Do bass guitars need bass amps?

Yes generally bass guitars function best with bass guitar amps and amps designed specifically for bass guitars.

Are guitar amps and bass amps different?

Yes. Guitar amps and bass amps are different and are designed specifically to handle different frequencies and outputs from both styles of guitars.

How big of an amp do I need for bass guitar?

This will change depending on your needs, for home use a small combo or head with DI/Emulated out could be fine, for gigs a larger size and wattage combo may be better.

If I DI my bass, do I still need a bass guitar amp for gigging?

Even if you DI (directly inject, i.e. plug the bass straight into the PA) your bass, we'd recommend using an amp on stage, if only for your own monitoring purposes. Many amps offer DI outs that do not disable the speaker. This means you can both DI your bass (whilst enjoying the benefit of the amp's tone) and have your bass coming through your amp's speaker on stage.

What kind of wattage am I looking at for being enough to gig with?

We'd say a minimum of 200 watts is where you want to be and more is preferable. Bass just needs more power to be where it needs to be in a live mix. It is always better to have too much power and turn it down than to have too little power and not be heard!

For bass amps, which is better: valve amps or solid state?

Both types have their benefits and drawbacks. Valve heads have an authentic vintage sound with lots of character. However they are very heavy, expensive and require maintenance. Solid State heads have a modern sound with a tight attack and are generally cheaper and lighter than valve heads. Some would say they do not match valve amps for depth of sound and overall 'size' of sound but this is debatable. We suggest trying both and deciding from there where your tastes lie.

What type of unusual cable is it that connects some bass heads and cabinets?

Some bass heads and cabinets are connected via a Speakon cable. This type of connector, made originally by Neutrik, has a mechanism at each end to lock the cable in place. The reason for this is that on some older bass amps, the vibrations from the low bass frequencies were actually making the standard quarter inch jack cables shake loose and fall out of the amp! Speakon cables are the antidote to that embarrassing problem!

Can I play a bass guitar through an electric guitar amp?

We wouldn't advise it! Whilst it will respond and make a noise, the sound itself won't be great and worse, you may end up doing serious damage to the amp itself. Guitar amps are not and never have been designed to handle the particularly low frequencies produced by a bass guitar. You'll lose out on a lot of the bottom end, which is what a bass really needs to sound like a bass! We recommend going straight for a bass amp. It's the right tool for the job and you'll enjoy yourself more!

Bass Amps | guitarguitar

Laney DB500H Digbeth 500W Solid State Bass Amp Head

£399.00 £499.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg SVT210AV Compact 2x10 Bass Cabinet

£449.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass Mini CMD 151 P IV 1x15 500W Bass Combo

£949.00 £1,109.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Darkglass Alpha Omega 500 Solid State Amp Head

£719.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown Studio 10 50W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£299.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Mark Bass Little Mark IV 500W Solid State Bass Amp Head

(1)

£539.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass Minimark 802 N300 2x8 300 Watt Combo Solid State Bass Amp

£689.00 £719.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Mark Bass Traveler 151P 1X15 Bass Cabinet

(1)

£609.00 £639.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg V-4B All Tube 100W Bass Head

£1,329.00 £1,699.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass LITTLE MARK 58R 500w 4 Ohm 4-band EQ Ultralight Bass Solid State Amp Head

£499.00 £539.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass MB58R 102 ENERGY 400W 8 Ohm 2x10 Neodymium Custom Speakers Bass Cabinet

(1)

£560.00 £629.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Laney LX15 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

(1)

£99.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

Vox Pathfinder Bass Combo Practice Amp

(10)

£109.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 800 Valve Bass Amp Head (UK)

£699.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Mark Bass Standard 102HF 2X10 Bass Cabinet

(1)

£629.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney DBV212-4 Digbeth 2x12 Bass Cabinet

£499.00 £599.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney DB200-210 Digbeth 2x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amplifier

£549.00 £649.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

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Darkglass Exponent 500 Solid State Bass Amp Head

£789.00 £845.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney DB200H Digbeth 200W Bass Amplifier Head

£279.00 £349.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney Digbeth DBC410-4 4x10 4 Ohm Compact Bass Cabinet

£399.00 £499.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass Traveler 102P 2X10 400W 8 Ohms Bass Cabinet

(2)

