Buying a bass guitar amplifier

Are you passionate about learning how to play the guitar and wondering whether you could use your old bass amp for your new guitar? Let me save you the worry- read on! You can definitely use a bass amp for a guitar. In fact, many renowned guitar players over the years prefer bass amps over guitar amplifiers due to their unique tone on guitars. A few things make bass amps a very desirable option for guitar players over guitar amps. For many people, the only difference between a bass amp and a guitar amp is the size.

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Content:

• Can You Use Bass Amps for Guitars? (Full Guide +6 Best Tips)
• Find Your Bass Guitar Amp on Amazon
• Bass guitar amplifiers
• Guide to Buying Your First Bass Guitar
• Robot or human?
• Bass Amplifiers
• Bass Amplifiers
• The Ultimate Bass Guitar Amplifier Buyer’s Guide
• Can You Use a Guitar Amp for Bass?
• Bass Guitar Amps

WATCH RELATED VIDEO: What to Know Before Buying Your First Bass

Can You Use Bass Amps for Guitars? (Full Guide +6 Best Tips)

So, you buy a bass guitar on Amazon and are ready to plug it in and start playing. That is until you realize that you only have amplifiers meant for guitar, not bass. But is there really a difference? Do you really need to invest in a dedicated bass guitar amp, or is the current rig good enough? TLDR; In Short, yes, you can use a guitar amp with both active and passive bass guitars at low volumes.

However, guitar amp speakers are thinner and not intended for the low frequencies a bass guitar can create. Caution needs to be used as excessive recoil caused by high volume, and the low frequencies can distort the sound and even damage the speakers. The fact of the matter is that you can safely plug in a bass guitar to any guitar amplifier. This is not going to break the amp, as amps are basically all the same construction-wise. However, using a guitar with an amp that has been designed for a different type of a guitar means you will be making compromises with the sound quality.

You can safely use a guitar amp for practice and to hear how you sound. There is one caveat, though — it is advisable to stay at low volumes ; otherwise, you can damage the speakers. At low volumes, you can still practice effectively and hear your mistakes. There is an important distinction between active and passive bass guitars, that you need to be aware of before you try to use them with a guitar amp and I will get into that in a moment.

The main issue we are going to face is that the guitar amp is primarily designed and tuned for a different instrument. For example, a bass amp is made to work best with the bass frequency range, so it will do best with the lower bass ranges.

The guitar speaker is significantly thinner compared to the one on the bass amplifiers. In order to better visualize this, we need to make a quick distinction between the two amplifier types:. While keeping that in mind we can safely come to the conclusion that using a bass with a guitar amp will give us a more of the mid-focused tones and less of the deep and thick low bass tones.

You will; the only problem is that it will be not as impactful and a lot thinner. At the same time, you will find that guitar amps come in a wide variety and some will definitely do bass better than others. For example, on paper, a high-powered solid state guitar amp should be able to perform very well with a bass, but it will not be as good as a bass amp. If you are looking to do some practicing in your house or bedroom at low volumes , it will definitely work.

You might want to spend some time tweaking the EQ of your amplifier in order to see what works best for you. You can achieve better low bass sounds by, playing around with the EQ. Lower the treble and increase the bass. Also putting an EQ pedal in front of the amp that will filter all the lows can work too.

This will undoubtedly lead to sound distortions and rattling. They are not designed to handle that kind of low frequencies at such high volume. Due to the excessive movements of the cone, creases will appear that eventually will tear. The amp will be fine, but you are risking blowing the speakers. There are two types of bass guitar pickups: active and passive. They have different pros and cons. However, when using a guitar amp, it is important to know a few things depending on which pickup you are using.

They do not have much control over the sound; usually, you can play around with the bass and treble frequencies. They have a warmer and more dynamic and punchy tone.

Active bass guitars use a pre-amp that is usually powered by a 9-volt battery. They have louder output. The sounds are usually crispier and brighter with less degradation. An active bass comes with EQ controls. This gives you a lot more options when it comes to boosting and cutting frequencies. The different pre-amps can have a different amount of controls. What all this means for us is that the signal is boosted.

You need to make sure you either use the controls on the bass or use a pad. The pad that is used with active bass in order to control and reduce the input signal to the amp. You have to use the volume controls on the bass. Otherwise, you are risking damaging the guitar speakers. In terms of construction, they are very similar and function exactly the same.

Bass amps usually have larger speakers. The reason for that is a larger speaker is more suitable for producing those deep low-end frequencies. On the other hand, a guitar speaker is generally smaller in size. They are not designed for so much movement. The guitar amps have thinner and smaller speakers that might not be able to handle the dynamic range a bass guitar can produce at medium to high volumes.

If you crank the volume too high, then it will result in unpleasant audio fidelity, rattling, and can potentially even blow out your speakers. This is one of the main reasons why mid or high volumes should be avoided when using a guitar amp with a bass guitar. Bass amplifiers usually have a higher power output. They can come anywhere from to watts and more with some exceptions, of course.

Bass amps do have the regular controls like — volume, mids, highs, lows, some can have gain, and contour control. Guitar amps, on the other hand, have smaller and more vibrant speakers — they can better handle the higher range crisper sounds and are generally are less wattage which can be anywhere from 50 to watts.

Maybe you are wondering is there a difference between a guitar tube amp and a solid state amp? Although theoretically a guitar tube amp and a solid-state guitar amp should produce the same sounds, in reality, you will be able to notice a difference.

