Bass/Guitar Amp

Hello, I'm new to these forums so hoping this is the right place for this question. I recently started playing guitar again after a long layoff (40 years :sad:) I have a Squire Standard Strat and a Fender Blues Deluxe RI amp. Really like this combo. Been jamming' with some other geezers around here and even played a couple of gigs. The problem is there are plenty of guitar players but a real shortage of bass players. I would never give up my guitar but think I could easily play some basic bass for the kind of music we play. 50's. 60's pop, country and of course blues. I would like to get a Squire Bass but not sure what do about an amp. Would love to have a 59 Bassman RI to use with both but the Social Security check gets stretched pretty thin now. Any suggestions for an alternative to the Bassman? Would probably have to sell or trade the Blues Deluxe.

Definitely depends on how loud you want to play, most guitar amps work okay for bass IF you use a bass speaker cab. But not at louder levels (it takes more power to put out the lower frequencies). I got along okay with a 50-watt SF 1968 Bassman tube head into either a 2x12 cab (for guitar) or a 1x15 (for bass), also did that trick with a 50-watt early 70s Traynor YBA-1 Bass Master tube head.

The '59 Bassman RI is a damn good guitar amp, but like most guitar amps, you'll blow the speakers if you try to use it as a bass amp, so once again you'd want a separate cabinet for that purpose...

Heck, just for jamming purposes, you might try running that Blues Deluxe into a bass cab!

Cheers, Tim

What Tim said. If you're going to play at practice volume or louder, you'll need a bass cab. But unless all your gigs are extra-quiet, you'll need more power than the Blues Deluxe has to offer.

There is just a ton of used bass gear out there. Some good, some well OK and some ... at the other end ofhte spectrum. For a budget rig, I would find a GK 400 II, III or IV - between 200 & 300 in very good shape - below $200 genereally thrashed cosmetically ... and then a decent used 1x15 or 2x10 cabinet. New you can land an Avatar 2x10 for something under $300 last time I checked. Used rarely below $200. In Portland, OR a used 1x15 witha JBL or an EV is maybe $150 on CL ... a used Bag End 1x15 is $300

That GK head and 1x15 can cover a whole lotta gigging.

And remember that the 59' bassman does not have speaker outs like other amps, they are rca caple type connectors...so running it into a bass cab is not as easy, AND I believe its 2 ohm?! or 4 I forget.

Thanks for the input. Times sure have changed since my former music life. The Bassman was used by a lot of bass players then. Course most didn't play at the volume levels that are used now. I guess the most economical course for me is to look for a bass capable cab. Kind of hard out here in sticks where I live. Watching Craig's List now and might have to make a trip to Kansas City or St. Louis and cruise some pawn shops.

I doubt you'll find a cab to go with a 59 Bassman - 2 ohms. And has been said above, your current amp would not cut it even through a decent bass cab - just not enough power. With a drummer, gigging, 150W is a good average. You might be OK with 100 if your drummer isn't an animal!

There is just a ton of used bass gear out there. Some good, some well OK and some ... at the other end ofhte spectrum.

Craigslist is your friend. Lots of bass gear for local pickup. People don't want the hassle of shipping 'cause the stuff's so heavy.