What's the least bass amp you can buy & still play in a band?

I'm interested in what is the cheapest investment I could make if I wanted to play bass in a band (let's assume rock, but I've heard country bands that play damn loud. Not quiet jazz, let's put it that way.)

-Does playing with a DI or SansAmp and hoping that bars will have a PA work? Could you get away with a practice amp for the house, and either mic it or use a DI box for gigs??
-If you absolutely need a bass amp to play with drums & guitar, how much wattage do you need, at a minimum?

Recommendations?

Minimum 200w with a single 12" or 15" speaker and you may have to dime it to be heard depending on how loud your guitarist and drummer are. More desirable with some headroom left over would be 500w. rig with a 2x12" or a 4x10" cabinet.

None of these options are what I would call cheap. You're starting at around $300-$400 or so for a 200w combo and you can easily double those number for 500w combos and then upwards from there for separate heads and speaker cabs.

Using a DI will work if there's a house PA or you toting your own but you'll need a monitor feed back to hear yourself. Depending on just a DI or a SansAmp probably won't work in all cases. You don't know if everywhere you'll play has a house sound system capable of handling your bass.

Based on least cost alternative but still keeping staying with a dependable brand I'd suggest a GK MB112 200w 1x12" Combo like I use. By itself it works fine for unplugged or small club gigs doing blues or even country numbers with a 3-5 piece band. When I need more I run it through the PA via the balanced output jack. Mic'ing smaller bass amps for live performance doesn't work near as well as running direct to the PA.

I have it up on a stand so I can hear it better and it does just fine in any setting I use it in. This one runs around $300 when you can pick them up on sale. There's a GK MB115 200w with a 15" speaker that runs about $70 more. Either one is great as a home or rehearsal amp too. They're very small and very light. Mine always sits in my den right next to me so I can play anytime I like. For a gig I can carry it in one hand and my bass in the other and be out the door.

That's about the best I can suggest to you based on what you've posted. Any less than 200w and you'll have a real tough time cutting through a bass and drums unless they're playing very quietly.

Disagree with the above. I have played some pretty big crowds in all kinds of bands with crowds up to a couple of thousand. For years in a 3 piece rock band that did stuff like Van Halen with both 100 watt Fender Bassman. I have also used a 100 watt Roland Cube for some pretty big outdoor events. They want rattle your teeth, but never ran into a situation where I thought I needed more power. Lot of bass players around here in bands use Peavey TNT's. another smaller amp. Watch craigslist. You can often pick bass amps at reasonble prices 2-300 dollars including some in the higher wattage range. I think some brands and models just play out stronger than others. Speakers make a big difference, the 100 watt Bassman I had was throught 2-15" JBL's.

The least amount of amp I had was a Peavey 100 watt head and a cab with 2 15's in it.

I've used my Ampeg B100R (100 watts, 1x15) for outdoor shows, bar gigs, lots more, works great. In fact, the drummer claims it's louder than my 400 Peavey through a 4x10 cabinet. Plus it looks really cool!

You can go direct. We had a fill-in bass player do that a week ago.

My wife and I both played a Ampeg BA115 for several years (100 watt through 1x15) and it was perfectly fine....she wanted more beef recently though so we upgraded to a 500 watt portaflex. I also played through a friend's Cube 100 amp which is 100 watts through a 12 inch speaker and super light and it was fine. Personally I wouldn't want it to be my main rig because I like to know that I have more headroom if I need it, but if you really want to stay lightweight then it's a great option. The other possibility would be to pick up a micro amp head (like the portaflex or the galian kruger options) and get a really efficient 1x10 speaker - that would give you a nice control over the DI with the head and an onstage monitor for yourself.

Whether you can go DI would depend a lot on your bandmates - I would never play with a bass player that didn't use a proper amp - it's just putting too much reliance on the PA and soundguy. Especially for the drummer - if he can't hear the bass clearly on stage then you're screwed. It also probably means that you're going to have to blast everyone else in the monitors (assuming no dedicated mixes) in order to hear yourself clearly. This is the reason I stopped only using a DI for keyboards - I need to hear my signal clearer then everyone else, so I need to have a dedicated speaker closer to me if I don't want to destroy everyone in the monitors.

