Professional bassists make their living from their music, performing both original acts and cover bands as well as recording albums and touring tirelessly.
No matter your experience level or level of interest in bass guitar playing, finding the ideal bass guitar with amp for sale can be a daunting task. Narrow down your search with filters such as size, brand, specs and price to find what is most suited to you.
Bass Combo Amps
A bass guitar differs significantly from its electric guitar counterpart in that its power and acoustic needs require its own special amplifier. A quality bass guitar with amp for sale can be found here at Sweetwater; our selection features basses with enough wattage to meet any setting as well as helpful filters to help narrow your search to find one that meets your individual style, tone preferences, budget needs, and performance requirements.
Bass combo amps combine the actual amplifier “head” with its speaker into one unit that can be used for practice, home use, gigs (if weight allows) or gigs. A combo bass amp typically offers lower costs than purchasing separate bass amplifier heads and speaker cabinets individually; additionally they allow for a single, compact package which is easily transported between venues or practices as well as being great options for beginners who may not have enough money for larger systems.
Many bassists begin with a combo amp, but eventually upgrade to a head and cab when their experience grows or they require more power. A bass amplifier “head” contains the preamplifier which shapes and manipulates the signal coming into a speaker cabinet; depending on its type of amp, its preamp can alter tonal properties of this input signal so you get exactly the sound desired.
Combo amps typically feature built-in effects, while some include external pedals as well. Effect units like delay, flanger and chorus can significantly add depth and nuance to your bass sound; some high-end models even offer digital amp modeling for more accurate tone that cannot be recreated through simple pedals alone. For added versatility consider purchasing one that features direct output that connects directly to PA systems for live performances, eliminating unnecessary space on stage.
Bass Amp Heads
Bass amplifiers (commonly referred to as bass amps) use electrical power to make lower-pitched instruments such as the bass guitar loud enough for audiences and performers alike to hear them. A bass amplifier typically comprises of a preamplifier with one or more loudspeakers in its speaker cabinet; some bass amplifiers even include tube preamplifiers which some believe give their tone an added dimension of richness and dimension that solid-state amps simply cannot match.
Many bass amps feature reverb controls that enable players to alter the sound by altering resonance of speaker enclosure. Some amps also come equipped with equalizers or graphic equalizers which enable bassists to customize frequency response of speakers for optimal performance in any given venue.
Some bass amps come in combo configuration, featuring both amplifier head and speaker(s) in one unit for easy home or practice use, but these models are cumbersome to transport to gigs; therefore some musicians opt to purchase separate amplifier heads and speaker cabinets to tailor their amp to specific venues while saving money by not purchasing an amp with higher wattage than is necessary.
Hybrid bass amps combine the best features from both amplifier technologies by pairing a tube preamplifier with a solid state power amplifier. Some players believe these hybrid bass amplifiers offer the ideal blend of warmth, distortion, responsiveness and clean tone produced by solid state amplifiers when pushed to high volumes.
Many modern bass amps incorporate an electronic filter known as a crossover that splits the bass signal, routing low-pitched frequencies (such as 1×15″ or 2×15″) to a cabinet suitable for low sounds (e.g. 1×15″ or 2×15″) while middle and high frequency signals go to another cabinet with a horn-loaded tweeter designed for higher registers. Some amplifiers even come equipped with an adjustable crossover knob allowing bassists to fine-tune exactly when switching occurs between its two cabinet types.
Bass Speakers
Bass speakers play a critical role in shaping the sound produced by any bass amplifier, so finding one to fit your application can make all the difference. We offer an assortment of bass cabinet speakers designed specifically for popular amplifier models.
When shopping for bass speakers, sensitivity should be given special consideration. A speaker with high sensitivity will produce more sound at lower volumes, while lower sensitivity speakers require additional volume to reach their sound pressure level. Frequency response also has an impactful role – one with lower Fs and longer xmax will provide optimal bass frequencies production.
A high-quality bass speaker should be designed for use in either a closed back enclosure or ported enclosure, depending on its intended purpose. Ported enclosures tend to produce deeper bass notes while closed back cabinets help tame elevated highs that may occur with some open-back speakers. Wattage rating will also play an integral part when selecting one for your amp – the higher its wattage, the more output power it will have; low wattage speakers may not produce enough power output to keep up with drummers at larger venues.
Combo amps are ideal for smaller gigs or when traveling light; typically featuring two channels with three knob tone controls or more complex parametric and graphic EQ capabilities, along with an internal overdrive effect which can be toggled on or off for additional distortion in your tone.
Heads offer you the freedom to experiment with various speaker cabs and customize your sound. They typically come rated for maximum wattage that they can handle and feature speakon combo connectors to create a solid connection between head and cabinet. Standard 1/4″ cables may not be sufficient in carrying the power load of bass heads; for best results use higher grade speaker cables like D’addario Custom series as these will not cause signal loss or noise like cheaper alternatives do.
Bass Amp Accessories
Bass players typically invest in amplifiers that they can use for gigging, recording and practicing. This gives the bassist an accurate picture of their sound and helps identify areas for improvement. While it is possible to play bass without an amplifier, doing so limits how much one can improve.
New bassists must consider which wattage their amp requires before selecting one. The more watts an amp has, the more power it can produce and louder its sound will be. An amplifier with 100-150 watts may suffice; this amount provides sufficient volume for most situations as well as home practice sessions.
Sweetwater offers an assortment of bass speakers to complement their amplifier. Most bassists opt for 12″ speakers as they provide a wide spectrum of frequencies for an all-encompassing tone; however, 10″ models may provide more focused tones.
A bass guitar cable is an essential bass accessory, connecting your instrument to an amp and available both straight and coiled varieties. A high quality cable will have a huge influence on how sound comes through; some trusted brands include Monster Cable, Planet Waves and Cordial cables.
Footswitches provide bass amp owners with extra functionality, and are an ideal way to access multiple channels or effects more easily than with traditional knobs. Furthermore, this device can help live performances by freeing both hands up so the bassist can focus solely on performing.
A bass guitar is an integral component of any musician’s arsenal, yet without an effective amplifier it simply wouldn’t sound the same. Finding the appropriate bass amp for sale can provide all of those deep tones and low bass sounds so beloved of this instrument.