Are Bass Amps Still Relevant?
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- Опубліковано 27 лют 2023
- In this video, I'm asking the question: are bass amps still relevant? And the answer is...
Whether you're a beginner looking for a affordable beginner bass amp, or a seasoned bass player looking for an upgrade, bass amps are still a great option. In this video, we'll take a look at some of the best bass amp features that have become common amongst most bass amps on the market, that keeps them relevant. So if you're wondering if bass amps are still relevant, this is the video you need to watch!
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Feeling the bass is the best part about playing bass!
Amen to that brother : )
🔥🔥💯
I guess I'm the only one or maybe I'm just old School lol but I will still take my gk700rb and RBH 410 cab to most of my gigs and rock out. It has nothing to do with wanting to be louder than everyone else. I love having that low-end sound coming from that rig. It creates a stage experience that can be felt. Rock on everyone! 🎶🎵 🎸 🤘♥️
I have an identical rig, and lugging that 98lb cab (or two) is ALWAYS worth it to me
@@mattcastiglia7535 yes!! the bi-amp options on that rig is CRAZY good lol
Yes, stage volume is crucial!
I love a good massage from a couple of 15s and a 4x10...
...but when you play a big festival of stadium gig, you'll be using (or wish you were using) in ear monitors.
Especially when your bass tech has a violent case of diarrhea and you have to manage the columns of Stone Henge all on your own, on a very limited time budget.
Trust me, that guy running sound won't be giving you extra time because he understands your predicament.
That being said, small gigs with little to no PA... Bass amp all the way.
Yessir With just the pedal on live gigs, you are at the mercy of whatever sound system is provided
I just can’t imagine doing a gig without an amp pumping out the bass behind me. 4x10 forever 👍
Yup, same here.
Absolutely!!
4x10 😀
❤yup 44/10 ampeg or 4/10 thick trace w/ david eden hiway or 405 traveler..yup....
SWR 4 x 10 Goliath lll with my '76 Ampeg B25 B. Tone to die for.
In my opinion it doesn't make sense to have an amp any bigger than the one in your video. You don't need to fill a stadium with your amp any more, let the PA do the heavy lifting and use your amp as a personal monitor. There are plenty of gigs that you don't need an amp at all as long as you have a good preamp/DI and you trust the sound engineer.
This is the way! I used to run sound at a 275 cap club and bands would show up with Marshall 4x12 stacks and Ampeg 8x10 fridges, and it was absolute overkill. Guitarists only need a 1x12, and bassist only need a 2x10 or a 1x15 at 99% of gigs.
Would you believe Stanley Clarke used about 7 amps on stage,,, at the same time? Did you know he uses a Marshall guitar amp for his hi tone pickups, did you know that one of the amps drives a18 inch speaker under the stage…do you know how many amps a series 2 Alembic can drive? Do you know about the five pin stereo electronics? Music is art. Just like I don’t listen to music performance that becomes a hit and all the guy uses is his iPhone and trap beats…. I could only imagine Bootsy without amps. He runs one amp clean and put the effects on the other and plays stereo.
@@saustindavis Yeah... you must have a quiet drummer.
Well what if the venue has garbage monitoring or mains? I will still haul around my ampeg svt 4x10 cab and rack mount rig. I also have a Darkglass DI/preamp.
@@tbirdpunk acoustic or eDrums? Or both :-)
I have the GK 1x12 x earlier model about 27 #s And it totally kills it . I am always amazed when it stands out in an incredible way over the mix. It is a piece of engineering art. No pedals and standard p bass is all you need
This was a really excellent video, Travis. Thank you for taking the time to make it. 😃👍
Perhaps in my last post, I was not articulate enough? Regarding my feelings of whether Bass Amps are still relevant?
As a history making multi-major music award nominated, audio engineer and 20 year veteran broadcast engineer with NBC-TV & Radio. At the top of the heap of engineers.
I can safely say, Bass Amps are absolutely relevant! Especially those, Galleon Kruger's. Hands down. One of the best sounding. I have ever heard and/or recorded. And hey lookee here! It's got an, XLR Direct Output! And selectable pre-or post EQ. And/or limiter. And intended not, to load down the pickups. For that absolute, Crystal Clarity. They are so well known for.
So I was always impressed. When a Bass player would come into my studio with a GK in tow. I knew I was going to have a good session with this person. Because I knew. This person knew what they were listening to. And the sound they wanted to achieve.
