Bass guitars and amplifiers come in various configurations. For beginners, the ideal setup would be one which combines preamp and power amp features into one package.
However, standard guitar amps can also be used to amplify bass if passive pickups are used with lower gain settings; this will prevent speakers from blowing.
Power
Bass guitars don’t produce very loud sounds on their own, requiring additional power from an amplifier in order to get heard over other band members. A typical 200 Watt amplifier should suffice. When playing at home or small clubs, smaller amps might suffice. But for larger shows or gigs, amps of 200W or greater will likely be necessary.
Amplifiers can either use tube (thermionic) or solid state (transistor) technology. Many bassists prefer tube amps due to their warm, organic sound; however, tube tubes must be periodically replaced due to wear-and-tear issues. Solid state amps use transistors instead, offering greater sound amplification at less expense and easier maintenance than tube amplifiers.
Alongside the usual controls found on a bass amp, some models also feature mute buttons and graphic equalizers that enable bassists to tune multiple frequencies for creating different sounds, from deep and thunderous tones all the way through to clean and subtle tones.
Some bassists utilize effects, such as wah-wah and synth bass, to modify the sound of their basses. Funk bands utilized these types of effects during the 1960s and 1970s while traditional rock and heavy metal musicians have experimented with “fuzz bass,” an effect which produces an octave below pitch being played.
Speakers are an essential component of a bass amp, serving to bring its sound out into the room. Most commonly seen are 12″ woofers; however, some amps offer 8″ or 15″ speakers instead. When using subwoofers with your amplifier make sure that they are designed specifically to produce low frequencies or else you risk muddy and muffled sounds being created by them.
Bassists must understand how EQ controls work on most bass amps to get maximum sound from their amp. Bass, mids and treble controls create the tone of an amplifier; typically the bass control should be set higher while mids/treble should remain relatively low; the high-mid control can be increased to add beefiness, but overdoing this may cause harsh or shrill sounds to come through.
Tone
Tone is an integral component of playing bass guitar and amp, so finding one with the sound you prefer is crucial to successful bass playing. Tone can be affected by various factors including your musical genre and pickup placement on your bass guitar; experimentation can help find what suits you best, while pedals add effects to enhance it further.
Adjusting the bass, mid and treble settings on your amplifier – also referred to as EQ or tone controls – is the simplest way to alter your tone. By increasing these settings you will increase the volume of specific frequencies; using these controls gives you control of changing from deep bass sounding notes to lighter more delicate tones.
Most bass amplifiers feature a knob which lets users adjust the volume of bass, mid and treble frequencies. Turning it clockwise will increase bass frequency while decreasing mid and treble frequencies for a powerful and fuller sound; to create something subtler you can turn it anticlockwise instead.
Many bass players prefer using a flat EQ setting for maximum naturalness of bass sound; this approach is particularly advantageous in jazz music where naturality of tone should always take precedence.
Setting the treble high will give your bass guitar an enhanced, bright sound that may be useful in certain styles of music. But be wary: too much treble may result in it sounding weak and thin if overdone!
Most bass amps will feature a setting which regulates the amount of distortion or overdrive in your sound, increasing this setting will accentuate bass frequencies for a more aggressive tone; alternatively, using low gain settings can produce a warmer and mellow tone which may be preferable when playing classical, jazz and country styles of music.
Controls
Controls are what allow bass amps to change their sound. This includes both gain controls that adjust distortion levels, as well as EQ or tone controls such as bass, mids, and treble settings. Adjusting these will alter your low end, mids thickness, treble clarity and crispness; try each setting individually until finding one you like, before returning it back to its neutral setting before moving on to the next setting – this way you will develop an understanding of each control’s affects on bass guitar tone.
A bass amp’s controls depend on its design; some feature just one tone control while others offer numerous dials. Of particular note is the bass knob which lets you tailor low-end frequencies. Adjust it further for added weight or reduce it further for brighter sounding basses.
Many bass amps also include a mids control that lets you adjust the frequency that falls in the center of their range, enabling you to customize how warm or thick the tone sounds, while decreasing them gives more clarity and warmth to it. Some amps even have high-mids settings which let you boost mid-range without making it harsh.
Most bass amps include an equalization section with various controls such as treble, mid and bass controls as well as an overall master volume setting. Utilizing these tools allows you to develop an unique tone suited to both your instrument and playing style.
Some bass amps feature an FX loop, allowing users to plug effects directly into the amplifier for more customized tones by skipping preamp altogether and sending signal directly to power amp.
Other bass amps may offer shape controls – an adjustable equalization feature useful for adding more depth and weight to a tone – which works by selectively increasing certain frequencies at the touch of a button and then returning back to their original settings when not needed. Some amps will even come equipped with other effects, like modulation that adds chorus effects for further fattening up their sound.
Cables
One of the primary components that will radically change your bass guitar’s tone is its cable. Cables carry extra electrical current that may create interference, noise and distortion as well as having an effect on how many high-end frequencies pass through.
Capacitance should always be your top consideration when choosing cables, as this determines how much of an electric signal makes it through to your amplifier. Longer cables tend to have more capacitance than shorter ones – in order to maximize signal quality it is best if your cables remain as short as possible.
There is an array of different cables designed for musical use available today, but it’s essential that they be made specifically with this in mind. Cheaper cables may impede electric signals coming from pickups, resulting in dull sound quality; on the other hand, more costly and high-quality cables are designed specifically to minimize interference, noise and distortion for maximum musical expression.
Patch cables (also referred to as guitar patch cords) are cables designed to connect electric instruments and acoustic musical instruments to their amplifiers. Usually comprised of two conductors – one for signal transmission and the other providing shielding and return path functionality – these cords measure 1/4” (6.35mm).
Bass guitar cables should be relatively short; ten feet is an appropriate length for live performances. Longer cables have more capacitance, which may lessen its tone by muted high-end frequencies essential to its sound.
Importantly, guitar patch cables – often used with electric and acoustic guitars as well as instruments with standard outputs – do not offer as much power as bass amps do when used at higher volumes; playing bass at these higher volumes through a guitar amp may damage or burn out its power tubes, leading to possible performance problems during live concerts. Therefore, it may be preferable to utilize an amp specifically intended for bass performance when performing concerts with your instrument.
Professional-grade audio interfaces may feature amp-like input circuitry that simulates the loading and impedance characteristics of standard guitar amplifiers. Furthermore, devices such as Radial Engineering’s ZBox may help enhance tone.