8's are good too. for as long as ampeg has been a pillar of bass repro, good to know they are not asleep.
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Whats the best teeny tiny practice type amp?
- Thread starter loveandbass
- Start date
8's are good too. for as long as ampeg has been a pillar of bass repro, good to know they are not asleep.
I've run into this issue with both guitar and bass. With guitar there are slightly better options, such as the Yamaha THR10 mentioned above, and the Roland Cubes. The problem is, to get any kind of decent bass sound, you need some mass, and you need to move some air. It's hard to do this with a teeny-tiny system. Yeah, you can put a little Rumble next to the couch, but it's almost as big as the end table. IMO, you need to look at what it is you want to accomplish, both musically and physically, eg, the reason you're not playing on your regular or practice rig. Playing along with tunes on the stereo in the room? Plunk away while watching the tube/chatting with the SO? You may indeed be better served by a headphone amp of some type, or playing through your iPod or whatever. Then again, that little tiny Ashdown looks downright sexy. 
I use one of those as well at home. Sounds great, lots of low end. I've played a few gigs with it too on upright.
wintremute
mediocrity at its finest
- Oct 16, 2014
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This thread now has me seriously considering the Vox AC1RV Rhythm Bass Combo Amp.
Made for the bass. Has a headphone jack (so you can use it like the amPlug). Has a line in so you can jam along with an mp3 player. Rhythm patterns. Battery or AC. I'm sold - but they're sold out at GuitarCenter, MusiciansFriend, and Amazon (where I have Prime). Maybe next week they'll be in stock.
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Made for the bass. Has a headphone jack (so you can use it like the amPlug). Has a line in so you can jam along with an mp3 player. Rhythm patterns. Battery or AC. I'm sold - but they're sold out at GuitarCenter, MusiciansFriend, and Amazon (where I have Prime). Maybe next week they'll be in stock.
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Pne of the best purchases I've EVER made, and, I've made more than a few...
MB10 Micro Bass Amp 10 Inch – Carvin Amplifiers
MB10 Micro Bass Amp 10 Inch – Carvin Amplifiers
Whilst not tiny....a good keyboard amp with lots of inputs does it for me. My fender kxr60 handles two instruments a drum machine and has stereo rca inputs for my phone or an ipod.
This is what I use - the Phil Jones Bass BG-100. It's light and small. Great tone. Has a DI and has two input channels. Also has aux in and headphone out. Works well in the right gig too (IE I've used in to play in Mass next to an acoustic guitarist). You didn't mention budget. It ain't cheap. But it's awesome.
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This one came out after my purchase and is even smaller: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
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This one came out after my purchase and is even smaller: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
The Minx is a great little bedroom bass amp. The Microbass is just OK, but then it is really small with an 8" (?) speaker.Thank you for asking.
It depends on your budget. I found the Roland mini bass amps incredible for their size. If you're looking for a bargain, on the Bay there are Peavey Microbass and Minx bass amps that are bedroom size, but look for the ones with the 'silver fins' on the front grill. They're made in USA and higher quality. Or look for Made in USA in the title of the auction.
Let us know what you find!
Good luck!
I'll tell you an Acoustic amp is great without any effects. With effects, not so much. Nice, cheap and small enough.
Now keep in mind this is only my opinion, but since the best combos on the planet at present time are the Fender Rumble v3 series, it would only make sense that the smallest one they make, which is the Rumble 15 for $80, would be the best available. Just makes sense.
Edit: If I were going to get one, I would opt for the Rumble 40. I have the 200 and still want a 40.
Edit: If I were going to get one, I would opt for the Rumble 40. I have the 200 and still want a 40.
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Why not just get an Vox Amphone? Smaller than any combo and souds pretty nice.
If you have to go with a combo, the small 8" Markbass cab sounds good to my ears.
Good luck.
If you have to go with a combo, the small 8" Markbass cab sounds good to my ears.
Good luck.
Hotone has a 5 watt head that is absolutely tiny, though you'd need to get a cab for it. (they sell one too)
Another vote for the BA-108 as far as straight combos go...it's plenty of amp for practicing in your living room and the price is right; I use them with my high school students and they pack plenty of low end when indoors. Couple of them have crapped out on us, but that's from students pushing them beyond their means in an outdoor setting...In a typical home and practicing alone, there's no fear of that happening at all.
However, If you wanted something that meets all the following criteria:
A) light and small enough to carry to small gigs with ease (25 - 29 lbs)
B) powerful enough to keep up with drummers on small indoor gigs
C) you already own a light and compact class D head...
...I would suggest the PJB Compact 4 Cab. I use one as both my practice amp at home, my rehearsal amp (biggest group is a 30 piece big band jazz ensemble) as well as for smaller indoor gigs...combined with my GB streamliner 900 (which would push up to 500 Watts in this situation), the combination clear, powerful and plenty of low end, and it's only about 1 foot in each direction (14″x12.5″x13.5″). Not exactly what you asked for, and it is fairly pricey, but it's another option.
However, If you wanted something that meets all the following criteria:
A) light and small enough to carry to small gigs with ease (25 - 29 lbs)
B) powerful enough to keep up with drummers on small indoor gigs
C) you already own a light and compact class D head...
...I would suggest the PJB Compact 4 Cab. I use one as both my practice amp at home, my rehearsal amp (biggest group is a 30 piece big band jazz ensemble) as well as for smaller indoor gigs...combined with my GB streamliner 900 (which would push up to 500 Watts in this situation), the combination clear, powerful and plenty of low end, and it's only about 1 foot in each direction (14″x12.5″x13.5″). Not exactly what you asked for, and it is fairly pricey, but it's another option.
- Oct 7, 2000
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This is hands down the most useful (or used) piece of bass gear I ever purchased.
It runs for hours on battery, much longer than the pignose which I had before buying this. Sounds a lot better too. Has different amp models, plus bass, mid and treble knobs. A lot of tweaking you can do to get the sound you want. The effects sound great, though I don't use them much, and the beats make it a lot of fun to jam and play with. It's not incredibly loud, but about equal in volume to the pignose. Enough to jam along with a couple of acoustics. I also love using it as a preamp for recording. Did I mention it's tiny, and light too? A lot of bang for the buck.
I felt if I were going to buy another amp for practice, I might as well make it have a few uses. The battery powered thing was at the top of that list. I highly recommend this thing. And this is what it's got goin on on top:
It runs for hours on battery, much longer than the pignose which I had before buying this. Sounds a lot better too. Has different amp models, plus bass, mid and treble knobs. A lot of tweaking you can do to get the sound you want. The effects sound great, though I don't use them much, and the beats make it a lot of fun to jam and play with. It's not incredibly loud, but about equal in volume to the pignose. Enough to jam along with a couple of acoustics. I also love using it as a preamp for recording. Did I mention it's tiny, and light too? A lot of bang for the buck.
I felt if I were going to buy another amp for practice, I might as well make it have a few uses. The battery powered thing was at the top of that list. I highly recommend this thing. And this is what it's got goin on on top:
