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

New Arrival

Darkglass Exponent 500 Solid State Bass Amp Head

£749.00 £899.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Laney LX15B 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

(1)

£99.00

Awaiting Stock

Vox Pathfinder Bass Combo Practice Amp

(10)

£99.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

In Stock

Laney DBV212-4 Digbeth 2x12 Bass Cabinet

£499.00 £599.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Darkglass D112N Lightweight 112 Bass Cabinet

£599.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

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

£399.00 £499.00

FREE Delivery

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

(3)

£499.00 £539.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Laney DB200H Digbeth 200W Bass Amplifier Head

£399.00

FREE Delivery

Stock Arriving Soon

Ashdown Studio 12 110W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

(1)

£369.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

AER Amp Three Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

£2,225.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

Mark Bass Micromark 801 1X8 Solid State Bass Amp Combo

(1)

£359.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Ampeg Micro VR 200w Bass Solid State Head

(1)

£349.00 £422.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

Special Offer

Laney R500 Richter Bass Combo Solid State Amp 500W

£449.00 £579.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

Darkglass D210N Lightweight 210 Bass Cabinet

£829.00

FREE Delivery

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Darkglass D212N Lightweight 212 Bass Cabinet

(1)

£929.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

Vox Adio Air BS Bass Combo Modelling Amp

£279.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

Laney Mini Bass NX Combo Practice Amp

£75.00

Awaiting Stock

Ampeg PF-410HLF 4x10 Bass Cabinet

£749.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

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

£449.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Ampeg SVT-CL Heritage Series Classic Bass Valve Amp Head

£2,999.00 £3,566.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2 Solid State Bass Amp Head

£1,069.00 £1,149.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

AER Amp One Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

£1,939.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

Ampeg Classic Series SVT410HLF Bass Cabinet

£979.00 £1,174.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

Ampeg SVT-810E Bass Cabinet

£1,199.00 £1,409.00

FREE Delivery

Pre-Order

Ashdown ABM-410H-EVO IV Bass Cabinet

£649.00 £699.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

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

£599.00 £629.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Ampeg Portaflex PF-20T Bass Valve Amp Head

£899.00

FREE Delivery

Awaiting Stock

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

£999.00 £1,198.80

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Bass Amp Head

£629.00 £679.20

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Laney Black Country Customs DB-EAST Nathan East Digbeth Solid State Bass Amp Head

£999.00 £1,099.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Special Offer

Mark Bass Nano Mark 300 Bass Head (Pre-Owned)

£299.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Ampeg RB108II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

£159.00 £208.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

In Stock

Ampeg RB110II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

£269.00 £347.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

New Arrival

Ashdown Studio 4 3W 1 x 4 Inch Battery Powered Bass Combo Practice Amp

£69.00

Stock Arriving Soon

Ashdown Original EVO C112-300 Lightweight Combo Black Grille #12230843

£599.00 £699.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

Ashdown Original EVO C112-300 Bass Combo

£599.00 £699.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

EastCoast Make it a Pack Bass

£79.00 £109.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

In Stock

IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal Amp Pedal Bass Edition

£399.00 £429.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

IK Multimedia Tonex One Amp Modeller Pedal Bass Edition

£179.00 £199.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

In Stock

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

£329.00

Get it Sunday, Dec 21

or FREE delivery on Monday

In Stock

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Bass Amps

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Darkglass Exponent 500 Solid State Bass Amp Head

Laney LX15B 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

Vox Pathfinder Bass Combo Practice Amp

Laney DBV212-4 Digbeth 2x12 Bass Cabinet

Darkglass D112N Lightweight 112 Bass Cabinet

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

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

Laney DB200H Digbeth 200W Bass Amplifier Head

Ashdown Studio 12 110W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

AER Amp Three Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

Mark Bass Micromark 801 1X8 Solid State Bass Amp Combo

Ampeg Micro VR 200w Bass Solid State Head

Laney R500 Richter Bass Combo Solid State Amp 500W

Darkglass D210N Lightweight 210 Bass Cabinet

Darkglass D212N Lightweight 212 Bass Cabinet

Vox Adio Air BS Bass Combo Modelling Amp

Laney Mini Bass NX Combo Practice Amp

Ampeg PF-410HLF 4x10 Bass Cabinet

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

Ampeg SVT-CL Heritage Series Classic Bass Valve Amp Head

Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2 Solid State Bass Amp Head

AER Amp One Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

Ampeg Classic Series SVT410HLF Bass Cabinet

Ampeg SVT-810E Bass Cabinet

Ashdown ABM-410H-EVO IV Bass Cabinet

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

Ampeg Portaflex PF-20T Bass Valve Amp Head

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

Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Bass Amp Head

Laney Black Country Customs DB-EAST Nathan East Digbeth Solid State Bass Amp Head

Mark Bass Nano Mark 300 Bass Head (Pre-Owned)

Ampeg RB108II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

Ampeg RB110II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

Ashdown Studio 4 3W 1 x 4 Inch Battery Powered Bass Combo Practice Amp

Ashdown Original EVO C112-300 Lightweight Combo Black Grille #12230843

Ashdown Original EVO C112-300 Bass Combo

EastCoast Make it a Pack Bass

IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal Amp Pedal Bass Edition

IK Multimedia Tonex One Amp Modeller Pedal Bass Edition

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

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