• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Which would you upgrade first? An amp or a bass?

Which would you buy first? An amp or a bass?

  • Amp

    Votes: 1,211 48.2%

  • Bass

    Votes: 995 39.6%

  • Carrots

    Votes: 308 12.3%
  • Total voters
    2,514
#221
I'm currently in this situation. I am saving up for a Behringer 450-Watt 4x10" Combo instead of a gorgeous MIM Jazz Bass. (BTW don't bash Behringer. The only two bass amps I've owned are from them and they are really quite excellent for the money). I don't play live w/o PA support at all, but I love shaking the house!! :hyper: :bassist: :D What can I say, I'm 16!!! :hyper:
 
#224
Stumbo said:
Behringer has had many reported QC problems and reliability issues.
There are many much better combos available under $500.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ashdown-MAG-C115300-Combo-Bass-Amp?sku=485032&src=3SOSWXXA
Click to expand...

Indeed! Skim through the real-life (most are not written by stooges) reviews of Behringer's combo amps in particular. They're all over the online music gear websites, yep. The trick is to separate the clueless newbie "reviews" from those written by clued-in musicians. But it's usually real easy! Check out what the seasoned (even mildly) bassists have to say about the company that dares to use an ear as its logo.

What you will find after a little research (~30 min, although I like to surf forever) is that you can pay less for combos made by excellent companies and get far more in every respect. Well, you might not be promised the same obscenely high wattage, but @ least you will have the honest stats to contemplate, instead of misleading and worse promises. I mean, Behringer has a combo in which the amp is rated 100W higher than the attached cab. Uhhhhh.... Don't have a Keith Moon moment with your bass-amp: He @ least intended to blow up his drum kit (on multiple occasions).

I love :p my SWR 100W combo amp and it's a member of the fine "entry-level" (funny, I've been playing well for yrs) LA series. In fact, it's the older, bulkier, fabric "grille" critter. Yeah, I sold my "rig" due to a divorce that took away my Stingray, house, kids, :bawl: I got a new, less costly bass (that went to 5! I love that monster-B!), got me the modestly priced SWR & life (in the music dept.) became quite nice. When Ms. LA doesn't deliver enough bassitude such as in medium-large and beyond venues, the sound folks are happy to run me through the PA, which I prefer anyhow. Then I can use my "ol' faithful" as a monitor. I'm sure I'd love other good combo amps. Ampeg makes a good affordable combo; Fender does...and the beat goes on. There's a veritable jungle of good and affordable combos that will not blow up or disappoint you in less dramatic ways.

However, I do crave a rig, but that's mainly because I'll be tickled to death to return to pre-divorce status: Living well is the best revenge. Oh, and I am a hopelessly devoted Hendrix fan, so, yeah, dig, having big cabs behind me does provide me with a great deal of Purple Haze. BUT: Jimi's amps were rated @ 100W. Sure, he had a couple, and I know the deal about guitar vs. bass wattage, but the man performed outdoors and hoo-boy: My uncle recalls that he heard him extremely well @ Woodstock, and from quite a distance. Befriend the sound-people and they will take care of your sound, no matter what amp you've got (as long as it doesn't have an ear-logo on it).

So, y'all who are contemplating purchasing pleasantly priced combo amps of good repute, please stop your fretting. Instead, go forth bravely, purchase a fine combo and get Experienced...not necessarily stoned, but...beautiful."
 
#228
if you lived in my country(peru) you are most likely to upgrade bass for many reason
1.- buy a bass would be really expensive(for the average guy here)
2.- you dont need an amp to gig, even the smallest places to play have amps
3.- there is people with no amp here(not really a reason but just something i like to tell)
 
#230
PsyDocHill said:
Indeed! Skim through the real-life (most are not written by stooges) reviews of Behringer's combo amps in particular. They're all over the online music gear websites, yep. The trick is to separate the clueless newbie "reviews" from those written by clued-in musicians. But it's usually real easy! Check out what the seasoned (even mildly) bassists have to say about the company that dares to use an ear as its logo.