£489.00 £519.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Aguilar Tone Hammer 350 Bass Head

£479.00 £599.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown Studio 12 110W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£369.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Mark Bass Little Mark IV 300W Bass Head

£449.00 £499.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

AER Amp Three Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

£2,225.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass MB58R MINI CMD 121 P 300W 1x12 Combo Solid State Amp

£719.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Darkglass Microtubes 200 Solid State Bass Amp Head

£399.00 £469.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass MB58R CMD 121 P 300W 1x12 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£809.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg Micro VR 200w Bass Solid State Head

(1)

£339.00 £399.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Aguilar SL112 SL Series Lightweight 1x12 Bass Cabinet 8 Ohm

(3)

£899.00 £1,059.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney RB4 165W 1x15 Combo Solid State Bass Amp

(1)

£529.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney R500 Richter Bass Combo 500W

£579.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney RB2 30W 1x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

(1)

£229.00 £269.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg PF-410HLF 4x10 Bass Cabinet

£749.00 £778.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass MB58R 121 P 300W 8 Ohm 1x12 Classic Ceramic Speakers Bass Cabinet

£449.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney Mini Bass NX

£75.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

Ampeg SVT-CL Valve Amp Head

£1,999.00 £2,499.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg Classic Series SVT410HLF Bass Cabinet

£979.00 £1,149.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Rockman Bass Ace Headphone Amp

£99.00 £117.99

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

Mark Bass MB58R 102 XL P 300W 8 Ohm XL 2x10 Classic Ceramic Speakers Bass Cabinet

£629.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

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Bass Amps

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Laney DB500H Digbeth 500W Solid State Bass Amp Head

Ampeg SVT210AV Compact 2x10 Bass Cabinet

Mark Bass Mini CMD 151 P IV 1x15 500W Bass Combo

Darkglass Alpha Omega 500 Solid State Amp Head

Ashdown Studio 10 50W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Mark Bass Little Mark IV 500W Solid State Bass Amp Head

Mark Bass Minimark 802 N300 2x8 300 Watt Combo Solid State Bass Amp

Mark Bass Traveler 151P 1X15 Bass Cabinet

Ampeg V-4B All Tube 100W Bass Head

Mark Bass LITTLE MARK 58R 500w 4 Ohm 4-band EQ Ultralight Bass Solid State Amp Head

Mark Bass MB58R 102 ENERGY 400W 8 Ohm 2x10 Neodymium Custom Speakers Bass Cabinet

Laney LX15 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

Vox Pathfinder Bass Combo Practice Amp

Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 800 Valve Bass Amp Head (UK)

Mark Bass Standard 102HF 2X10 Bass Cabinet

Laney DBV212-4 Digbeth 2x12 Bass Cabinet

Laney DB200-210 Digbeth 2x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amplifier

Darkglass Exponent 500 Solid State Bass Amp Head

Laney DB200H Digbeth 200W Bass Amplifier Head

Laney Digbeth DBC410-4 4x10 4 Ohm Compact Bass Cabinet

Mark Bass Traveler 102P 2X10 400W 8 Ohms Bass Cabinet

Aguilar Tone Hammer 350 Bass Head

Ashdown Studio 12 110W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Mark Bass Little Mark IV 300W Bass Head

AER Amp Three Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

Mark Bass MB58R MINI CMD 121 P 300W 1x12 Combo Solid State Amp

Darkglass Microtubes 200 Solid State Bass Amp Head

Mark Bass MB58R CMD 121 P 300W 1x12 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Ampeg Micro VR 200w Bass Solid State Head

Aguilar SL112 SL Series Lightweight 1x12 Bass Cabinet 8 Ohm

Laney RB4 165W 1x15 Combo Solid State Bass Amp

Laney R500 Richter Bass Combo 500W

Laney RB2 30W 1x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Ampeg PF-410HLF 4x10 Bass Cabinet

Mark Bass MB58R 121 P 300W 8 Ohm 1x12 Classic Ceramic Speakers Bass Cabinet

Laney Mini Bass NX

Ampeg SVT-CL Valve Amp Head

Ampeg Classic Series SVT410HLF Bass Cabinet

Rockman Bass Ace Headphone Amp

Mark Bass MB58R 102 XL P 300W 8 Ohm XL 2x10 Classic Ceramic Speakers Bass Cabinet

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