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Best Portable Bass Amp?
- Thread starter IrishRifles
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- portable portable bass
What is your budget and where are you located. On a limited budget in the USA I would take a look at the Carvin combos as well as the newer Fender Rumbles. If your outside the states forget the Carvin. The Rumbles are a lot of amp for the money, but my amp of choice is the Carvin MB15. I also have a Rumble 40 which is very nice but not going to work with a drummer in a reasonably loud rock or blues band. If you have an unlimited budget, well, you have way too many to choose from!
Markbass 121P. size/weight/volume/price.
Didn't know that AER builds Bassamps too. Our guitarist has one. Very good and expensive.
Didn't know that AER builds Bassamps too. Our guitarist has one. Very good and expensive.
A nice Class D head and a solid 2x10 cab will take you pretty far. My big rig is a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0, I have the 3.0 too which is better in quiet situations with no tube fan. I have been using an SWR goliath jr cab which sounds really good. All these things can be found used for not a lot of $ and will provide a premium clean sound. There are a hundred variations on this theme that can also be very good. At that point everyone will have their own taste. When I went to SWR back in the 90s I ABed every amp in the store at the time and choose the rig I liked the best, I did not even know the brand. Grab your bass and try a bunch of amps side by side, you will learn a lot. Funny, the first test I do now is the pick up test for weight, but that is just my laziness.
There are many good choices on portable bass rigs these days. Lower budget look at Fender Rumble. Higher budget more options. Separate amp and cab is much more versatile down the road. I use an Aquilar Tonehammer 500 and either a Bergantino CN112 or for max portability a Barefaced One 10. Research shops in your extended area and make shopping trips with your gear. I traveled an hour to buy my cab and several hours looking at heads. A lot of great gear out there but takes some research and effort to find what will work for you.
Let's get down to brass tacks... (with what I said I need it to have), what combo amp is the best you can buy?
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When I considered portable I was thinking
1. Playing in my living room as not to disturb the neighbors
2. Something that I could use in a small setting outdoors or in a small venue
3. Lightweight
4. Reasonably priced with a headphone jack
With these considerations I went with the Fender Rumble 100
It also has a direct out, distortion setting, and high and low mid settings, which for me were bonuses.
1. Playing in my living room as not to disturb the neighbors
2. Something that I could use in a small setting outdoors or in a small venue
3. Lightweight
4. Reasonably priced with a headphone jack
With these considerations I went with the Fender Rumble 100
It also has a direct out, distortion setting, and high and low mid settings, which for me were bonuses.
Al Kraft
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For my money and my ears, with some of your same requirements (I don't play 80's punk - no value judgement there), I got a Mesa Walkabout Scout 112 many years ago and it's still a benchmark that's hard to beat. You can find the latest model's description on the Mesa website. It's not cheap, but it's quite nice.
A lot depends on the sound you have in your head that sets the bar for you. Ampeg, Fender, GK, etc. offerings all sound good to me too, but the Mesa hits a sweet spot that simply works for me (and that's what actually counts). It also has an excellent DI out that allows it to be used in a big venue or on an outdoor stage as a monitor while the FOH serves virtually any size audience. The same of course is true of most other combos.
Hope that helps!
A lot depends on the sound you have in your head that sets the bar for you. Ampeg, Fender, GK, etc. offerings all sound good to me too, but the Mesa hits a sweet spot that simply works for me (and that's what actually counts). It also has an excellent DI out that allows it to be used in a big venue or on an outdoor stage as a monitor while the FOH serves virtually any size audience. The same of course is true of most other combos.
Hope that helps!
How about a GK MB200 that you can tuck in your gig bag and a Barefaced 110 or 210?
Al Kraft
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Good choices if the Barefaced with GK sound works for you - and it is really nice to my ears. However, if I went that route I might select the MB 500 to give me a little more headroom.
I own the MB 200, 500 and 800 heads, but no Barefaced cabs. I love the sound of the 200, but find it needs to work a bit harder than I like when it comes to something like a stage environment versus a classroom. I've only heard a Barefaced cab once and it was very impressive especially considering its size and weight.
The Walkabout Scout combo can, in my opinion, cover the bases equally well if not better in some ways than an MB200 and Barefaced 110 - others would rightfully disagree. Each of these set-ups have their own sound. That said, I'm not sure I'd want to face off with a Barefaced Two 10 with the Walkabout in terms of a volume or sound quality at high volume contest.
Traynor SB115 for combo.
Ampeg Portaflex series for separate head and cab...although, once the head is attached to the flip top it's ostensibly a combo.
Ampeg Portaflex series for separate head and cab...although, once the head is attached to the flip top it's ostensibly a combo.
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^ This. The BG-400 and C4 pairing is muy bueno.*
* There's probably an ownership clause in motion here. Owners of Purchased Brand (TM) frequently affirm their wisdom in having selected Purchased Brand (TM). YMMV
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Let's get down to brass tacks... (with what I said I need it to have), what combo amp is the best you can buy?
OK, let's get to the nuts and bolts of it. There is no such thing as ONE "best" combo amp.
My personal favorite is the Mesa Walkabout Scout combo, but I like a fat, round, "vintage" tone. Many who prefer a modern, clear, neutral tone would HATE the Mesa Walkabout and probably prefer something like the Markbass.
You are asking a question for which there is no answer.
Now, if you narrow down the parameters, we can help. What we need.
1) BUDGET - What is the MOST you are willing to spend. Period.
2) WEIGHT - And ACTUAL number of the most weight you are willing to lug....not just "potable". Portable to me is a 15" Mesa Walkabout Scout combo in one hand (52 pounds) and the extension cab in the other (45 pounds). Others would find that extremely heavy.
3) TONE goals - Do you like clear and bright or warm and wooly?
Until you give some details you will keep getting opinions that are all over the place and don't answer you question.....for which there is no one answer to begin with.
There. Is. No. "Best". Combo. For. Every. Bass. Player. Period.
There are countless little rigs that could satisfy your needs. "Best" is entirely subjective. My "best" suggestion is a Mesa Walkabout Scout 12" combo. IMHO it produces tone to die for, sufficient volume for your description, and has a detachable head that can be used with larger cabs if desired.
Yes, I remember seeing one of these at a local music shop although I didn't look at it close.
When I say 'best' I mean high end quality but covers all aspects for any situation like the B15N.
I gave details, budget is no problem, like I said you get what you pay for so I want high end quality. Weight, just as long as I don't need a hand truck but I like the ones that utilize casters. Tone goals are to match perfectly the type of music I mentioned before.
Then I would say the Walkabout Scout 12" combo and get a matching cab to go with it. The 12" is more portable than the 15" by most bassist's standards. But if you get the other cab you'll have a modular system and more volume if you need it. They look great. The tone is outstanding to me.
Best of luck with your combo search.