If on the other hand you have a, 1968 Custom with a K. And it sounds like mud underneath a wet blanket. You can check that at the door. I don't want to hear that. Because if you're bass guitar amp has no frequency response above, 100 Hz a.k.a. cycles per second. Elephants and whales might dig on it? I won't, I don't. I can't. It's crap. And I derive no enjoyment from that, subsonic mud. So you can toss those old amps in the trash.
I like good transistor amps on bass guitars. Their definition exceeds others.
RamyRAD
Well done vid!! I have a 300w amp for outdoor/'big' places, I also usually use an older GK 12inch 125w for small places. They both have line out to the house system so I usually don't need to turn up past 6/10.
Still relevant brother and the on going improvements in technology with lighter and smaller builds packing same punch as your old school bigger ones make it more of a reason that no time soon will they become irrelevant. I own a 112 Aguilar cab with a tone hammer 500. It’s beautiful and like you said, I’m planning on saving to get another 112 to stack. When God permits it! Blessings to you brother and keep on jamming!
I recently picked up the smaller Boss Katana 110 bass combo amp, and I feel like it's the only amp I'll ever need. It can get surprisingly loud, has drive and compression built in (along with most effects I'd need like chorus, octaver, delay, filter env), and has a DI out that works with the cab emulation.
I use the headphone out for home practice, and with the Bluetooth features, my tablet can stream audio to it for backing tracks, playalongs, or metronome. You can also switch between presets with the mobile app and go in-depth to all the settings, which works well if you don't have a foot switch.
Unfortunately it's a bit heavy at 37lbs/17kg, which makes it less practical than a DI box for gigging. But still lighter than most huge amps and cabs people go for.
Absolutely love my MB112. I've used for small pub gigs, weddings and even big swing band gigs in big venues and never gone past 1/2 way on the volume. If it needs to be louder out front, the post DI thru the desk does all the work. Great choice sir!
Im going to keep this in mind when I get gud at bass. right now I got 7 nation army bass riff under my belt and about to branch out and explore in the garden of eden.
I was just thinking about this because everywhere I've gone lately don't allow amps, the bass has to go direct and you have to use IEM's. My little 2-10 cab and 350 watt d-class amp is more than enough whenever I get to use it.
Appreciate you Travis and what you contribute to the bass community.✌
I have a pedal and I listen through my IEMs, and that's all I need. It works and sounds great.
Yeah the Fender Rumble 500 is so incredibly good !! ❤️🔥
My first bass amp in the '80s was a 100 watt GK combo with built in compression and chorus, as well as external speaker jacks and 1/4"/balanced line levels out -- they were way ahead of their time in the tiny, light, utilitarian amp category. Then I went to giant SWR rigs in the '90s and now I'm back to a 5 lb. GK 500 Fusion head after selling off the heavier SWR rack stuff. And the circle of gear life continues.
I've never heard a PA that sounds better than my bass amp. The bars I play are small enough I let my bass rig carry the sound. We mostly just use the PA for vocals
If the pa doesnt sound any good / no subs. Let that shit rip. If u play a large room or something tho, let those floor 15s do their thing
Exactly. Oldschool. You're in charge of your sound too
I've played so many different rigs and gig set-ups over the years, I'm happy with my Ampeg Scrambler Di and for small clubs I have a 1000 watt powered speaker I play that through. Gone are the days for me lugging a 8x8 and a 500 watt head up and down stairs! But plugging into a sound system with subwoofers is ideal. 👍😁
My bass rig has not left my house since I played a large conference back in 2018! Every gig I seem to do now is either at a church with an in-ear monitoring system or in a studio. Most of the time I use a Line6 HX Stomp for amp sounds and effects, I also have a Tech21 Programmable SansAmp for when I want to go quick and simple. I have to say that I really don't miss lugging a big amp around, and I think if I ever do start needing an amp again I will probably look into that GK and other small but mighty bass amps.
Travis. Been watching your videos for a while. Nobody's amp is going to sound like yours, you're phenomenal.
I love feeling the bass. I’m using my recently purchased fender bassman 800 that is a hybrid with two 12ax7 tubes on the preamp and D power. Along with the fender 410 cab. That more than you’ll ever need and I’m happy with it.
As I indicated on your IG, I bought the GK 115 Microbass, in 2001. 150 Watts of pure power. I bought the extension in 2013. Rarely need the extension. I did plug the main amp into a Hartke 4x10 cab a church had, during a service. Boomin'! And I mean boomin'! One thing I love about the Microbass is that it is real portable! Oh, last year, I bought the Ampeg DI Box, just in case any amps, period, are not allowed!
