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Cheap Amp Thats Aren't Completely Awful

M

mtouard88

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Jan 12, 2015
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29
#1
So I'm looking to get a new amp but I don't know anything about amps.

I know I want a solid state instead of a tube amp and I want a combo instead of a stack. I'm pretty much broke so I can't afford anything more than $80-$120 right now. I know you get what you paid for so I don't need the sound to be completely perfect or anything.

I have a fender rumble 15 so I'm wondering is there anything affordable thats like a step up control wise (such as overdrive or gain) and half a step up tone wise or should I stick with the rumble and wait till I can afford a better amp?

I don't play in performances or anything I just practice at home and play at my friends house, but he has his own bass and amp so I just use that.
 
#2
mtouard88 said:
So I'm looking to get a new amp but I don't know anything about amps.

I know I want a solid state instead of a tube amp and I want a combo instead of a stack. I'm pretty much broke so I can't afford anything more than $80-$120 right now. I know you get what you paid for so I don't need the sound to be completely perfect or anything.

I have a fender rumble 15 so I'm wondering is there anything affordable thats like a step up control wise (such as overdrive or gain) and half a step up tone wise or should I stick with the rumble and wait till I can afford a better amp?

I don't play in performances or anything I just practice at home and play at my friends house, but he has his own bass and amp so I just use that.
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Well, you don't have to worry about tubes or a stack at that price point - anything tube or stack in that price range will plain awful and probably in non-working order.

I would say if you want something usable (as in practice with amplified guitars or drums) you need to look in the classifieds. The amps that are in that range new are bad - extremely low power. small speakers and poorly designed cabinets. BUT you can get all kinds of goodness if you are willing to look and wait in the used market.

Amps that go for very little used but which are usable little amps.

Yorkville or Traynor anything (except the 5-15 watt tiny ones)
Peavey (again - except the tiny ones)
You might be able to find one of the larger Rumble series in that price range - they are definitely usable amps.
 
#9
lfmn16 said:
Probably not what you want to hear, but your best bet is to get a part time job and save up some money. It's unlikely you'll find anything decent for that price. The difference in what you will get by going from $100 to $300 used is significant.
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Yeah I've already applied for several jobs...

These are pretty helpful though, from these answers it seems like the smaller cheaper amps are usually a waste. Thats good to know.
 
#11
Def hit up Craigslist. Don't be a jerk about it, but you'd be surprised how far $120 can go there. A fairly large amount of posters there list stuff knowing full well they're not getting anywhere near the asking price. Also just making an offer sometimes can plant a seed that grows... and they get back with you days later asking if you're still interested; there haven't been any other offers. I had a guy call me days after an offer once...he needed cash... If I hadn't already spent my cash I'd have landed an MB200 for $100. Never hurts to ask.
 
#12
I sold a Fender Rumble 75 for $75 a few years ago on CL. That would certainly be a step up from your Rumble 15, but not much more. Unless you're in a hurry, save up. There's nothing quite like plugging into a real gig-worthy amp, even if you're just practicing at home. :)
 
#15
Coolhandjjl said:
Peavey. No matter how cheaply priced or beat-up it may look, it will most likely work just fine.
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+2

Try to get the highest wattage amp you can afford. Unlike guitar amps, bass amps need some power behind them to even play at home if you want to hear the bass.

Basic 112 is a fantastic amp for home as well as small gigs. Yes, its got enough to do coffee shop gigs no problem. They were made 90's-recent, so you don't have to settle for an amp thats 40 years old and misding half the knobs. That said, those older Peaveys are tanks as well.

Skip the 15 watt amps - they only make those so people will upgrade a month later to a bigger amp, IMO.
 
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#16
There are better amps by far, but the one listed in my sig cost $80 (and it's 30 years old, more or less.) One of the quasi-local CLs has a a Combo 300 was $249, dropped to $149. For cab&head (sorta-) at the moment Peavey PA-400 (don't get too excited - 210-240 watts (not 400), but that's into 2 ohms) for $50, and someone else has 2x 4-ohm 2x10s for $75 each - or a different listing has a 1x15 for $75. Now that is an OLD PA amp, not a bass amp specifically, but it's a head.

Patience and cash on hand are your best allies for scoring the CL deal. Flexibility also helps. Peavey stuff is built like a tank (and weighs like one too.)
 
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#17
All good posts there.. I'd say you have a much better chance with craigslist rather than a store.. If a store has it, they already picked it up used for $X and need to sell it for $X+profit so you're cheapest option is used directly from someone. Be polite about it and you may be able to talk someone down from their asking price. Hopefully you can find a kind soul "thinning the herd" that may be willing to help you out. Where are you located?

-edited to add this -
All things being equal ( which they never are ) get the biggest speaker you can find. Your output volume really comes down to moving air. It's a gross simplification/generalization but more volume can come from just adding speaker area. Two ways of doing that is adding more speakers ( 4x10 or 8x10 ) or getting a bigger speaker.

If you have 2 speakers, a 10" and a 15", lets assume they have the same sensitivity and same x-max, or ability to move forwards and backwards the same distance ) the 15" speaker will likely be louder as it will be moving more air with each vibration.

Keeping things really simplified, the area of the speaker times the distance the cone moves can give you a good idea of how loud a speaker will be. There are tons of exceptions and reasons why this is only a generalization, but I think it's safe to say at your price range, a larger speaker will be louder given roughly the same power.
 
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