I had a GK 200 or 210 watt 2X10 amp that didn't really cut it even for rehearsal with a loud drummer but with a separate 15" cab added on it was fine and I gigged with it for a summer. That was the smallest rig I ever used.

I have also gone direct with excellent results but unless you know for a fact that there will always be an adequate PA and hopefully a soundman too...well I wouldn't go there.

Yes. Do this - it works fine, especially relative to a cheap bass amp.

You can go direct. We had a fill-in bass player do that a week ago.

I've tried playing through a preamp straight to the PA, and couldn't hear the bass onstage. Turn it up in the vocal monitors and it distorts (and messes up the vocals. And I've blown PA speakers, too.

I used to recommend using a small amp for onstage monitoring and feeding a signal to the PA, but not anymore.

Tim

I sure like my Roland Bass Cube 120.
I gig/rehearse with it all the time, and it's all this geezer wants or needs.
It was around 500 bucks, and has a tuner, effects (I don't use) and looper.
Great stuff!

Just buy used. Used bass gear is cheap, and usually plentiful. I bought my rig last year.

Hartke 500 watt head, hartke 2X10 cab, and a hartke 1X15 cab. The entire rig was $390. Not a bad price at all for a rig that will blow a band off the stage.

I've done lots of gigging with a Hartke 200 watt 1X12 combo, it was plenty for small clubs, but I odn't really like the sound of 12's for bass. Let's just say the volume was there, but the tone was not.

I'm about to get another combo, I'm ordering one of the new Carvin Micro-bass combos. Small, light, 200 watts, under $400. Hard to beat.

If you can find one, and don't mind the weight, Peavey and Fender have both made combos with single 15" speakers in the 300 watt range, which are plenty for gigging, and they pop up on Craigslist pretty frequently for under $300. SOmetimes as low as $150.

I'm interested in what is the cheapest investment I could make if I wanted to play bass in a [rock] band...

-Does ... hoping that bars will have a PA work? ...

Hope is not a plan.

Best suggestion, I think, is to look at what other bands in your area that play similar music to yours in similar venues use, in terms of wattage and speaker complements. If you as bass player have to be self-contained, that leads to a different answer than if you can go direct in all venues.

Suggest separate head and speaker for versatility and to reduce package weight a little, but a combo would be OK too.

One possibility would be a Peavey Headliner head (about $350) and a Peavey Headliner 210 ($200) speaker or 115 ($250) speaker, or both. The head with one cab would therefore be around $550-$600.

Another head/cab setup could be an Acoustic B600H head ($500) and a B115Neo cab ($250), total $750.

By comparison, here are a couple of higher-dollar options:
- Markbass Little Mark III head ($600) and a Markbass Std-102HF cab, around $650, for a total of $1250.

- TC Electronic RH450 head ($700) and a RS210 ($550) is another high-dollar option, totalling around $1250.

So I think you're looking at a minimum expenditure of $500-$750 for new gear.

There are a ton of nice used bass amps on Austin craigslist for 150-300 dollars. 125 watt GK for 150 bucks. 280 watt GK for 300, Fender Bassman 100 Combo for 180, 450 for a 350 watt hartke half stack, 300 watt fender combo for 350, Ampeg and Carvin Speaker for 300, I would take a look at that,

In the 400-600 range, you can move up to some bigger rigs.

A bass amp doesn't need to be all that big. We've been using an 80W Marshall bass combo single speaker to fill a small hall or pub. More than adequate.

Otoh an 8-lb Ampeg Portaflex will slip into your pocket.
Note with "Class D" you do not get what is written on the tin. You cannot get 500W out of a device that only consumes 100W of mains, that's two quarts out of a pint pot, not going to happen. Nephelokokygia.

Another option is a 30W valve head (usually guitar) into suitable bass speaker. These are very window-rattling loud.