I'm an ampless bass player, but I do own a fender amp. I think the points you made about powering other amps and portability are interesting, but in my application (church, small gigs) it's easier to show up to a venue with my pedalboard and be ready to go in 3 minutes. I think if you're running IEM's, there's no need for amps because the FOH will be supplying the sound to the subs and it's basically only being used for stage volume. There's no need for stage volume unless your IEM's fail and you will need a backup to getting sound output volume when stage wedges aren't present. Most modern bands use IEM's and therefore I think the amps are going the way of vinyl records, which are super cool to listen to but kind of cumbersome when you need to change a song or in this case move the amp around.
I’ve been debating this very issue for the last year. Like you I have a small rig ( Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 and an upgraded Genz-Benz Focus 1-12), love it! But, lately I’ve been taking my Tech 21 VT Deluxe Pedal, which can save six presets, allow two basses to plug in, and the best, phantom power (no external power source needed!) I have found that I should first always check the quality of the PA/monitor system being used. If it’s a great system, the VT Deluxe gets used. Average to poor, I bring my amp rig. So I think that depending on the situation you are heading into, both are still relevant.
Yes, amps are, but i was brought up in the era where these pedals were'nt available so it was amp [and speaker cab] or nothing so you younger guys are very lucky to have all this new stuff. i had the peavey mega bass set up and it was brilliant, it was relatively small to take to gigs and i could use it for practice, but what i really admired about it, which really suprised me in relation to your comment regarding effects, is that the only built in effect that it had was a chorus pedal which i think is one of the most essential effect you can have and it was the most delightful chorus i've ever used. i've stil got a lot to learn with regardds to things i can get/do with bass as i have just recently gone back to playing purely for my own pleasure, cant wait to see what tricks i can get to enhance by "pathetic" bass playing😂 thanks for your content keep it coming.
Started playing bass in the late 60’s. First real amp was a Kustom with 2 15” JBL’s. Only 100 watts per channel but really cool for the time being 17 years old on stage with this amp.
Whoa, you weren’t kidding about that one being expensive. I’ve bought and built all sizes of cabs, but right now I’m just rocking a little Phil Jones 4x5” and love it. I can’t imagine needing much more, but could always aim an ext cab at the drummer.
About 8 years ago i bought the Markbass 112 combo and the 112 ext cab. Great Tone Light and Loud .
Playing through an amp is much more fun and exciting than just a pre-amp / IEMs...but I totally understand the house sound advantage of a no amp stage. I prefer an amp but most of the time it's not up to me and you just gotta roll with what the gig calls for. I'm always glad when I don't have to haul a bunch of gear around though too!
I am definitely an amp dude. I have a big amp (Carvin BRX Series) and a variety of smaller cabs that I run with my Mark Bass Mini Mark III. My combo is the cool Behringer 4500. I shock players with that one. The boom is enormous and they are surprised when they see what it's coming from. Rock on, brothers! 👌🏾
I like your style brother.
I have a few amps that I use for different situations; a 1-10 combo for small places, and GK neo 2-12 cabs for larger places. SansAmp Bass Driver /DI is awesome and I recommend it for both amps and DI situations. Good video.
I use two SansAmp DIs: the BassDriver for clean Full Range and the ParaDriver for more of a Geddy Lee Overdrive.
I’ve got a Behringer DI …it’s a nice cheaper version of Sansamp
Impossible to stop the amps … I’m a many years GK user and can’t live without it …
I love my Genz Benz ML 200 amp , it makes my basses sound huge , it's only 200 watts but sounds great coming thru the sound system, my Genzler MG 800W amp and Aguilar cabinet makes me very happy. Both have direct outlets.!!
I love my GK 200MB. Picked up used. It’s older than me and is a beast!
I use the bassrig for church. Basically the same thing as a solid amp but redundant with a great amp eq.
Gk was my go to but l'm in a markbass phase right now. Initially l didn't like mb but something clicked a few years ago and l figured out how to dial in a markbass head. I'd like to have both gk and mb but l aint rich. So l usually run a ag1000 thru a 210 or 115 or both, and sometimes another band will have a mb104 cab. The ag1000 with the 410 mb cab is awesome. If they run it thru the house, the mb di and level control to the mixer is very useful. So for a warm tone that can get modern its markbass for me. For a modern tone that can be warmed up. Gk.
