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Best Portable Bass Amp?
- Thread starter IrishRifles
- Start date
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- portable portable bass
Need far more info:
- what type of music are you playing?
- what type of venues?
- what type of bass?
- any goals sonically?
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
Define portable. I think a big ol' folded horn Acoustic Control 360 is portable because I have a van and a Cro Magnon attitude. You may not agree.
The answer will depend on what you mean by "best", and what you mean by "portable". Are we talking best in terms of tone? In that case, what is your preferred tone? Are we talking features? If so, what features would you want in an amp? Is size or weight the main issue? How small and light should it be? One man's lightweight amp is another man's boat anchor.
80's rock, rockabilly, 80's punk.
Home, in classrooms maybe on stage but small scale.
4 string, Icon4 Carvin.
To deliver the best sound possible, to make sure that I am sonically superior.
"Portable", meaning small enough to use in a classroom but big enough to take on stage without using a hand truck (electric).
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"Sonically superior" says "Ampeg" to me! Maybe one of their Portaflex rigs might suit you, or maybe something like the Micro VR/210av. Their little BA combos are pretty nice for the money, too.
If you mean battery operated, I like the Phil Jones models that can use a laptop battery. I have the Double Four. I also have a Carvin MB15 with neo speaker, 200/250 watts with a matching 115MBE extension, for which I just put together a very compact and reasonably light battery/inverter.
I've heard good things about the Fender Rumble series combos, and I know they are light weight as well. I use a TC BG250-112 combo for my "larger" gigs, which has worked out well for me (portable, volume & tone suits my needs.) It also a built in tuner and has 2 Tone Print channels where you can download different effects from your smartphone if that sort of functionality is appealing.
check out the phil jones range of amps , I have the briefcase model ,they are a we bit on the pricey side, but IMO they are a quality build and very portable and versatile bass amp , the suitcase compact with the matching c4 cabinet would be my choice if I had the dosh ($$$) .
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very different kinds of answers here...
personally, I'd go with separates - a good class d head of at least 300 watts. I like the Genz Benz shuttles (used) or a Genzler (new) but there are lots of other flavors and price points available. That will weigh under 10 pounds and maybe under 5 and likely fit in your gig bag pocket along with cables. Then I'd get a small cab... maybe 110 or no bigger than 112. Pick one with voicing that you like. The lightest super 12's go under 30 pounds and you can find 110's that are under 20. Realize that you often trade off between weight, efficiency, low end, size, and cost. You simply cannot get small, loud, light weight, cheap, and good frequency response in one cab. So you pick the balance of those things you want and can tolerate. You've got a two hand schlep then - bass in one hand with head and cables in your gig bag pockets and cab in the other. If you find yourself needing more volume at some point either add a second identical cab or get a larger cab (212 or 210) that meet your sonic goals and use the bigger rig - either both cabs or the one bigger cab - only when needed.
personally, I'd go with separates - a good class d head of at least 300 watts. I like the Genz Benz shuttles (used) or a Genzler (new) but there are lots of other flavors and price points available. That will weigh under 10 pounds and maybe under 5 and likely fit in your gig bag pocket along with cables. Then I'd get a small cab... maybe 110 or no bigger than 112. Pick one with voicing that you like. The lightest super 12's go under 30 pounds and you can find 110's that are under 20. Realize that you often trade off between weight, efficiency, low end, size, and cost. You simply cannot get small, loud, light weight, cheap, and good frequency response in one cab. So you pick the balance of those things you want and can tolerate. You've got a two hand schlep then - bass in one hand with head and cables in your gig bag pockets and cab in the other. If you find yourself needing more volume at some point either add a second identical cab or get a larger cab (212 or 210) that meet your sonic goals and use the bigger rig - either both cabs or the one bigger cab - only when needed.
Gallien Krueger MB212, Fender Rumble 500, Ampeg BA210 all come to mind. Affordable, portable, and giggable.
With a separate head for stage use, if this is to weak, this Hotone Thunder Bass - Anyone heard of it? with the most efficient, small and good tone cab you can find, would double to teach the meaning of what a watt is, as well as the importance of the tone originating with you and your instrument.
I have not heard one, but I'm intrigued and moving it to the top of my hit list.
I have not heard one, but I'm intrigued and moving it to the top of my hit list.
I use an Audio Kinesis 112 Thunderchild. I either use my Tone hammer 500 or GB shuttle 6.0. One trip load in, and it handles small gigs by itself.
If you get one of the high efficiency 1x12 cabs (audio Kinesis, greenboy etc) and a class d head (GK, Mesa, Ampeg, etc) , you'll be away laughing matd
If you get one of the high efficiency 1x12 cabs (audio Kinesis, greenboy etc) and a class d head (GK, Mesa, Ampeg, etc) , you'll be away laughing matd
I'd recommend one of the miniature Mark Bass amps. Very portable (just a few pounds) solid, well built. And can handle good volume. Nothing special about them. You can also get bigger models, like the minimark.
