If your amp is small, the amp. Otherwise, doesn't really matter both will improve your sound. I have a mahogany cirrus and an ampeg ba115.
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Which would you upgrade first? An amp or a bass?
- Thread starter StrudelBass
- Start date
Unless your bass is a special kinda awful, the amp is going to make a bigger difference.
If you love the way your bass plays but hate the way it sounds, you need new electronics and/or a new amp. If you hate the way your bass plays, you probably need a new bass--doesn't matter how it sounds.
If you love the way your bass plays but hate the way it sounds, you need new electronics and/or a new amp. If you hate the way your bass plays, you probably need a new bass--doesn't matter how it sounds.
There is no right answer to this. If you have a substandard bass, a quality amp is going clearly amplify those deficiencies. If you have a crap amp, it's going to sound like crap. Either way, it's going to sound like crap. Now, if you had gun to my head, I'd opt for a better amp, then get a job to pay for a better bass.
I would upgrade the bass first. The bass is what you have to be the most comfortable playing. Then you can upgrade the amp to suite the sounds of the bass, power, etc.
Amp 1st. A cheap bass can easily be improved with a new pickup and a pro setup. Wood is wood, and most basses now are made on CNC machines anyway, so tolerances are tight regardless of price point. (I don't mean to start a flame war here, just speaking in generalities).
A cheap amp isn't much good ever.
Amplifying the low frequencies requires more power than higher ones. That's why a 50 watt tube amp for guitar is often more than enough but a 50 watt bass amp is anemic sounding. Speakers that handle bass well usually need to be able to do pretty big excursions safely too, which costs more too.
Thankfully class D has solved the power issue for bassists inexpensively, but you still need a good preamp and a good speaker cab to sound good.
A cheap amp isn't much good ever.
Amplifying the low frequencies requires more power than higher ones. That's why a 50 watt tube amp for guitar is often more than enough but a 50 watt bass amp is anemic sounding. Speakers that handle bass well usually need to be able to do pretty big excursions safely too, which costs more too.
Thankfully class D has solved the power issue for bassists inexpensively, but you still need a good preamp and a good speaker cab to sound good.
If your amp isn't loud enough to be heard then amp first.
If your amp sound like junk, amp first
If your bass is a piece of junk and your amp is loud enough to be heard, bass first
If your amp sound like junk, amp first
If your bass is a piece of junk and your amp is loud enough to be heard, bass first
It depends on whether or not you are wanting to gig or jam. You can have a top of the line bass but, if your amp can't keep up, (you suck).
You can get a pretty decent amp (rumble 500 combo etc. around $600) for the price of a moderately priced bass guitar.
On the other hand if your present amp is cutting it, then go for a better bass if you are not satisfied with your current one.
You can get a pretty decent amp (rumble 500 combo etc. around $600) for the price of a moderately priced bass guitar.
On the other hand if your present amp is cutting it, then go for a better bass if you are not satisfied with your current one.
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If the bass in question isn't a total POS then the amp, for sure.
As someone said earlier. My Squier VM sounds great through my SWR. A bigger upgrade than a "better" bass would have sounded through my old Yorkville that I had prior.
The other thing to consider is keeping the current amp/bass and upgrading the cab.
As someone said earlier. My Squier VM sounds great through my SWR. A bigger upgrade than a "better" bass would have sounded through my old Yorkville that I had prior.
The other thing to consider is keeping the current amp/bass and upgrading the cab.
Fortunately a great amp can be had in the Rumble Series. Very inexpensive. That leaves you more for a bass. A great amp always or usually helps a lower quality bass sound it's best. Add a Sansamp $210 or a Behringer BDI $29
and many basses will sound great! Also modding a Branded/generic bass with a great set of pickups a good setup and good strings and its amazing how good it will/can sound.
Have Fun
LIVE: upgrade the amp
RECORDING: upgrade the bass. I've been amazed how a great live bass will show its warts through a really good recording setup. My Fender Aerodyne (Aguilar p.u.s) is just dandy for playing live; but it just doesn't have the right resonance through a high-end recording console.
RECORDING: upgrade the bass. I've been amazed how a great live bass will show its warts through a really good recording setup. My Fender Aerodyne (Aguilar p.u.s) is just dandy for playing live; but it just doesn't have the right resonance through a high-end recording console.
Focus on what delivers your tone to the audience.
I have a late 60's P and a mid 60's B15NC.
I can cut a track with that rig and then cut the same track with my Squire VM and a Tech 21 VT Deluxe or Line 6 Stomp and you probably wouldn't be able to guess which is which. Soloed, you MIGHT.
But I still like my cool gear. It is fun for me.
I toured quite a bit with my P Bass using a Peavey 112 MaxBass. The amp was just for me to be able to know what notes I was playing. But the engineer started miking the amp
I have a late 60's P and a mid 60's B15NC.
I can cut a track with that rig and then cut the same track with my Squire VM and a Tech 21 VT Deluxe or Line 6 Stomp and you probably wouldn't be able to guess which is which. Soloed, you MIGHT.
But I still like my cool gear. It is fun for me.
I toured quite a bit with my P Bass using a Peavey 112 MaxBass. The amp was just for me to be able to know what notes I was playing. But the engineer started miking the amp
Depends on situation.
If you are in a band and you rehearse with a loud drummer, then no matter how good your bass is, if you cannot contribute to the sound because of your amp, then a good bass is pointless.
But if you already have an amp that is loud enough, and you are deciding between upgrading the bass or amp, then I personally would go bass first - because the bass is the one you are caressing, not the amp!
If you are in a band and you rehearse with a loud drummer, then no matter how good your bass is, if you cannot contribute to the sound because of your amp, then a good bass is pointless.
But if you already have an amp that is loud enough, and you are deciding between upgrading the bass or amp, then I personally would go bass first - because the bass is the one you are caressing, not the amp!
Not until it's old enough to drink
It would depend on the specific bass and the specific amp and the specific person. OTOH, my first bass was a Fender Jazz Bass Plus V Ash, and my first amp was a Trace Elliot head with a Pearce Electronics cab. I went from there to SWR and Mesa, Music Man and Warwick, so I've never really faced this question.
I'm very happy with my current gear but if pressed would go with a bass if only because it's time for a fiver to become part of the rig. That being said you'll pry my SR4 from my cold dead hands lol.
