Best
Portable Bass Amp
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Overall: Powerful and Dynamic - Use It In Any Setting
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Best Feature: Ultra-Compact and Lightweight
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TedScore™: 7.8/10
Best
BASS PRACTICE AMP
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Overall: Look and Sound to Complement Your Playing
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Best Feature: Compact and Portable With a Great and Punchy Tone
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TedScore™: 8.5/10
Best
FOR PROS
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Overall: Experience the Sound of 1969 SVT With Modern Features
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Best Feature: Combination of Two Classic Amps in One Head
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TedScore™: 8/10
A ten second search on Google will show you that there are plenty of bass guitar amps on the market today. But which ones are worth your time? More importantly, which is the best bass amp for you?
If you’re looking to purchase a bass amp then that’s a sign you’re taking the bass guitars much more seriously and, for this reason, this is a decision that must be well informed.
Before you can actually make a purchase though, you’ll need to know how to assess the amps you look at. What features should a good amplifier have and on the basis of what exactly should you make your choice?
Let’s get started with how to choose a good beginner amp.
How To Choose The Best Beginner Bass Amp
So our aim here is to get you to the stage where you can assess for yourself how good an bass amp is. But before you can make that assessment accurately you’ll have to learn about the basic features of bass guitar amps.
Let’s go through them one by one.
Tone and Gain Control
Tone controls affect the overall sound that the amplifier produces. You could think of these controls as shaping the “tone colour” or “timbre” that comes from the amp.
Tone controls take the signal that comes into the amp from the bass and they allow the user to adjust the frequencies in that signal.
Adjusting these frequencies can make the tone more detailed and piercing – adjusting the high or “treble” frequencies will do this – adjusting the midrange frequencies can make the tone more growl-like and aggressive or adjusting the bass can make the bass sound warmer, fatter and fuller.
All bass amps will have some level of tone control but some (typically more advanced and expensive amps) will offer a greater level of adjustment because they have more controls that allow you to shape the bass sound in greater detail.
However, the basic principle of all tone controls listed above is the same for all bass guitar amps.
Beware though that not all tone controls look the same. Many will have a band EQ which offers a lot of flexibility in the different frequencies that you can manipulate.
Bass amp brands like Trace Elliott and Hartke have a band EQ on many of their combo amp and amp head models.
The best bass combo amp is a highly sought-after piece of equipment by bass guitar enthusiasts and professional musicians alike. Renowned for its exceptional sound quality and versatility, this type of amplifier combines both a speaker and an amplifier into a single unit, making it a convenient and portable option for bass players.
Some brands like Aguilar will have dials at fixed frequencies. This is the case with their famous Tone Hammer amp models.
And some will even have a mix of dials and a band EQ. Don’t be put off by the complexity of a band EQ though.
A band EQ might look more difficult to use than a few simple EQ dials but really, both options work in exactly the same way so as long as you understand the principle behind them you’ll be able to use either.
Gain control – often mistaken as being the same as volume – is about how much signal the amp lets in from the bass to start with.
The more gain is turned up the more signal that the amp lets in and the louder that signal will sound when it comes out of the amplifier.
However, a signal with more gain will also be harder to control and more prone to feedback and unwanted distortion.
More advanced amps will have both a gain and a master volume. The difference is that the master volume comes at the very end of the signal so it doesn’t affect the amount of control you have.
But some basic amplifiers will only offer master volume. Fewer components mean a cheaper price but as ever, there’s a trade-off.
If this doesn’t bother you then perhaps you don’t need a gain dial and you can use the fixed gain on some beginner amps. But if you want the option to be sure to find something with this feature.
Channels
Different channels is a feature that’s much more common in a guitar amp than a bass amp.
The idea behind them is that you can have different bass sounds on each channel which offers you more flexibility.
Most bassists don’t need their bass effects on a different channel but what’s becoming more useful, particularly for pro bassists, is to have a different bass altogether on another channel.
If you find yourself in this scenario then perhaps different channels would help you but, unless you’re a professional, it’s probably not necessary.
Power in watts, volume and Speaker Size
As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the diameter of the speaker, the better it will be at producing lower frequencies relative to the size of that speaker.
Twelve-inch speakers can do lower below-ended than a ten-inch one. A fifteen-inch can do more than a twelve and so on.
So just think about how you want to sound and then think about which size of speaker would serve you best.
Watts and volume can be a complex discussion so it suffices, for now, to say that the higher the wattage, the greater the volume you can get from the amp.
Yes, that’s a gross simplification but, for many beginners, worrying about the fine points of wattage and volume isn’t a productive use of their time.
