Do many people use bass amps for guitar?

Ivan · November 23rd, 2006, 02:28 PM

So let me establish myself... i play guitar, i dont gig, i play at home and use a POD for effects and amp modelling. My guitar amp is a Fender 15W Frontmam

I have a Gorilla 30w bass/keyboard amp (also a beginner amp) i wanted to sell on ebay. However when i tested it with my guitar to check its condition, i loved it!

Not just the sound, but ive been fustrated by my Frontman for a long time because of the loud hum it produces. Also i find the frontman is way too loud for my home use (the range in volume isnt very good, so i either get too loud or too quiet).
With the bass amp, i have more range with volume so i can get it at the level i want.

Ive decided to sell the Frontman instead and use the bass amp in conjunction with my POD.

So... any one use bass amps for guitars? (and isnt the Fender Bassman a bass amp?)

CancerLeoCam · November 23rd, 2006, 02:32 PM

Some bass amps work wonderfully for guitar. Obviously, the Bassman started out as a bass amp but many loved it's sound flavor making it a staple for many prolific and not-so prolific guitar players.

aunchaki · November 23rd, 2006, 06:42 PM

I use a 4x10 bass cab with different guitar heads for electric and acoustic guitar, I love it.

JohnnyCrash · November 23rd, 2006, 07:03 PM

I will, for some tracks.

My girl sometimes uses a guitar amp for some bass tracks too.

For home use, a POD into a bass amp could be plenty fine if it gets the sounds you want and helps you have fun.

Dacious · November 23rd, 2006, 07:32 PM

In this instance the POD is providing your tones - the amp is acting like a PA - just reproducing clean sound rather than providing 'input'. Your overdrive/distortion is coming off the POD - which is exactly how most modellers work.

The 4x10 Bassman was always a bit of a joke as a bass amp - 10" speakers with a lowest reproducible frequency of 71 hz, which is about fret 5 or 6 on the low-E of a bass guitar and goes down to 41hz.

The Gorilla, being an 'economy' amp probably has a full range 50-5khz speaker which will cover the range of a guitar amp, and the lower frequencies allowed in by the preamp design won't be used by the guitar anyway.

'caster oil · November 23rd, 2006, 07:37 PM

I really like the clean tones I get from my Tele through an SWR Workingman's 12, and use it frequently... not great for dirt, though...

quackerz · November 23rd, 2006, 07:50 PM

I remember watching Blues Traveler before they had a record deal in a little bar called Mondo Cane in NYC about a million years ago. Guitarist Chan Kinchla was playing a Strat through a solid-state Peavey MK IV (maybe it was a MK III) bass rig. The tone was so horrible that I never once thought to try plugging a guitar into my bass rig.

Some members here recommended that I try my Tele through my Ampeg B-15 before selling it to buy a guitar amp. I tried it. I sold the Ampeg. Just not my cup o' tea, I guess. YMMV.

Rizo · November 23rd, 2006, 08:42 PM

Older tube bass amps seem to work fine for guitar. The Bassman is the most obvious, but several Ampeg models as well come to mind.

I think as a general rule of thumb; small tube bass amps will work fine for guitar, while larger solid state ones do not work so well, IMHO.

David Barnett · November 24th, 2006, 02:47 AM

If it sounds good it is good.

Sarge · November 24th, 2006, 09:14 AM

I used to have a Roland 1X12 bass combo amp that I ran into a Traynor 8X10 bass cab. Great loud THUMPING tone. Kinda' big though to be draggin' around!
It sounded great with my strats and LP, this was before I got into tele's.

sotto · November 24th, 2006, 11:53 AM

Do yourself a favor and get a Whirlwind ABY pedal. Plug your guitar into it, run one side into your Fender, and the other output plug into your POD setup. Set your speakers about 6 feet apart, and run the ABY pedal with both outputs on at once. You'll really like the combination of both amps running in stereo. If you really want grins, forget the ABY pedal and plug your guitar into a Boss Stereo Ensemble chorus pedal, and send one of the stereo outputs of your chorus pedal into the Fender amp, and the other output to the POD setup. Run your chorus on all the time. WhoooooEEEEEE Bob!!

