Describe your "practice amp" (if you have one)

[73 P Bass]

At the momment, SWR 350 into an Avatar 210. I also have a Tronix 10w hidden behind my chair in the living room.

For the rehearsals I plug the SWR 350 into a Goliath Jr.III.

For the Real Deal , if we ever get a gig, it'll be the SWR 350, and both 210's.

In the past though, going into headphones from a Boss GT6B worked great.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

you people must have more money for gear than i do. well, i guess i sold my previous only amp, a carvin PB300C in order to buy a drum kit.

 

right now i'm borrowing a GK 400RB to power my HT-112. i also swiped the classic 400 from the lab. i'll be taking pictures of both rigs for the general amusement of bassdom.

 

hey, when my main rig is a 112 that weighs 39 pounds, who needs a practice amp? just turn down the volume. but if i were to buy a combo, i think it would be the nemesis 210 combo. really sweet.

 

robb.

[57pbass]

I use the GK MB150e for a practice amp and for rehearsals. For late night practice I turn off the speaker on the GK and use headphone jack.

[SteveC]

Well, I used to have an SWR WM10 that I used for practice. Then I decided that my "gig" amp was just being wasted. Besides, my "gig" amp is small anyway - 2 space rack (SWR Grand Prix and Stewart World 1.2 Power amp) and a Bergantino HT112 cab.

 

Great sounding practice amp.

[lowfreq]

1)Pandoras PX3B and headphones upstairs

 

2)Peavey Minx 110 for practicing downstairs with the volume turned up, my girlfriend adds some vocals, funny though they are never the tune I'm playing, usually off key, but always the same. Turn that @$#%^&* thing down, then I go back upstairs

[Rick Hoffman]

Originally posted by Wonderdog:

When I was learning a lot of tunes by ear, my long-time favorite practice amp was...

 

a Realistic (read Radio Shack) boom box.

 

It had an input through which I could run my bass and have it come out the speakers of the boom box right with whatever song I was learning. I could adjust my mix in with my bass volume control. It was somehow extremely helpful to have both sounds coming from the same set of speakers. When I had mastered a song I melted right in to it like I was "on the radio".

 

Kind of silly, but did it ever work well for me. I wish I knew where that thing ended up...

Heyyyyy I had a similar set-up when I first started playing, only I would splice the cable from the stereo to accept a bass cable, then plug in n play. It was regular home stereo system, with big speakers n all...it had a record player too. I would grab my old man's zep LP's when I was in grade school and pretend to be JPJ. And my parents would even let me play loud till 10pm.

Now...I practice with a Fender Squier stringed with dean markey skullbusters, thru a Hartke B600 15 inch amp, 60 watts. I find this set up to be both versatile in sound and good for acoustic jams. My main gear stays at the rehearsal space, though.

I would suggest that if you are looking to get a new practice set-up, look beyond the practice only function. I love the Hartke and the tone it produces though, and I would recommend this amp any day. I think I paid around $350 for it.

[Basshappi]

Ampeg BA115HP combo, 200 watts 1x15. Great sounds and features.

 

I forgot to mention that I also use a

Pocket-Rockit bass headphone amplifier.I run a patch cord from my Walkman CD into it. It has a cool fuzz setting as well as regular and 'bright' settings.It's a handy little device.

[Mighty_Metal_Warlord]

I know I posted about this in another thread last night but I'm sorta keen to get some feedback...

 

I've looked at (and played through)a Behringer Ultrabass BX1200 (120W, 15" speaker) amp. Before plugging in I was sceptical but after playing through it and toying with the knobs I really liked the sound - most especially for slap.... true, I'm not sure that the sound is much better than "average" for fingerstyle playing. I'm thinking of this as an amp for rehearsals should I get into a band (I'm on a tight budget) and for gigs if my band were to get any. I'm told for gigs there is no problem because you go through the PA. For rehearsals if the drummer is loud you might have to stand right up near the speaker to hear yourself. Does anyone have experience with this amp - do you agree? Is it true that pushing a small amp like that will "burn it out" quickly?

 

I've only just gotten some money together lately, still with some to save, and so have only just considered this whole thing as being possible. Today I checked online for combo amps of similar wattage in a similar price range - as best I can tell from converting US prices to Australian. Following is some of what I found - I'd love opinions on the pros and cons of any of these... and even of amps in this sort've price/power range.

 

Ampeg BA115, 100W, 15" speaker.

 

Crate BX100, 100W, 15" speaker.

 

Fender Rumble 100, 100W, 15" speaker.

 

Gallien Krueger Backline 112, 100W, 12" speaker.

 

Gallien Krueger Backline 115, 125W, 15" speaker.

 

Ibanez SW100, 100W, 15" speaker.

 

Rogue RB-120BT, 120W, 15" speaker.

 

SWR LA15 Bass Combo, 100W, 15" speaker.

 

Yorkville Bassmaster XM100, 100W, 15" speaker.

 

Yorkville Bassmaster XM200, 200W, 15" speaker.

 

I'd really appreciate opinions/advice on these as the music shops in my area do not offer a large range and I may have to travel long distances in different directions to try many of these out... I still want to check out a good range of amps but just cut out any unnessary travelling whilst doing so, if possible.

 

Thanks.

[61Pbass]

At home I practice through my Super Redhead. I'm lucky enough to have a relatively soundproof, dedicated music room...

 

On the road I use a little (about the size of a Rockman) no-name battery powered headphone amp I picked up in a pawn shop for ten bucks about 15 years ago.

