Smallest, cheapest practice combo you actually enjoy(ed)

[Bongolation]

BA-112 -- overpriced but underrated.

 

[Badmuthaplucka]

Fender RAD! 1x10 cab with about 75 watts and Made in USA!

 

[jumbosilverette]

Probably an Acoustic B20 - 12", great sound, and only $129 new.

Big +1 on that.

 

[Russell L]

I also have an early 90s SWR Workingman's 12 that served me well for awhile. Not real cheap ($400 new) and not real lightweight compared to some others. It's about 45 lbs.

Also had a Bassman 60 combo with one 15" Fender speaker, open back. It had a tone of its own that I liked. Kinda bulky to carry around, though.

Best buy I ever had is a Trace Elliott 115 combo with 200w. Doesn't fit the subject here, but it was only $500 used. I played it to death for 15 years, or so, until I got the Markbass CMD 121H. The Marbass is beating the fool out of anything I've ever had, except for price.

 

[oldbassplayergu]

my acoustic 260 micro stack. 100watts 1-10" I bought it on a wimb 'cause I thought it looked cool. But I fell in love with the sound. Not at all thin or boxey sounding. Its plenty loud for rehersal and small gigs. I know $299 a little pricey for a gimick-practice amp, but its so damn cool to look at you forget what you paid for it. the only bad thing is no balanced out.

 

[daddyplaysbass]

2005 Behringer BX300, got it "B" stock from MF for $69.99 Oct 2005. 30W,10" speaker never had a problem. I use it mostly for home practice now with CD/MP3 input and headphones. I used it in a honky-tonk country trio at a pizza joint; kept up with the Tele and drummer just fine.Gig bag over my shoulder, amp in my right hand and bass in my left; one trip in, one trip out. Back about 20 years ago had a Peavey TNT with about 50 watts, sold it to the guitar player as it took the ear-bleeding sting out of his Strat. Here it sits atop my Acoustic B-100.

 

[OneWayPunk]

Here is my favorite, it's a late 70's Rickenbacker/ROAD R35B bass combo. single 15 speaker, Very Loud for it's size, says it's only 35 watts but sounds like it's 75. This thing has great tone, and I'm usually a solid state hater as far as tone goes.
Picked it up for $50 on craigslist.

 

[TheBassPreacher]

FWIW, in practice amp category ... I agree with one post above .. has to be 50 watts or less, and up 12" speaker ... lots of suggestions here, but many are well beyond the 'practice amp' criteria ...

I REALLY don't agree with this. I haven't owned an amp that fit that criteria since I killed the Fender Frontman 15B that I bought when I first started to play bass.

Anyway, my practice amp is a Ibanez P5110 Promethean 1x10 combo, 250 watts with the combo speaker. I got it for $350 used. So far the best practice amp I've owned.

My previous practice amp was a Line 6 Studio 110, it's currently on semi-permanent loan to a student.

 

[JimmyM]

ba112, though for the money, i thought the acoustic b20 was decent.

 

[Mike M.]

Another vote for the Peavey 110 Minx. I've had mine since around '88 and it's a cool little practice/recording amp.

 

[SurferJoe46]

When I practice - which is every day - I don't have a 'practice amp'.

I play on whatever combo or head/cab I use when I play out.

And why not? If you play on a fart-special with low Wattage and 1/8" excursion drivers, you sound like rat feces - so why do that to yourself?

Play what you normally play and you KNOW how you sound at - the - place - you - play - when - you - play - there.

 

[SteveC]

I don't know...I can practice on just about anything and I still know how I'll sound when I play out.

 

[bassteban]

Smallest I REALLY liked was an Eden CXC-110, but it wasn't what I call cheap(just under a grand w/a CX-110 ext cab). I have ben using my ancient Crat 1B 30 watt 1x12 for super-low volume stuff w/surprisingly good results.

 

[ChasBass]

I'm using a Peavey BAM - 210 w/tweet - 350W and rat fur.

Sounds better than some of the newer combos I've tried, though I haven't really cranked it up yet.

Not sure if it qualifies as cheap at $400, but it was worth the $$$.

 

[MRDOOM]

Fender rumble 15.

 

[4-string]

Ashdown Perfect Ten was quite impressive.

 

[davkane]

My girlfriend has a peavey minx 110, and it actually sounds really good.

these are really good. back in the mid 80's when I didnt want to bring out my big stack, I used one of these and had it mic'ed. What a wonderful sound

 

[tabdog]

Peavey Basic 40. I got it about 1980. It is heavy and tough.
It can cut through better than most small amps. It is not
real bassey though unless you use something like the Hartke
Bass Attack.

I later replaced the speaker with a vintage speaker from an
old Standel 150 watt amp that had 2X12" speakers.... That
improved the tone and volume.

It sounds really good for 40 watt amp, especially when I use
the Hartke Bass Attack.

If I use this small Marshal and line out to the Basic 40, it is
frankly hard to believe how good of a guitar amp that makes.
It sounds louder than most 100 watt guitar amps.

Back in the 1980's I had a Peavey Mark III with a 2X15 cab
and I would bi-amp to the Basic 40. It would make that Mark III
sound twice as loud.

David

 

[puff father]

Tranzamp B40. Has a little Genz Benz 40W amp and a single 10" driver. I think the thing sounds great and the B string sounds good too. Nice for practice.

 

[puff father]

Oh yes, the Tranzamp goes for about $275 almost everywhere I've looked but there's a local place that sells them for $150 brand new.

This is not an ad, just a heads up if anyone's interested.

audioclassics.com:

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