New Guy, Bass Amps ?

[Griendrrrr]

Hi,

Not sure why I was signed up here but I Like a lot of the posts and info/discussions. (I recieved a link via email, clicked and started browsing)

I've played guitar all my life, Bass the last 10 years but more into guitar than ever.

With the bands and playing Bass I accumulated more amp equipment and fell in love with the fender rumble series. Now that I'm back to guitar I've found more than i'll ever need with the bass amps. I'm having no trouble getting sounds that please me with amps that are capable of volumes i doubt I'll ever need or use, so naturally i'm happy the $$$ I spent is great for both bass and guitar.

Have you played through a Bass amp, or do you ? just wondering how common this is.

Thanks !!!!

Joe

 

[schmee]

Not sure what you are asking? Do you mean "have you played (guitar) through a bass amp?"

 

[unixfish]

The Fender Bassman is a beloved amp for guitarists. So yeah, lots of people here use that.

If it work for you and you like the sound, then it is a good match - right? I certainly think so.

Be careful reading here - a lot of posts will give you GAS (gear acquisition syndrome).

Welcome.

 

[tomasz]

I have no problem playing guitar through my EBS Reidmar, it can surely handle it, as well as the EBS 1x12 neo box

 

[FrankJames]

Welcome to the forum !!

 

[Phrygian77]

I guess when you put it in a 1x12" open back cabinet, it's not really a bass amp anymore.

And, Welcome to the forum!

 

[Twang-ineer]

I do it all the time, and have for a very long time. Lately I am really digging Mark Bass (and their guitar brand DV) so I have the 1x8 combo and use a 2x8 extension cab. It is crazy loud, light and toneful. Also on this forum, the Fender Rumble (any size) gets high praise for guitar tone. I use mine as a mini FRFR, and its amazing no matter what I put through it.

 

[Killing Floor]

I have taken my PJB Double Four bass amp to travel with guitar. I put a tube preamp pedal in front so it will get a little grit. It’s quite loud with guitar. I have never played my guitar through my big Mesa bass rig but I have played my baritone through guitar and bass amps.

 

[Stringbanger]

Welcome to the fold!

Sb

 

[Chester P Squier]

Welcome to the TDPRI!

 

[Fenderdad1950]

Welcome from Albuquerque New Mexico. The old Tweed Bassman amps are revered and have been played through by guitarists in Rock-n-Roll history. Huge, heavy and with a sound that Clapton, Buddy Guy, John Fogerty, Jimmy Vaughn, Brian Setzer and Mike Bloomfield (to name a few) have used and love. Jim Marshall was so impressed with the sound of it, he based his first builds on the Fender Bassman. Play on.

 

[mexicanyella]

Sometimes I play guitar through an early 90s Peavey TKO with a 15” Scorpion in it. Its EQ is flexible enough to get sounds I like for guitar, bass and lap steel. Sometimes I use my Zoom B2 as the preamp and run into the TKO’s “power amp in” jack and that works well too.

The main drawback is that it’s a bulky and heavy amp...so it’s
Usually parked alongside my desk pulling double duty as a “keyboard stand”:

EDIT: back in the 90s I played guitar through the Univox U-1246B tube bass head in my avatar pic (through a Fender 4 x 12 guitar cab) also.

 

[Griendrrrr]

Not sure what you are asking? Do you mean "have you played (guitar) through a bass amp?"

Yes, it's the first time I've ever asked how many play guitar through a bass amp, and if they liked the results.

I played guitar casually since I was a kid, about 10 years ago i wanted to play bass partially because i thought it might be more satisfying to me (with calling my own shots/notes etc) and accompanying other players.

Ten years ago i finally picked up a bass guitar and played in my basement (now a decent studio). I did that for 3 years alone. Just plugged my ipod into a home stereo and played along with whatever I liked. That led to me being in several bands as a bassist and backup singer. During that time I got a bit crazy with bass amps. Fell in love with the Rumble series. Bought new and used. I have 40, 100 and 500 combos, an 800 watt head, 210 cab and 410 cab as well. All Rumble. More than I'll ever need but was nice for having more than I needed in one place (my studio, other practice spots, gigging) yeah I got a little crazy with the Rumble.

After enough frustrations with bands not getting off the ground, anything you can imagine going wrong. someone suggested getting out on my own it will attract (hopefully) musicians that are more professional and serious. And if not I'm still playing out (solo)

I've played with a friend who does lead vocals and rhythm guitar for years. He wasn't having much luck with full rock bands either.

After a month or two of prep we are now getting paying gigs as an acoustic duo. I play bass and vocal harmonies as I've always done with him and the songs we know (it's a pretty long list and makes enough sets) We've casually jammed for years and it's just a good fit.

Being my goal is to be able to do shows myself IF and WHEN i want to, we're adding songs that i pick, sing lead, play rhythm/lead guitar on. So during a gig I'm switching between the old songs (bass) and the new songs (guitar)

That's what led to me just using only a bass amp with bass and guitar for both practice and gigging. i also use a Boss GT-1B for both Bass AND Guitar and love the results. Recently bought the GT-1 (designed for guitar, not bass) but it's being returned, I like the GT-1B for Bass and guitar better.