Thanks for a great informational video!
yes... yes they are for me. I don't care how big the pa is, a floor wedge is not a bass amp and not designed to be one. Not a fan of IEM's but they can work okay if you okay with that headphones no low end sound. For me part of the point is to feel it and when that's gone and guitar amps are screaming on stage while acoustic drums are booming in your ears, you're just tinking on some strings representing low end pretending to be bass.
I dont gig without my amp. I love to feel some power behind me. And to gig through some crappy 12 inch PA speakers makes the bass sound awful in my opinion
short answer, yes they are. best combination is in ear monitor+bass amp. i prefer and i use 4x10 or 6x10 cabin with EBS REIDMAR 752
Im LOVING my tech21 stack and dont use anything else. I may eventually switch, but i cant help but love having an amp everyone can feel especially when places dont have a good sound tech or DI.
Still relevant! I’m actually getting the Fusion 212 combo today… 😎🎸
Amps! I love amps! Nothing shameful about being a purist. I used to lug around a Leslie for my keyboards! Late 70's, 80's . I played my '63 Fender Jazz on a Fender Bassman, mic it. But I also love the smaller amps that have quality sounds and can jam a place. I'm 61, female, and play praise and worship, country/ western, love southern rock and of vourse, Tejano. Love your channel!
I always use my Aguilar 1x12 and db 680 pre for live or studio dates. The DI from the pre sounds great but I think not bringing your own rig is leaving you at the mercy of the back line. Who knows how well it’s been maintained? When I started out 30 years ago used to haul around 1 or 2 4x10s but nowadays I think that’s overkill. I’d much rather keep the stage volume down anyhow and and let the PA do the heavy lifting. Great video!
Yes - I’ve been looking for a tiny amp with a built-in compressor as that’s the only “effect” I use
I play an Ampeg RB-12 and it's incredible! Plus it weighs 75 bazillion pounds less than my 1972 SVT and Carvin stack did. After lugging that rig around for 40 years my old muscles can't deal anymore. And you're right ... they don't need to.
Thumbs up on your vid. I'm old... and retired from playing (other than around the house). I'd say that an amp is still necessary, especially if rehearsal with a band is part of the situation. Looking at your vid, the new features are great! On the other hand, if you're touring and playing in medium/large venues, a house DI and small(ish) amp is fine... the house is listening to the mains, and I'm hearing monitors. Rehearsals are working out new material during soundcheck, so having a large, heavy bass rig to practice with is kind of an obsolete process IMO (even with roadies). I've owned or played through many different kinds of amps, from my first rig, a Fender Bassman 100 when I was a kid in the early 70s, to SVT, Acoustic 360, to Peavy solid state rigs, to sweet David Eden and SWR tops on different cabinets, and I had one of the 1x15 GK wedge combos for side projects. ....oh, and the horrible, noisy Trace Elliot rigs the French always supplied for back line. I eventually learned that pushing my personal gear ended up with me paying for repairs, from the amps to blown speakers. I kept my stage volume down, played cheap Peavey amps which never broke, and had my bass, kick, and rhythm guitar as the prominent sounds in my monitors, with enough mixed into side fills on my side of the stage. ...as for playing around the house, I simply use a Kramer Ferrington acoustic/electric bass so I can hear it, although I keep a small combo in the closet. I still use mini guitar amps for other electric instruments, for tone shaping and effects. Thanks for your great video, it's full of vital information.
I think it really depends on what you are doing as to whether you need one. A small amp under 50lbs and 100 - 300 watts is what works for me now. I like to practice out load. I find headphones irritating and only wear them when I need to, (like when the rest of the family is sleeping).
I can't tell you the last time I used a amp. I now run a Zoom B6 with Headrush monitor. Before that it was a Line 6 Bass POD. But the Headrush was just for that little bit of feeling since everything is in ears.
I only use my amp for close range monitoring. I use an EBS Reidmar 502 and a 112 cab. Sounds great, Di works great, almost too long to our stage volume low but I t😊hunk it’s way better than relying on the PA. I tried for awh😊Ike and I felt extremely disconnected from my sound. Switched back to amp recently and it feels much better.
I do understand both sides of the debate. For those who’d rather travel light, use a DI, run straight to FOH, use IEMs, eliminate traveling with speaker cabs, more power to ya, if that’s what turns you on.
Me…. I have a truck and I load up and take gear to EVERY gig, and I play EVERY weekend.
