.N. said:
There are only two types of amps for Gibson Basses:

Sunns and Marshalls.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Look how bad Andy Fraser failed trying to use an EB3 with an SVT. What an idiot he was!
jk of course. His is one of the iconic bass sounds in rock history in many people's opinions.
Sorry, it's just i don't get the "this amp for that bass" thing. No problem with anyone who lives by that, just chiming In saying I never thought of it that way. If I'd recommend an amp to someone, I'd first base it on whether it's for - Finger-style or pick? Slapping and popping involved? Need a vintage sound or modern? Is you're sound primarily clean or distorted? Do you like bright or round tone? Do you primarily play flats or rounds? Need something that can do a variety of these well or one totally right? I know we're talking about a practice amp in this case, but it applies there to. I guess I don't think of Gibson basses having one sound.
 
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#20
D.M.N. said:
There are only two types of amps for Gibson Basses:

Sunns and Marshalls.
Click to expand...

There is really some truth in this statement. My favorite two amps with my Gibson SG Bass are my Sunn 200s and my guitarist's Marshall 100 watt.

Having said that, I once took my SG bass to the local Guitar Center to demo an Ampeg SVT II non-pro (which I liked - just not as much as the Sunn or Marshall). While there, for kicks and curiousity, I plugged into the Acoustic 260 mini rig.
It sounded AWESOME with the SG bass. You can pick those up new for under $300 all day long. If you just want a great sounding small rig, and are not too worried about stage volume down the road, that one is great with the SG. In fact, if it had a line out to run to a PA, I probably would have bought it.


EDIT: Just checked Guitar Center on line. They are blowing out the Acoustic 260 amp and cab at $179.
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