How low can you go (combo wattage)?

[Standalone]

I think as the years have rolled on and the tech has changed that we have begun to forget about how different companies solid state wattage ratings differ.

Peavey and GK, for example were always louder watts than a lot of other SS offerings.

In this thread we have several different brands from a number of different eras being used as examples, and I think we are forgetting that these are often not comparable.

It’s a useful discussion but it’s important to remember that it can’t be oversimplified. That’s part of the fun as far as I am concerned.

A lot of the advice is pointing towards a good 25-40 watt amp like the rumbles is good enough for drum less things. And the 50-100 watt amps from a “loud watt” manufacturer like old Peavey stuff can hang with drum rehearsals and jams.

The other important advice is to consider pulling back the low bass in the EQ to get more out of a smaller amp. Good bass guitar tone lives in those mids, and those newer to playing and selecting gear often think “bass is bass” and crank the low end of the EQ, overtaxing smaller amps and muddying the live tone. Fine for DJ’s but not always good for playing the instrument.

 

[coyote1]

Never had a problem with tone or depth on low wattage amps, just volume issues…

And this is everything. You need to be able to keep up with your band.
I have a 100w combo that I used for awhile, but as soon as we moved from trio to quartet it got lost. Had to upgrade. And I found that high power works better with more speaker area, so I ended up with a head and 4x10. It’s easier to transport when the head is not adding to the weight of the speakers. Of course that was before the new lightweight amps….

Smallest I would do in a 2-guitar rock context would be 2x10, with 240 Watts or more.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Buddy of mine did a million blues gigs with a drummer using a string of 60–80w Peavey TKOs, fwiw.

I gigged quite a lot in the 90s with a Peavey TKO. Played medium sized clubs with two guitar players, and drums. I don't think I ever had the volume past 4 the whole time. Those things are loud. They are also HEAVY. They are also pretty much indestructible (with the exception of house fires, as it turns out).

 

[GwenOnBass]

Ampeg BA108v2

 

[Mike Marshall]

I'm looking for a compact combo amp that I could use to jam with 1 or 2 electric guitarists (no drums). Something light that I can easily carry in the trunk of my car.

How low can you go in terms of wattage before you lose all tone and depth?

The Orange Crush Bass 50w seems interesting and quite affordable, but they don't have it in store so I can't try it. And how about the 25w version?

Thanks for any input.

I had an Ashdown Electric Blue 1-12 combo I could hang with a full band. I have a GK MBE small and loud 1-12 but it's not a budget amp and no longer available new

 

[Durham52]

I've heard as a rule of thumb you want at least 3 times what your guitarist is using.

So if they are rocking a 15 watt combo, 50 watts should cover it.
If THEY are rocking 50 watts then you'd want 150+ etc...

But like others said, it all depends on your guitarists attitude toward volume.
When there's 2 of them a volume war tends to start in my experience.

(take this with a grain of salt, but having more volume than you need on tap is just smart.)

Yes, the amount of volume dialed in is the important part. Just saying things about maximum watts is irrelevant in some situations. If it's a low volume practice at levels not likely to annoy the neighbors, then a 40 or 50 watt bass amp might cut it, even if a couple of guitarists have 50 watt amps, as long as the volume is only set on 2 or 3. Fair enough if you're playing a gig and the guitars are turned way up, then you need several times their wattage to compete, but that's not what the OP was asking about.

 

[Nev375]

... even if a couple of guitarists have 50 watt amps, as long as the volume is only set on 2 or 3. Fair enough if you're playing a gig and the guitars are turned way up, then you need several times their wattage to compete, but that's not what the OP was asking about.

In my 50 years i've never met an electric guitarist who did not crank his amp almost all the way up. They are always pegged and they use their volume knob on their guitar to switch between clean and drive.

So the minimum a bass player can get away with is directly tied to the wattage of the guitar amps.

 

[Ronzo]

If you're counting pounds, as well as watts, the small Rumbles are lighter than the comparably powered Orange Crushes. The Rumble 40 is actually lighter than the Rumble 25 (plywood vs. particleboard). Mine weighs only 14 pounds (contrary to the stated 18) -- less than half of the 50W Orange. For the price, size, weight, and sound, I'm super happy with it. The 1x12 Rumble 100 is only a few pounds heavier and not much larger.

I agree. The Rumble 40 hits the sweet spot for this application. I’ve had mine for five years and it hasn’t let me down.

 

[Durham52]

In my 50 years i've never met an electric guitarist who did not crank his amp almost all the way up. They are always pegged and they use their volume knob on their guitar to switch between clean and drive.

So the minimum a bass player can get away with is directly tied to the wattage of the guitar amps.

Do you mean in gig situations, or even if they're practicing at home? I think you're talking about band practice, or gigs. Again, not what the OP was asking about.

 

[srayb]

I suggest you rent a Traynor SB110 or SB112 from Long & McQuade to try out. The SB110 might be enough, and it sounds like the SB112 would be more than enough. They’re great sounding combos and built tough.

 

[Nev375]

Do you mean in gig situations, or even if they're practicing at home? I think you're talking about band practice, or gigs. Again, not what the OP was asking about.

He's wanting to know how much amp it takes to keep up with 2 guitarists right? That's what I read.

 

[Riff Ranger]

I suggest you rent a Traynor SB110 or SB112 from Long & McQuade to try out. The SB110 might be enough, and it sounds like the SB112 would be more than enough. They’re great sounding combos and built tough.

Love my SB112. Never turn it up past 9:00