Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Practice Amp
- Thread starter Shinbone
- Start date
sj_bass
Supporting Member
My Line 6 Studio 110 is a great little cube amp. It has an MP3 input, headphone output, and has a small enough footprint to go anywhere in my bedroom/living room. Also has XLR and 1/4" outputs to plug straight into a mixer.
Ampeg Micro-CL
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MicroCL/
I just bought one--$299 after rebate, great tone, quiet (no fan), small footprint, has two inputs so you can plug in a drum machine to play along with, plus stereo line input for your mp3 and headphone output jack. It's a perfect practice amp (and loud enough you could even use it with a moderately loud band or small venue gig).
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MicroCL/
I just bought one--$299 after rebate, great tone, quiet (no fan), small footprint, has two inputs so you can plug in a drum machine to play along with, plus stereo line input for your mp3 and headphone output jack. It's a perfect practice amp (and loud enough you could even use it with a moderately loud band or small venue gig).
I use a Tascam CDBT with great results... Any "volume" at any hour, mix and jam my favorite songs and it's a small equipment with great features
I don't use a "practice amp" anymore. The rig I practice with is a Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 and a Schroeder 112 cab. It's small enough, light enough, and powerful enough to be used for small gigs as well as practice. I played a show with a drummer, a full-sized piano, and a guitar and this tiny rig (which I carried with my bass from the car in one trip) more than held its own. The rig cost me $500 and it was well worth the $ for its power, versatility and sound quality.
+1 the ampeg ba108 is perfect for bedrooms, and they are in most/all guitar centers and music-and-arts
The new Acoustic B30s are really good, actually. As far as bedroom practice goes, they'll give you all you need in that department.
Whatever you get, I recommend something with the headphone out and RCA in. It's so much easier hearing yourself when trying to learn a song with the ability to blend the two mixes. Using my laptop I can play along w/mp3s or youtube.
I bought this: Loud enough for the coffee shop gig too.
Invalid Link Removed
I bought this: Loud enough for the coffee shop gig too.
Invalid Link Removed
Roland Cube 120xL is what I would recommend. Anything smaller just has no punch or umph for bass guitar
If it has to be combo I like the modelling ones especially the Roland. I think the digitial/efffect/modelling thing works really well for messing around at home. If it doesn't have to be combo, I'm a mixer/headphone convert. The mixer has a million uses other than practice with a bass. Mine's connected to my pc both ways and has inputs from my amp, pedalboard and Zoom multieffects. I just plug into one and jam along to mp3s or youtube videos on the pc.
+1 on having audio (MP3 etc.) in, and headphones out. I don't even use my "practice" amp for home practice any more - I use a DI preamp into a mixer hooked up to my computer and some headphones. If you're going to spring for an combo or amp/speaker, you'll want to strike a balance between it being compact and cheap, and it being usable in an ensemble situation. How much power that implies depends on the style of music you play. A 30W Roland would be fine for jazz rehearsal and jamming, but could be underpowered to play with a rock drummer.
