Practice amp recomendations

[DoctorZeus]

Time to quit playing through headphones. I "think" I want a practice amp. I am no where near ready to gig. However, If I were to just go jam it would be nice to have an amp that could handle it? I am kind of doubtful though that i will find a one size fits all solution.

Obviously I want as much in the sound area as possible. Low lows and nice mids and treble.

So, feel free to recommend a good practice amp or steer me to another configuration.

 

[Gearhead17]

If you want to jam with others, I suggest a separate head and cabinet. This way, you can always swap out components and be ready for various situations. Go used!

Combos can also work, but are limiting in volume, expansion, and versatility.

Budget?
Size of band you want to jam with?
Music genres?

 

[Old Blastard]

I use a Fender Rumble 40 for home and small gigs with an acoustic trio. It has great sound and takes abuse and weighs about 10 pounds

 

[buldog5151bass]

Depends on your budget. But if you seriously intend to gig down the road, skip it - it's a waste of money. Get a 500 watt head (GK or Fender Rumble are good lower priced options. Some also like Peavey, but I've never cared for their newer stuff). Get a 112 or 210 cab - if you start playing with a band, get a second identical cab if/when you need more volume.

 

[Marko 1]

If you're gonna go bigger than a typical combo, a Peavey MiniMAX is a great value, especially if you don't want to spend too much...

and with a 2x12, you'll not outgrow (or need to expand) it unless you get into a pretty-loud situation.

 

[lug]

Step 1 ...decide on your budget...........

 

[Grinderman]

Step 1 ...decide on your budget...........

Step 2. Decide how big and heavy is the volume control knob you can handle.

 

[BigDrew]

Another vote for Rumble 40. Punches above its weight class.

 

[Killing Floor]

Step 3
Phil Jones Bass

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I have a Rumble 100 for practice and a small restaurant gig I play at.

 

[BobDeRosa]

Yes, Fender Rumble, v3 series, is the way to go. The 40 will be great at home, but if gigging is in your future, get the 100.

 

[TTPbass1]

That will really depend on your personal context...
I practice with my jazz trio on a small apartment, so I use a Markbass Micromark 801, more than enough (and sometimes too loud) for the task.

To practice with my church band (acoustic drums) I use a Hartke HD112 cab + a Markbass Nano Mark 300 head, that I also use as field monitor.

 

[CallMeAl]

Rumble 100 gets my vote. Or Ampeg Rocketbass 112 if you want the Ampeg flavor. Big enough to be plenty satisfying at home, and handle jams and even small gigs. Cheap enough you don’t have to worry about committing to a particular brand or configuration. It should hold you over for a year or more while you better learn what you like, and what you need.

 

[micguy]

If you EVER think you want to gig, then I suggest you start planning for that eventuality. A head and a single cab (say a 112) can a great practice amp that you can play small gigs with, and with the addition of one more cab, it can be a great gigging amp. A small combo is something that will never be useful at a loud gig, so it's money wasted (that sits at home) if you're wanting to gig one day. A class D head can be both very capable, and also not that expensive.

 

[gsneto]

Buy used. You will sell it down the road, even if you convince yourself you are making a definitive purchase; so make sure it is not something that will be hard to sell.

 

[KeepItMoving]

Yes, Fender Rumble, v3 series, is the way to go. The 40 will be great at home, but if gigging is in your future, get the 100.

I have both of these amps and this is very much in line with my experience! I've found that the 100 does start to run out of gas in a full-on rock & roll situation with a loud drummer and a couple of aggressive guitars, but holds up well in anything less demanding (smaller/quieter rock situations, jazz, world, etc.).

All that said, if you have a bigger budget and want a very sweet-sounding and compact amp only for practicing and very undemanding gigs (like playing a small room with an acoustic guitarist and maybe a cajon or something), the Phil Jones Double Four is a very nice piece of kit.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Time to quit playing through headphones. I "think" I want a practice amp. I am no where near ready to gig. However, If I were to just go jam it would be nice to have an amp that could handle it? I am kind of doubtful though that i will find a one size fits all solution.

Obviously I want as much in the sound area as possible. Low lows and nice mids and treble.

So, feel free to recommend a good practice amp or steer me to another configuration.

Ampeg rb112

 

[Thumpin6string]

This a killer deal on Fleabay.
Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 Bass Guitar Amp, 10” speaker-TestedWorks Great/great shape | eBay

Or you can go more like this (my practice amp).

 

[bassliner50]

Fender Rumble 40. Without any hesitation!!!

 

[antfarm]

Markbass Micromark 801.