This x 1,000. I have the BA-108 and it sounds amazing for a little practice amp.
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Small amp for a bedroom bass player
- Thread starter Jvagiar
- Start date
This x 1,000. I have the BA-108 and it sounds amazing for a little practice amp.
IMHO anything with an 8" speaker seems lame even for practice. I was disappointed in the Ampeg BA-108, the Fender Rumble 25 and several other amps with 8" speakers.
At the risk of going against the grain of several of the posters, I will say, I love my Rumble Studio 40 for the reasons they don't like it. I have lots of fun switching between the various models in the modeling. I can practice at low volumes using the speaker or use headphones while using bluetooth to connect my music source to the amp. I have taken this amp to a small accoustic open mic gathering where the guitars were using FOH and I was able to be heard. If I needed more that amp has a Direct Out where I too could connect to FOH. This is the right amp for ME.
The right amp for YOU is the one YOU will use and enjoy. I have spent the past decade buying and selling basses and gear searching for my favorites, what I enjoy and what suits my needs at the time. I suspect you will enjoy your journey as well.
At the risk of going against the grain of several of the posters, I will say, I love my Rumble Studio 40 for the reasons they don't like it. I have lots of fun switching between the various models in the modeling. I can practice at low volumes using the speaker or use headphones while using bluetooth to connect my music source to the amp. I have taken this amp to a small accoustic open mic gathering where the guitars were using FOH and I was able to be heard. If I needed more that amp has a Direct Out where I too could connect to FOH. This is the right amp for ME.
The right amp for YOU is the one YOU will use and enjoy. I have spent the past decade buying and selling basses and gear searching for my favorites, what I enjoy and what suits my needs at the time. I suspect you will enjoy your journey as well.
These are really great for home use at low volumes. The effects and headphone features makes this a great little amp.
Roland - CUBE-20XL BASS | Bass Amplifier
Roland - CUBE-20XL BASS | Bass Amplifier
I've been using the Double Four with my 50 person seniors uke group about 5 years in a large multipurpose room and small gigs, it's very compact, a great sound but expensive, new about $500, used about $400, so it's way out of the price range, unless he's willing to save longer.
What 57pbass said, Road Cube. Makes practice fun because of the many amps it can model, the many rythems and variations available on the drum tracks and the cool special effects. Lightweight, battery powered, makes a nice speaker as well. I have a Rumble 75 which, though it sounds 'better', I seldom use because the Cube sounds good enough and is more fun. Plus, from what I've read, the size of your room should determine the size of the amp's speaker and I can't sit far enough away from the Rumble.
The whole line of cubes are great. I wish they would upgrade the 20 watt to include the looper that is in the more powerful models in the Cube lineup. Tremendous value in these little amps.
For someone who is only going to play at home for now, you’d be putting a lot of money into getting an amp. Not to mention the space it takes up. Try a headphone amp like this first. ( Most people already have headphones) Around $45 new. Cheaper used.
I hear you! I am in the same boat as OP here. I too have decided to punt the decision to buy an amp to a further down the line, and get the vox headphone amp first instead. However, as one of the posters said, maybe it is worth investing in a decent bass amp like Phil Jones or Ampeg MicroVR (not a combo) purely for the higher quality tone it produces.
Some of us don't have the space to practice with an Ampeg 8x10 stack. Therefore the 8" speaker is practical.
I’m not going to recite make and model, I’ll say what I’ve always told people who’ve asked me. First, get your priorities straight! Before shopping for any tools [for anything, not just music] you should figure out what the job is and choose gear accordingly.
- Are you interested in practicing your playing or practicing “your sound”?
- Do you need an aux input and/or headphone output?
- Do you want an effects loop?
- Is budget a major concern?
- Is space for gear tight?
- Do you plan to gig at all, including house concerts or coffeehouses/wineries?
- Does resale value matter to you?
- Do you already have some stuff that the new gear needs to play well with?
Which would you recommend based on the following answers:
1. I guess both, because I would like to get as good a sound as possible. I will *only* be playing at home, so the quality of sound is important.
