A guitar bass amp combo combines both amplifier “head” and speaker cabinet into one unit for easier transport and reduced cost. Most bassists prefer combos over separate amplifier heads and speaker cabinets due to cost considerations and portability considerations.
Amp heads may feature either tube or solid state technology. Some designs combine both components, using a tube preamp with a solid state power amp for example.
Modeling
Bassists looking to expand their sound palette now have many amplifier models with modeling that enables modeling that takes care of it for them. Instead of needing to manually dial in various effects like chorus, delay, reverb and more – and have those sounds run through an amplifier – modeling offers presets designed for bass. Plus it offers plenty of tonal options from clean through full overdrive without making audible noise!
Bassists who specialize in quieter genres may benefit from using a compact combo amp that combines preamplifier, tone controls and power amplifier into one compact cabinet. Such amps tend to be easier for traveling bassists who must bring all their gear with them than separate amp heads and speaker cabinets.
A bass amplifier preamp is the initial part of an amp that receives signals from electric or upright basses, and can impact their tone in various ways, from brighter or muddier to boomier or brittle depending on its design. A good preamp should take into account tonal properties of bass instruments when designing it and should include one or more EQ knobs to boost or cut certain frequency ranges.
After passing through the preamp, bass signal travels to the power amplifier section of an amp. Here you can adjust power and tone controls; most sonic characteristics of an amplifier are created here. A typical power amp may feature gain control that allows users to increase or decrease output – bassists may adjust this according to performance venue or music volume levels.
Some power amplifiers include a master volume control to set the overall volume level of their amp. A power amp may also feature different effects like distortion. Overdrive is often utilized by bass players; amplifiers like Fender Rumble 75 bass combo amp provide various degrees of overdrive from “mellow warmth” up to heavy distorted tones similar to Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead use this effect effectively.
Dual Channels
Dual channel bass amplifiers give players the option of quickly switching between clean and distorted tones at the touch of a footswitch, as well as offering two distinct effects channels such as stereo vibrato/tremolo or tube-driven spring reverb.
Dual channels enable bass players to tailor their tone based on the genre of music they perform, such as blues or metal guitar. Blues players may wish to keep their amp’s gain low for a clean sound; metal guitarists might opt for higher gain distortion.
Dual-channel bass amps often boast additional controls found only in separate effect units, like chorus. Chorus works by duplicating the input signal multiple times before slightly detuning each copy for widening effects that create lush, full sounds. Furthermore, some amps allow their users to pan each of three available EQ bands independently, further customizing their sound for their style of playing.
Some bass amplifiers feature a hybrid preamp/power amp design that utilizes both tube and solid state amplifiers for better tonal accuracy and versatility. This gives bassists access to tube amplifier tones which may be considered warmer and more natural than solid state amps; additionally, being able to drive their tube preamp harder without clipping or overdrive can add another dimension of depth and tone in their tone.
Most guitar bass combo amps feature built-in speakers to offer players who don’t wish to purchase and maintain separate speaker cabinets an all-in-one solution. This can be especially helpful for beginners or those lacking space who don’t wish to store an amp head separately from its cabinet.
However, some bassists prefer having more flexibility with a “bass stack,” consisting of separate preamplifier, graphic equalizer and power amplifier units combined with one or more speaker cabinets. This arrangement allows them to experiment with different combinations of speakers to find their preferred tone while at the same time being able to replace individual components as they become worn-out.
Power
Bass amplifiers use electrical power to amp up lower-pitched instruments like bass guitars to audible volumes. A bass combo amp typically includes a preamplifier, equalization controls and one or more speakers in a cabinet; many manufacturers abbreviate these terms within their equipment names (for instance: “212-500” amp).
Most bass amplifiers include various tonal shaping controls, such as knobs for adjusting gain (i.e. signal strength) and bass EQ controls; some even come equipped with built-in overdrive channels which can produce anything from subtle to heavy sounds depending on settings.
As bass frequencies require considerable power, many bassists opt for an amp with more than 800W of output power paired with two or more cabinets – such as an 800-watt head or combo amp featuring a crossover that directs low frequencies towards 1×15 cabinets for fullness, while mids and higher frequencies go to 4 x 10″ cabinets to give clarity and punch.
Bassists generally desire a variety of settings for different situations; some combo amps are equipped with preset settings that enable users to easily switch their sound without needing to adjust multiple knobs on their amp. Other bass combo amps feature DI input for studio recording purposes – with bassists using this output plugging into a standard PA system where audio engineers will mix their sound in with vocalists and instrumentalists within the same room.
Small bass combo amps that run on battery power enable users to perform outside in areas without mains power, making these models ideal for performing outdoors or performing in locations without access to mains electricity. Some models even feature an alligator clip connector for connecting directly to car batteries for even greater portability.
Some combo amps are also designed to bridge, connecting both channels of an amplifier together to double its power and producing double the sound volume. This can be useful for bassists performing in large venues who require powerful sound that cuts through noise levels.
Sound
No matter if you’re just beginning bass playing or an experienced pro searching for something different, an amplifier combo can make a difference in sound and style. A “combo” amplifier combines preamplifier, tone controls and power amplifier into one unit; quieter genres may only require smaller combos while louder venues or genres may require stronger units with higher wattages.
Preamplifiers on bass amplifiers typically feature a gain control, which allows you to set the output volume. They also typically offer different types of equalization settings like 3-knob tone controls or parametric or graphic equalization that can adjust multiple frequency bands simultaneously. Some amps also come equipped with built-in overdrive effects that provide various degrees of distortion ranging from subtle to heavy. Behringer Ultrabass BVT5500H bass amp heads include boost controls which offer overdrive across an extensive variety of tones – for example Behringer Ultrabass BVT5500H bass amp heads have boost controls for wide spectrum tones of overdrive effects for overdrive effects like this!
Most bass amplifiers feature one or more reverb effects to create a full and deep sound, as well as delay effects for creating rhythmic echo effects or creating slapback echoes. Furthermore, certain bass amps such as Peavey Century 200 feature built-in reverb effects with aggressive characteristics similar to standard reverb – for instance an increased amount of aggressive reverb.
Some bass amplifiers feature special effects such as chorus, phaser or flanger that allow users to create distinct sounds that stand out in a mix, adding texture to bass lines or helping create unique bass sounds. A few basses even include an optional distortion control which offers anything from subtle overdrive up to heavy distortion for even further personalization.
When it comes to bass amp speaker cabinets, most models feature 4 or 2 10″ or 15″ speakers. While some designs feature closed-back designs to reduce any unwanted cabinet buzzes or rattles when playing, others may have open back designs which make hearing lower frequencies easier.
For concerts at large halls or arenas, a high-powered bass amplifier head must be matched with one or more cabinets capable of creating lots of noise. The Acoustic 360 amp and 361 cabinet were specifically created to prepare bassists for Woodstocks, Altamonts and festival concerts such as Woodstock or Altamont. [1] They were used by funk bassist Larry Graham from Led Zeppelin as well as jazz fusion bassist Jaco Pastorius who later used these models on their instruments. [1]