However, if you do want to learn more about it then feel free to read this article.
Damping And Resonance Controls
These controls are very advanced and most beginners won’t need to worry about them, but in a nutshell damping and resonance are ways of tricking the power amp into thinking there’s less of a certain part of the signal than there is and then the amp will overcompensate to make up the “lack”.
Typically, bassists will use controls like this to add extra low or high end but this is in specific and very advanced cases.
If you’re a beginner then these controls really won’t affect you at all.
Various Speaker Jacks
Depending on the amp you buy, you may need to get some speaker jacks to go with it.
If you have a separate bass amp head and speaker cabinet then you will need a speaker cable to connect the two.
A shop assistant or recommended product on Amazon can show you exactly which ones to buy but these are essentially jack cables designed specifically to connect these two devices.
You may also want a speakon cable. Again, these are specialised so it’s best to check the requirements of your amp before you buy so you can make sure you have the right cables.
Tube amps more often have speakon cables because of the unique demands of tube amps. Many solid state amps use jacks for simplicity but it’s much more common today that both these head types offer both as options.
You should be sure to check the connection of your speaker cabinets too. You don’t want to run the risk of having a head with one connection type and a cab with another type.
However, if this all sounds like a massive hassle to you then look at purchasing a combo amp.
As the name – short for combination amplifier – implies, both the head and speaker cabinet are encased in one unit and are connected with cables when they are built. This means you’ll never have to worry about getting the right cables.
Active Or Passive Inputs
This is an increasingly important feature to have in both a combo amp and an amp head, and the reason is all to do with gain that we talked about earlier.
But to understand how these two are related, you first need to know about active and passive basses. But the good news is you don’t need to know much.
Basically, active basses are powered by some sort of onboard power which is usually a 9v battery.
Having this onboard power means that the output level of an active bass is much higher than a passive bass which doesn’t have that onboard power and gets its power from the amplifier itself.
But surely you can just turn the gain down on the amp to compensate? Well, yes you can. But many amplifier developers realised this was a bit fiddly and that many bassists forgot, ended up sending too much signal through their amps by mistake and ruined their amps as a consequence.
Clearly buying a new amp every few months isn’t something anyone wants to do so what’s the solution here? Step forward active and passive input switches.
These switches will cut or restore the gain on an amp (usually by 10db) so that you can bring the gain down quickly when using an active bass, up when using a passive bass and, in the process, stop yourself from ruining another great bass guitar amp.
Effects Loop
The effects loop is a separate output that you can send out to your effects pedals and then back to the amplifier.
This feature is extremely useful if you’re doing a lot of recording or touring because it allows the sound engineer to treat and mix your organic bass tone and effects in different ways.
Chris Wolstenhome – the bassist for Muse – makes use of this feature a lot. As does Billy Sheehan so, even though an effects loop is a more advanced feature, it might be worth getting anyway.
They do come as standard on many amps these days anyway. So if you’ve got one and you want to use it then great. If you don’t find yourself using it then it’s no problem.
Fixed Tuner
This is a simple but remarkably valuable feature that you find commonly on more beginner level amps but some are now coming in on higher end models too.
An electronic tuner will show you the pitch that is currently coming from a string on your bass. It will also show you if and how far that pitch is currently out of tune.
A very helpful time-saving device indeed.
So why not build them into amps? Well, many developers have done just that.
We’re only speculating here, but my guess is that built-in tuners are more common on beginner models for convenience.
Advanced players who buy more advanced amps will already have tuning pedals or simply won’t want a built-in tuner to up the price of an already expensive professional bass amp so they don’t tend to surface in professional models.
But that’s just our theory.
Mute Switch
This feature is more prevalent on advanced and more expensive models but it basically allows you to mute the amp without turning it off.
This might seem like a pointless feature. Why would you want to turn an amp on only for it to be silent?
Well, when you remove a jack cable from an amp or you plug your bass into an amp, if the amp is turned on then there’s often a popping sound that comes from your speakers as you do this. And this sound is actually very damaging for the speakers.
However, you can avoid this damage by somehow making sure that popping sound never comes from the amp and reaches the speakers.
So how do you do that?
You guessed it. The mute switch.
There’s not much more to know. All mute switches are the same so as long as you have one then you’ve got what you need.
Solid State vs. Tube Bass Amps
Solid state and tube bass amps are the two main types of amp you will see in online stores and high street shops but what exactly do these terms mean? How does each amp differ from the other?
A tube bass amp uses power tubes in the amplification process that the signal goes through. These tubes give the sound of the amp a much warmer, rounder, and fatter sound.
