Is Practice amp quality important.

[klokker]

I don't think its important either. I have two other amps, but I use a Crate keyboard amp in my office. Its good enough for practice. You can "tone shape" with your fingers just the same.

 

[JimmyM]

it's not important, no. BUT...it does make you want to do it more if you have a decent way of hearing yourself. not a pressing issue, though.

btw, keep the treble up. that way you can hear if you're making too much noise and adjust your technique appropriately. bass is a noisy instrument, but it can be tamed.

 

[Skip_NJ]

i practice through a 15w fender practice amp with a single 8" speaker. It really does not matter at all. If you want to play in a band you need something louder, if you're going to sit down and practice a bass line, play scales, exercises, etc, then you dont need a nice amp for that.

 

[RickenBoogie]

While I agree with the consensus that a nice amp is NOT needed for practice, I also feel like having a nice sounding amp is a big plus for the same reasons Jimmy posted. I got rid of most of my small solid state practice combo's, and presently use a 200 watt all tube amp through a 15 and 2 10's for home practice. Overkill? sure, but it makes me WANT to practice.

 

[Kaa]

And let me preemptively voice my opposition to the advice that invariably comes up to get a headphone amplifier. As with a wind instrument, improvement is contingent on becoming acquainted with how your instrumental voice fills the room. Nothing cryptic or mystical about it; just tally the number of trumpet players using Silent Brass systems to work on their tone.

A response to this (from a Korg Pandora user); Would not the same thing apply to having a small amp "fill the room" as a larger amp? Secondly, would the example of woodwind/brass be analogous? Those intruments vary WIDELY as to tone from technique. Whereas a fretted bass, all other things considered, will sound an "A" the same way through a headphone as well as an amp. Indeed (just wanted to sound all pretentious there) wouldn't the basement he's filling be totally non-analogous to any other space?

Just uppin' the post count.

 

[chjohnst]

I use an 8" Fender Rumble, which has surprisingly decent tone and its lightweight. The price was right on it too. So to answer your question I don't think its that important.

 

[Staccato]

The quality of 'sound' from the amp can affect one's motivation to practice. For most beginners, motivation and practice are paramount!

 

[T. Alan Smith]

The quality of 'sound' from the amp can affect one's motivation to practice. For most beginners, motivation and practice are paramount!

I'm still a beginner?

 

[Sundogue]

I could care less what my tone is like when I practice. When I'm learning new parts or new songs, I just want it audible. Normally at home I'm playing through my Tascam CD Bass Trainer and headphones (which allows me to focus on what I'm learning instead of what's going on around me).

At band rehearsal I play through an old Peavey Mark IV head and an 1820 cab. It sucks tone-wise but I don't care as it's one less thing to haul to rehearsal and again, I really don't care what my tone is like at rehearsal either.

The only time I'm concerned about tone is when I'm actually tweaking the tone with my gig rig, or on a gig itself.

 

[BenOz]

Hi All

Thank-you so much for your answers.
I think what I also need to do is find other Bass players in my area to share ideas with.
The person who let me have a go on his bass does not play much at all.
It's a little difficult sometimes learning buy yourself, with no one to say do this and don't do that or try that.

Well I'm off to the city to get a case for my Yamaha BEX4. Maybe I'll also get some answers over there. I'll try and see if I can speak to an actual bass play.

Thanks again.

Ben

 

[M_Heard_On_Bass]

I feel that quality in a practice amp is very important to any player, from those just picking up the instrument to professionals. I generally feel that people are more motivated to practice when the sound coming out of their amp is more in tune with the sound thats in their head. While I understand that players will often use their gigging amp to practice, thus getting "their" tone, this isn't often feasible for someone like myself, a college student. While I would love to drag my Ampeg up to school, it simply wouldn't fit and therefore I use my 1x10 Crate or Korg Pandora. Often times the tone from both of these has been dull and simply uninspiring. Better tone, at least to me, makes practicing much more fun, and the more practicing that gets done, the more thats learned. Peace

 

[MNAirHead]

Opinion -- multiple affordable mid quality amps are better than one stellar one (for practice) ..

Life is too short to schlep a $50-100 amp around to secured places where they're used again