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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
#462
Bassalcoholic confession: I play bass (and other instruments) and I don't have a proper amp of my own. We rehersal in a studio and they provide mixers and speakers, no need to bring a rig there. When we have a gig, most places provide sound. And as a group we have our own set of mixers and speakers ( 2 active 15" speakers) that we rarely use on stage.
At home , I connect my bass to my home theater system (subwoofer does it right) or play with headphones.
Soooooo I will go for a good bass instead and a good set of cables and DI - condenser
 
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#464
I picked carrot and made a relevant comment, but I bought a second bass first. Now, my Dean Bassola will have to do for bedroom practice.

However, I have an amp plan in 3 stages. Peavey Mini Max head, then Headliner 115 and finally stack a Headliner 210. Peavey gear should last me ages.

Then the Bassola amp will go out in the shed to rust in peace while i practice.

Did I mention that I live in a trailer park with the trailers all really close together, and no garages to practice in? I bet my neighbors will share in my enthusiasm though. After all, everyone likes new gear. :bassist::roflmao:
 
#465
BandcaveMan said:
Carrots first, dude! They're so cheap and they travel real well. Once you got some new carrots, then get a new Bass. You can always borrow someones amp, but try prying their bass out of their hands. :scowl:

________
BandcaveMan
http://www.bandcave.com
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Not to mention what can happen if you try borrowing someone else's carrots.

"It isn't pretty! I don't like doing it!" Genie, Alladdin
 
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#471
I've underestimated the importance of a good amp when I got my first cheap amp. All I wanted was power. But after playing through a few higher prices amps, I realized just how important the amp is.
 
#472
Assuming its set up well and playable, I would upgrade the bass first. If you're gigging you can always use the amp as a stage monitor and use the direct out (if it has one) or a DI to the board.

Unless of course the amp is a total wreck, speaker cone repaired by duct tape, coil blown, pots suffering from terminal scratchiness and the inputs loose so you can't get sound without wiggling them just right (like old rabbit ear TV's, everyone can't move, and the tin foil has to be a certain way for the signal to come in, until a jet plane flies over and the picture gets all wavy).
 
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#473
LiquidMidnight said:
I would say it depends on the situation.

For example, if your situation is you need an amp with more power or your amp is just a plain low quality amp, (as is my situation right now) you should first upgrade your amp. A Lakland isn't going to sound that great through a 50 watt Crate, but a Squier is going to sound pretty good through an SWR.

If your amp "does it's job" but you just want to upgrade to "find your sound" then I would upgrade the bass first.
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Yes, without s description of your situation it's not easy to judge in effect.
 
#475
Amp, assuming the bass I had was at least mediocre. Crap's crap, but I can make a mediocre bass sound at least alright with pickups, electronics, a fret dress, etc. if I have a good rig. A bad bass is a lot harder to disguise, and your playing will suffer because of them. Nowadays, however, most basses are at least acceptably good, so you're not at the same disadvantage as folks my age and older were, too much media available to expose shoddy work. You live in a golden time for lack of accountability, haha!
 
#476
Thegrandwazoo said:
Amp, assuming the bass I had was at least mediocre. Crap's crap, but I can make a mediocre bass sound at least alright with pickups, electronics, a fret dress, etc. if I have a good rig. A bad bass is a lot harder to disguise, and your playing will suffer because of them. Nowadays, however, most basses are at least acceptably good, so you're not at the same disadvantage as folks my age and older were, too much media available to expose shoddy work. You live in a golden time for lack of accountability, haha!
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Have amps changed much in recent years? Or speaker cabinets? Or basses for that matter? A new bass encourages me to practice and play more than a new amp or cab, but my latest inspiring purchase is a multi-effects unit.
 
#477
Ian Lewis said:
Have amps changed much in recent years? Or speaker cabinets? Or basses for that matter? A new bass encourages me to practice and play more than a new amp or cab, but my latest inspiring purchase is a multi-effects unit.
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I was just saying, if the OP feels the need to upgrade both and can only afford one for the now, I feel a good amp is more important than a better bass. You can upgrade an entry-level bass gradually, with small, affordable parts, until it's pretty damn good. A rig's pretty much all it's ever going to be when it leaves the factory though, unless you're into old tube stuff and know how to work on it, which very few do.
 
#478
Thegrandwazoo said:
I was just saying, if the OP feels the need to upgrade both and can only afford one for the now, I feel a good amp is more important than a better bass. You can upgrade an entry-level bass gradually, with small, affordable parts, until it's pretty damn good. A rig's pretty much all it's ever going to be when it leaves the factory though, unless you're into old tube stuff and know how to work on it, which very few do.
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You're quite right
 

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