This is a huge plus for bassists that crave a much more vintage sound as tubes were used much more commonly in vintage bass guitar amps. The Ampeg SVT is perhaps the most iconic bass amp of all time and it’s a tube amp.
However, the downside to tubes is that they require a lot more circuitry to make them work so the amps that have tubes tend to be bigger, heavier, less portable, and much more prone to breaking.
Tubes are fragile. That’s just a necessary evil of what they are.
Solid state amps use transistors and diodes as their means of bass amplification. This means that they don’t have the same warmth that tubes do but they need a lot less circuitry, so the amps are smaller, more portable, less prone to breaking, and much cheaper.
Again, there’s no right or wrong choice here. It all depends on how you’ll use what you buy. But that all being said, many beginners, students, and touring musicians will have some kind of solid-state amp because they are much more sturdy than their tube counterparts.
Tubes sound great but if they keep breaking the repair bill will soon drain your bank balance. And saving money is always worth considering.
Bass Combo Amps vs. Stack
We’ve briefly touched on this already but it’s now time to dive into the details of different bass guitar amp types by looking at bass combo amps and stack style bass guitar amps.
A combo amp – short for combination amp – has both the power amp and the speaker cabinet in the same unit.
This does provide a lot of utility, it’s much more portable and it also means you don’t run the risk of having a head and cab combination that aren’t compatible.
Stacks usually have the power amp in a separate unit known as the head. The bass head can then plug into one or a series of speaker cabinets.
Many professional bass players prefer this set up despite it being less portable because the professional bassist may love the sound of a certain power amp but not the speakers that come with it.
They will spend a lot of time searching for the perfect combination or power amp and speakers so the stack setup gives them the flexibility they won’t get from a combo.
Top 4 Beginner Bass Guitar Amps
Fender Rumble
The Fender Rumble has been a popular choice with beginners for many years. It sounds great, it’s portable, easy to use and everything a beginner needs is housed in one small combo unit.
It’s well worth a look for anyone looking for their first bass amp.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Overdrive circuit
FEATURES: XLR line out with ground lift
Fender Rumble
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Some other fabulous bass guitar amps designed for beginners are:
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Hartke's patented HyDrive Speaker Technology
FEATURES: Built-in limiter
Hartke HD15
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
- Not that powerful
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Line Mix Control
FEATURES: Speaker Mute Switch
The Ashdown
Studio 8
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
- Not that powerful
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Includes 3-band with presence control
FEATURES: Master Volume
Gear4Music 35W
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
- Not that powerful
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Top 5 Practice Bass Guitar Amps
Gear4Music 15W
The gear4Music 15W amp is about as cheap as you’re going to get. That doesn’t mean it’s bad though – it’s just not totally amazing. But for the cost, it produces a great little sound.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Solid, consistent performance with robust frame and hand-picked circuitry
FEATURES: Compact bass amp 15W amplifier perfect for practice and performances
Gear4Music 15W
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
- Not that powerful
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Belcat 15W
The Belcat 15W offers a similar package to the Gear4Music 15w model but with a little more bang for your buck.
Yes it’s more expensive but you get some more advanced tone controls all within a small design that’s nice and portable.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Lightweight design for easy storage and hassle-free travelling
FEATURES: Versatile amp that's perfect for practicing your persona in the comfort of home
Belcat 15W
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
- Not that powerful
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
SubZero V15B
The SubZero V15B has a great feature in a headphone output. The headphone output enables silent practice with the same great tones that come from the speaker normally.
This extra utility makes this a bargain at under £40.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Deep colorful tones with vintage looks
FEATURES: Headphones output for silent practice
SubZero V15B
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
- Not that powerful
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Laney Mini Bass NX
This model is a little more expensive but it’s for a good reason. The Bass NX has the same great features you’d expect like a great tone and EQ options.
But you’re able to sync this amp to your phone and use the app as a way of quickly shaping your tone. A very inventive option to have.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Ideal partner for the TONEBRIDGE app
FEATURES: Lightweight and portable
Bass NX
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
- Not that powerful
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Blackstar Fly3
The most interesting feature of the Fly3 is the ability to plug a phone or mp3 player into the amp as well as your bass.
If you like to practice by playing along to your favourite tunes then this amp will give you endless hours of fun. Well worth the price.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Emulated Line Out for ‘silent’ practice or recording
FEATURES: Patented ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) Digital ‘tape’ delay effect
Blackstar Fly3
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- Only good for home practice
- Not that powerful
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Top 5 Mini Portable Bass Guitar Amps
Orange Crush Bass 50 Combo
The Orange Crush Bass 50 Combo is one of the best portable amps out there. Small, great tone and sound but still has a decent amount of power. Well worth consideration.
