There are various bass guitar amplifier brands, each offering their own distinctive tonality. Some bassists may favor solid-state amps for their clean sound while others may appreciate richly coloured Orange tones.
Some of the most popular models come equipped with features that allow the user to shape their tone, such as a 3-band equalizer or effects such as chorus or octave.
Hughes & Kettner
German manufacturing is legendary, so it should come as no surprise that their pro audio equipment ranks among the finest available. Hughes & Kettner amps offer some of the finest low-wattage bass guitar tones available today; their Tubemeister series amps stand out as particular masterpieces.
The Tubemeister 18 boasts two EL84 power tubes and an internal Tube Safety Control that ensures optimal bias levels are always being met by each tube, for exceptional clarity and reliability in terms of sound quality and sonic clarity. Furthermore, LED indicators on its face let users see which tubes are working at full capacity versus which may need replacements.
For bassists seeking an array of tones, this versatile amplifier offers four inputs and two outputs with their own dedicated tone controls. Its clean channel boasts tight voicing with clear highs while its lead channel boasts enough gain for everything from AC/DC riffing to Mountain style riffs. When equipped with its Lead Boost switch, this amp roared with uncompromising articulation overlaid with creamy distortion that easily held up against fast power-chord riffing.
Hughes & Kettner cabinets designed to accompany the Tubemeister 18 amp are custom-built specifically to produce different tones. From classic 2×12″ cabinets to vintage-inspired 4×12″, there’s something here for every type of bassist – even rare prototypes may make an appearance! Finding a suitable speaker makes all the difference whether you want soft sounds or heavy metal stomps!
Fender
Fender amplifiers are legendary. Famed for their distinctive appearance and sound, these amps rank among the finest on the market. Available in various styles – such as valve amps which are popular with jazz players – Fender also produces acoustic guitars, lap steel instruments, banjos and electric violins as well as many accessories and parts specifically tailored to its guitars.
Fender guitars may be costly, but many can appreciate in value over time and make for excellent investments. Older models tend to gain in value over time while newer ones typically lose value – for this reason it may be wiser to purchase used rather than new models; collectors or individuals searching for specific models should consider vintage as they offer greater variety and will often yield a greater return.
No matter your level, whether a professional guitarist or just starting out, Fender Play app has something for you. Lessons are comprehensive yet concise while its song library boasts over 1,000 pieces. However, beginners and early intermediates may find this best suited as it allows users to learn basic guitar playing while offering them flexibility when reaching their goals at their own pace.
Fender uses Segment to reach its customers with ads that resonate based on real-time customer data, tailoring messages specifically to each individual to increase conversion rates and drive sales. If a customer expresses interest in an acoustic guitar purchase, Fender may email an offer containing both product elements; driving sales while maintaining high-quality products while offering exceptional customer support services when needed.
Orange
Few brands are as instantly recognisable on stage as Orange, known for its iconic British-style tone that suits rock and metal guitarists alike. Established in 1968, they’ve spent almost 50 years perfecting their iconic orange tolex finish and gritty sound; from their Tiny Terror series to Rockerverb MKIII bass amps there’s sure to be something perfect for every guitarist out there.
Cliff Cooper established his factory in Cowcliffe near Huddersfield to supplement production at his London headquarters on Cowbridge Street, where amplifier chassis were assembled into sleeves and shipped out for customers. Although their psychedelic-inspired range only sold several hundred units each year, Orange decided in the late 70s to give their amplifiers a facelift; their sleeves were revised, typefaces updated, and new basketweave grille cloth introduced – giving their amps new life and customers.
Orange amps were relaunched with the AD30 head and two-speaker combo, and began selling amplifiers in the US market as well. In 1998, their AD15 amplifier earned Editor’s Pick status in Guitar Player magazine, creating widespread interest for Orange as an international brand.
Today, the company offers an expansive line of both tube and solid state amps tailored for bassists – from the compact Crush BA50 combo amp to its flagship OB1 tube bass amp – as well as various effects pedals such as Bangeetar preamp-style compressor and Two Stroke hybrid boost and EQ models.
One of our favorites is the Pedal Baby power amplifier, designed to produce plenty of clean headroom for multiple pedals at the same time and serve as an ideal travel solution for bassists on the road. Offering Orange’s signature tone in a portable form factor, this amp provides gigging musicians or home recordists a powerful backup when recording.
Laney
Laney may not be your go-to brand when searching for bass guitar amps, but this British amp and PA company has powered many legendary artists, most notably Led Zeppelin’s first touring PA system. Laney amps were also supplied to guitar heroes like Randy Rhodes, Ace Frehley, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath as well as many more.
The Laney Linebacker 65W Tube Amp is designed to deliver big, rich bass tone. Featuring various controls such as clean channel, drive channel, reverb and 3-band EQ settings – as well as an inbuilt compressor designed to prevent overloads for the best sound possible – as well as an LED warning light when an overload is imminent, it provides plenty of control options and sound options.
Investment in quality speakers for your bass amp is essential in handling high volumes and withstanding stage use. You can find affordable speakers online or at local music stores.
Solid-state amplifiers may sound more powerful and robust; however, valve amps often produce warmer tones in their lower registers than solid state amps do. Guitarists tend to prefer tube amplifiers because of their warm tones.
No matter if you’re gigging musicians or practicing at home, both LEADTOP and DUALTOP bass amps offer plenty of features that can help you craft the ideal tone. For instance, the DUALTOP offers foot-switchable pre-boost and channel changer; LEADTOP boasts an EQ setting with multiple voicings as well as multi-mode treble control for customizable tone shaping; both models also use an LSI interface to connect to Ultimate Guitar to gain access to thousands of tones via Ultimate Guitar’s access.
Line 6
Line 6 is an industry-leading manufacturer of guitar amplifiers and effect modeling equipment. Their long history of innovation and strong user community makes their products widely utilized by professional musicians requiring premium tone with easy operation. Furthermore, Line 6 provides an array of accessories designed specifically to complement its amps and pedalboards.
The POD Go is an extremely flexible multi-effects processor with over 270 Helix and legacy models to choose from, perfect for use as part of an amps-and-pedals rig or by itself as a mobile recording or live performance rig.
This model features a powerful, high-resolution dual DSP platform for creating realistic tones such as overdrive and distortion. The sound library includes over 70 bass and guitar amps, 37 cab models and 16 mic emulations models; in addition, this model boasts over 100 effects such as dynamics tools, distortions, EQs pitch/modulations delays and wahs.
Presets include all styles and genres. Amp models modeled on well-known name-brand amps sound quite authentic – metal amps have punchy tones while Tweed and Supro tones have more organic tones.
There is plenty of space to expand the system with additional cabs and amps thanks to third-party cabinet impulse responses – an essential feature for players looking to customize the tone of their POD Go. In addition, users can save presets for easy recall; additionally, it comes with an extremely handy remote control – connect the Remote with any FirehawkTM 1500 model, AMPLIFi(r), or Spider(r), to access and manipulate various tone parameters without handcuffs!