Best all around bass amp

[Johnny Fever]

I would like some feedback on what combo amps are the best all around amps for under $1000.00. Venues: Clubs, small outdoor venues and halls. Styles: Blues, Classic Rock and R&B.

[fretbuzz]

With a $1000 budget why are you locked into a combo? Anyway, I'm sure there will be alot of opinions on this but I have always liked Ampeg. I have been playing for a long time and have played through Hartke, Randall, Peavey, Laney, & Euphonic Audio. In my opinion none of these stack up against the Ampeg. The Ampeg sounds great out of the box and you don't have to keep fiddling with it to make it sound good. Go buy a used Ampeg Head (300-400 bucks) and then get a nice cabinet or two. Also, you may want to check out Avatar cabinets. That guy makes good stuff at a reasonable cost.

[giggrafix]

I use a Line6 Lowdown 400 Pro.Its a 400 watt 2x10 combo amp.It has some really nice models (Ampeg,Eden,etc) and some effects built in.I play in a cover band and use it exclusively.

[michaelhoddy]

Mostly a keyboard player, but a sound/tone nut and I do play bass sometimes.

I like the sound of the Ampegs too at that price. I also have liked the sound of several of the Trace Elliot combos I've played through (5 string Music Man Stingray bass).

For tonality, it's hard to beat a used Eden Metro combo, but it does run out of gas sooner than one might think, so running through the PA is a must.

[4stringaxeman]

with a budget of 1K I would buy a Ashdown Little Giant 350 an Ashdown 115 and a 210 cab and have a little left over for accessories.

if you need more than 350 watts of power you need to be going DI to the sound board any way

my second choice would be a Kustom Groove C310 combo which would leave me enough money to buy a Boss GT 10 B and new accessories to hook it all up
the only reason the Kustom is my second choice is the weight factor, IOW it is heavier than hedoublehockeysticks.

[EBR]

I use a Line6 Lowdown 400 Pro.Its a 400 watt 2x10 combo amp.It has some really nice models (Ampeg,Eden,etc) and some effects built in.I play in a cover band and use it exclusively.

You also can't go wrong with this heheheh

This will be my upgrade in a few years maybe lol

[luiluiely]

You can get an Ampeg Rocket 100 watt combo on Amazon believe it or not for $416. I just did it. The amp is great. Have fun.

[bottomender]

After years and years of playing, I finally found the combo (I use if for my practice amp but you can also use it in small clubs) whose sound I really love. It's the Ampeg 115HPT. It has 220watts and a 15" speaker and a 1" tweeter, but what I really love is the tube pre-amp. Wonderful round, sweet tone. I have a SVT-4Pro and an 810 for gigging but this is what I always use at home. Also, even though it's a little heavy (85lbs), it comes with casters that really work well. I got this almost a year ago for $650 and bought it mailorder, so I paid no tax and no shipping. I will never need another combo practice amp.

Check it out.

[fjbass]

I just switched from Fender to Ampeg. The Ampeg BA115 Combo has a great sound. Very easy to set the sound you want. The settings are everything you need to tune in a great sound. A great bottom sound, full and rich. And it has a punch to it as well. I tried the Fender Bassman TV 15, and was not impressed for the price tag. $379.00 For the BA115 Combo is a great price for 100 watts, a 15" speaker, and a HF horn. I'm a 60's rocker, and was not use to having a lot to work with on bass amp controls. I think simple is better. Set it and play it.

[sgray]

Peavey makes some great combo amps for under $1000. They are versatile and reliable, and of course they sound good too! Personally, i am going to get the Peavey Tour Series TKO 115- it has 400 watts of power with a 15" speaker and much more, and it's only about $400.

[ampeg5000]

ive tryied all kinds of amps and heads and combos simply put you cant beat buying a "ACOUSTIC" brand,it be combo or seperate, i have a rumble 100 watt combo its great for solo practice, but for me and my band i play through a acoustic 200 wat head and a 410-400watt cab with a ibanez 4 string active pickups and i allso use a zoom b-1 effects pedal, really killer tone ecspecially for any begginer. you will not regret buying any "ACOUSTIC" model
its my second choice next to ampeg, yes even compared to everything else. cant beat it for the $$$$$$$$$$$$

[MarthaT]

Ive used Ampeg for a while now, they are very good

[smith1279]

Over the years, I've owned Fender 50's (with 2 15" JBL cab), Kustom 300w head with 18" folded horn cab (all 60s vintage tuck & roll), Peavy 180w 18" combo, Crate 150w head on 2 15" JBL cab, and lately a Crate BT100 (with 15") combo.

A few months ago, I bought a Gallien-Krueger MB115 (200w with 15") combo. It is by far the BEST, most sweet sounding amp I have ever owned. It has the most round bottom sound and crispest highs I have ever heard in a small bass amp. AND, it only weighs 35 lbs. I run it through the soundboard, but for a medium to large-sized room, it really needs no help. It handles both active and passive basses (I use strictly passive) and it is also perfect for keyboard. This is my first GK because they were previously cost prohibitive, but it is by far the amp I am most happy with.

[EBR]

I've got 2 Roland Cubes. The Cube 60XL Bass Amp is for my Fender Jazz Bass. 'Also got a Cube 80XL for my guitars. You can't go wrong with the Roland Cubes. These amps have my whole 'hood thundering & shaking like there's an earthquake. The 80 second looper and the FX are stunning. all that combined with the COSM amp modeling ? Are you kidding ? you don't even have to know how to play bass. You can just pick it up and touch it and it sounds amazing. The Roland Cubes are cream.

I look forward to playing with these amps for many years to come.

Roland Cube 60XL FTW



PS huge props to Sweetwater for making it easy for me to get these amps and this fine electric bass guitar.

Check my mixes here

ebrecordings.4shared.com