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: a Cabsim headphone output, meaning you can practise in silence
FEATURES: a gain dial for upping the aggression and distortion
Orange Crush
Bass 50 Combo
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- More powerful than other models
- Less portable
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Fender Rumble 40
The Rumble 40 is a much more powerful version of the amp listed above. Same great sound, same great combo design and same great build quality.
This one just has more power. If you love the original fender rumble then why not upgrade to this?
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners
COMES WITH: Overdrive circuit (controlled manually or with optional footswitch)
FEATURES: XLR line out with ground lift
Fender rumble 40
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- More powerful than other models
- Less portable
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Markbass Micromark 801
When it comes to portable bass amps then it’s impossible to ignore Markbass with the Micromark.
I’ve seen too many of these to count over the last year alone so that means that bass players all over the world trust this amp and brand to get them a great sound.
DESIGNED FOR: Small gigs and rehearsals
COMES WITH: XLR Line Out)
FEATURES: HEADPHONES OUT
Micromark
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- More powerful than other models
- Less portable
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
RedSub BP150
The RedSub BP150 sits in a great place between a practice amp, a serious gig amp and a portable unit.
At 150W it really has a lot of power. It’s also got plenty of EQ options and other tools built into the amplifier to get a great sound.
It’s more pricey, but if you want a more serious tool then maybe it’s worth it.
DESIGNED FOR: Small gigs and rehearsals
COMES WITH: Powerful 150W RMS Bass amp with 3-band EQ
FEATURES: Enhanced sound from built-in compressor & tilt back cabinet
REDSUB BP150
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- More powerful than other models
- Less portable
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Orange Crush Bass 100
Much like the RedSub the Orange Crush Bass 100 is aimed at the more advanced and professional players.
It’s more expensive but it does offer a great tone, a good amount of power at 100 watts and the speakers sound incredible.
DESIGNED FOR: Small gigs and rehearsals
COMES WITH: Foot switchable gain and blend controls
FEATURES: Enhanced sound from built-in compressor & tilt back cabinet
Orange Crush
Bass 100
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- More powerful than other models
- Less portable
- More expensive than other models in its category
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Top 5 Pro Bass Guitar Amplifiers
DESIGNED FOR: Small gigs and rehearsals
COMES WITH: Sweet, traditional tone; great compressor
FEATURES: Enhanced sound from built-in compressor & tilt back cabinet
HARTKE TX600
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable
- More powerful than other models
- Less portable
- More expensive than other models in its category
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: Serious gigs
COMES WITH: Variable Valve Drive preamp section
FEATURES: EVO IV features a sophisticated 9-band EQ
Ashdown ABM-EVO IV
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Great sound
- Powerful
- Less affordable
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: Serious gigs
COMES WITH: 3-band EQ to boost or cut certain frequencies
FEATURES: Shape your sound using the extensive number of controls
Ampeg SVT-7 Pro
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Great sound
- Powerful
- Less affordable
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
COMES WITH: 3-band EQ, 2-band EQ, Ultra Lo/Hi Boosts
FEATURES: Standard IEC AC cable
Ampeg SVT 50th
Anniversary
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Great sound
- Powerful
- Less affordable
- Expensive even for this class of amp
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
14 Best Bass Amps
Summary
There are so many options to choose from here that I simply can’t recommend one “best” option.
You need to think about your own needs, what sound you want and where you are in your learning journey.
If you’re a beginner then don’t spend thousands on a professional model because you may not pursue bass for the long term and then that’s money down the drain.
If you’re a professional or about to become one then perhaps it’s worth breaking the bank to invest in a tool that will help get your career off the ground.
Ultimately, just buy one, try it out. and trust your gut!
if my amp goes to 11 does that make me a pro asking for a friend
Loved the section on combo amps vs. stacks! Makes the decision process much easier for hobbyists like myself. Great help!
Solid State vs. Tube Bass Amps is always a hot debate, and I respect your input on it, Hugh Richardson. Personally, I’ve found that tube amps have a richness in tone you just can’t get from solid state, but the ease of maintenance and cost-efficiency of solid-state amps can’t be ignored, especially for beginners.
is tube expensive tho?
Totally agree with you on the tube amps man, nothing beats that warm sound.
Hey Hugh Richardson, I just started picking up the bass and was curious if you think a combo amp is the way to go for complete beginners? Or should I look into the mini-portables for practice? Thanks!