Hey All,
A friend is indefinitely letting me borrow his base. Nothing amazing, but it has a jazz and precision pickup on it. I'm need a bass amp now. Something REALLY cheap... doesn't need power or anything, just to be able to ouput a sound - i'm not really wanting a headphone amp either.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Buying used will save you some dough. Do you have Craigslist in your area?
An older Peavey is usually cheap and will last forever. An old "Microbass" should be easy to find on ebay.
The small Fender Rumble series sound decent, but I blew the speaker in one of the 25 watters while playing in the store. :lol:
The new Acoustic combos are getting good reviews too. (Acoustic the brand; not an acoustic guitar amp. :wink: )
The little Gallien-Krueger Backline 110 is also an okay choice.
Personally I'd go GK or Acoustic if buying new; older Peavey if buying used.
I did not care for the smaller offerings from Crate, Behringer, or Line 6.
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
First, look for used. eBay or your local music store.
You can look at true bass amps, but keyboard amps can work in a pinch. Anything with a closed/sealed back should work. Around 30W should be fine. If you're on eBay, you can't try before you buy, so let us know which brand/model you find and we can give you some advice. We like to spend other people's money! 8)
Buying used will save you some dough. Do you have Craigslist in your area?
An older Peavey is usually cheap and will last forever. An old "Microbass" should be easy to find on ebay.
The small Fender Rumble series sound decent, but I blew the speaker in one of the 25 watters while playing in the store. :lol:
The new Acoustic combos are getting good reviews too. (Acoustic the brand; not an acoustic guitar amp. :wink: )
The little Gallien-Krueger Backline 110 is also an okay choice.
Personally I'd go GK or Acoustic if buying new; older Peavey if buying used.
I did not care for the smaller offerings from Crate, Behringer, or Line 6.
Great minds!
I agree with all of Slej's suggestions. Peavey's never die. I played through a small G&K at the Riverside Jam (thanks Helena!) and it was excellent, and lightweight too.
I have a small Behringer. It's not great, but it's OK for a cheap practice amp. It's certainly not a great amp, but I wasn't sure how much bass playing I was going to do, and it has worked out OK for my irregular usage.
Really cheap amps are not such a good deal on ebay, because shipping ends up costing a significant fraction of the amps price :-)
--vink
"Life is either an adventure or nothing" -- Helen Keller
thanks for the advice.
Seems like i could get some new practice amps for as much as they end up being on ebay. I think I'll just be patient for now. craigslist doesn't have much to offer in my area.
I'll just have to concentrate on getting better at the guitar :-P
The small Fender Rumble series sound decent, but I blew the speaker in one of the 25 watters while playing in the store.
Sorry for the thread jack, but I have one of those Fender Rumble 25 watt and come to think of it. I think the speaker might be used. It turns to a distorted flub when I turn it up. :? Any recommendations on replacement speakers out there?
The small Fender Rumble series sound decent, but I blew the speaker in one of the 25 watters while playing in the store.
Sorry for the thread jack, but I have one of those Fender Rumble 25 watt and come to think of it. I think the speaker might be used. It turns to a distorted flub when I turn it up. :? Any recommendations on replacement speakers out there?
I've wondered if it's the speaker Fender uses or the cab design ... not sure.
Anyway, a good and cheap replacement: Eminence Beta 10. Handles 250w, so you can use it for other things if you outgrow the Rumble. Comes in 8 and 16 ohm versions; you'll have to see what your amp needs.
I happen to have one sitting around in a PA cab that I don't use ... send me a PM if you're interested.
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
I just use a small 15w Crate -- cheap and lets me hear what I'm practicing.
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
Never heard of this brand but I found a cheap Bass Amp on eBay that is starting at a penny with $40 shipping. Gallien Krueger? Searching on eBay for lower priced amps helps! :D
Never heard of this brand but I found a cheap Bass Amp on eBay that is starting at a penny with $40 shipping. Gallien Krueger? Searching on eBay for lower priced amps helps! :D
G&K is a known and respected bass amp maker. They used to make guitar amps too, but their solid state designs were too pricey to complete against tube amps. Retreated back to the bass only market.
-=tension & release=-
My son has the GK Brat half stack and it is simply amazing and only cost $300, but to stick to the topic, he has a small Hartke practice amp that is a nice sounding bass amp for a starter amp. It was his first. I believe Hartke is another big name in bass amplification. I think all of the above suggestions are good though.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --