Of course, both are important in finding the sound you're looking for, but I would buy the amp first. A great amp can make a decent bass sound much better while a great bass doesn't really reach its potential through a low end amp. Besides, if you've purchased a high quality amp you'll then be able to give the possible new basses some real test drives.
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Which would you upgrade first? An amp or a bass?
- Thread starter StrudelBass
- Start date
I would make sure I had a good bass and DI first ...I only really use my amp for reference on stage ....
Typically, I'd say amp, but I a recent upgrade on bass makes me think differently. Upgraded from an Ibanez SR 505 to a MM Stingray 5 and it made a HUGE difference. Not only do I get an unbelievably better tone, growl and overall attack, but since getting it, (about 6 weeks ago) I can't put it down. I don't know if I'd be as gased about an amp as I am about this bass.
Additionally, now that I've found the perfect bass for me, I can upgrade my amp knowing what bass I'll be playing through it.
Additionally, now that I've found the perfect bass for me, I can upgrade my amp knowing what bass I'll be playing through it.
after not reading that last eight pages, I say amp... you can make a crappy bass sound/feel decent enough to gig with some tinkering... get a nice amp with a 12 band on it, lower your action, and youve got a nice setup... ive been doing it for a couple years now... i bought a nice upright instead of a thousand dollar bass (which is being built now)...
really, as long as you have sliders on your amp, your set... you can change just about everything.. most of the time what cheap amps cant do well is take out gross mids... sure, if you looking to sound like jaco it will work fine, or are looking for a really middy jazz sound... but if your playing in your average rock group, this isnt the case...
im talking about from the ground up that is... sure, if youve got a decent amp now that can produce a good amount of sound, go for a nicer bass... I just havent ever seemed to need one that much to pay for it... basically Im building one now because i feel like it...
really, as long as you have sliders on your amp, your set... you can change just about everything.. most of the time what cheap amps cant do well is take out gross mids... sure, if you looking to sound like jaco it will work fine, or are looking for a really middy jazz sound... but if your playing in your average rock group, this isnt the case...
im talking about from the ground up that is... sure, if youve got a decent amp now that can produce a good amount of sound, go for a nicer bass... I just havent ever seemed to need one that much to pay for it... basically Im building one now because i feel like it...
I'd get the amp first cus you can make up for an instruments faults with the EQ.
That's whats basically happened with getting my SAPDDI.
That's whats basically happened with getting my SAPDDI.
I remember one of the first bands that I played in. I had a cheesy bass, and a cheesy amp, the band sound ok, after a year of gigging I got a good amp, but still had that cheesy bass and the band sound ten times better. I said all this to say, you can have a great bass, but on a crappy amp your sound will still be crappy, or you can have a cheap bass and a great amp, and you will sound good. IMHO if your amp cannot reproduce your sound it really will not make that much of a difference how good your bass is.
I only read the first page so...
I'd say there's good reason for either choice, of course upgrading any equip is better than not (unless all your gear is top-shelf). it depends on what you have and your situation.
Bass:My first bass along time ago was a cheap $200 model that went out of tune, was hard to play...Don't even remember what it was. But I picked up an Ibanez one day at a shop and the thing was so easy comparatively. So if you have a cheap lame bass like I had, get a cheap Ibanez or Fender and you'll probably be happier. If you have a cheap Ib or Fend look at the Amp
Amp:Sure, louder is better, or is it? Do you have room for something bigger, can you play louder where you play now?
Why have a 4x15 stack if you live/play in a trailer or apartment. If you have wharehouse space buy something loud, if not get a bass that plays really nice.
I understand all the talk about better sound from better amp, but you can play better on some basses than others. Some basses sound different too, so you could have 2 sounds and one amp. Not alot of reason for multiple amps unless you can make tons of noise.
I'd say there's good reason for either choice, of course upgrading any equip is better than not (unless all your gear is top-shelf). it depends on what you have and your situation.
Bass:My first bass along time ago was a cheap $200 model that went out of tune, was hard to play...Don't even remember what it was. But I picked up an Ibanez one day at a shop and the thing was so easy comparatively. So if you have a cheap lame bass like I had, get a cheap Ibanez or Fender and you'll probably be happier. If you have a cheap Ib or Fend look at the Amp
Amp:Sure, louder is better, or is it? Do you have room for something bigger, can you play louder where you play now?
Why have a 4x15 stack if you live/play in a trailer or apartment. If you have wharehouse space buy something loud, if not get a bass that plays really nice.
I understand all the talk about better sound from better amp, but you can play better on some basses than others. Some basses sound different too, so you could have 2 sounds and one amp. Not alot of reason for multiple amps unless you can make tons of noise.
It depends on your situation.
At 99% fo all shows I play there is a PA system. So the sound in from the stage comes directly from the output of my preamp over the PA. Same in the studio where I also plug directly from the preamp into the mixer. So the sound from my poweramp/cabinets is just for me not for the audience. No need to spend much money on those. Therefore I concentrate on bass and preamp.