I have a GK 4-12 cab, an AMPEG 4-10 cab, an AMPEG 1-15 cab, and a little BEHRINGER 2-10 cab I typically use at home for practice along with a GK BACKLINE 600.
My GK BACKLINE 600 I use mostly for home practice, although it and the little BEHRINGER 2-10 cab are very useful in most small venues I play, and I HAVE used them for smaller venues, and yes they performed flawlessly and exceeded my expectations.
I have a CROWN 1500 watt power amp I use to run a tech 21 Sansamp preamp, and two CARVIN B2000 (2000 watt) bass heads which I ABSOLUTELY LOVE and will never get rid of. They are my FAVORITE bass head of all time, and no longer manufactured by CARVIN.
All my amps, power amps, and preamp, with the exception of the BACKLINE 600, are mounted in road-ready racks, and I choose by venture size, indoor and outdoor, what gear suits me each gig. We also use IEMs, but I still like gear on stage.
I like gear on stage at my ready. I LIKE to FEEL the floor rumble with low end while I play. And, if we set up at a venue with no stage, and a concrete floor, I have a small wooden pallet I take, and place my speaker cab on it, to get it off the concrete floor and on some grounding, resonating wood.
I’m ALWAYS overpowered, and ALWAYS ready for any situation, HOWEVER….. I NEVER….. NEVER play louder than necessary for my band’s needs, and NEVER create a volume war or power struggle with my bandmates. It’s NOT professional, and I’d never do ANYTHING detrimental to the integrity of my band or myself.
Bottom line is, YES, you can get away with less, and still perform as needed. However, I personally LOVE my gear, love having it on stage with me, and I personally will NEVER treat bass gear, amps, heads, cabinets, as irrelevant.
I’m 56 years old, have been through hell and back. I’ve been blown-up, shot, stabbed, run over, beat on, but I keep in good shape.
Maybe someday I’ll have to succumb to loading and lugging “GEAR,” and travel light…. however, while I still can, I’m taking it with me…… OLD SCHOOL!
From DI Pedals to big monster stacks,they’re all relevant depending on your needs and uses,I’ve only ever played in Rock Bands and trust me a 1x12 ain’t gonna cut it😂
Thanks for the video. Nice commentary!
Still need to research your work at the end of the day, so what you mentioned in this video is on point 🔥✨☮️
Amps are still going to be around, but I've kind of changed how I use the amp I take with me most of the time. But I do see a lot of advantages of using a DI like a "SansAmp" Bass DI for a lot of the stuff I am doing.
I have 3 amps, an Accoustic 200 Watt (2 15inch speakers), a Fender Rumble 30 and a Roland Cube Bass amp (4 2-inch speakers). I primarily take the Rumble with me and it becomes my bass monitor, though I will use it as my amp in small rooms. I have gone to going through a DI to the board most of the time and use an in-ear system when I can.
But for bigger rooms, I will take the big amp with me and use that, even in conjunction with going to the sound board. I like it because of it's larger tone control on the middle and low end.
I use the Rumble as my practice amp, with an input from my computer for playing what I am working on and then headphones so I don't bother the others in the house.
I agree with you about being a bit of a purist about things, but I also keep up with some of the trends.
Thanks, Travis!
Travis always giving honest great advice ❤
In my situation, the answer is yes. I have no PA support in most places I play, so I have to provide the sound the audience hears.
... so you pump your sound from on-stage into the audience? How do you know what it sounds like from the perspective of the audience? What about issues like your bass clashing with the kick drum - are those things you care about? I suppose everyone else in the band also just blasts their sound from on-stage into the audience... My goodness!
@@busterfoxx unfortunately, yeah. We don’t have enough money for subs and a higher quality FOH, so we just use the PA for vocal. I use my wireless to walk out during soundcheck and then make tweaks as necessary. *shrug*
Travis - your bass sounds awesome! I really do think that the sound you’re getting starts from where the sound of your strings gets picked up - the pickups! What kind do you have in dat bass? Great channel! :)
Tone starts in the hands
I have a 12" and a 15" Markbass and they are remarkable. The 15" is a monster. I use the 12" on most gigs because it really cuts though. I have a friend who uses two of the 12inchers with one for amp each pickup.
I absolutely agree with you about using a bass amp to feel it in a live situation especially as I play guitar. I want to feel it as well especially since I want to feed off the groove and rhythm of them along with the drummer.
The Fender Rumble 40 that you linked is good for a music room or small practice area but doesn’t cut it on a church stage playing live. I run a Rumble 500 that has 2 12” speakers that sounds terrific and pushes more than enough sound for medium to large church buildings.
