What is a bass amp head?

A bass amp head is the top part of a bass stack, in which the instrument is plugged into.

What do bass amp heads do?

Bass amp heads contain the main electronic components which gives the player the ability to achieve their preferred sound and tone.

How many watts do I need for a bass head?

The wattage needed in a bass amp head is determined by what the amp will be used for, which cabinet will it be paired with and how loud it has to perform at. For a rough guide a wattage up to 100w for home practice or recording, up to 300w for small to medium gig venues and 500w or higher for larger gigs.

How do I choose a bass amp head?

When choosing a bass amp head there is a large range of options available and at different prices, so consider the main points that's important to your needs. Such as physical size and weight for portability, wattage for power, solid state or valve for sound, EQ band for precision tones and in built features.

Can I use a guitar cabinet with a bass head?

We don't recommend it. The whole point of playing bass is to provide a large, confident low end. Much of that low end will be lost if you play through a guitar amp since guitar amps are aimed far more at the mid frequencies than the bass ones. While certain genres support the use of mixed cabinets (a guitar cab and a bass cab used together) for electric guitars, there is no particular stylistic benefit to doing this with bass. Having said that, progress is made through experimentation so by all means try it out! Just be careful to work out ohmage and so on so you don't damage yourself or your gear.

What is better for a bass head: valve or solid state?

We believe that there is no 'better'. There is simply what you prefer the sound of or what works for you in practical terms. Both have their benefits and both have their drawbacks. Some companies like Mark Bass also produce 'hybrid' heads that give you a little of both, bridging the gap.