# guitar / bass amps?



## fingerfeller (Mar 29, 2009)

Does anyone know of bass amps that work well as guitar amps too?
I've seen this done once or twice but I'm not sure if there's a way to know how a bass amp will sound with a guitar.

Also, do the fender bassman reissues still work well with basses or have they been changed into guitar-only amps?

Thanks!


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

I'm pretty sure the Fender Bassman re-issues are more geared towards guitar players than bass players.

I had a Yorkville tube pre-amp bass amp that sounded really good with guitar. I really like the sound of guitar amps into bass cabinets - I've played with a couple of guys that did that.

Whatever you do, don't play bass through a guitar cabinet.


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

Are you looking for a do-it all rig?

How about a bass cabinet (2x12 or 4x10) a nice power amp and some sort of modeler like a Line6 Pod XTLive, or Sansamp PSA.


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

I play guitars through bass amps all the time. It sounds great, nice full and deep sound. You should try it.


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## bass_snake (Dec 31, 2008)

Any bass amp will do. Just don' t do it vice versa!! 

Fred


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## soldierscry (Jan 20, 2008)

vintage Traynor BassMastersdsre


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Traynor Bass Mates work well too for clean to bluesy guitar. Not a lot of volume for bass playing, but enough to practice. It helps the guitar sound to disable the 15" Marsland and hook up an external guitar cab, but the 15" works pretty well too.

Traynor Bassmasters kick for either application.

any of these: http://www.yorkville.com/products.asp?type=71&cat=46&id=293

I also used to play bass through a MusicMan script logo 410 65: http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1976_Music_Man_410_Sixty-five_BN05714.jpg

sounded good and was loud enough for concerts at little beer halls but I blew the speakers eventually.

matt


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Traynor Bass Mates work well too for clean to bluesy guitar. Not a lot of volume for bass playing, but enough to practice. It helps the guitar sound to disable the 15" Marsland and hook up an external guitar cab, but the 15" works pretty well too.

Traynor Bassmasters kick for either application.

any of these: http://www.yorkville.com/products.asp?type=71&cat=46&id=293

I also used to play bass through a MusicMan script logo 410 65: http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1976_Music_Man_410_Sixty-five_BN05714.jpg

Sounded good for bass and was loud enough for concerts at little beer halls but I blew the speakers eventually. Really sounded nice for guitar.

matt


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## speckledmind (Sep 6, 2008)

bass_snake said:


> Any bass amp will do. Just don' t do it vice versa!!
> 
> Fred


I was under the impression that a Bass amp was only to be used with a Bass kkjq

Is this more myth that fact ???


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

speckledmind said:


> I was under the impression that a Bass amp was only to be used with a Bass kkjq
> 
> Is this more myth that fact ???



An amp is an amp. It's just a power section and an eq (pre-amp)section. Of course bass amps have an eq and features geared more towards our frequencies. Guitar amps have an assortment of distortions and reverbs etc... that we don't necessarily need. 

Running guitar through a bass amp and/or a bass cabinet can get you a really nice fat sound. Lemmy from Motorhead runs his bass through Marshall guitar heads which gives him that biting distortion and rather thin sound (imo).

The thing you want to keep in mind is speakers and cabinets. Guitar speakers/cabs cannot be used for bass - they will blow up at any substantial volume. Bass speakers / cabs are closer in spec to PA or keyboard speakers in that they are geared toward a broader range.


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## speckledmind (Sep 6, 2008)

Thanks james for the detailed info.


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## PRDave (Jul 11, 2009)

fingerfeller said:


> Does anyone know of bass amps that work well as guitar amps too?
> I've seen this done once or twice but I'm not sure if there's a way to know how a bass amp will sound with a guitar.
> 
> Also, do the fender bassman reissues still work well with basses or have they been changed into guitar-only amps?
> ...


My stepson plugged his Guitar into my SWR Workingman's 15 Combo.
A Real Heavy Drive in the sound. 

We were surprised at the volume and bottom end 'FAT' sound....Reasonable highs tho'. 

The tweeter in that combo amp actually plays a role.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

mrmatt1972 said:


> Traynor Bass Mates work well too for clean to bluesy guitar. Not a lot of volume for bass playing, but enough to practice. It helps the guitar sound to disable the 15" Marsland and hook up an external guitar cab, but the 15" works pretty well too.


My Traynor Bass Mate sounds great for the bass--and works for playing with others in some settings--and through a PA.
But only for y bass--for my guitars I think the sound lacks clarity--but then that's me and my ears--and in a pinch it would probably do.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

hey there...there is an amp called the "marshall lead and bass"...it's model name is 2061x...check it out here...

http://www.marshallamps.com/product.asp?productId=5

and here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ASBYEzHvbQ


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## RogerNelson (Jul 1, 2007)

it is after all called a bass "GUITAR"

the hendrix exp. and cream and countless others used the exact same marshall stacks for bass as they did for guitar, there are loads of video footage out there to back it up. Depends on the tone you like naturally, but there are no rules, just plug in and play, if you like the way it sounds, than you found what you're looking for!

Cheers,
Roger


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

Just an update..

I was doing the same thing yet not worried about the amp, my heads worked amazing through my Ampeg 2-10, my Blackheart 7 watt amp was amazing!!

The trick to the dual guitar rig is the speakers, the guys at Steamco heard directly from Eminence that this is the best speaker to do both styles.
http://www.eminence.com/guitar_speaker_detail.asp?model=BASSLITES2012&speaker_size=12&SUB_CAT_ID=5

I am debating spending the $90 buck to buy one, they are neo which is also nice, cab size requirements are also pretty decent.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

a cranked ampeg V4B with a les paul, through a marshall 4x12, was one of the best gtr sounds I have ever achieved

:rockon2:


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

That VB4 is killer as long as you have a strong back.

Did a jam the other day with my Peavey 120 guitar head my 2-10 Ampeg with both my bass and 7 string guitar. It was ok for guitar but once I borrowed my friends 10 band EQ it was perfect.

Very loud with that amp too..


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## Jimmypaz (Sep 15, 2009)

At one time (we were playing a lot of outdoor gigs) I used a Traynor YBA-3 "Custom Special" head with 8 10"s for wet sound and an Ampeg SVT with 4 15"s for clean, about a ton and a half of heads and cabs. Sure was loud though!


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