Your GK sounds incredible and as per usual, your playing is superb.
Do you not run the bass into the PA?
If the pa lacks power, your bass is going to sound thin, it's lovely to have a speaker that actually punches and cuts through the mix on stage
I can't speak for doing large venue PA stuff as I've never done anything like that professionally. However, each and every component in your rig adds character and tone, even the drivers in your speaker enclosure. Just like a guitarist chases tone, bass does that too with amps, though its not as pronounced when in a mix or band. But in a small room or practice space with others, I'll take the designed bass speaker over the in house PA monitors.
I use a Carvin BX 500 head with compression from the head into a Trace Elliot Elf 2x8 cab. It's really a cool combination and I have other musicians scratch thier heads and the clarity and volume the cabinet produces. I have all kinds of bass cabs. They are not being used anymore. The last gig I did with the Elf 2x8 was outside, big stage , big event , and I honestly probably didnt need to go through House Pa to keep up with 3 guitarist and a loud drummer.
I've been using the Line 6 Bass Driver DI since it came out. I plugged it into the effects return of my GK amp or a QSC power amp for large gigs and send my signal to the board . No mikes required. I need to feel the moving air. Although I once tried one of those plywood decks that have a drum shaker unit mounted to it. Standing on that felt surprisingly real with very low stage volume. The drawback is you can't move around. They work really well in the studio as well. Anyway ,the Bass Driver DI is still unsurpassed as a preamp.
Depends for me. Do I have PA support? If they have a good sound system and are normally having bassists run direct, I just take a DI. If there's a question, I carry my amp. Basically same setup... single 12 Markbass combo (small gigs) with a matching extension (larger gigs) just in case.
I was using a rack mount Sansamp as a preamp for my live rig long before most people.
Live sound engineers loved me, because it eliminated any need for a direct box.
I just ran a line out directly from my Sansamp straight into the board and the engineer had all the tone he could want.
And minus my cab's individual coloration, had the same tone coming out of my Amp.
I'm at a point in my amp journey where I'm tempted to aby a pair of cheap fender champion 20's. Side by side they could clone a twin reverb. But one could also move them apart and do ANYTHING with the individual effects and voices on each side.
While I do have several bass amps for various applications, I use IEM's most of the time, I'll DI whenever I can. Good sound guys know their venues better then I do. So I could care less if I have an amp on stage or not.
very useful tips, i have a fender rumble amp, its a 1x25 kinda reminds me of that one. it has the aux input and plays the aux audio and my bass at the same time which is great. also has the overdrive (kinda fuzzy and good for rock/metal) and something called contour which gives is a rich sound. i wanna check out that pedal though, bass amps def relevant though
Yes bass amp are still relevant because most situations don’t have a decent PA system or subwoofers to project the low end
Last night I played through an Aguilar amp with a 4x10" box, it sounded amazing. Typically though I use the Alembic F-1X pre and IEM and go through FOH directly and that works well. I guess it's depending on what you require for any particular gig. I use a GK MB110 combo for rehearsals and practice and that works fine for that purpose. Yes, amps are still relevant but you don't need those massive cabs and amps to get a good sound these days.
I am an intentionally carfree musician, so I love situations when I don't need to bring an amp! I do have one though, largely because I play a lot of smaller jazz gigs which tend to be in places that don't have a house sound system (bars, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.). I feel similarly to how you do about the GK; my Markbass CMD121P sounds great and gives me all the volume I could realistically need, even for say an outdoor gig with no PA. But anywhere there's house sound, I really like running my $40 Behringer BDI21 through the system and sounding great!
I picked up an old Peavey Microbass amp, and honestly it’s all I’ll need. GRANTED - I am primarily a guitarist, but I can’t not have an amp, I hate playing 100% direct, and bass into a guitar amp is Missing a smoothness in the low mids that a bass amp has
However, the ideal situation for me, is a hybrid situation - a good DI for house sound, and then a small amp for stage sound/monitoring! I do that whenever I can, because the HX Stomp is a KILLER live solution. I might upgrade to a bigger helix, but the stomp is a full gig rig in & of itself
Thanks for the video
I have all kinds of bass amps and I guess it’s about the relationship between the bass the amp and the player sometimes the combinations are plentiful
I agree! Definitely still relevant!
I switched to a sansamp a while ago, and the actual amp is chiefly for monitoring so I don’t use anything big.
