Small combo for audible practice / travel

[Michael Milner]

I use a Traynor SB106 as my practice amp. Quite happy with it BTW.

SB106 – Traynor Amps

 

[themickster]

This. Don't make this more difficult than it is. You don't need your gig tone (or any specific sound) for practicing in a hotel room. One of the tiny desktop amps with bluetooth would be fine.

Blackstar Fly 3 with Bluetooth or not, among others.

 

[BAG]

As far as camping, I personally find it annoying to not be surrounded by the sounds of nature (I only do primitive camping). Music, instruments and loud cell phones are annoying. If I wanted to listen to live music, I'd go to an open mic or a music venue that night. If I wanted to make music, I'd go to an open mic or practice on my own/play with the band. Or to do both, go to a music festival with camping...

Some of my favourite family times were spent jamming with my daughters and friends around a campfire in the middle of nowhere. There's only so much talking and listening to night sounds you can do at night. And while having other campers around was rare we never got anything but praise and good vibes from other campers.

In my mind, an acoustic bass of some sort is the required solution, but I'm picturing campfire and tents.

I used to use an acoustic bass but changed for two reasons.
1. An acoustic bass in a hard case takes up a LOT of space and even in a big people mover space was at a premium camping as a family with the wife and two daughters.
2. Playing along with two acoustic guitars and voices the bass was basically inaudible for anyone except for me on any note below the low D.

Taking a Roland Cube Street and a modified electric travel bass took up a LOT less room than the acoustic bass and I could actually be heard in the mix. I sold the acoustic bass soon after.

 

[shirojiro]

Some of my favourite family times were spent jamming with my daughters and friends around a campfire in the middle of nowhere. There's only so much talking and listening to night sounds you can do at night. And while having other campers around was rare we never got anything but praise and good vibes from other campers.


I used to use an acoustic bass but changed for two reasons.
1. An acoustic bass in a hard case takes up a LOT of space and even in a big people mover space was at a premium camping as a family with the wife and two daughters.
2. Playing along with two acoustic guitars and voices the bass was basically inaudible for anyone except for me on any note below the low D.

Taking a Roland Cube Street and a modified electric travel bass took up a LOT less room than the acoustic bass and I could actually be heard in the mix. I sold the acoustic bass soon after.

I had the same experience. Acoustic bass guitars are large and don’t project that well.

I use a Hohner Steinberger clone with the Roland Bass micro cube on battery power for campfire and acoustic jamming. Works great for me. I recently got some cheap wireless transmitters to avoid any cords around the fire.

 

[BassFiesta]

I use a Traynor SB106 as my practice amp. Quite happy with it BTW.

SB106 – Traynor Amps

This amp would have interested me as well, but it doesn't seem to be available in Europe.

 

[Diplock]

This amp would have interested me as well, but it doesn't seem to be available in Europe.

The low value of the Canadian dollar against the Euro might make it reasonable to ship one from North America. Long & McQuade (the parent company of Traynor and by far the largest Traynor dealer) will not ship outside Canada. If you could get somebody in Canada to buy one from L&M and send it to you it would be around €650-700 shipped depending on your exact location.

You could also get one from Gollihur Music in the US who will ship to Europe. Looks like around €740 shipped to western Europe plus whatever tax and duty on a Canadian made amp. There is no better company than Gollihur to buy online from. They're 100% reliable.