According to our bass man, if you go through the PA, either direct or by mic, be sure the PA is a good one, with good subwoofers. Otherwise, drag out your 4x10 cabinet (I think that's what he uses).

A bass amp doesn't need to be all that big. We've been using an 80W Marshall bass combo single speaker to fill a small hall or pub. More than adequate.

Otoh an 8-lb Ampeg Portaflex will slip into your pocket.
Note with "Class D" you do not get what is written on the tin. You cannot get 500W out of a device that only consumes 100W of mains, that's two quarts out of a pint pot, not going to happen. Nephelokokygia.

Another option is a 30W valve head (usually guitar) into suitable bass speaker. These are very window-rattling loud.

This is not my experience at all. I have not tried any class D bass amps (although I plan to soon) but my PA is class D and is the most wonderful thing ever. Super light, and puts out a TON of power. I sold an 800 watt standard PA head for this 1200 watt class D, and I can tell you without doubt that is noticeably MUCH louder and cleaner sounding while drawing much less power and never heating up.

...Note with "Class D" you do not get what is written on the tin. You cannot get 500W out of a device that only consumes 100W of mains, that's two quarts out of a pint pot, not going to happen. ...

While it's true that you can't "get 500w out of a device that only consumes 100w of mains", I suspect there's something about Class D power supplies that you don't understand. None of the specs I looked at made a claim anything like this. A typical statement was on the order of "draws 80 watts at 1/8 power" for a 450w-output amp. If consumption scales linearly, then such an amp would draw 640 watts at full output.

Moreover, most industrial countries have laws that specify how one must describe power consumption and output. While specs can be misleading, they're not quite this misleading.

most bang for your buck is a used Peavey ... i checked your local CL and there is plenty of stuff... $1-200 and you are there ...

There's a Hartke LH500 head marked at $275 or so (offer them $250 and you'll probably be taking it home) at the CashAmerica pawn on Guadalupe and 34th. I gig with one, it's a GREAT amp. Get a speaker cab (again plenty of cabs for cheap out there) and you're cooking with gas!

Tim

Are the LH series left handed???

Less Heavy.

Loud Hey.

Wattage says nothing ...

I have a Roland CUBE BASS 100, too - and I wouldn't want another amp.
Loud, handy, light weight, good sound, excellent DI (pre or post) +++
But a used CB100 or new CB120 is not "cheap" ...

I don't know if you can get Behringer amps in the USA, too.
A 300 or 450 combo is cheap and loud. Maybe not best quality and not the best sound - but if you don't want to spend much money ...

I would NOT play a PreAmp on stage, feed the signal into the PA and get the monitor signal. This surely works - but you have to have good monitoring systems and bass on the monitor (in a quality that you hear yourself) will disturb the other musicians. A bass player should have "his own monitor" (=amp).
You can only do this if you have your own PA and a man at the mixer who belongs to the band (and knows what you require). And there should be two or more monitor ways, so that the singer and guitar players get another sound mix. You and the drummer might get the same monitor mix ...

Back when I was playing bass we did some reasonable size gigs. I started off with a Roland Cube 60, but that didn't cut it. I upgraded to a 100W HH VS Bassamp head and a Peavey 1X15 Black Widow cab. It coped just fine. I certainly didn't have the thing running flat out all of the time, and I often got complemented on the sound, however I think that was more down to the Yamaha fretless I used to play......

At practice in the country/rock three-piece I use my GK backline 110 (70 watts) and I never need to turn it up more than halfway... maybe we play too quietly? (Is that even a real problem for me to worry about?) I've gigged a small cafe with it and it was loud enough.

In a metal band I used to use my KMD 700 watt head and a Trace Elliot 1x15 cab, but I stopped playing with those guys because I had to use hearing protection and the sound waves actually made me nauseous. I haven't turned the KMD up past 2 since. It was $200 used I think.

