Any Bass guitar players out there?

[Codewiz]

I already play electric guitar. For beginning can I use a electric guitar amp for a bass guitar? Any suggestions on a good beginner bass guitar?

 

[thomsbrain]

yes, you can use your guitar amp to start with. it won't sound as a good a real bass amp but it won't hurt anything either.

for basses, check out this recent thread: linky

 

[Gyrene]

Originally posted by: Codewiz
I already play electric guitar. For beginning can I use a electric guitar amp for a bass guitar? Any suggestions on a good beginner bass guitar?

It's possible to blow a guitar amp using a bass on it, because guitar amps aren't made for that much bass. It's unlikely, but possible. I'd recommend a Fender Precision package. Comes with a Fender Precision 4-string and a 15-watt amp, and it's only about $300-350.

 

[Codewiz]

What do you think of this bass?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=bass/s=electric/search/detail/base_pid/519479/

The reason I was looking at it is because I have smaller hands and it is pretty inexpensive. As for blowing out the amp, I won't be playing loud to start with so I don't think I need to worry about that at this point.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Codewiz]

any other comments?

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: dtyn

Originally posted by: Codewiz
I already play electric guitar. For beginning can I use a electric guitar amp for a bass guitar? Any suggestions on a good beginner bass guitar?

It's possible to blow a guitar amp using a bass on it, because guitar amps aren't made for that much bass. It's unlikely, but possible. I'd recommend a Fender Precision package. Comes with a Fender Precision 4-string and a 15-watt amp, and it's only about $300-350.

While I'm not going to split hairs about amp design, in actuality, it is more likely to be the speaker that blows as it is more common to have a guitar speaker in an unloaded (no back) type of cabinet. The lack of back pressure on the speaker cone allows for excessive excursion. It's more likely to pop out of the gap than actually fry. If you have this type of amp / cabinet, you might want to get a speaker cabinet that is enclosed (bass reflex type). The Fender Bandmaster guitar amp is essentially the same amp as the Fender Bassman, the only difference being the addition of the tremelo and reverb and the type of speaker in the cabinet.
The most noteable exception to all of this is the Original Tweed Fender Bassman 3x10. This amp is a standard because it sounds GREATon bass, but you can't play it loud. It is also a great guitar amp. This amp served as the launching pad for the Fender Twin Reverb.

 

[thomsbrain]

Well the Bassman was originally a bass amp, but now it's primarily used by guitarists. But the old Fender amps in general were all blow-able, whether for guitar or bass. They had more power than their speakers could take.

I think your biggest worry might be if you play it super loud and you're feeding the speaker lots of frequencies it's can't reproduce, it's going to build up some heat (the speaker). But I've played bass through guitar amps before and never had a problem. Just don't turn it up to 10 and I'm sure it will be fine.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
Well the Bassman was originally a bass amp, but now it's primarily used by guitarists. But the old Fender amps in general were all blow-able, whether for guitar or bass. They had more power than their speakers could take.

I think your biggest worry might be if you play it super loud and you're feeding the speaker lots of frequencies it's can't reproduce, it's going to build up some heat (the speaker). But I've played bass through guitar amps before and never had a problem. Just don't turn it up to 10 and I'm sure it will be fine.

Could you please explain what you mean by "blow-able" ? Are you talking about speakers or the amp?

The statement about "feeding it frequencies it can't reproduce" I question as well. Since we're speaking about Guitars and Basses here and not synths or a Grand Piano or Pipe Organ, please tell me where those extra frequencies are coming from.
User misuse can account for a percentage of speaker failure, but usually that abuse is just as likely to be from UNDER powering a transducer, using it in an improper cabinet or some similar out of parameter application, as it is to be over powered.

I still maintain that the proper cabinet is more important than the amplifier being used in this case. A double 15 or 4 x 10 cabinet, with a closed back and a tuned port (Bass reflex) or even a 4 x 12 Marshall type (infinite baffle) is more appropriate for Bass Guitar applications than a speaker cabinet with an open back (Fender Twin type), all other things being equal.
You may feel differently.

 

[Platypus]

Search for this topic, there was an exact topic like this last week