Choosing the Right Bass Amp

Elevation Music Store

Click for Live Help ---- Toll Free 1.866.476.6874 ---- info@elevation-music.com

Choosing a Bass Amp

Choosing the right bass Amp, one that fits your specific needs, can help you reach your own tonal nirvana as well as eliminate the unnecessary frustrations associated with not having the right gear.

For light duty use, 15 to 25 watts is plenty of power. combined with an 8" or 10" speaker respectively, you can blend in nicely with acoustic guitars, voices, a small it being played with light sticks or brushes and guitar practice amps of a similar type.

Some useful features are: an external tape input - great for working with drum machines, tapes and CD's. Headphone jack always a welcome feature, but remember, your ears are your friends.

Not everyone has to "spank the plank" to hordes of loyal fans at Shea Stadium. Amps from 60 to 300 watts have what it takes to cover most situations. When confonted with the real world horrors of low ceilings, cavernous rooms, reflective surfaces or dead strings you'll appreciate tone shaping features like graphic equalizaton, enhance and frequency bost switches, high/low shelving, notch flters etc...

A built in limiter plays a vital role in contemporary systems, especially for players who favor aggressive styles like slap or heavy rock picking. These players are often operating at the limits of their amp's headroom (power to spare). A good limiter will keep your signal clean, minimizing unwanted distortion while protecting your speakers by catching the power amp before it clips, saving you the hassle of blown speakers.

Bigger gigs can require bigger rigs. A good sounding head with at least 200 watts, an effect loop an a powerful EQ are a must i you need to "pump it up". Again, a built-in limiter can be a life saver! Careful seletion of a few mix -and-match complementary enclosures will give you the versatility you need to get the job done.

A tuned, ported cabinet with a single 15" speaker has been the bottom bin choice for many years, although many players are now relying on deep tuned enclosures with two or four 10" speakers to lay down the groove. Both work great, so let your wallet and the size of your back seat help you with the decison, bt always go for tone. Trust your own ears.