I know some people swear by their ampegs and what have you, but I think pairing a ss amp with a good preamp pedal can save you a lot of backache while providing a consistent, workable sound.
I play in a metal /hardcore band. It 100% makes sense for me to us a 500w amp with a 410 cab. I also run di out of my maxed out sans amp.
There are different types of gigging musicians. For me I love the feel of a loud cab behind me.
i am always pluggin my bass raw, no pedals, no nothing. never failed me. PA and the sound guys always got me.
did a gig last week where I didn’t use an amp or cab and just used a sansamp tech driver di. The tone was great and I could hear everything through the monitors. Think I’ll be using this setup for a while now…
I just got 2 new amps. Fender rumble, and Ampeg Scrambler. They both are great. I run a Di Eden also to for FOH
Of course, they are; nothing like hearing and feeling the sound of my Ampeg V4BH with the 4x10 cab when my 3 piece band cranks up to jam. That's what rock is. Sheesh.
Nice playing. More of you playing, please.
You can’t beat a good little bass combo. The clue is in the name. Matching amp to speaker. The oldies are the best. Fenders, older Peaveys, they have a matched round sound that’s totally reliable. I’ve never owned a big cabinet, if I can’t carry it by myself it’s too big!
Absolutely, bass amps remain crucial in many contexts, especially live performances where they contribute significantly to the overall sound and presence of the bass guitar.
But
Using a DI (Direct Input) alongside my bass guitar allows me to connect directly to the sound system, ensuring a clean and consistent signal, which is particularly handy for weddings and private parties where space and setup time may be limited.
For smaller club gigs, I use the Markbass Cmd121 Combo which provides a compact yet powerful solution, offering both portability and enough volume to fill the venue without sacrificing tone quality. I usually add a New York 122 2x12 Cabinet for larger clubs, creating a 3x12 stack that can handle larger stages and louder environments with ease.
I think a reliable amplifier is still invaluable especially for small gigs where PA or production may be small or non existent. A good amp can provide enough low end for most small clubs/venues in The US. Even the new boss katana 210 is loud enough to play with drums and guitars and could prevent having to have subs with the PA. The country cover band i currently play with does this often for smaller venues where we do t take the full PA rig. It works great.
Our band runs IEMs with wireless battery packs. If my batteries die mid-song, I'm sure glad to have my amp as a backup and also providing some lows on stage.
My first bass amp was an EMC 1970's, 2 18 inches cabs, 400 watts each, talk about heavy !!!!!
Now, I'm a fan of 10 inches combos.A 25 watt 190 inches is enough for practice.
I use to use a SWR Henry The 8th 8x8 115 pound cabinet that was massive both in sound and size. It was a real ball buster for gigs along with a 45 pound Hartke power amp. The sound was incredible and it really made you feel like you were about to experience an earthquake but after lugging that beast around I grew tired of having to hoist that rig. I since down sized my equipment to a 40 pound Schroeder PL 2x12 and a 2 pound Eich T-500 amp that I can fit into my bass gig bag. For small to medium size gigs I also have a Fender 8" Rumble that moves a lot of air for a combo amp. So to answer your question IMHO I feel the large rig days are a thing of the past. You can do so much more with less size and weight these days plus the fact that you can let the PA guy do the rest if need be.
@Official_Travis_Dykes How do I get my prize?
They are definitely still relevant in the metal world. It's hard to keep up with a guitarist running a ts9 into a100 watt tube amp through a full stack. I play a pretty wide range of venue sizes as well so it is nice to have a large rig that can handle any stage environment. I have a hard time imagining playing a show with just DI. They would need to be blasting the stage monitors in my face for me to even stand a chance.
It doesn't really matter at the end of the day, this guy can barely play his bass during demo videos and has the opinion of a tween that just found out about modeling amps but has yet to look up the price point.
On top of that he obviously has never played a gig in his life because unless you bring your own sound guy, the house sound guy has NO IDEA what your specific bass tone is so they will make it how they like a bass to sound.
Give me my SVT-AV, 8x10 and 18" Black Widow or its not even worth showing up for the gig.
Plus when have you ever heard your bass through the stage wedges at a gig you didn't headline!
