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

Ashdown Studio 8 30W Solid State Bass Combo Tweed

£139.00

Get it Tuesday, Dec 2

In Stock

Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Solid State Bass Head with RM 112T EVO III 300w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£899.00 £1,014.00

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FREE Delivery

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Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Solid State Bass Head with RM 115T EVO III 300w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£899.00 £1,014.24

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Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Solid State Bass Head with RM 414 EVO III 600w Compact 4 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£1,049.00 £1,228.20

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FREE Delivery

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Laney LX10B 10W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

(1)

£59.00 £65.00

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In Stock

Nearly New

Ashdown Studio Junior 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp (Nearly New) #04230678

£99.00 £129.00

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In Stock

EastCoast Make it a Pack Bass

£79.00 £109.00

Get it Tuesday, Dec 2

In Stock

Ampeg RB108II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

£159.00 £208.00

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In Stock

Ampeg RB110II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

£269.00 £347.00

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FREE Delivery

In Stock

IK Multimedia Tonex One Amp Modeller Pedal Bass Edition

£179.00 £199.00

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IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal Amp Pedal Bass Edition

£399.00 £429.00

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FREE Delivery

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

£999.00 £1,198.80

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FREE Delivery

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Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Bass Amp Head

£629.00 £679.20

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FREE Delivery

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

£999.00 £1,099.00

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FREE Delivery

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Black Friday

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

£299.00

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FREE Delivery

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Ashdown Original EVO C112-300 Bass Combo

£629.00 £699.00

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FREE Delivery

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

£629.00 £699.00

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FREE Delivery

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Black Friday

Ashdown ABM-210H Evo IV Pro Neo Bass Cabinet

£499.00 £629.00

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FREE Delivery

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

£485.00 £549.00

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FREE Delivery

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

£229.00 £298.80

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FREE Delivery

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

£329.00

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FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown RM 115T EVO III 300w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£329.00

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FREE Delivery

In Stock

Ashdown RM 414 EVO III 600w Compact 4 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£529.00 £549.00

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FREE Delivery

In Stock

Black Friday

BOSS Katana 112 Bass Cabinet

£599.00 £699.00

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FREE Delivery

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Fender Rumble V3 210 Bass Cabinet

(1)

£419.00

FREE Delivery

Stock Arriving Soon

Laney Digbeth DBV410-4 4x10 4 Ohm Bass Cabinet

£799.00

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FREE Delivery

In Stock

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

£1,199.00

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FREE Delivery

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Ampeg Venture 210 Bass Cabinet

£849.00 £1,036.00

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FREE Delivery

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Black Friday

Mesa Boogie 2x10 Subway Diagonal Bass Cabinet

£1,199.00 £1,399.00

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FREE Delivery

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Mesa Boogie 1x12 Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet

(1)

£1,099.00

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FREE Delivery

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Mesa Boogie Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet 2x15 Vertical

£1,999.00 £2,199.00

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FREE Delivery

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Mesa Boogie 1x12 Boogie Thiele 19 Inch Bass Cabinet

£609.00

Get it Tuesday, Dec 2

FREE Delivery

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Ex-Demo

Darkglass X 900 Solid State Amp Head (Ex-Demo) #XNHA25LG511

£799.00 £1,129.00

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FREE Delivery

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Darkglass M500 DG210A Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£1,119.00

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FREE Delivery

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Darkglass M500 DG112A Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£929.00

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FREE Delivery

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Darkglass Infinity Series DG112D Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£1,119.00

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FREE Delivery

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Darkglass Infinity Series DG210D Bass Combo Solid State Amp

£1,249.00

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FREE Delivery

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Darkglass Alpha Omega 900 (Pre-Owned) #6430054580304

£699.00

Get it Tuesday, Dec 2

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Black Friday

Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF30 1x8 Solid State Bass Combo

£129.00 £169.00

Get it Tuesday, Dec 2

In Stock

Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF50 1x10 Solid State Bass Combo

£249.00

Get it Tuesday, Dec 2

FREE Delivery

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Ashdown Studio 8 30W Solid State Bass Combo Tweed

Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Solid State Bass Head with RM 112T EVO III 300w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Solid State Bass Head with RM 115T EVO III 300w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

Ashdown RM 500 EVO III 500w Solid State Bass Head with RM 414 EVO III 600w Compact 4 Ohm Bass Cabinet

Laney LX10B 10W Bass Combo Practice Amp Red

Ashdown Studio Junior 15W Bass Combo Practice Amp (Nearly New) #04230678

EastCoast Make it a Pack Bass

Ampeg RB108II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

Ampeg RB110II Rocket Bass Combo Practice Amp

IK Multimedia Tonex One Amp Modeller Pedal Bass Edition

IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal Amp Pedal Bass Edition

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)

Ashdown Original EVO C112-300 Bass Combo

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

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

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

Ashdown RM 115T EVO III 300w Compact 8 Ohm Bass Cabinet

Ashdown RM 414 EVO III 600w Compact 4 Ohm Bass Cabinet

BOSS Katana 112 Bass Cabinet

Fender Rumble V3 210 Bass Cabinet

Laney Digbeth DBV410-4 4x10 4 Ohm Bass Cabinet

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

Ampeg Venture 210 Bass Cabinet

Mesa Boogie 2x10 Subway Diagonal Bass Cabinet

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet

Mesa Boogie Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet 2x15 Vertical

Mesa Boogie 1x12 Boogie Thiele 19 Inch Bass Cabinet

Darkglass X 900 Solid State Amp Head (Ex-Demo) #XNHA25LG511

Darkglass M500 DG210A Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Darkglass M500 DG112A Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Darkglass Infinity Series DG112D Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Darkglass Infinity Series DG210D Bass Combo Solid State Amp

Darkglass Alpha Omega 900 (Pre-Owned) #6430054580304

Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF30 1x8 Solid State Bass Combo

Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF50 1x10 Solid State Bass Combo

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