2. Yes
3. No
4. Would stretch the budget for the right equipment.
5. Yes, kinda
6. No, never! I will always be playing by myself, jamming along to my fav tunes.
7. Not at all. For the right unit I would be willing to splash a bit and keep it for a long time.
8. Nope.
My biggest problem is that I won't be able to play the speakers loudly as I live in an apartment. That got me thing that maybe I should be looking to invest into higher end headphone amps like the Ampeg Micro-VR or Phil Jones BigHead. This would give me excellent sound through the headphones (AKG 240s mkii Pro), and if further down the line I move to a new place where noise level is not a concern I would get a separate cab.
Does that make sense?
Pardon my ignorance, I just got my bass and am busy picking up the sound equipment, so a lot of what I am talking about I have learned over the past weeks, devouring Talkbass threads
If you can stretch budget to high $400's the PJ Double 4 is the perfect answer given your response.Which would you recommend based on the following answers:
1. I guess both, because I would like to get as good a sound as possible. I will *only* be playing at home, so the quality of sound is important.
2. Yes
3. No
4. Would stretch the budget for the right equipment.
5. Yes, kinda
6. No, never! I will always be playing by myself, jamming along to my fav tunes.
7. Not at all. For the right unit I would be willing to splash a bit and keep it for a long time.
8. Nope.
My biggest problem is that I won't be able to play the speakers loudly as I live in an apartment. That got me thing that maybe I should be looking to invest into higher end headphone amps like the Ampeg Micro-VR or Phil Jones BigHead. This would give me excellent sound through the headphones (AKG 240s mkii Pro), and if further down the line I move to a new place where noise level is not a concern I would get a separate cab.
Does that make sense?
Pardon my ignorance, I just got my bass and am busy picking up the sound equipment, so a lot of what I am talking about I have learned over the past weeks, devouring Talkbass threads
It makes sense. There are quite a few reasonable amps out there that will answer to your wants. FWIW I do most of my woodshedding these days with an Ampeg SCR-DI and phones. I found a $10 Belkin Bluetooth adapter that I plug into the aux input for iPad connection. I plug into an amp when it gives me what the phones don’t.
Which would you recommend based on the following answers:
1. I guess both, because I would like to get as good a sound as possible. I will *only* be playing at home, so the quality of sound is important.
2. Yes
3. No
4. Would stretch the budget for the right equipment.
5. Yes, kinda
6. No, never! I will always be playing by myself, jamming along to my fav tunes.
7. Not at all. For the right unit I would be willing to splash a bit and keep it for a long time.
8. Nope.
My biggest problem is that I won't be able to play the speakers loudly as I live in an apartment. That got me thing that maybe I should be looking to invest into higher end headphone amps like the Ampeg Micro-VR or Phil Jones BigHead. This would give me excellent sound through the headphones (AKG 240s mkii Pro), and if further down the line I move to a new place where noise level is not a concern I would get a separate cab.
Does that make sense?
Pardon my ignorance, I just got my bass and am busy picking up the sound equipment, so a lot of what I am talking about I have learned over the past weeks, devouring Talkbass threads
Do you have a computer? I recommended an interface/headphones in your post because a lot has changed in 15 years. There's so much available online now - from playing along to YouTube, online lessons, recording yourself, recording and sharing with others, apps with plugins/effects, you can get any sounds you want digitally that you wouldn't get with a $100 practice amp. You can even jam with people across the world online. Why? Because you have the capability to get that sound into your computer. With what's going on in the world now, things will get even more tech and digital. I love amps, especially my gigging rig, but for home use I have a Roland Cube 20XL, an Amplug and they rarely get used anymore.
If quality of sound, minimal space as well as not pissing off neighbors is your goal, you'd get alot more out of this type of setup than any other options. You can always add speaker monitors to your "rig" if you wanna hear without headphones later.
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I was in the market for a livingroom practice only amp last year.
Money and space were my criteria. I went to GC and tried 3 different 25 watt
8 inch speaker models, all 3 were around 100 bucks ( my budget ).
I have a large rig for playing out so I didn't want a "swiss army knife" amp that could do all, just something to play with my stereo that took up little space that didn't sound like crap.