What you will find after a little research (~30 min, although I like to surf forever) is that you can pay less for combos made by excellent companies and get far more in every respect. Well, you might not be promised the same obscenely high wattage, but @ least you will have the honest stats to contemplate, instead of misleading and worse promises. I mean, Behringer has a combo in which the amp is rated 100W higher than the attached cab. Uhhhhh.... Don't have a Keith Moon moment with your bass-amp: He @ least intended to blow up his drum kit (on multiple occasions).

I love :p my SWR 100W combo amp and it's a member of the fine "entry-level" (funny, I've been playing well for yrs) LA series. In fact, it's the older, bulkier, fabric "grille" critter. Yeah, I sold my "rig" due to a divorce that took away my Stingray, house, kids, :bawl: I got a new, less costly bass (that went to 5! I love that monster-B!), got me the modestly priced SWR & life (in the music dept.) became quite nice. When Ms. LA doesn't deliver enough bassitude such as in medium-large and beyond venues, the sound folks are happy to run me through the PA, which I prefer anyhow. Then I can use my "ol' faithful" as a monitor. I'm sure I'd love other good combo amps. Ampeg makes a good affordable combo; Fender does...and the beat goes on. There's a veritable jungle of good and affordable combos that will not blow up or disappoint you in less dramatic ways.

However, I do crave a rig, but that's mainly because I'll be tickled to death to return to pre-divorce status: Living well is the best revenge. Oh, and I am a hopelessly devoted Hendrix fan, so, yeah, dig, having big cabs behind me does provide me with a great deal of Purple Haze. BUT: Jimi's amps were rated @ 100W. Sure, he had a couple, and I know the deal about guitar vs. bass wattage, but the man performed outdoors and hoo-boy: My uncle recalls that he heard him extremely well @ Woodstock, and from quite a distance. Befriend the sound-people and they will take care of your sound, no matter what amp you've got (as long as it doesn't have an ear-logo on it).

So, y'all who are contemplating purchasing pleasantly priced combo amps of good repute, please stop your fretting. Instead, go forth bravely, purchase a fine combo and get Experienced...not necessarily stoned, but...beautiful."
Click to expand...

Behrenger amps are quite fikle though. If you get a good one they are bangin! A bad one will last less than a year. If you go with a Behrenger these days get the extended warranty with them to play it safe! I had the BX 1200, that was a super amp. 120 watts, aluminum cone speaker, dynamizer circuitry, shape switch, four band active EQ, ect.
It sounded like a 200 watt amp. Then I had a BX 600 60 watter, noisy! I had a BX 300 30 watt 1x10 that was super!
The new line like the 900 and 450 are garbage!
I played the 4x10 combo and that is a decent amp!
I agree with the above statement that more and more bassist are just taking active preamps like the SansAmp and such to a gig, and playing them through the house system. Others like myself, use a 1x15 or 1x12 combo from 150 to 250 watts, and run the direct line out to the house. The days of hauling the refrigerators to a gig are gone, unless you're playing in stadiums. It saves time, money, and most importantly, your back and knuts!
 
#234
I voted bass but I just changed my mind. I would go with a better amp first.

My first bass was a Squier P Bass. Because I had a low power amp, I was really digging into the strings to get more sound. Because I was digging in, I was getting fret buzz. Because I was getting fret buzz, I raised the action. Because I had really high action, I was having some challenges learning to play. You get the idea -- and it was all because of the amp.

Today, I think that old Squire P Bass was a decent bass. I wonder what it would have sounded like with a decent amp. I think I would have found it pretty satisfying.
 
#235
I have a crappy bass and an even crappier practice amp. :P
I voted for bass, because when playing live, I often borrow other bassist's amps any way, and they're often a lot sweeter about that then letting me borrow thier bass :P
Also i feel a lot closer to the bass than the amp and like to build a relationship with my instrument, so on the whole it is more important to me :)
 
#236
I'd get a better bass because I usually play without an amp. However, if I'd have lots of gigs where I have to play through my own amp, I'd propably buy the amp first.

So if both suck, getting a better bass won't make your sound better when played through an amp but getting a better amp would more likely make it sound better.
 
#239
I went bass first, since i was recording and not playing live. I haven't had a bass amp for a couple years. I just finally put a bass rig together over the last couple months and am just waiting for the final piece, and aguilar db 680. I've never even heard what it sound like, but everyone praises about it so i'm sitting here on pins and needles waiting for it=).
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back