Sorry for the long post, but it took along time to figure out what i needed to do to reach my goal which is playing out professionally. I'm learning new songs with lead vocals and lead/rhythm guitar quickly, I'm soo happy to finally be where I'm at, and also prepping to be able to be solo when I want. I don't mind depending on my buddy for the duos, but I don't want to have to depend on anyone else when it comes to playing out.

Once i get a few more songs under my belt I can take solo gigs, although I still enjoy playing with my bud. He's a great front man and is a lot of fun to hang with and play out with.

I'm finally where i want to be, and quickly moving towards solo, nowhere to go but up !!!!

 

[Dana Rudd]

Hello @Griendrrrr, welcome to the forum. Nice to have you join us.
If your guitar sounds good through the bass amp, then by all means use it.

 

[Killing Floor]

Carol Kaye famously recorded thousands of bass tracks through a Super Reverb combo.

 

[uriah1]

Welcome.
Any amp will work. Some are better for certain things.
Transistor bass amps can be ok, especially for jazzers
or clean hi fi needs.
imho

 

[Griendrrrr]

I guess when you put it in a 1x12" open back cabinet, it's not really a bass amp anymore.

View attachment 987058


And, Welcome to the forum!

I agree, but it's "Nicely Modded". The cat is a Purfect accessory. Beautiful !!!

 

[mexicanyella]

Welcome.
Any amp will work. Some are better for certain things.
Transistor bass amps can be ok, especially for jazzers
or clean hi fi needs.
imho

The TKO I posted a photo of ^^^ actually does a pretty cool snarly gritty thing with guitar if you crank it pretty hard and set the EQ for an upper mid boost and a bass and lower mids cut. It sounds cool to me, kind of a classic rock guitar-with-treble booster kind of vibe...but it’s got to be pretty loud so it still ends up
Being a heavy one-trick pony.

When I run the Zoom modeler through it though, I really like how the Zoom sounds through the Scorpion 15 speaker, even at low volume levels, for clean and dirty sounds.

 

[schmee]

Yes, it's the first time I've ever asked how many play guitar through a bass amp, and if they liked the results.

I played guitar casually since I was a kid, about 10 years ago i wanted to play bass partially because i thought it might be more satisfying to me (with calling my own shots/notes etc) and accompanying other players.

Ten years ago i finally picked up a bass guitar and played in my basement (now a decent studio). I did that for 3 years alone. Just plugged my ipod into a home stereo and played along with whatever I liked. That led to me being in several bands as a bassist and backup singer. During that time I got a bit crazy with bass amps. Fell in love with the Rumble series. Bought new and used. I have 40, 100 and 500 combos, an 800 watt head, 210 cab and 410 cab as well. All Rumble. More than I'll ever need but was nice for having more than I needed in one place (my studio, other practice spots, gigging) yeah I got a little crazy with the Rumble.

After enough frustrations with bands not getting off the ground, anything you can imagine going wrong. someone suggested getting out on my own it will attract (hopefully) musicians that are more professional and serious. And if not I'm still playing out (solo)

I've played with a friend who does lead vocals and rhythm guitar for years. He wasn't having much luck with full rock bands either.

After a month or two of prep we are now getting paying gigs as an acoustic duo. I play bass and vocal harmonies as I've always done with him and the songs we know (it's a pretty long list and makes enough sets) We've casually jammed for years and it's just a good fit.

Being my goal is to be able to do shows myself IF and WHEN i want to, we're adding songs that i pick, sing lead, play rhythm/lead guitar on. So during a gig I'm switching between the old songs (bass) and the new songs (guitar)

That's what led to me just using only a bass amp with bass and guitar for both practice and gigging. i also use a Boss GT-1B for both Bass AND Guitar and love the results. Recently bought the GT-1 (designed for guitar, not bass) but it's being returned, I like the GT-1B for Bass and guitar better.

Sorry for the long post, but it took along time to figure out what i needed to do to reach my goal which is playing out professionally. I'm learning new songs with lead vocals and lead/rhythm guitar quickly, I'm soo happy to finally be where I'm at, and also prepping to be able to be solo when I want. I don't mind depending on my buddy for the duos, but I don't want to have to depend on anyone else when it comes to playing out.

Once i get a few more songs under my belt I can take solo gigs, although I still enjoy playing with my bud. He's a great front man and is a lot of fun to hang with and play out with.

I'm finally where i want to be, and quickly moving towards solo, nowhere to go but up !!!!

OK cool. The amps seems to work fine for guitar. Most modern closed bass cabs are too deep and can very woofy/hi fi sounding. For occassional rhythm guitar though, it may work fine. Of course old school Tweed Bassman or the Blackface Silverface types work fine. That's my take on it.
Yeah, I enjoy the Duo more than the band lately.

 

[swarfrat]

In the age of modellers... I'd love to have a floor wedge that can handle bass guitar - at least for relatively modest HPF tone like an SVT cab. I don't need an f3=30Hz box. I just want a tight punchy cab that works for both guitar and bass.