What size amp

[willo_bass17]

I'm really new to playing bass in a band and i'm just wondering what size amp do u need to be able to hear the bass without having to play to hard.

Thanks Willo

 

[thejohnkim]

i prefer amps between 12" to 19" wide, 10" to 16" deep, 1-2 spaces tall.

 

[Plain Old Me]

What style, how loud and what equipment does everyone else use?

 

[Freakin Idiot]

It's typically 3.5 times the wattage of the guitarists amp. In SWR watts it would be about 5 times and in Mesa watts it would be about 2 times. So somewhere around 3.5 times.

After you take care of the wattage you need to pay attention to speakers/surface area. The number of speakers or the surface area of each will have the greatest impact on volume.

If you want a real complex answer, ask someone "what is the meaning of a 3dB increase?"

What is your current setup?

 

[MJ5150]

what size amp do u need to be able to hear the bass without having to play to hard.

Start with 600 watts, and go up from there.

-Mike

 

[Freakin Idiot]

Or start with 750 SWR watts and move up to 360 Mesa watts (like me)...but I'm actually planning on getting a power amp soon.

 

[willo_bass17]

Do i need to have an amp that big if we are just practising?

Thanx Willo

 

[MJ5150]

Do i need to have an amp that big if we are just practising?

Not normally. I know when my band practiced, I needed alot of volume though. Gigs require even more. If you want to be heard in a band situation without playing hard, you will need 600 watts or more.

Truthfully, there is alot of info missing from your question. What kind of music are you playing, how many band members, what are the guitarists using for amps, are you going to gig? There's more.

-Mike

 

[Freakin Idiot]

If you want a nice, little, cheap practice amp then I would recommend something Ibanez. I got my sw-20 (20 watts) with an 8 inch coaxial speaker for $100. It's fairly loud and has a bit of warmth to it. The next model up has much better bass response.

Some sites you might try:
www.musiciansfriend.com (owned by Guitar Center)
Invalid Link Removed

 

[willo_bass17]

sorry i meant if i am juat practising with my band, is there a differense between practisingwith your band and playing at a gig etc.

Thanks again, Willo

 

[willo_bass17]

there are 5 of us; 2 guitarists, drummer, singer and me.
no-one uses anything to big (their amps aren't very big). We are playin punk/rock but it's not very loud.

Thanks again, again Willo

 

[MJ5150]

sorry i meant if i am juat practising with my band, is there a differense between practisingwith your band and playing at a gig etc.

Oh yeah, there can be. Once again, it depends on some of the questions I asked. If you are playing acoustic gigs in coffee shops, it won't be a big difference. If you practice at your drummers house, and then play gigs for 200 or more people, it is a huge difference.

A 20W Ibanez practice amp is not going to be heard in a band situation unless you have a drummer using brushes, and one guitar player playing acoustically.

-Mike

 

[MJ5150]

there are 5 of us; 2 guitarists, drummer, singer and me.
no-one uses anything to big (their amps aren't very big). We are playin punk/rock but it's not very loud.

I'd go with at least 300 watts.

-Mike

 

[Freakin Idiot]

Definitely at least 300. How many watts is each guitarist using?

 

[Masher88]

How much is your budget?...that'll determine how much juice you can get. Always get the most you can afford...I found out the hard way that when I say "that should be enough". It never is. And I wish I would have spent the extra few hundred for the bigger model (of anything)

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

what you want is a second hand peavey firebass and 410