I tried the Rumble25 , the Ampeg BA108 and the Acoustic somthin.
I bought the Ampeg..Sounds great, keeps up with the hi-fi and has a cool kickback design.
I'd go and try them out before you go with anything bigger. It's amazing what you can get brand new, with a warranty, for 100 bucks these days!
Money and space were my criteria. I went to GC and tried 3 different 25 watt
8 inch speaker models, all 3 were around 100 bucks ( my budget ).
I have a large rig for playing out so I didn't want a "swiss army knife" amp that could do all, just something to play with my stereo that took up little space that didn't sound like crap.
I tried the Rumble25 , the Ampeg BA108 and the Acoustic somthin.
I bought the Ampeg..Sounds great, keeps up with the hi-fi and has a cool kickback design.
I'd go and try them out before you go with anything bigger. It's amazing what you can get brand new, with a warranty, for 100 bucks these days!
These are cool and have great tone and are pretty cheap but I dislike headphones and the Vox Amplug I bought is terribly vulnerable. I knew I'd swing it into something and I did. Taped it up, still sort of works but headphones ...
Peeps play bass for many reasons, for me it's therapy and joy. Absolutely 'best' amp sound is less important for me than fun and variety, it keeps me playing.
Yes, if you're planning on going to Julliard and need to slave every day to perfect your art and crack the top 40 then you'll want great amp tone.
But unless you are a pro or someone with a perfect ear, bass amps are like boats, the smaller the better. Especially when you get old. Even lugging 'great sounding' big as# amps to the living room when your wife leaves town can tweak something if not done right. My Fender seems like 60 lbs.
The Roland cost me just over $300usd a while back. Affordable. No effects pedals or drum machine needed because all are included.
Are they the best? No, but good enough for my tinnitus buzzing war damaged ears. Try it before you buy it if perfect tone is your goal. I got mine at GC so I played with it there.
Just having 7 classic amp models (plus mic input if you're a crooner) to explore is fun.
Without this gizmo I'd never know what it's like to play using chorus, flanger, T-wah, delay and reverb.
Do the effects compare with pedals etc? No way, let's say a little goes a long way.
But they are amusing, educational and cool/mysterious when dialed to .5. (What is that strange tone? I keep thinking about Pictures of Matchstick Men...)
Metronome, rock 1, rock 2, blues, country, r&b, ballad, jazz, folk, latin, dance-with 3 variations of each. Yep, I can say I've tried them all. Latin was hard. I use the jazz track version most.
Because of the light weight, drum tracks and effects etc, available battery power (6 AA batts), it could work for busking.
My heavy Fender Rumble 75 is a 'better sounding' big amp but the Roland Cube is the one I use. Just for fun.
If ya haven’t found this one yet...Which would you recommend based on the following answers:
1. I guess both, because I would like to get as good a sound as possible. I will *only* be playing at home, so the quality of sound is important.
2. Yes
3. No
4. Would stretch the budget for the right equipment.
5. Yes, kinda
6. No, never! I will always be playing by myself, jamming along to my fav tunes.
7. Not at all. For the right unit I would be willing to splash a bit and keep it for a long time.
8. Nope.
My biggest problem is that I won't be able to play the speakers loudly as I live in an apartment. That got me thing that maybe I should be looking to invest into higher end headphone amps like the Ampeg Micro-VR or Phil Jones BigHead. This would give me excellent sound through the headphones (AKG 240s mkii Pro), and if further down the line I move to a new place where noise level is not a concern I would get a separate cab.
Does that make sense?
Pardon my ignorance, I just got my bass and am busy picking up the sound equipment, so a lot of what I am talking about I have learned over the past weeks, devouring Talkbass threads
What is the headphone amp/DI/preamp?
If you're just looking to practice at home, I'd look at getting a personal headphone practice amplifier. I have a couple of them and their great for jamming without disturbing others. (if that's an issue)
Quilter makes a nice one that you can eventually use a speaker with. Just my take however.
Quilter makes a nice one that you can eventually use a speaker with. Just my take however.
