Ampeg RB112. Great, classic ampeg tone for solitary practice, loud enough to play with a group. I have an RB110 for solitary practice, and it's the easiest on the ears bedroom tone I've ever heard.
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Practice amp recomendations
- Thread starter DoctorZeus
- Start date
This is almost as hard to answer as "Which grains of sand should I avoid stepping on at the beach?"
Seriously, I'm with those that have posted something on the order of not buying something that may be obsolete as your needs change. From a price per output perspective, there isn't that big of a difference. You definitely
don't want to buy an entry level piece of gear that will be inadequate for your future needs and or with no residual value if you have to sell it to upgrade.
Second bit of advice, consider used gear. GuitarCenter.com used gear is a great place to shop. Gear is conditionally rated and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. You can get quality rigs at significant discounts for full retail prices.
Best wishes.
Whatever you do, don't buy an SVT 2 Pro and two SLM-era 8x10s...can't even hear yourself in a garage if you're tuned down to C# 
In all seriousness though, go for a head + cab config. I like GKs and Ampegs (and Mesa, but can't afford it), but nothing says you have to get a matching brand for head and cab. Used will save you some $$, playing through as many as you can beforehand, and remember there is no such thing as "overkill" as long as it comes with a volume knob!!
In all seriousness though, go for a head + cab config. I like GKs and Ampegs (and Mesa, but can't afford it), but nothing says you have to get a matching brand for head and cab. Used will save you some $$, playing through as many as you can beforehand, and remember there is no such thing as "overkill" as long as it comes with a volume knob!!
Precisely this!!!
I have a Rumble 100 for home and gig use, it's super light and easy to carry and is loud enough to do small clubs, coffehouses, weddings, park district gigs, etc. (This places the Rumble 100 FIRMLY in the "One size fits all solution" catagory!
)Three of my friends who also play bass have purchased their own Rumble 100s after seeing mine in action.
If you progress to gigging regularly the 100 will usually suffice, and any job that is larger will often have a back line amp for you to use. When I get involved with local festivals or larger outdoor shows there's almost always a stage set up with a full sound system and people who take care of that. They simply plug an XLR cable into the direct out of my Rumble 100, and it's plenty loud enough to serve as a stage monitor for me.
If you need to exercise frugality then the Rumble 40 is a fine amp and is powerful enough for jamming or even small gigs.
The entire Rumble line are great amps and are VERY popular. Check out the "Rumble Club" here on Talkbass if you need thousands of pages of verification of that.
My 100 holds down the bottom end at home exceedingly well and travels to gigs when called upon.
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I also suggest the Rumble 40 but I’d like to point out that it has a DI out, so you can always plug into a PA if you want to play with a group.
I’m probably in the minority but I prefer to buy gear for the situations I know I’ll be dealing with, rather than theoretical future situations. The rumble 40 is cheap enough and versatile enough that you’ll always have a use for it.
I’m probably in the minority but I prefer to buy gear for the situations I know I’ll be dealing with, rather than theoretical future situations. The rumble 40 is cheap enough and versatile enough that you’ll always have a use for it.
I think this is a very realistic way to select equipment. The world is chock full of players who have a Marshall stack or a Ampeg SVT in their bedroom.
I used a GK MB150E as my practice amp for years and years and loved it. I even was able to use it for some smaller gigs or rooms with PAs I could patch into. Portable, versatile, and solid. I sold it before a move and regret it.
Without a budget guideline one might as well ask "what should my favourite colour be?". My cheapo recommendation is a Rumble 40 combo, but if the rubles are available, a higher quality and power separate head and 112 cab will sound better, be more useable in a band context and modular/expandable.
From my personal experience, Ampeg RB112 > Rumble 40 > Rumble 100 when it comes to tone.
I really didn't like the tone of the PJB Double Four I had. Found the Ampeg RB110 to be OK to good but the 112 was so much better.
And by better I mean having good lows & sufficient highs with enough "transparency" to allow the tone of the instrument to shine through. The Rumble 100 sounds great but is such a colored system that every bass I play through sounds just the same. Rumble 40 is more transparent.
My fav system though is a good bass head and separate cab. But it is much more than I need so the RB112 is it for me.
I really didn't like the tone of the PJB Double Four I had. Found the Ampeg RB110 to be OK to good but the 112 was so much better.
And by better I mean having good lows & sufficient highs with enough "transparency" to allow the tone of the instrument to shine through. The Rumble 100 sounds great but is such a colored system that every bass I play through sounds just the same. Rumble 40 is more transparent.
My fav system though is a good bass head and separate cab. But it is much more than I need so the RB112 is it for me.
Budget and brands aside, I would pay attention to speaker size and watts.
I grew-up with a 2x15" cab with 200W to drive it and "lived for the thump" in the days of flatwounds. Even to this day, I never liked the sound of small speakers. Headroom in the amp is good too (extra power). I just have a 12" speaker at the moment (just play for fun), but if I get another amp, it will be something with a 15" speaker.
Might wanna think about "your sound". Ol' time thump? Sizzling slap? Other?
Don't buy TOO small. Bass needs more "oomph" than guitar.
I grew-up with a 2x15" cab with 200W to drive it and "lived for the thump" in the days of flatwounds. Even to this day, I never liked the sound of small speakers. Headroom in the amp is good too (extra power). I just have a 12" speaker at the moment (just play for fun), but if I get another amp, it will be something with a 15" speaker.
Might wanna think about "your sound". Ol' time thump? Sizzling slap? Other?
Don't buy TOO small. Bass needs more "oomph" than guitar.
I completely agree, don’t buy for a theoretical future scenario when you’re just getting started. The Rumble 40 is always going to be a great practice or small group amp - easy to use, extremely portable, sounds great. Worst case you can always sell it in an instant as there’s such a ready market, but if/when you get a gigging setup you’ll probably keep it.
Me personally, I'd rather practice through near-field monitors than a small amp. Maybe hook your headphone rig up to some speakers and then buy an amp when you actually need one.