So I guess it really depends on who you are playing with and what gear they have! You could always get a small practice amp (actually Hartke makes a good 150-200 watt 1x12 kickback like the GK backline) and get another, bigger, "I'm not effing around guys" earthquake machine. As others indicated, the number and type of speakers you use will make a difference

Just buy used. Used bass gear is cheap, and usually plentiful. I bought my rig last year.

If you can find one, and don't mind the weight, Peavey and Fender have both made combos with single 15" speakers in the 300 watt range, which are plenty for gigging, and they pop up on Craigslist pretty frequently for under $300. SOmetimes as low as $150.


I agree. There are plenty of used choices in Austin.

http://austin.craigslist.org/msg/3032063993.html

Here's one example -Craigslist has many bass combo amps that should work fine for you.

The GK MB series is pretty good, and amazingly light. The 115 at 200w is good bang for buck, and the more expensive 210 runs at 350w, or 500w with extra cab. A guy on talk bass uses two MB210s together, and that way has the choice to take one or two, and have a backup if one fails.

A guy on talk bass uses two MB210s together, and that way has the choice to take one or two, and have a backup if one fails.

This is a brilliant idea. And some of the newer GK amps and cabs are supposedly really light as well.

While it's true that you can't "get 500w out of a device that only consumes 100w of mains", I suspect there's something about Class D power supplies that you don't understand. None of the specs I looked at made a claim anything like this. A typical statement was on the order of "draws 80 watts at 1/8 power" for a 450w-output amp. If consumption scales linearly, then such an amp would draw 640 watts at full output.

Moreover, most industrial countries have laws that specify how one must describe power consumption and output. While specs can be misleading, they're not quite this misleading.

That's right, it's maximum power consumption. One needs to know how much it can draw off the mains so the correct fuse gets fitted to its plug (we have fused plugs here). We have no problem pulling over 3kW from a single socket, that should be enough then.

The Ampeg 350W Portaflex is claiming 100W consumption in its technical specs http://www.ampeg.com/pdf/PF_heads_OM.PDF
There was also a recent article in one of the magazines belabouring the nonsensical claims of Class-D power amps.

What you do get from a purpose-built bass amp, be it Class-D or otherwise, is a cleaner, more defined sound. On occasion though these can be a bit sterile, hence the likes of the Orange Thunderverb valve head.

What a "high power" bass amp does offer is clean head room, but if you do go cranking up a real high power bass amp like a 200W Marshal Super Bass, you are going to drown out the band, especially the guitarist with his puny 30W valve amp.

Hartke LH500

That's right, it's maximum power consumption. ...

The Ampeg 350W Portaflex is claiming 100W consumption in its technical specs http://www.ampeg.com/pdf/PF_heads_OM.PDF
...

I stand corrected. The specs I had looked at previously all said something like "power consumption 80w at 1/8 power". However, the Ampeg manual cited, and the manual for a Yamaha bass head, clearly stated that the power consumption was much less than the power output.

So Jefrs, you were right and I was wrong. I won't be looking at Class D power supply specs in quite the same way again.

I stand corrected. The specs I had looked at previously all said something like "power consumption 80w at 1/8 power". However, the Ampeg manual cited, and the manual for a Yamaha bass head, clearly stated that the power consumption was much less than the power output.

So Jefrs, you were right and I was wrong. I won't be looking at Class D power supply specs in quite the same way again.

Don't let that put you off purpose built bass amps.

I recently sold by 160W Laney RB4 15-in bass combo because it was too big for the house. I sold it to a mate who uses it for larger halls than I ever play. Apparently is sounds really good when cranked up. Yes it was loud! when woken up but not as loud as playing bass through my 30W guitar valve combo, which because it only has a pair of 25W Greenbacks has to be well reined in (under half power) for bass practice, more than enough. I normally practise bass using a 5W guitar amp fitted with a 30W speaker, but even then not at full power.

OT - when Bill Wyman joined The Rolling Stones, he was using a Vox AC30 for bass (first album). Greenbacks do make really good sounding bass speakers, but they blow up - so this led to the purpose built G12H-30 bass speaker and the 8x12 cab, which Jimi then used for guitar...