Things can get confusing as there are also the hybrid amps that are a mixture between the two. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of the three?

They use solid-state electronics as a way to amplify the input signal. Solid-state amps are considered more sturdy, durable, and reliable. They are also louder and with better response time due to the way they are built. Unfortunately, all these seem to come at a cost — a lot of people are finding them sounding cold compared to a tube amp. Tube amps are usually more expensive than the solid state amps.

Not just that but the maintenance and the eventual replacements of the tubes is going to cost you some money. So generally speaking you might want to avoid using a guitar tube amp with bass as you might just damage it. Comparing the sound of the tube amps and the solid state amp you will find that tube amps produce a much warmer and musical tonality, and better sounding musical distortion.

They are more expensive but are built with the idea of providing you with the fantastic and distinguishable tube sound and the reliability and of the digital solid state amp. You are not going to destroy your guitar amp by using it with your bass. Some of the best bass sounds have been made with guitar amplifiers; of course, they were high wattage ones like the Marshal W.

So, if you want to learn how to play bass, do you really need to buy a dedicated bass amp? Well, if you already have access to regular guitar amps, then you do not need to buy a new bass amp. It is perfectly acceptable to use the guitar amp that you already have to play bass. Just keep in mind that the sound quality may not be optimal. Bass amps have larger speakers and are specifically meant to output the lower frequencies that the bass guitar produces.

About The Author. I love recording music and filming guitar covers and I occasionally post them on YouTube. Get the best deals on musical instruments and recording equipment at Sweetwater! Click Here to Shop.

Find Your Bass Guitar Amp on Amazon

For a long time, it seemed like bassists only had one real option when it came to amplifying their instruments—sacrifice their backs and arms in exchange for the sweet tone that backbreakers like the Ampeg B and SVTs could provide. But with the onset of Class D amplification technology, bassists are finding themselves with a wealth of options that aren't only lightweight and portable but sound excellent as well. The main thing to know about these amplifiers is that Class D technology allows builders to pack high-wattage amp circuits into much smaller chassis than you'd expect. And because they're less expensive to make, those much-appreciated savings trickle down to bassists, allowing them to pick up a powered amp with extra features like direct outs, aux in, and headphone outs at a price that won't break the bank.

Bass guitar amplifiers

It seems to be a common occurrence in the music world, needing to play bass through a guitar amp. Can you plug a bass into a guitar amp and jam with no worries? Or is there a risk of damaging the equipment? If it comes down to it, you can plug a bass into a guitar amp and play at low volumes with no risk of damaging the amplifier. But, amplifiers are specifically engineered for the frequencies and specifications of their instruments, and recklessness can cause damage to your amplifier. All amps are not created equally. Guitar amplifiers are designed with thinner speakers and lower power output than bass amps because the sound frequencies that guitars produce are in a higher range, requiring less power for our ears to hear them. Bass amps are the opposite; the bass guitar produces lower frequencies, which are naturally more difficult for the human ear to distinguish, so larger speakers and higher power output are needed to produce a loud, clean amplified bass guitar sound. The power output of a guitar amp can be as low as 1 watt or as high as watts.

Guide to Buying Your First Bass Guitar

The beginners bass amplifier guide. You have your bass and now you need an amplifier to power that beast. Bass guitars have to use their own type of amps as they deliver a much lower frequency range than guitars. If this is your first amp So it is most advisable to buy a proper bass amplifier.

Robot or human?

There are two different styles of Bass Amps. The amp head and cabinet setup is two separate pieces of equipment. The head is an amplifier by itself with no speaker. The Speaker Cabinet is only the speaker, also referred to as a "Cabinet". Both these pieces together to create a "Stack".

Bass Amplifiers

Guitar amps come in all shapes and sizes, with many options to choose from. Are you going to be jamming at home or taking the show on the road? In this guitar amp buying guide, School of Rock breaks down the basics of amps so you can find the perfect amp for your needs. Combo amps combine the speakers with the preamplifier and the power amplifier. The preamp shapes the tone of the guitar, and the power amp pushes the sound to the speakers. Of course, that's just the basics when it comes to guitar amps, and there are many factors to consider when selecting one that best fits your music style and prefences. As noted above, combo amps combine the amp, preamp, and speakers in one unit.

Bass Amplifiers

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The Ultimate Bass Guitar Amplifier Buyer’s Guide

So, you buy a bass guitar on Amazon and are ready to plug it in and start playing. That is until you realize that you only have amplifiers meant for guitar, not bass. But is there really a difference? Do you really need to invest in a dedicated bass guitar amp, or is the current rig good enough? TLDR; In Short, yes, you can use a guitar amp with both active and passive bass guitars at low volumes.

Can You Use a Guitar Amp for Bass?

If you are looking to buy a bass guitar amp for church or for a beginner then this article will help you understand what to look for when you are doing your shopping. What is a bass guitar amp? There are particular challenges pertaining to bass amps because of the low-frequency sound reproduction they must accomplish. A bass amp differs from a regular guitar amplifier in several ways:. The combo amp is a common format for a bass amp.

Bass Guitar Amps

Welcome to part 4 of the Bass Essentials Series. By the end of this section of the Essentials series, you should have a better understanding of bass guitar amps both in being able to differentiate different kinds of amps from one another as well as to feel confident you can go out and make a purchase that suits your needs as a bass player just starting out. A combo amp is a type of amplifier where the controls and the speaker are built into one another. Like I touched on above, the benefit of combo amps is that they are a set of amp controls called the preamp see below and a speaker built into one:.