Need help selecting a Bass Guitar amplifier

[dobias]

I have an inkling about what makes tubed (SET) amplifiers sound good, but I've been thrown a curve to select a tubed or SS amp & speaker for my talented grand daughter & her Bass Guitar. I'm open to refurbishing/rebuilding or just shopping for one on eBay that's suitable.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Frank

[tinitus]

yeah
a nice 'modest' SS combo

she willl need something portable and easy to connect

[tinitus]

these combos looks great Bass Central - Line 6 Amps, Cabs, and Combos

and they have some great looking Orange combos too

or one of the small Ampeg combos

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by dobias

I have an inkling about what makes tubed (SET) amplifiers sound good, but I've been thrown a curve to select a tubed or SS amp & speaker for my talented grand daughter & her Bass Guitar. I'm open to refurbishing/rebuilding or just shopping for one on eBay that's suitable.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Frank

Guitarists like tube amps for their distortion, bass players don't usually want distortion, so a transistor amp is probably better.

I wouldn't consider a tube bass amp, too heavy, too expensive, too unreliable and all for no advantage.

I bought my daughter a Behringer BX1200, it's been great - it's been used a number of times at multi-band gigs - and everyone has loved it.

[Keriwena]

More information about your granddaughter would be helpful - age, gear, genre, venues....

But I'm guessing she would be best served by a Peavy combo of the appropriate size. They range from little 10" practice amps to 15" monsters that can keep up with a drummer. Good sound (old school, like an Ampeg), very reliable, good resale. Hard to beat for the money.


Since you're on this forum, you might be tempted by this:
fEARful™ enclosures for bass/drums/keys

[dobias]

Keriwena,
I know I'll sound like a doting grandfather, but, she's a 16 year old prodigy. She's in the school band & will be playing at the next Macy's parade. She prefers to write her own music, play & record the keyboard, drums, bass guitar & wind instruments. She then mixes them into her own CDs.
I would think she would need a combo, or separates, that could keep up with other Rock band members' equipment.
Frank

[kec]

I just got an Acoustic B20 from Guitar Center. It has a 12" driver, fairly small but loud amp.

Acoustic B20 1X12 Bass Combo Amplifier and more Bass Amplifiers at GuitarCenter.com.

[Vintage Pioneer Guy]

Can't beat a small Peavey,great for practice and even on Stage! They can do the job no problem.

[lduarte1973]

my bass amplifier has both fet and tube option .I never use the fets , annoying metalic thin sound , so i can only recomend a tube amp.10 years ago the best amps i heard where SWR , better than Ampeg , peavey and so on...but they might be too expensive.Tube works had some cheap and good sounding tube amps , they where bought by Genz Benz.

Genz Benz Amplifiers - Guitar Amplification, Acoustic Amplification, Bass Amplification, Guitar Enclosures, Bass Enclosures & More

[Keriwena]

Originally Posted by dobias

Keriwena,
I would think she would need a combo, or separates, that could keep up with other Rock band members' equipment.
Frank

Okay, then you need to find out what that level is. How many amps, how loud they play (which is often influenced by the drummer), and whether they run the bass through the PA.

I'm on the small side myself, and I'd prefer a separate head with a cab as big as a 1x15. Below size that a combo would work, but a 1x12 won't keep up with an enthusiastic band.