Hope is not a plan.

True. The question is awfully open-ended. The cheapest option is to buy nothing and use a DI box. Well of course!

That would work, at least for a gig or two. OTOH, you'll probably be happier with a decent bass amp, but that costs money, and isn't "the cheapest possible option", so I guess that's out of the question.

But if it's not, I find my 150W Trace Elliot 15" thingamajig perfectly sufficient for all but the very noisiest environments. When that amp starts struggling, things are generally so loud that not only do I know that I need to get my earplugs, I also get a creeping feeling I'm at the wrong place at the wrong time, and that something disastrous is about to happen. :P

Well,a question like the OP always depends on PA and monitors.
I have used this little Hartke with great results.Shown here with an Ashdown head that I had just bought and was trying out---the combo itself is rated at 120 watts,and puts out a surprising low end.When I first bought it,I took the aluminum speaker out to put in an EV,thinking this would be an improvement......wrong!
This is a light combo,tilts back,and it really affordable.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/refin/bassrig.jpg

Well,a question like the OP always depends on PA and monitors.
I have used this little Hartke with great results.Shown here with an Ashdown head that I had just bought and was trying out---the combo itself is rated at 120 watts,and puts out a surprising low end.When I first bought it,I took the aluminum speaker out to put in an EV,thinking this would be an improvement......wrong!
This is a light combo,tilts back,and it really affordable.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/refin/bassrig.jpg

I played a Schecter J bass through that one at a shop one time and it sounded great... didn't have to turn it up much. I read somewhere Jaco used to use Hartke gear? (Could be wrong.)

I played a Schecter J bass through that one at a shop one time and it sounded great... didn't have to turn it up much. I read somewhere Jaco used to use Hartke gear? (Could be wrong.)

He used Acoustic amps for most of his career, and after they went out of business he used an AMP (Amplified Musical Products) BH420 amp. AMP was a small outfit started by some former Acoustic guys, and it only lasted a short while. Some of those fellows went on to start SWR and Eden...

He used Acoustic amps for most of his career, and after they went out of business he used an AMP (Amplified Musical Products) BH420 amp. AMP was a small outfit started by some former Acoustic guys, and it only lasted a short while. Some of those fellows went on to start SWR and Eden...

Thanks for the correction!

After checking wikipedia (admittedly not always a reliable source) it looks like the two founders of Hartke were just starting to test their aluminum cone drivers in Jaco's 8x10 cab; maybe that's how I ended up thinking he played Hartke amps:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartke

This little guy has been working for me for years.

200 watts @ 8ohms, 400 watts @ 4 ohms.

The head has a direct, XLR out put.
I use the pre-amp volume to control what goes to the Board and, the Master Volume to control my stage volume.

Sometimes I put the cab up on a stand (made from two milk crates with a black drop cloth to dress it up) and it rocks right along.

It will never be confused with the loudest amp around, but it works for mess I play.

As guitarist who switched to bass about a year ago, I didn't want to spend alot either. I got a Fender Rumble 150 head (weighs 7 lb & fits in a gigbag) for $250 at GC. I bought 2 Peavey Pro 10's for $55 ea & built my own single 10 cabs for about $60. Still that is $420. I tried the bass practice amp thing, but was not happy with my tone. I also use an Eden WTDI preamp & run it into the effects return of the Rumble.

At my age I don't play real loud anymore. For me this setup covers everything from backyard jam to small club. I also have a 115 cabinet that I built, I ran out of money for the driver.

It ain't the watts, it's the speaker. You could have a 1,000 watt amp, but without adequate speakers for output you won't be heard (or you'll keep turning up until you reach the cab's thermal limit and burn the speaker up). You need efficient speakers that handle a decent bit of power. Look into a fEARful cabinet and one of the LH500's mentioned above (uses a fender tonestack, so flat is 2 on bass, 10 on mid, and 0 on treble. If you set it all at noon you'll have a scooped sound and you will struggle to be heard in a mix).

