No matter your bass amplifier needs – from home practice amps to valve-powered stacks for stage use – we have something that meets them. Our selection includes combo and head and cab setups from leading brands like Trace Elliot, Ashdown and Laney to meet them all!
At Bass Amplification Solutions, we also offer modelling bass amps which utilize digital technology to mimic different amp types, making them highly flexible and a favorite among beginner bassists.
Trace Elliot
Trace Elliot stands as one of the premier bass amp brands worldwide, known for their innovative amplifiers and speaker cabinets since 1989. First pioneering 7- and 12-band EQ bass amplifiers before pioneering piezo pickup inputs to fulfill an underserved market within acoustic amplifiers – its products have since been endorsed by artists such as Larry Mitchell and Peter Hook; further cementing their place as an iconic brand known for superior bass tone.
Soundwave Music Shop in Romford, Essex UK began building and renting PA systems to local musicians in 1979. When they discovered that some of their equipment was being used by bass players to replace inadequate or poorly designed guitar amps, they started offering dedicated bass amps, known now as Trace Elliot series bass amplifiers – now also offering acoustic amps!
The ELF is the smallest and lightest Trace Elliot head ever created, yet packs enough power to easily drive most bass players’ 1×8 or 2×10 cabinets. It features an easy, intuitive preamp with two presets (one scooped “rock” shape and another more airy classic Trace Elliot shape) as well as an EQ balance control to let you boost bass or reduce treble depending on room acoustics.
After experiencing great success with their ELF line, Trace Elliot turned their focus towards larger venues. Realizing the need for world-class bass amplification capable of withstanding constant touring demands, they created the TE-1200 bass amp and Pro 4×10 and 2×12 cabinets – powerful enough to shake any room, yet lightweight enough to fit easily in your gig bag.
Ashdown
Ashdown Engineering of Essex, England has become widely recognized for crafting bass amps and combos that deliver powerful performance while offering numerous useful features. They specialize in tube, solid-state amps and practice/pedal amplifiers – as well as offering affordable options suitable for both beginning guitarists and gigging weekend warriors alike.
Rootmaster series by Fender offers an ideal balance of practical features and sonic excellence, as evidenced by their latest model RM-500-EVO. Building upon its predecessors with increased power output and component upgrades, its front panel mixes vintage simplicity with modern technology; featuring both high and low sensitivity inputs with clean or overdriven modes available as well as frontal effects loop placement which may appeal to some sound engineers; there’s also a handy mute switch located above master dial; tone shaping section has bass, middle, treble knobs as well as switches which control different frequency ranges to manipulate frequency ranges within an EQ; all this makes for an exceptional listening experience!
Ashdown offers numerous other amplifiers in their Rootmaster series besides the RM-500-EVO, such as the RM-420T and RM-210T models that deliver familiar Ashdown tones, handling pick and fingerstyle playing comfortably and offering ample headroom for larger venues. Both models feature line inputs, three and five band equalizers as well as speaker mute switches.
For bassists seeking additional power and headroom, the ABM 600 EVO IV is an invaluable workhorse. Boasting 600W output power, its preamp section includes a 12AX7 tube that can be tailored to match individual sound preferences; additionally, this powerful solid-state beast comes equipped with 9-band EQ to tailor bass tone with precise control.
Laney
Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) and Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) both opt for Laney amps. British engineers specialize in amp design; thus providing premium quality amps suitable for bassists of any genre: from rock to blues to metal.
The Digbeth series of bass amps provides no-compromise tube amplification with modern versatility. Their XTS tone shaping provides sound variation to customize from light breakup to full-on grind; furthermore, you can tweak drive with its modern switch for scooped midrange effects.
Digbeth series’ EL34 power tube output section also makes this series unique: you can easily blend RED and BLACK tone elements to find what best suits your music style. Red represents tube preamp distortion that adds warmth to your sound while Black represents output-tube distortion that increases with increased gain. Furthermore, you have the flexibility of selecting either tube-driven power amps or solid state amplifiers, depending on your personal taste.
Digbeth series bass amplifiers combine traditional looks with an intuitive user interface with an LCD display for ease of reading and use in dim lighting conditions. Transportability is made simple thanks to a mini-jack aux input for connecting MP3 players; plus their compact size makes this an excellent practice, teaching, or rehearsal bass amplifier!
Laney’s Gig Ready features go beyond tone shaping with their XTS tone shaping system and include an LSI socket which connects your amp with any smart device and access thousands of bass and guitar tones through Tonebridge app – giving you everything you need for any live performance from small venues to huge arenas.
Hughes & Kettner
Hughes & Kettner stands out in an otherwise world-renowned German engineering scene by manufacturing gigging guitar players high-quality amplifiers that combine classic tube sound with cutting-edge technology. Established in 1984, Hughes & Kettner produces numerous models featuring this iconic sound at reasonable prices; their products also offer many innovative features to simplify setup and operation.
This amplifier features LED indicators and a push-button selector to select various modes and pre-sets. Furthermore, an auto-biasing circuit monitors output tubes for discrepancies that could compromise quality output and shuts them off if they get out of spec – an especially beneficial feature for guitarists who often change out tubes in their amps.
The TubeMeister Deluxe 40 is an all-tube sonic powerhouse capable of creating an incredible variety of iconic tube tones, from crisp cleans to growling overdrive and face-melting distortion at the touch of a button. Furthermore, this head is equipped with digital effects as well as an inbuilt Red Box cabinet simulator for added realism.
The Black Spirit 200 may look like your typical multi-effects unit, but it offers much more. Seven of its knobs serve dual purposes – controlling either amplifier settings or, when activated by pressing the FX Access button, effects. While there may not be many effects here, those included are very well voiced and versatile; setting the crunch channel’s gain to 2 o’clock produced great biting roots rock tones, while increasing gain to 10 o’clock yielded throaty lead tones suitable for heavy metal songs.
Orange
Orange amps were pioneering members of the British amp scene when first released, known for their eye-catching orange tolex finishes and vintage aesthetic. Since their introduction, however, these classic amplifiers have undergone a revival thanks to being adopted by new generations of guitar bands and with their use in small practice combos all the way up to large gigging stacks capable of shaking even the biggest venues.
All models are constructed to an exceptionally high standard using birch ply, featuring thick Celestion speakers and balanced line DI out for pedal use. Some larger amps also include a balanced line DI out, making life easier for bassists; additionally many amps offer master volume controls and preamp EQ controls with bass, mid, and treble settings to facilitate this task. Finally some larger amplifiers also come equipped with mix controls which allow users to blend overdriven sound with clean tones for an enhanced listening experience.
One of the more unusual models available today is the Rockerverb 30 Tremlord, featuring an unusual vintage-style combo cabinet from the 1950s that houses a class A valve-powered tremolo effect. This gives the amp its distinctive sound when used with effects and especially on stage; furthermore, this model comes equipped with an effects loop which enters after the trem and allows users to utilize ambient-style pedals without fear of their effects being cut by it.
Orange offers a selection of pedals to create incredible bass tones, such as the Bangeetar compression-style pedal that adds more dynamic to an amp, or Two Stroke hybrid boost to push specific frequencies that you wish to emphasize in your tone.