Deciding between bass and preamp I would first upgrade the worse of the two. If both are fairly good I would always upgrade my bass. This is the thing you directly work with so you should have the best that is available. Just my 2 cents ...
At 99% fo all shows I play there is a PA system. So the sound in from the stage comes directly from the output of my preamp over the PA. Same in the studio where I also plug directly from the preamp into the mixer. So the sound from my poweramp/cabinets is just for me not for the audience. No need to spend much money on those. Therefore I concentrate on bass and preamp.
Deciding between bass and preamp I would first upgrade the worse of the two. If both are fairly good I would always upgrade my bass. This is the thing you directly work with so you should have the best that is available. Just my 2 cents ...
Good bass first. At least you stand a chance of producing the right notes and a good tone. The best amp in the world can't make a bum note sound good.
You can take a good bass out and play through the house amp or a DI box, but how many places let you borrow their good bass?
You can take a good bass out and play through the house amp or a DI box, but how many places let you borrow their good bass?
I would say go for the amp and cabs then if you still want the bass then get it. I personally did the opposite more recent.y and found that I still needed the amp. Its a great gig-worthy setupbut i'm gonna be making payments for some tiime on it. In two months I bought an ibanez btb bass, not there lowend but more middle level ibanez gear. About a month later I bought two ampeg 210s and an ashdown evo II 900 amp. Its an amazing setup and even my first ibanez (srx300) sounds amazing through it.
I'd go for a bass. Its more sentimental than an amp, and u dnt necessarily need to use your own amp when playing live. ONce you've played a few gigs using the venue's amps, ull probably have enough money to buy a new amp anyway.
I´m having kind of the same problems like those mentioned here. I´ve started to gig a lot more an I want to upgrade my gear.
When rehearsing Iplay with an OLP MM3 5-string, a Peavey combo with a little over 100 watts of power an a BOSS GT6B multieffect.
I am currently thinking about buying either a ampeg rigg or a new bass. With the bass I´m leaning towards a 5-string Spector with active electronics and neck-thru body.
As I se it the argument for buying the bass first is that when playing live I´m usaually playing through my BOSS Multieffect and a combo or rigg that is available at the venue lined to the PA. Therefore a better bass would give me a better tone playing live as I see it.
The argument for buying a rig would be to improve my sound while rehearsing and being able bo bring it to a gig to be sure to get my tone while playing live.
So the question is since the amp is mostly lined to the PA does it give me any more tone playing live or is that only achieved whem miching the amp?
Any other opinions or advice would be greatly appreiciated. Sorry for hijacking the thread with this long post but it seemed unessesary to create a new on.
When rehearsing Iplay with an OLP MM3 5-string, a Peavey combo with a little over 100 watts of power an a BOSS GT6B multieffect.
I am currently thinking about buying either a ampeg rigg or a new bass. With the bass I´m leaning towards a 5-string Spector with active electronics and neck-thru body.
As I se it the argument for buying the bass first is that when playing live I´m usaually playing through my BOSS Multieffect and a combo or rigg that is available at the venue lined to the PA. Therefore a better bass would give me a better tone playing live as I see it.
The argument for buying a rig would be to improve my sound while rehearsing and being able bo bring it to a gig to be sure to get my tone while playing live.
So the question is since the amp is mostly lined to the PA does it give me any more tone playing live or is that only achieved whem miching the amp?
Any other opinions or advice would be greatly appreiciated. Sorry for hijacking the thread with this long post but it seemed unessesary to create a new on.
Assuming you've got a "starter pack" amp and bass - you know the christmas present ones every music store pushes out, then the amp is gonna limit what you can do soonest.
You can take that bass and play it on ANY gig, whereas you're gonna need an amp for your first practise. To play your forst gig you're gonna need something half decent amp wise. The bass will see you through for a few years if need be - beginner basses are pretty good. Beginner amps are for bedroom use only.
For those have sugguested they can DI, and play throught the PA - what sort of band gets those kind of gigs, but hasn't played a hundred crappy no-PA places first? I've played loads of places, and have a paying gig lined up every week at a different venue each weekend from now till December - not ONE has a house PA, and theres no way the band PA will cover bass.
Ian
You can take that bass and play it on ANY gig, whereas you're gonna need an amp for your first practise. To play your forst gig you're gonna need something half decent amp wise. The bass will see you through for a few years if need be - beginner basses are pretty good. Beginner amps are for bedroom use only.
For those have sugguested they can DI, and play throught the PA - what sort of band gets those kind of gigs, but hasn't played a hundred crappy no-PA places first? I've played loads of places, and have a paying gig lined up every week at a different venue each weekend from now till December - not ONE has a house PA, and theres no way the band PA will cover bass.
Ian
there's alot of variables, but i voted amp. they're both equally important, but as alot have already said, you can do alot of tone shaping at the amp, and with enough power behind it any bass can sound good 
IMO upgrading a bass is more important Because its what you tuch, what you feel , and ultimately what you make music with and if it dosnt feel right then your not able to create so fully or as good. Well thats my Two Cents.