November 23rd, 2006, 02:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ivan Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 381 2 Photos	Do many people use bass amps for guitar? So let me establish myself... i play guitar, i dont gig, i play at home and use a POD for effects and amp modelling. My guitar amp is a Fender 15W Frontmam I have a Gorilla 30w bass/keyboard amp (also a beginner amp) i wanted to sell on ebay. However when i tested it with my guitar to check its condition, i loved it! Not just the sound, but ive been fustrated by my Frontman for a long time because of the loud hum it produces. Also i find the frontman is way too loud for my home use (the range in volume isnt very good, so i either get too loud or too quiet). With the bass amp, i have more range with volume so i can get it at the level i want. Ive decided to sell the Frontman instead and use the bass amp in conjunction with my POD. So... any one use bass amps for guitars? (and isnt the Fender Bassman a bass amp?) __________________ Ivan __________________________ '06 Gibson Les Paul Standard '06 Martin D-35 '06 Fender AV '62 Stratocaster (Wildwood Thinskin) '05 Fender AV '52 Telecaster

November 23rd, 2006, 02:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
CancerLeoCam Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mule Deer-Mt. Lion Safari, CA Posts: 1,660 5 Photos	Some bass amps work wonderfully for guitar. Obviously, the Bassman started out as a bass amp but many loved it's sound flavor making it a staple for many prolific and not-so prolific guitar players. __________________ Everyone's your buddy when they want you or something from you. If you're not willing to work for free why should somebody else?

November 23rd, 2006, 06:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
aunchaki Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Western New York Posts: 1,240 16 Photos	I use a 4x10 bass cab with different guitar heads for electric and acoustic guitar, I love it. __________________ Two Teles, One Strat, Two Acoustics (6 & 12 strings), One Solidbody Acoustic, Two Mandolins (4 & 8 strings), One Bass (5 strings)

November 23rd, 2006, 07:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,612 35 Photos	In this instance the POD is providing your tones - the amp is acting like a PA - just reproducing clean sound rather than providing 'input'. Your overdrive/distortion is coming off the POD - which is exactly how most modellers work. The 4x10 Bassman was always a bit of a joke as a bass amp - 10" speakers with a lowest reproducible frequency of 71 hz, which is about fret 5 or 6 on the low-E of a bass guitar and goes down to 41hz. The Gorilla, being an 'economy' amp probably has a full range 50-5khz speaker which will cover the range of a guitar amp, and the lower frequencies allowed in by the preamp design won't be used by the guitar anyway. __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!

November 23rd, 2006, 07:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
'caster oil Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 692 1 Photos	I really like the clean tones I get from my Tele through an SWR Workingman's 12, and use it frequently... not great for dirt, though... __________________ "Capo on the fourth fret." Keef

November 23rd, 2006, 07:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	I will, for some tracks. My girl sometimes uses a guitar amp for some bass tracks too. For home use, a POD into a bass amp could be plenty fine if it gets the sounds you want and helps you have fun.

November 23rd, 2006, 07:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
quackerz Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Jersey Age: 45 Posts: 924 8 Photos	I remember watching Blues Traveler before they had a record deal in a little bar called Mondo Cane in NYC about a million years ago. Guitarist Chan Kinchla was playing a Strat through a solid-state Peavey MK IV (maybe it was a MK III) bass rig. The tone was so horrible that I never once thought to try plugging a guitar into my bass rig. Some members here recommended that I try my Tele through my Ampeg B-15 before selling it to buy a guitar amp. I tried it. I sold the Ampeg. Just not my cup o' tea, I guess. YMMV.

November 23rd, 2006, 08:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
Rizo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, OH Posts: 1,141	Older tube bass amps seem to work fine for guitar. The Bassman is the most obvious, but several Ampeg models as well come to mind. I think as a general rule of thumb; small tube bass amps will work fine for guitar, while larger solid state ones do not work so well, IMHO. __________________ "You say you want to play country, but you're in a punk rock band."

November 24th, 2006, 02:47 AM	#9 (permalink)
David Barnett Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: LIttle Rock, AR Age: 52 Posts: 5,410	If it sounds good it is good.

November 24th, 2006, 09:14 AM	#10 (permalink)
Sarge Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pgh,Pa Age: 53 Posts: 3,549	I used to have a Roland 1X12 bass combo amp that I ran into a Traynor 8X10 bass cab. Great loud THUMPING tone. Kinda' big though to be draggin' around! It sounded great with my strats and LP, this was before I got into tele's.

November 24th, 2006, 11:53 AM	#11 (permalink)
sotto TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 26	Do yourself a favor and get a Whirlwind ABY pedal. Plug your guitar into it, run one side into your Fender, and the other output plug into your POD setup. Set your speakers about 6 feet apart, and run the ABY pedal with both outputs on at once. You'll really like the combination of both amps running in stereo. If you really want grins, forget the ABY pedal and plug your guitar into a Boss Stereo Ensemble chorus pedal, and send one of the stereo outputs of your chorus pedal into the Fender amp, and the other output to the POD setup. Run your chorus on all the time. WhoooooEEEEEE Bob!!