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Good sounding practice amp

#21
I picked up a Line6 Lowdown 110 on a trade and it really surprised me. It has great sounding amp models of several famous bass rigs. While I would not expect it to hang with a semi loud drummer it would be enough for a small coffee house gig.

It's the amp they used in this video when Jaco's bass was found and played by Will Lee and Victor Bailey:

 
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#24
The little Barefaced cab is about as good as it gets. You'll need a head for it, which may push it over budget. If that's the case, the single driver Rumble combo amps (15, 25, 40 and 100) all have a tone with rich bass, smooth mids and sweet highs. The Ampeg combos offer a somewhat more refined tone: less prominent, but more articulate bass. The Traynors are also well liked, and definitely worth a look if available in your area.
 
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#30
Since you are considering de BC20, why not go up to the BC40? It's very clean even if you boost bass (and it thunders when you do), no hiss at all. You can really tweak the EQ without making it fart o distort. I use an MXR M80 (preamp + di + distortion) to add a little color to it. It has headphone out and a nice aux in, it's great for practice.
 
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#31
Doner Designs said:
If you can afford it, I would go with a higher powered amp even for at home. Since that is your main playing situation I assume you want to sound as good as you can. Note that lower frequencies take tons of power to reproduce and, as a result, I think that a lot of lower power amps incorporate a high pass filter so that they don't use all their energy on the really deep frequencies that you feel as much as hear (like 50-60 hz and below).

I use 500 watt amps for practice, not because I need to be that loud but because I think the tone is much better. As a side benefit, the same amps can be used for gigs. No need for separate practice and gigging amps.

I personally like Markbass but have also used some GK stuff. One thing to know on GK is that when the tone controls are set flat there is a mid scoop. Crank both mid controls to around 2 o'clock to get a flat tone that is comparable to Markbass or other neutral voiced amps.
Click to expand...

I should be familiar with all this stuff as my dad is a bass player too. Obviously this is a bit of an oversimplification and it's wrong to generalise. But would say a 250 watt amp sound better than a 25 watt one at the same volume in terms of low end punch?

Also I'm not sure what the best option is for me now. In order to get a head + cab for around £300 I'd need to get something used off eBay.

Here are some I've been looking at on Thomann.

Invalid Link Removed

://m.thomann.de/gb/gallien_krueger_mb110.htm?o=73&ref=mal_a_33&search=1461693238

://m.thomann.de/gb/tc_electronic_bg250_208.htm?o=3&ref=mal_a_3&search=1461693460
 
#32
I have heard a lot of them.. I have an SWR LA10 with headphone jack its 35w and great for anywhere your not trying to be to loud or for acoustic guitar.. I also own the SWR Super Redhead made in 2001.. pre fender 350w tube amp 2x10cab underneath..extension cab makes it 450w.. I have never heard a 2x10 cab catch the low b string as good as that lil thing.. not to mention the most beautiful highs to.. I play an eden wt550 with eden 1x15 and 4x10 cabs and the redhead still does it justice.
 
#33
dyed in the wool GK guy, but I absolutely love my ampeg BA108. Under 100 bucks and way louder than it should be (if you ask it to be) but can be so quiet I don't wake up the wife or kid napping on the couch right next to me while I play.

bonus: it sounds like an ampeg
 
#34
I don't know what bass you have. I have a Yamaha TRBX that I use in active mode direct to an EV ZLX12P, powered pa speaker. Still works in passive mode but I'm loosing builtin eq. It sounds really good, can keep up with a semi-loud drummer and doesn't fart with the low B. It has more use than just a bass practice amp. Add a subwoofer and this is the practice PA for your band. You can buy a tech21 VTbass DI or whatever preamp/DI if you have problem with an old passive bass.
 
#35
Sirev7 said:
I should be familiar with all this stuff as my dad is a bass player too. Obviously this is a bit of an oversimplification and it's wrong to generalise. But would say a 250 watt amp sound better than a 25 watt one at the same volume in terms of low end punch?

Also I'm not sure what the best option is for me now. In order to get a head + cab for around £300 I'd need to get something used off eBay.

Here are some I've been looking at on Thomann.

Invalid Link Removed

://m.thomann.de/gb/gallien_krueger_mb110.htm?o=73&ref=mal_a_33&search=1461693238

://m.thomann.de/gb/tc_electronic_bg250_208.htm?o=3&ref=mal_a_3&search=1461693460
Click to expand...

I had the micromark 801 for awhile. Nice little amp, but expensive for something that will not work for anything other than practice. IMO you want a 12 or 15" unless you are going to have two drivers. A single 10 doesn't cut it for me.
 
#36
Sirev7 said:
But would say a 250 watt amp sound better than a 25 watt one at the same volume in terms of low end punch?
Click to expand...

I think it would sound a lot better because the 25 watt amp will probably have a high pass filter that rolls off the lows, otherwise all of the power would be consumed producing the 40-50 hz component of the signal (which is felt as much as heard) and there would be nothing left for the mids and highs. So a 25 watt amp might get "loud" enough for you, but it's probably going to sound thin. That of course is fine for true practice where the goal is to learn/exercise and your tone is not a big deal. But if you want to sound good too, I wouldn't go below a couple hundred watts and at that point you might as well get a little more power so you can also use it when you jam with others or get a gig.
 
#37
Sirev7 said:
I should be familiar with all this stuff as my dad is a bass player too. Obviously this is a bit of an oversimplification and it's wrong to generalise. But would say a 250 watt amp sound better than a 25 watt one at the same volume in terms of low end punch?

Also I'm not sure what the best option is for me now. In order to get a head + cab for around £300 I'd need to get something used off eBay.

Here are some I've been looking at on Thomann.

Invalid Link Removed

://m.thomann.de/gb/gallien_krueger_mb110.htm?o=73&ref=mal_a_33&search=1461693238

://m.thomann.de/gb/tc_electronic_bg250_208.htm?o=3&ref=mal_a_3&search=1461693460
Click to expand...


It is possible to make a 25w amp that has the frequency response and distortion levels the same as a 250w amp - at 25w and under. This is not generally done because the intended use, practice vs performance, does not require it. This is evident when looking at combo bass amps. The lower power models all have small speakers and cabs that are incapable of reproducing the low and mid bass frequencies. These are quite suitable for home practice (and low volume gigs in small venues). The larger combos allow reproduction of the lower frequencies and incorporate cabs/drivers capable of producing them. Because of the way humans hear low frequencies, it is possible to play audibly satisfying bass without reproducing the low fundamentals. So the better small combos are quite adequate for home practice. They are generally incapable of playing at the higher volumes required by most players for performances. Hence, the need for higher power and the cabs capable of utilizing it.

The combos you are looking at are all competently designed models, and fall in the 'practice' amp category described above. For playing at home with great tone, consider buying a small micro head (used?), like the GK MB200, and a 110 or 112 cab. Or, if you are handy with tools and a soldering iron, consider buying a decent combo and upgrading the driver (and cab tuning - its not just buying a 'better' speaker). The Fender Rumbles (V3) are popular for this. Such mods are much discussed here.
 
#38
Just wanted to say thanks for all your help guys. I decided to go for a Warwick BC40. It was pretty affordable and seems to have a decent range of features. It's by no means small or light but from all the reviews I read its meant to have a decent sound. I also like that it has 2 instrument inputs active and passive.
 

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