I think bass amps definitely are still relevant ,and thats because the big companies have been keeping up with the times. I think competition between companies is also great for the consumer (me)! As long as we are willing to buy it, they will build it! lol
I have the same bass amp but mine is the 210 version. Best amp. You should make a video of how you set it up!
amps will always be relevant IMHO. i do think they're definitely LESS relevant for live gigs as IEMs and killer DI boxes have gotten way more popular. it seemed as soon as i got my AG DB751 with 212 cab in matching tweed, this no amp trend started.... LOL!!! never getting rid of it though, it's too sexy! current live rig starts with Tone Hammer 500 and i'll bring along 1 or 2 of my SL112s depending on size of venue and instrumentation . i love that the Tone Hammer can just run as a DI box if needed. that's my 2 cents.
Yes. They are relevant. I use a small amp+1x2 cab for home practice and hugely prefer that instead of headphones. When practicing with a band with an acoustic rock drummer, a powerful amp is essential, and even on stage in smaller venues with small, basic PAs, having a bass amp as a stage monitor is important.
I use a di out of a small class d amp in our studio when we record practice and jam sessions. I always think it sounds great until i plug in my ole hartke and am always blown away how much better it sounds.
Another nice video! Thank you for your advices. I would like to add some of my humble thoughts if possible 🤗
Buy a good amp / cabs and a good mic if you have enough money and combine the DI signal with the miked signal properly. (Watch out for the phase issues)
You will get a great sound.
Always experiment with your pedals, effects processors, other mics etc.
Or buy a small but versatile amp for your own monitoring purposes (which is also a cool thing to do)
⚠ BUT ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR THE SMALLEST SETUPS AND WORST CASE SCENARIOS ! ⚠
+ The most important thing is the pickups & onboard preamp combination of the bass guitar. (On some cases you might be forced to play only with your bass directly to a low quality DI-Box. And some stupid sound guy may turn your life to a living hell.)
+ The second important thing is your preamp, pedals, DI and their weight. Be prepared for the worst. You might have to carry everything by yourself by walking to a big venue in a very crowded big city on a cold rainy national holiday where everyone is celebrating something and there are no taxis, no moving public transport and nowhere to park your car after 2,5 hours drive from one end to another.
+ And buy the best in-ear headphones you can buy that is suitable for the bass guitar without losing the clarity of the singer. Always request a remote modem controlled sound system where you can connect with your phone and setup your own monitoring levels by yourself without needing anyone else.
All the best 😉
From doing sound and playing bass. I always preferr going bass>pedals>DI split to amp on stage and PA. AMP on stage should be loud enough for stage use with a bit of bass out the fold back. Then the sound guy can controll what's coming out of the main PA.
In my opinion, at a Gig, feeling the low end whilst you play is crucial,
I play my Rickenbacker Bass like a Guitar, Almost Royal Blood esque, using octaves pedals and drives with a Wah. I need to know that I am still putting the low end out when I hit a solo or move onto the high end
Hey Travis! Thanks for the informative video! I am a beginner and have a Qn for you. When you say that we could connect more cabinets if required to a Bass combo (through the Direct Out), will those additional cabinet(s) require a Head too? Would appreciate your feedback on this.
I haven’t made “appropriate” use of my 4x10 540w cab in a couple decades, but I’ll never get rid of it for a couple reasons: 1) It’s awesome in every way, 2) If I’m ever in a situation where there’s an acoustic drum set but no PA, I’m golden with the 4x10s.
Otherwise I use an orange crush 50 so I can play in different rooms in my house.
I generally use light modern combos myself ; ampeg rb115, gk mb150E, or rumble 210 neo...but...I also have a tech 21 bass fly rig that's killer w/ house sound or powered speakers.
old school here, GK RB 800 and two 4x10 Hartke cabs, or my big rig with is two Ampeg svt th amps with two Trace Elliots single 15 each.
Used to use a huge Acoustic rig with those 406 double 15 cabs.... sorry but that made some serious earthshaking deep bass !!
I have a tiny Phil Jones Cab 27 and a Markbass Little Marcus 250 head and it sounds huge. Would never think to not use an amp because I've always looked at an amp as an instrument itself .
I'm a beginner bedroom bass player and I have an Ampeg BA108 V2 combo but just got a Darkglass Element so thinking of selling my combo amp since I don't play out and I found better tones out of the Element with the cabsim. My current bedroom rig is 50 Watt IKM Micro Monitors > DG Element > SA Bass Driver DI V1 > TCE Spectra Comp > Tuner.
Bro! So this is what I have been looking for. My question is did you come out pre or post eq out of you bass amp. My guess is you came out post eq and that’s why it sounds killer ….Everyone I talk to says come out pre eq but my ear tells me coming out post eq sounds way better. If I have learned anything during my music life is trust your ear 👂