hey everyone i just recently started playing bass after being a guitar player for a few years. I dont know much about gear for bass and was wondering if you guys could suggest some cheaper heads/cabs or combo amps that would be good for small to medium gigs and has built in distortion.
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new to bass, need some amp help
- Thread starter cliffmmt
- Start date
Amp head with good built-in distortion, used G-K BL600. A good amp head but discontinued. Combos maybe Line6 or Fender? Not the best for quality/output but there you are.
Buy used. Criteria should be: amp with 300-500 watts, and most important, a speaker cab with good drivers. 2x12, or 4x10 as a starting point. don't go with less, or you'll end up short on volume quickly.
...oh, and for distortion, use a pedal. Built-in exists, but shouldn't hold back your amp choices. most are not as good as a decent pedal anyway.
Depends on what your needs are for monitoring. What do you need to hear yourself? If the PA is enough for you, then that's enough. If not, then you need an amp to hear yourself. However, if you ever don't have the PA, then you really need an amp.
Whose PA?
Venue PA's are varied in their ability to project bass and even loud and proud systems can lack monitoring for bass.
I'd say you're dreaming if you think the house system will be there for you more often than not.
Assume most of the time you have to carry the room with your rig. 2x12 or 2x15 or vertical stack 2x10 can all cover a bar or small hall. So many amps for $200, add sansamp pedal for stonking rig.
Venue PA's are varied in their ability to project bass and even loud and proud systems can lack monitoring for bass.
I'd say you're dreaming if you think the house system will be there for you more often than not.
Assume most of the time you have to carry the room with your rig. 2x12 or 2x15 or vertical stack 2x10 can all cover a bar or small hall. So many amps for $200, add sansamp pedal for stonking rig.
As of lately I have been using a Line6 BassPODxt live going directly into a power amp. The power amp powers to an 8 x 10" cab and a 2 x 15" cab. The tones have been very versatile. Different amp modeling, different EQ's, different distortions and effects, delays and swells.
Food for thought.
Food for thought.
I use an SWR Workingman's 2004 with a Green Rhino overdrive pedal. The SWR has a great clean sound that lets the overdrive do it's thing without adding anymore fuzz than I want. If you go the pedal route, I'd highly recommend the Green Rhino as it has a very adjustable distortion sound to it.
Either way, as everyone else said I'd go used. You can put the money you save into getting a higher quality rig.
Either way, as everyone else said I'd go used. You can put the money you save into getting a higher quality rig.
any suggestions. im trying find things used but since idk exactly what to look for it gets pretty overwhelming lol.
Talkbass classifieds. Everyone is upgrading to the latest, loudest, lightest. 30lb amps need players too.
