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

Vox Pathfinder Bass Combo Practice Amp

(10)

£99.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

In Stock

£2,225.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney DB200H Digbeth 200W Bass Amplifier Head

£399.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Darkglass D212N Lightweight 212 Bass Cabinet

(1)

£929.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

The Big Sale

Laney R500 Richter Bass Combo Solid State Amp 500W

£449.00 £579.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Darkglass D210N Lightweight 210 Bass Cabinet

£829.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg Micro VR 200w Bass Solid State Head

(1)

£349.00 £422.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Vox VX 50 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£249.00 £265.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Vox Adio Air BS Bass Combo Modelling Amp

£279.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

£449.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

New Arrival

Ashdown ABM-210H Evo IV Pro Neo Bass Cabinet

£599.00 £629.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney Digbeth DBV410-4 4x10 4 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£799.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Boogie Thiele 19 Inch Bass Cabinet

£599.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg RB110II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

£269.00 £347.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ampeg RB108II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

£159.00 £208.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

In Stock

£949.00 £999.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Nearly New

Ampeg SVT-CL Valve Amp Head (Nearly New) #211SV3L7337000035

£1,999.00 £2,465.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

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

£229.00 £298.80

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

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

£699.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

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

£459.00 £485.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Laney Digbeth Series DBV810-4 8 x 10 Inch Bass Cabinet

£1,199.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

New Arrival

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

£59.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

In Stock

Ashdown Original EVO 300 Solid State Amp Head

£359.00 £399.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ex-Demo

Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2 Solid State Bass Amp Head (Ex-Demo) #L2Y52FW195

£899.00 £1,149.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

The Big Sale

Mesa Boogie Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet 2x15 Vertical

£1,799.00 £2,199.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

The Big Sale

IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal Amp Pedal Bass Edition

£349.00 £429.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Cort CM150B Combo Solid State Bass Amp

£279.00

Get it Wednesday, Jan 14

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Stores Nationwide

Shipping Worldwide

Free Next Day Delivery

Sell your Guitar

Expert Advice

Bass Amps

Filter

Vox Pathfinder Bass Combo Practice Amp

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

Mark Bass Micromark 801 1X8 Solid State Bass Amp Combo

Ashdown Studio 12 110W Bass Combo Solid State Amp

AER Amp Three Solid State Bass Combo Amplifier

Laney DB200H Digbeth 200W Bass Amplifier Head

Darkglass D212N Lightweight 212 Bass Cabinet

Laney R500 Richter Bass Combo Solid State Amp 500W

Darkglass D210N Lightweight 210 Bass Cabinet

Ampeg Micro VR 200w Bass Solid State Head

Vox VX 50 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Vox Adio Air BS Bass Combo Modelling Amp

Laney Mini Bass NX Combo Practice Amp

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

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

Ampeg SVT-CL Heritage Series Classic Bass Valve Amp Head

Ashdown ABM-410H-EVO IV Bass Cabinet

Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2 Solid State Bass Amp Head

Ashdown RM 800 EVO III Bass Solid State Amp Head

Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF200 1x15 Solid State Bass Combo

Ashdown ABM-210H Evo IV Pro Neo Bass Cabinet

Laney Digbeth DBV410-4 4x10 4 Ohm Bass Cabinet

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Boogie Thiele 19 Inch Bass Cabinet

Ampeg RB110II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

Ampeg RB108II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

Cort CM40B 40W Combo Bass Amp

Darkglass Alpha Omega 900 (Pre-Owned) #6430054580304

Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF200H Solid State Bass Head

Mark Bass CMD 102 P V 2x10 Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Ampeg SVT-CL Valve Amp Head (Nearly New) #211SV3L7337000035

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

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

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

Laney Digbeth Series DBV810-4 8 x 10 Inch Bass Cabinet

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

Ashdown Original EVO 300 Solid State Amp Head

Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2 Solid State Bass Amp Head (Ex-Demo) #L2Y52FW195

Mesa Boogie Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet 2x15 Vertical

IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal Amp Pedal Bass Edition

Cort CM150B Combo Solid State Bass Amp

Keep up with our latest offers, news & events