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Minimum specifications to use distortion?

#2
The amp you have is fine for bedroom practice and light jazz in a coffee shop.
You need more speaker cone area and more watts for rock. There aren't any rules, but I wouldn't settle for anything less than 200 watts. Speaker configuration is a matter of taste and size of the venue.
 
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#4
I’ll just chime this in ... I really don’t use “distortion” per se, sometimes heavy overdrive my results with any kind of crossed over speakers was not to my liking. The sound “sguished” into the mid driver with not good results. I switched to a single 15 and it all started working. Amp wise, I use clean amps from 70 to 350 watts the crunch comes from my pedal board.
 
#5
What is your goal? If it's "louder" then probably both more power and more speaker. A 50 watt 1x10 just really won't get you much for many things rock in a band setting. You can use DI or line out to PA or recording interface.

Edit; I'm assuming 1x10 by the model# of the amp. Is that right?
 
#6
Hundred proof said:
I’ll just chime this in ... I really don’t use “distortion” per se, sometimes heavy overdrive my results with any kind of crossed over speakers was not to my liking. The sound “sguished” into the mid driver with not good results. I switched to a single 15 and it all started working. Amp wise, I use clean amps from 70 to 350 watts the crunch comes from my pedal board.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's the speaker that is very small (10 ")

basscooker said:
What is your goal? If it's "louder" then probably both more power and more speaker. A 50 watt 1x10 just really won't get you much for many things rock in a band setting. You can use DI or line out to PA or recording interface.

Edit; I'm assuming 1x10 by the model# of the amp. Is that right?
Click to expand...

Yeah that's right. The combo has a 10 "speaker
 
#7
I had a 60 watt peavey combo and it had a 12" speaker.
it wasnt a black widow.

The larger black widow 15" combos had a better sound clean or with distortion.

in a band situation the levels were barely enough.
so the distortion from the amps being turned all the way up was pretty good actually

the 12" didnt sound super amazing or bad
but i didnt like distortion pedals into that amp.
sounded pretty good just turned all the way up

bare minimum i always say for a band situation
with distortion or not is the basic standards for many years
A 4x10 or a 2x15

with distortion tweeters are pointless and horrid
i like cabinets with no tweeters for clean and dirty.
ive always used a 8x10
4x10 wasnt enough, but i was in very loud bands

i only like 10" speakers in a 8x10 format
but the pretty standard legend speakers in the classic Ampeg cabinets
work very well for distortion.
such as a SVT410HE or the SVT810E

likewise for a 2x15 i also like the cast frame legend speakers in the Ampeg cabinets
they are not muddy speakers but are slightly darker.
works well for cranked distortion

an older Ampeg 2x15 was the SVT215E
and you can still buy the 1x15 cabinets the SVT15E

you can find all of these cabinets used for very good prices.

alot of distortion pedals are simple single knob tone controls.
those work well into anything.
some pedals have 2 band or 3 band EQ
also good with most amps but sometimes EQ into EQ can sound strange.
i never had a problem. but alot of guitar players are running distortion with EQ
straight into the effects send. kinda bypassing the amp pre since some more advanced pedals
are a pre in a box.

otherwise some rage about that BK3
i dont find it very bad or amazing either
maybe you just dont like the pedal.
or dont worry about it. practice practice practice

pick up something new when you can
all good things come with time
 
#8
Bass distortion is kinda tough, to be honest. Depending on the pedal, it doesn't seem like there's a lot going on. And you can lose it, or get lost, in a mix. You may want to bring this thread over to the effects forum. They may have a little more insight on the BK3. It's not a pedal I've used, so I can't comment.

What I will say is I've had a lot of great success with the DOD Boneshaker and Carcosa. But these are not "polite" soft clipping overdrives. These are tear your head off square wave generators. And I use the tweeter on my GK Neo 115 cab.
 
#9
Have you tried with headphones? If it sounds much better that way your combo probably is the issue. Maybe you do not hear the highs because it has no tweeter or because you keep it on the floor aimed at your feet? Try pointing the cab more towards your ear level either by raising it on top of something or by tilting it maybe... If the sound does not get better with earphones could it be your bass has a rather low output level? I seem to remember B3k having quite a bit of gain available, though.

In my case I felt a 10" combo did not work that well and bought a separate head and 1 x 12" cab with tweeter. I also raised them on top of some furniture. While the amp has much more power the other changes were what helped me get a more pleasant (overdriven) sound. Please note my setup is for home practice only, I do not guarantee success in a band situation with just one 12 but pretty sure 2 x 12 will do :)
 

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