I would not count on a small bar/club having a PA for anything but vocals.

Look into a fEARful cabinet and one of the LH500's mentioned above (uses a fender tonestack, so flat is 2 on bass, 10 on mid, and 0 on treble. If you set it all at noon you'll have a scooped sound and you will struggle to be heard in a mix).


That's not my gigging experience with the LH500. I usually set it bass: 7 mid: 5 treble: 7, then adjust to taste depending on the room, and I get a very pleasing tone. While variables such as instrument, cabinet and playing style would certainly come into play, I can't imagine a situation where turning the bass and treble controls down that much would make any sense!

Tim

I would not count on a small bar/club having a PA for anything but vocals.

This is also something that's been debated and seems almost regional - here in Ottawa (and anywhere I've played in Quebec/Ont), I've never been to a venue that didn't DI the bass and mic the guitars....and that includes two local venues with capacities less than 50. What I would say is that, never count on the PA for your stage volume - that puts too much pressure on the monitors and soundguy (assuming there is one) and the bass is the most important thing for the rest of the band to hear on stage. If your bass isn't loud or clear enough in the drummer's monitor then your whole set could be sunk (first hand experience), so make sure everyone can hear the amp on stage without the aid of the PA.

buy a washtub, a broomstick, and a piece of rope . . . . .

"What's the least bass amp you can buy & still play in a band?" First show I played 29 years ago was a CYO dance at a middle school gym. Peavey 65 watt amp and it filled the hall just fine for a teen band. Now if you asked "What's the least bass amp you can buy & still play in a band without feeling ashamed of your rig as an adult?" Well, I've gigged both the Hartke LH500 and Ampeg Portflex 500 in recent years and believe either head with a single, good cabinet is more than enough for 99% of all semi-pro gigs. The Hartke LH500 with a 410/115 SWR stack was painfully loud for me and at least one unfortunate audience in club/restaurant setting a couple years back.

You can do what my bass player does, and go modular...

Acoustic B200 head into either a 1-15 (with an EVM) for small gigs, or a 4-10 Hartke for large gigs... we're not a real loud band, and he doesn't slap, so he can get by with 200 watts alright (he's never run the volume past halfway)... if we need more volume, well, there's usually a soundman there ready to plug into the di on the back of the bass head...

If I were looking at a cheap bass combo, shoot for either a later model Peavey TNT or Combo 300, loaded with a Black Widow... that'll keep up fine in a classic rock band in a club, and not too hideous to move... especially with good casters or a hand truck.

Franc Robert

Back when I was in a punk band, I used a 100W Fender rumble bass amp it got the job done lined to the pa.

Disagree with the above. I have played some pretty big crowds in all kinds of bands with crowds up to a couple of thousand. For years in a 3 piece rock band that did stuff like Van Halen with both 100 watt Fender Bassman. I have also used a 100 watt Roland Cube for some pretty big outdoor events. They want rattle your teeth, but never ran into a situation where I thought I needed more power. Lot of bass players around here in bands use Peavey TNT's. another smaller amp. Watch craigslist. You can often pick bass amps at reasonble prices 2-300 dollars including some in the higher wattage range. I think some brands and models just play out stronger than others. Speakers make a big difference, the 100 watt Bassman I had was throught 2-15" JBL's.

The Bassman was 100w Tube right and what kind speaker cab? Twin 15"s. Yeah I've played through 100w Bassman and Showman heads with dual 15 JBL's that would blow my GK away. And you think you're gonna pick up that rig for $200-$300. Wow, I wanna shop in your neighborhood.

A Roland 120xl Cube? Maybe but I wouldn't call that $600 price tag cheap for a 1x12 amp would you? He did say cheap and at $300-$370 12" or 12" and 200w I'd say that's a little better bargain than the pricier Roland.

Peavey 100w TNT's are a piece of junk. Peavey never made a good bass combo, ever. OP if you gonna spend $200-$300 taking a chance on a 100w SS used whatever why not spend a little more and get something of quality that will do ya.

