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

Ampeg SVT210AV Compact 2x10 Bass Cabinet

£449.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown Studio 10 50W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£249.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

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

(1)

£539.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

£399.00 £469.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown Studio 12 110W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£369.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Special Offer

£579.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg Micro VR 200w Bass Solid State Head

(1)

£279.00 £299.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney RB2 30W 1x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

(1)

£229.00 £269.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mark Bass MB58R 151 ENERGY 400W 8 Ohm 1x15 Neodymium Custom Speaker Bass Cabinet

£599.00 £699.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg SVT-CL Valve Amp Head

£1,999.00 £2,640.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Ampeg PF-410HLF 4x10 Bass Cabinet

£749.00 £778.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Laney Mini Bass NX

£75.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

In Stock

Laney RB3 65W 1x12 Combo Solid State Bass Amp

(1)

£319.00 £399.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2 Solid State Bass Amp Head

£1,069.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

£899.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

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

£629.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

£549.00 £699.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Special Offer

Ampeg Venture 112 Bass Cabinet

£549.00 £699.00

Get it Monday, Jun 16

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Special Offer

Ampeg Venture 115 Bass Cabinet

£549.00 £699.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

Stores Nationwide

Shipping Worldwide

Free Next Day Delivery

Sell your Guitar

Expert Advice

Bass Amps

Filter

Ampeg SVT210AV Compact 2x10 Bass Cabinet

Ashdown Studio 10 50W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

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

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

Ampeg V-4B All Tube 100W Bass Head

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

Darkglass Exponent 500 Solid State Bass Amp Head

Vox Pathfinder Bass Combo Practice Amp

Laney LX15 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

Laney DBV212-4 Digbeth 2x12 Bass Cabinet

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

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

AER Amp Three Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

Darkglass Microtubes 200 Solid State Bass Amp Head

Ashdown Studio 12 110W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Laney DB200H Digbeth 200W Bass Amplifier Head

Mark Bass Micromark 801 1X8 Solid State Bass Amp Combo

Laney RB4 165W 1x15 Combo Solid State Bass Amp

Laney R500 Richter Bass Combo 500W

Ampeg Micro VR 200w Bass Solid State Head

Laney RB2 30W 1x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Mark Bass MB58R 151 ENERGY 400W 8 Ohm 1x15 Neodymium Custom Speaker Bass Cabinet

Ampeg SVT-CL Valve Amp Head

Ampeg PF-410HLF 4x10 Bass Cabinet

Laney Mini Bass NX

Laney RB3 65W 1x12 Combo Solid State Bass Amp

Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2 Solid State Bass Amp Head

Rockman Bass Ace Headphone Amp

Laney RB1 15W Bass Combo

AER Amp One Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

Ashdown OriginAL C112-300 1x12 300W Combo

Ampeg PF-20T Bass Valve Amp Head

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

Ampeg Portaflex PF-115HE Bass Cabinet

Ashdown ABM-210H Evo IV Pro Neo Bass Cabinet

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

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

BOSS Katana 112 Bass Cabinet

Ampeg Venture 112 Bass Cabinet

Ampeg Venture 115 Bass Cabinet

Keep up with our latest offers, news & events