Shopping at Walmart for a bass amp?

[jd56hawk]

Well, not actually a bass amp, but...
So, I hear the sound of a bass guitar playing the other day while I’m in the entrance hall of the building waiting for a delivery from GrubHub.
I go outside and see one of my neighbors playing a Schecter Stiletto and he’s using this thing.
Surprisingly, a very nice thumping bass tone and pretty loud considering I first heard it from 50 feet away or more.
Seriously, for $100 it sounded as good as most 50 watt practice amps .
Picked it up this morning from Walmart…actually available at some stores without having to order.
Sure, it’s not a bass amp and I wouldn’t recommend playing it at full volume, but even with the volume at 1/3, it’s surprisingly loud…I turned the volume down on my bass and it was still loud enough to hear in another room.
I didn’t want to spend $150 on a 25 -watt Fender Rumble or a 30-watt Ampeg Rocket, etc…I just wanted something you could hear 𝘢𝘯𝘥 feel, something I could play loud outside, especially when there’s no place to plug in.

 

[bknop]

Interesting, does it have an instrument input? I've plugged my bass into non bass amp audio gear just to see if it works.

 

[pingvuiini]

Looks like a JBL Party Box clone. I’ve been curious about using a Party Box type unit for practice and even light rehearsal but have been putting it off due to unexpected expenses.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Do the lights react to your playing? I remember the older (circa mid 2000s) Fender Rumble combos had a light in the porting area that changed brightness with the notes you were playing. It had a switch to turn it off, but it was fun in a hokey way. Just thought it was funny since you mentioned the newer Rumbles, which dropped the light feature

 

[DJ Bebop]

I have used a JBL Flip before just to hear my bass instead of listening through headphones. Ran bass into the Zoom B1Xon into the Aux in of the Flip. It wasn't so bad. I imagine that a PartyBox-type Bluetooth speaker would be better yet

 

[tpaul]

According to our AI overlords it does have 1/4" instrument and mic inputs as well as a 3.5mm input and Bluetooth connectivity. And it has a battery!

"The onn. Large Party Speaker Gen 2 is an incredibly popular budget-friendly audio system available at Walmart. Regularly priced around $109 to $149, it often goes on sale for as low as $69. It packs 160W peak power, multi-colored LED lights, and up to 12 hours of battery life. Key Features: Audio & Power: Features 160W peak output (80W RMS) with Bass Boost to rattle the room. It can be powered via its internal rechargeable battery or directly via an AC power cord. Visuals: Built-in multi-colored LED lights on the front and a rear strobe light that pulse to the beat of your music. Inputs & Connectivity: Includes Bluetooth, an FM radio, a 3.5mm aux input, and dedicated 1/4" jacks for a microphone and a guitar (with independent volume controls for impromptu karaoke). Portability: Weighs approximately 21.7 lbs and comes with smooth glide wheels and a telescopic handle, making it easy to roll around. Durability: IPX4 water-resistant, protecting it against sudden splashes. Reviews & User Insights: On platforms like Consumer Reports, the speaker is often noted for its deep bass and loud output without distortion. Across Reddit communities like r/Bluetooth_Speakers, there is a strong consensus that it delivers exceptional value—often drawing comparisons to much pricier models like the JBL PartyBox."

 

[Wez Yo Bice]

I wish I didn't see this. Now I want one. Didja see you can gang them together? Holy Handgrenades!
For living rooms etc., I use a Roland microcube. They can get loud, and battery powered. (Forever/+12 hours)

 

[frankie5string]

Yeah, I have seen a bunch of these over the years. Some buskers like them because they have very low power draw, so they last a long time on a rechargable power pack. First time I saw one was in the subway, and it was a double-bass player AND he had the lights turned on. He also had a string of LEDs around the body of his bass and everything was lighting up to the music. He was practically a one-man party.

 

[CamJazzBass]

One of the 1/4 inputs on the back is even labeled "Guitar".

 

[agedhorse]

There are things that once seen, can’t be unseen… just sayin’!

 

[frankie5string]

There are things that once seen, can’t be unseen… just sayin’!

hahah..pretty sure that's the point. Still better than someone singing Mustang Sally through them at solo Karaoke.

 

[newfuture]

I have an old ion pathfinder (not to be confused with vox pathfinder) that I will sometimes use to amplify a uke bass if power isn't available. Mic input works just fine for the application

 

[lug]

Looks like a JBL Party Box clone. I’ve been curious about using a Party Box type unit for practice and even light rehearsal but have been putting it off due to unexpected expenses.

I mainly use a JBL PartyBox 120 as my practice amp nowadays. It works great, has instrument input and the input has both volume and gain functions. It really surpised me on how well it works as a bass amp. I have Darkglass Vintage Ultra if I want to do any extreme tone shaping but I find i't default sound is just fine. Have used it at practice with my "reasonable" drummer and it had more than enough umph for that. I believe the oon is almost a direct clone of this box.

 

[vvvmmm]

plus, you could bring it to jam along at karaoke night

 

[pingvuiini]

I mainly use a JBL PartyBox 120 as my practice amp nowadays. It works great, has instrument input and the input has both volume and gain functions. It really surpised me on how well it works as a bass amp. I have Darkglass Vintage Ultra if I want to do any extreme tone shaping but I find i't default sound is just fine. Have used it at practice with my "reasonable" drummer and it had more than enough umph for that. I believe the oon is almost a direct clone of this box.

Have you ever used the daisy chain connectors in the back?? I am just wondering if it is possible to connect the daisy chain out to a DI box if a soundman ever needed a line out to the FOH. But I'm not sure if the daisy chain works in that way.

 

[lug]

Have you ever used the daisy chain connectors in the back?? I am just wondering if it is possible to connect the daisy chain out to a DI box if a soundman ever needed a line out to the FOH. But I'm not sure if the daisy chain works in that way.

Haven't tried that. I have paired them with the JBL app and that works. I'd assume it's at a Line level but am not sure.

 

[jd56hawk]

Interesting, does it have an instrument input? I've plugged my bass into non bass amp audio gear just to see if it works.

Yes, but they put it on back...not the ideal location.

Do the lights react to your playing? I remember the older (circa mid 2000s) Fender Rumble combos had a light in the porting area that changed brightness with the notes you were playing. It had a switch to turn it off, but it was fun in a hokey way. Just thought it was funny since you mentioned the newer Rumbles, which dropped the light feature

No, but for people who don't like lights, they can be switched off.
I remember the older Rumbles with lights, though.

There are things that once seen, can’t be unseen… just sayin’!

Sure, that's how I feel about headless basses.

 

[vvvmmm]

Oh yeah?

Well not only do I have a few of those (esp like the fretless), I have a 6-string headless guitar:

 

[SoonerBill]

We have a local bar & grill that we're regulars of. It's similar to a Chili's or Applebee's. During breaks in the Thunder western conference finals games a line of servers would dance through the place playing Thunderstruck on one of those speakers. I was impressed at the sound quality.

 

[jd56hawk]

I like this one

Oh yeah?

Well not only do I have a few of those (esp like the fretless), I have a 6-string headless guitar:

View attachment 7535716

I do like this one.