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Cheap-ish, 50-ish watt amp recommendations?

Muddslide

Muddslide

Feb 23, 2007
5,284
5,082
Mobile, Alabama
#1
Hello, All.

I've been a player for almost 40 years but I stopped gigging about 15 years back when I became a father.

Now that my two kids are teens (and are also musicians, as is my lovely wife) I am trying to get back into playing more. I plan on picking up a decent bass this weekend. All I have is a cruddy old beater and a tiny 10 watt practice amp.

Because I've been out of the loop for so long and haven't been in the market for amp gear in so long, I'm pretty ignorant as to what's out there.

I should say, I need to keep the price down pretty low. Solid state is fine by me. Hell, I gigged for years on an old Peavey TNT 150 (that weighed as much as a small mountain.)

Anyways, what I am looking for (if there IS such an animal) is a 50 watt amp that will mostly (for now) be used for home practice but which COULD be used in a practice/jam situation with full on drummer/guitard setup.

If possible, I was hoping for something that could also work for small gigs, with a DI if need be. I realize I may be dreaming here, to find something that could pull that off with 50 watts...

I've been looking around at reviews for everything from Fender Rumbles to Hartkes to Acoustics to a really cool sounding Orange 50 watter. My brain is spinning. Actually, I am really drawn to the Orange but I read (possibly right here on TB) that this amp has built in compression that can't be rolled off and that when playing aggressively it can kind of squash the tone. That puts me off somewhat.

I'd like to get the scoop from fellow TB'ers.

Any advice, suggestions, recommendations or thoughts in general?

I really appreciate any input.
 
#3
Muddslide said:
...I need to keep the price down pretty low.
Click to expand...
Don't fixate on watts - no such thing as too many - you can always turn down.
Your budget and your location will have a major influence on what is practical.
Definitely consider used if at all possible.
A head in the 200-500W range can be paired with a wide variety of cabs as your requirements evolve.
IOW - start with a 1x10 or, better, a 1x12 for practice and small gigs and replace with a 4x10 or 2x12 for larger if the need arises. (If you start with 1x12 and add another later, you can cover a _lot_ of situations...).
Shop local for 4x10 and up because they are a b!tch to ship and there are bargains to be had.
A GK MB200 is quite reasonable; the 500 is more but you wouldn't have to uprate it for a long while.
There is a lot of love now for the newer Rumble products; I've never heard one so I have no opinion.
Spend some time cruising the amps forum and you'll get a pretty good sense of what's what.
 
#4
Yes, while you were away amplifier watts have gotten both cheap and light. Over the same period, great sounding bass cabs have only gotten lighter, not yet cheaper.

Since price is limiting, consider looking on the used market. And if you can't get the rig of your dreams now, consider buying a separate head and cab, and get the best cab you can afford. (A great head will sound tatty through an under-performing cab, but through a great cab even a just-decent head can sound aces.)
 
#5
Okay, I am probably being way over-ambitious when thinking of a truly giggable 50 watter. But are there small amps in the 50 watt range that could hang in a practice situation you think?

Let's put gigging aside for now. I don't know if or when that will ever happen again for me, and if it does I have rigs I can either borrow or I'll put something together when the need arises and I can afford it.

So basically, a good, decent, not-too-pricey 50 watt amp for home use and occasional practice room jams?
 
#6
I think you'd be unhappy with 50w. If you look around at 50w combo amps you'll find that they're paired with a single 10 or 12" speaker. If your drummer plays with brushes and your guitarist is very restrained, maybe. But usually this won't be the case and you'll find that your rig isn't going to cut it. Good enough for solo practice, but not for playing with an acoustic drummer in a rock ensemble.

You'd have a chance with 15" combo. But if you look at the 15" combos you'll notice that they're all at least 100w.

My advice would be that you hunt the used gear market for a couple of weeks. Get a used bass head, something that was budget-but-reliable even when it was new. Peavey, maybe. You should have no problem scoring a Peavey head for $200 or less. Then get a used 15" speaker.

Alternately--but less desirable in my book--shop for a used 15" combo amp. Most of them are going to be 100 to 300w range and should keep you in the mix with a drummer at practice.
 
#8
Muddslide said:
But are there small amps in the 50 watt range that could hang in a practice situation you think?
Click to expand...
Help me here - what is your fixation with 50W ? It (seems to me) is such an unattainably low arbitrary limit...
What _kind_ of practice situation? Solo, perhaps with some kind of aux input for MP3 player?
Or with other people - playing what kind of instruments?
For solo practice, maybe what you want is a headphone amp. I've got a couple - many from which to choose.
But the problem with low-powered amps is that they are typically low-quality "student" amps packed with useless features and marginal sound quality.
(Broad generalization alert:) No serious musician would use such a thing.
 
#10
I had an Ampeg B50R 1x12 combo that I loved for practice and playing with friends when there was not a drummer. In only the rare instance was it enough with a drummer (who was very restrained). That model is discontinued, but likely can be found used.

However, I agree with others who have flagged that you will likely need more than 50W (but recognizing, if I recall correctly, that to get twice as loud will require 500W and not 100W). I have been able to hang in jazz settings including drums with a borrowed GK MB 1x12 combo quite well. (100W? 120W?)

Features may matter more than watts -- headphone jack and aux in (as mentioned before) are most definitely useful for practice at times.
 
#11
If you have to keep to your parameters I like the Roland amps.....the cube 120 might keep up with a loud drummer. I have seen it done. Great tone and features....The 60 watt version is nice but not powerful enough.
 
#15
Look used. There are tons of 1980s Fenders, Traynors, Peaveys and Crates with 1-15" and 50-100 watts you can get for about $100.

My current beater is a Crate B60 (old enough that it has the faux wood trim). Cost me $60, the max any practice amp is worth to me. I have played gigs with it, heck I've played outdoor gigs with it.

Any combo amp that has lasted 30 years without the magic smoke escaping is a good bet.
 
#16
You can buy new relatively cheaply these days. E.g. Carvin Micro Bass [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], 200W @8ohm 250W @4ohm. It has a DI out. It has a drive knob that provides "harmonic richness" (metaphor for fake tube-ness). $279 + shipping. With an external speaker it could hang with a rock drummer.
 
#17
Agree with the Ampeg B50R, if you can find one used. And are stuck on 50W. Agree with most - I had one that, in my living room, sounded louder than I would ever need. It was completely buried in my first practice with a drummer. We weren't super loud, but you couldn't even tell it was on. But, looked cool as heck and sounded really great. They also make 100W and 200W versions - best sounding little combos I've heard.
 
#18
Mr slide ... 'keepng the price kind of low' is very relative ... what kind of money are you looking and what do you have access to in the line of music shops to try things?? ... any restrictions for weight (lifting) and are you looking combo only or seperate head/cab a consideration??
 
Last edited:
#19
Muddslide said:
Okay, I am probably being way over-ambitious when thinking of a truly giggable 50 watter. But are there small amps in the 50 watt range that could hang in a practice situation you think?

Let's put gigging aside for now. I don't know if or when that will ever happen again for me, and if it does I have rigs I can either borrow or I'll put something together when the need arises and I can afford it.

So basically, a good, decent, not-too-pricey 50 watt amp for home use and occasional practice room jams?
Click to expand...

... since you gigged a Peavey and were happy with it, could always go back that way only smaller ... I have a Basic 112 (60 watts/112) that I use in a practice space with full band and have used on smaller gigs just fine ... paid $100 used ... plays much louder than 60 watts, especially if you start cutting deep lows ... personal pref for Peavey gear, older is better than newer ;)
 

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