I've been playing bass for over 35 years and venues from 100 people to 10,000 people and with all due respect Mr. Clemons doesn't know what he's talking about when he's trying to advise you on cheap with enough power to play in a rock band. You need at least a 200w SS combo preferably with a 15" speaker. You won't touch a 100w twin 15" Bass Stack for anywhere near $300-$400 unless it's shot. Trust me.

I had a interesting experience the other night that might shed some light.
It was a three band line up and the back line was shared.

The bass rig was a 200 watt SWR head thru a 1x15 Hartgie cab...which means with one cab it was only putting our @ 100 watts. not miked, no line.

The guitars were going thru hot rod deluxes (miked) and there was a normal sized 4piece drum kit (miked) 200 seat club about 3/4 full..In other words a average gig..by modern standards the bass rig was a little light for this application.

The first band was a medium volume reggae band the bass player adjusted things a bit and got a decent sound and blended well, the guitars and drums.

Band two was rock influenced band ..bass was pretty nasty sounding, rig was too small for these guys? bad blend and balance over all no bottom to the bass.

Band three was a experienced ska band.great bass sound, full,round, solid,exactly what was needed to get people up and moving, sound was very complementary to the horns.

Same rig, three bands one good bass sound, one awesome bass sound and one turdy, distorted mess.

Power is nice and can save your butt on ocassion, however the abity to listen and blend with the group is what separates the pro from the amateur any musical endeavor , the ability to adjust and work with your bandmates (and their willingness to work with you)is so important in making a rig work' and getting a good sound. If you doubt this the keep in mind one thing
The back line belonged to the SECOND band:roll:

For what it is worth, I have been a giggin bassist for 37 years and have played everything from 3 piece rock bands, bar bands, jazz bands, played for musical stage productions, large churches, pretty much everything. Not often to crowds over a couple of thousand. I also run a part time business buying and selling music gear and have had a lot of experience with music gear, far more than most folks. I have probably had around 100 different models of bass amps go through my hands.

I would agree, you would be lucky to get those models of amps in the 2-300 dollar price range. I was just commenting that 100 watts can get plenty loud. I played a 3 piece rock band along the lines of Van Halen for a number of years with a Bassman 100. I currently use a Roland cube 100 as my main amp. If it is not loud enough, I am probably going through the PA. I have enough sound gear and power amps for anything but the largest concerts. I could rig up a 7000 watt bass amp right now if I wanted to.

A lot of folks find the Peavey TNT, probably one of the most popular bass amps ever, a fine amp. I never particularly cared for them or used one extensively, but a good amp for the money and easy to find.

I have vintage English made Trace Eliot under repair right now that is my latest bass project. Very unusual amp. Pictures later. Has a slotted front.

I've used my Ampeg B100R (100 watts, 1x15) for outdoor shows, bar gigs, lots more, works great. In fact, the drummer claims it's louder than my 400 Peavey through a 4x10 cabinet. Plus it looks really cool!

I have this same Ampeg B-100 Rocket [1X15] Works great for me. Discontinued now... Mine cost $400.00 new in aprox yr. 2000. It sounds a lot loke the old tube portaflex amps. Lots of amp for the money...

-If you absolutely need a bass amp to play with drums & guitar, how much wattage do you need, at a minimum?

Situations vary. I brought a 220 watt Ampeg to rehearsal in a 3-piece. A half hour into it, the guitarist says, "Uh, you ARE going to be bringing a bigger amp to the show, aren't you???"

And we were playing low volume stuff -- jazz, pop.

I used a 300 watt Behringer in another outing that included 2 guitarists and a pedal steel player. Worked fine, but again -- not playing very loud.

Ive seen people use Acoustic B200s

From what I've seen in the music stores, I'd go with either the Hartke or Roland Bass Cube 120 combo. Both have XLR outs...and IMO, it's the secret to having the "least bass amp you can buy & still play in a band". The XLR direct out is the secret...plug it into the PA, and you're good to go!