[DWBass]

I have 2 practice amps. One is a SWR LA-12 60 watts. The other is an old Peavey TNT130 130 watts.

[Chito]

A Kustom 65 watt. 12" speaker, effects, direct out if I need to go to the PA, and effects. I'm very happy with it.

[Tom Capasso]

Originally posted by Mighty_Metal_Warlord:

......Following is some of what I found - I'd love opinions on the pros and cons of any of these...

I haven't played all of these. From the ones I've played and the what I've heard, I'd narrow the list to what I have below. That doesn't mean the other ones are bad....

 

Ampeg BA115, 100W, 15" speaker.

Crate BX100, 100W, 15" speaker.

Gallien Krueger Backline 112, 100W, 12" speaker.

Gallien Krueger Backline 115, 125W, 15" speaker.

Yorkville Bassmaster XM100, 100W, 15" speaker.

Yorkville Bassmaster XM200, 200W, 15" speaker.

 

Some on your list are two models by the same manufacturer. Where possible, pick the bigger - the two reasons two consider are price (if you have neough money) and portability.

 

Tom

[Russfingers]

I use a GK micro 150-26lbs.I also have the extension cab -12lbs,-which brings the watts to 150(90 w/internal)Total wt=36lbs.One trip.I also have two padded gig bags from GK and they come with straps.This rig kicks.I use a passive P bass.The sound is rich and loud enough.Smaller is better.

[bassdrummer]

I just received my Yorkville XM50 and it is sweet! Lightweight but loud, with great full, warm, thick tone. I ran my V-Drums through it and was happy with the sound (though I did have to tweak the snare sounds a bit) with the high boost EQ knob turned to 10. I will try it out with a full band rehearsal on Thursday night at my church (I won't be on bass, I'll be on drums) to see if it'll hold its own. I would definitely recommend this little guy!

[mcbn]

Hmmm....

 

Practice amp.

 

GenzBenz TranzAmp B20

---20 watt, handles low C & B well

 

SansAmp BDDI into home stereo

---Couple hundred watts off my receiver

 

Rehearsal rig.

 

SansAmp into power amp into Avatar 2x10

 

Or I drag my Peavey Firebass and run the Avatar off that

[Wonderdog]

Well, I don't want to get pegged as "that dude who's sponsored by Radio Shack", but just this week I found myself gearing up for practice with Realistic's finest - AGAIN.

 

I took my whole rig (GK1001RB-II and 2 410SBX cabs) to rehearsal house, and didn't want to get in the habit of lugging a cab back and forth, so I left the whole rig. I went downstairs when I got home to look for something to practice and learn tunes with. What was in the corner behind the mini Marshall, the 2 or 3 cheapo guitar amps, the drum kit, old bass cabs and amps, the various guitars still there from previous get togethers, etc.,? A Realistic 4 channel 100w mixer/amp with a 1x15 Realistic cabinet with horn that my mom gave me about 2 years ago when she got herself new equipment for the line dancing she teaches senior citizens.

 

I hauled it upstairs (total weight maybe 20 lbs), plugged it in, and started in with the 5 string. Damn, what a nice clean, quiet, light, cheap little practice rig. The best part is, with the mixer I can run the music I'm learning by ear right through the same 15" cab and hear myself mixed right in with the band. As I said in my previous post, that is something that totally helps me pick up tunes more quickly because I'm "in the band" when I nail my parts.

 

I hope "the Shack" never comes out with a 1000w head and 8x10 cab - I don't know if I'll be able to resist...

 

Wonderdog

[alexclaber]

Originally posted by Wonderdog:

"that dude who's sponsored by Radio Shack...

Don't ever move to the UK then! Radio Shack (called Tandy over here) closed all their stores in the last few years. We do have Maplin though to make up for that strange electrical hole.

 

Aha! Car Phone Warehouse bought the stores and name and closed them down.

 

Alex

[alexclaber]

And my 'practice' amp - actually, it's my only amp: SWR GP/QSC PLX/Acme B2 . Overkill, moi? Non, une taille adapte tous.

 

Alex

[A McLeod III]

I use a 95 Yorkville KB100 keyboard amp with a 15 in it. Very rich, almost processed sound with either passive basses or the active basses I have. Very portable as well. I have actually tracked some very decent studio sounds on it as well. Give it a listen at

 

The Sounds of Musically Mr M. Click on the link to "Slim Goody"

[bassdrummer]

Originally posted by bassdrummer:

I will try it out with a full band rehearsal on Thursday night at my church (I won't be on bass, I'll be on drums) to see if it'll hold its own. I would definitely recommend this little guy!

Unbelievable. Sounded great with the whole band playing. No one could believe the quality and volume of this little Yorkville XM50. We had drums, acoustic guitar (through the PA), electric guitar (through a Vox Valvetronix, 60 watt, 1x12" combo) and 5 vocalists -- and the bass amp held its own fabulously. After rehearsal the electric guitarist, who had come in late and hadn't noticed the amp, was shocked when I told him that's what the bass player was using (remember, I was on drums/vocals that night, not bass). He said he thought it was coming through our Carvin bass rig off to the side somewhere where he couldn't see it. (We have a Carvin RL610 stack, but the head is in the shop.) I asked the bass player if he could hear himself, and he said it was great. He described the sound as "focused".

 

Now granted, this was in our church where the acoustics are very "live." And I'm a drummer who plays very sensitively in that building. But nevertheless, Yorkville advertises the XM50 as an amp that pros could use as a stage monitor and feed out through the XLR balanced output to the PA. I think it would work for that, even in a louder situation.

 

Anyway, there's my review. Check it out!