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

Rockman Bass Ace Headphone Amp

£99.00 £117.99

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

AER Amp One Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

£1,939.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg Portaflex PF-115HE Bass Cabinet

£599.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg PF-20T Bass Valve Amp Head

£899.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney RB3 65W 1x12 Combo Solid State Bass Amp

(1)

£319.00 £349.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney RB1 15W Bass Combo

(2)

£159.00 £179.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

Ampeg Classic Series SVT410HLF Bass Cabinet

£979.00 £1,149.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown ABM-410H-EVO IV Bass Cabinet

£749.00 £799.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown OriginAL C112-300 1x12 300W Combo

£619.00 £699.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney LX10B 10W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

(1)

£59.00 £65.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet

(1)

£1,099.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Cort CM40B 40W Combo Bass Amp

£159.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

Ex-Demo

Ampeg SVT-CL Valve Amp Head (Ex-Demo) #211SV3L7337000035

£1,999.00 £2,640.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass CMB 101 Black Line Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£219.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass CMB 121 Blackline Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£349.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Ampeg Venture 210 Bass Cabinet

£849.00 £999.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Black Friday

Ampeg Venture 212 Bass Cabinet

£799.00 £1,149.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mesa Boogie 2x10 Subway Diagonal Bass Cabinet

£1,399.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass Little Mark Rocker 58R Solid State Bass Amp Head

£699.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

New Arrival

Ampeg VB88 8x8 Venture Bass Cabinet

£1,659.00 £2,071.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown Studio Junior Tweed 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp

£119.00 £129.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

In Stock

New Arrival

Orange TB500H Bass Terror Valve Amp Head (Pre-Owned)

£419.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass CMB 151 Black Line 150W 1x15 Solid State Bass Combo Amp

£429.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ex-Demo

Mark Bass CMB 151 Black Line 150W 1x15 Bass Combo (Ex-Demo) #BCF400064

£399.00 £429.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Boogie 19 inch Open Back Bass Cabinet

£609.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Boogie Thiele 19 Inch Bass Cabinet

£609.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Mesa Boogie Subway D-350 Class D Solid State Bass Amp

£899.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mesa Boogie Subway D-800+ Bass Solid State Amp (Metal Head)

£1,249.00 £1,299.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Mesa Boogie Subway WD-800 Bass Solid State Amp (Metal Head)

£1,299.00 £1,399.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 II Solid State Bass Amp Head

£1,045.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown 600w ABM EVO IV Dual VU Rack Bass Magnifier Valve Amp Head

£1,049.00 £1,198.80

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

New Arrival

Ashdown CTM-100 Custom 100w Bass Valve Amp Head

£1,429.00 £1,498.80

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown ABM-210H Evo IV Pro Neo Bass Cabinet

£629.00 £649.20

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

New Arrival

Ashdown ABM 112 500w Neo Pro 1.12 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£549.00 £579.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Bass Amp Head

£629.00 £679.20

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

New Arrival

Ashdown RM 110T EVO III 150w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£289.00

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown RM 112T EVO III 300w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£334.80

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

New Arrival

Ashdown Studio Mini Rig 2x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£749.00 £799.20

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

New Arrival

Ashdown CTM 15 15 Watt Valve Mini Bass Amp Head

£549.00 £575.04

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

New Arrival

Ashdown LB 30 2.N 30 Watt Bass Valve Amp Head

£1,299.00 £1,399.20

Get it Friday, Nov 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Stores Nationwide

Free Next Day Delivery

Sell your Guitar

Expert Advice

Extended Exchange

Bass Amps

Filter

Rockman Bass Ace Headphone Amp

AER Amp One Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

Ampeg Portaflex PF-115HE Bass Cabinet

Ampeg PF-20T Bass Valve Amp Head

Laney RB3 65W 1x12 Combo Solid State Bass Amp

Laney RB1 15W Bass Combo

Ampeg Classic Series SVT410HLF Bass Cabinet

Ashdown ABM-410H-EVO IV Bass Cabinet

Ashdown OriginAL C112-300 1x12 300W Combo

Laney LX10B 10W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet

Cort CM40B 40W Combo Bass Amp

Ampeg SVT-CL Valve Amp Head (Ex-Demo) #211SV3L7337000035

Mark Bass CMB 101 Black Line Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Mark Bass CMB 121 Blackline Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Ampeg Venture 210 Bass Cabinet

Ampeg Venture 212 Bass Cabinet

Mesa Boogie 2x10 Subway Diagonal Bass Cabinet

Mark Bass Little Mark Rocker 58R Solid State Bass Amp Head

Ampeg VB88 8x8 Venture Bass Cabinet

Ashdown Studio Junior Tweed 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp

Orange TB500H Bass Terror Valve Amp Head (Pre-Owned)

Mark Bass CMB 151 Black Line 150W 1x15 Solid State Bass Combo Amp

Mark Bass CMB 151 Black Line 150W 1x15 Bass Combo (Ex-Demo) #BCF400064

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Boogie 19 inch Open Back Bass Cabinet

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Boogie Thiele 19 Inch Bass Cabinet

Mesa Boogie Subway D-350 Class D Solid State Bass Amp

Mesa Boogie Subway D-800+ Bass Solid State Amp (Metal Head)

Mesa Boogie Subway WD-800 Bass Solid State Amp (Metal Head)

Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 II Solid State Bass Amp Head

Ashdown 600w ABM EVO IV Dual VU Rack Bass Magnifier Valve Amp Head

Ashdown CTM-100 Custom 100w Bass Valve Amp Head

Ashdown ABM-210H Evo IV Pro Neo Bass Cabinet

Ashdown ABM 112 500w Neo Pro 1.12 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Bass Amp Head

Ashdown RM 110T EVO III 150w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

Ashdown RM 112T EVO III 300w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

Ashdown Studio Mini Rig 2x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Ashdown CTM 15 15 Watt Valve Mini Bass Amp Head

Ashdown LB 30 2.N 30 Watt Bass Valve Amp Head

Keep up with our latest offers, news & events