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Recommendations on mini bass amp?

Posted on 4/13/21 at 3:15 pm
Posted by Big Scrub TX
Member since Dec 2013
38521 posts
Posted on 4/13/21 at 3:15 pm
I'm setting up the piano room in my new house. I think bass is the #1 instrument that pairs casually with piano for singalongs. However, I've gotten rid of my massive, unsightly rig. I would like to get one of those mini amps - something that would be enough to be heard and be effective by the people the piano, but also small enough to tuck into a little shelf I have nearby.

Blackstar

Laney

Joyo

Peavey

I guess I was happy to see this product actually exists, but the reviews are so binary. Anybody have any experience with these? TIA
Posted by Decatur
Member since Mar 2007
31768 posts
Posted on 4/13/21 at 3:19 pm to
I have a Fender Rumble 100 that’s great for home settings. Might be a little larger then what you are looking for but they are really lightweight.
Posted by Big Scrub TX
Member since Dec 2013
38521 posts
Posted on 4/13/21 at 4:03 pm to
quote:

I have a Fender Rumble 100 that’s great for home settings. Might be a little larger then what you are looking for but they are really lightweight.
Yeah, that thing is enormous (at least vs what I'm looking for.) Even the 15 series is way bigger than I would like.

LINK
Posted by MrBobDobalina
BRo.LA
Member since Oct 2011
3380 posts
Posted on 4/13/21 at 7:48 pm to
Blackstar 3



Never used one but it looks about like what you're asking for if a Rumble 15 is too big (1st time ever hearing that)
Posted by Big Scrub TX
Member since Dec 2013
38521 posts
Posted on 4/13/21 at 8:30 pm to
quote:

Blackstar 3
Yeah, that's one of the ones I linked. Size is good, but hoping to find someone that has actually used one.

quote:

if a Rumble 15 is too big (1st time ever hearing that)
Look at the relative dimensions. It's tiny vs small!
Posted by Shockthamonkey
BR
Member since Jul 2016
818 posts
Posted on 4/13/21 at 8:49 pm to
Mark Bass Little Mark 250 combo.
Posted by wareaglepete
Union of Soviet Auburn Republics
Member since Dec 2012
17571 posts
Posted on 4/14/21 at 9:46 am to
Those amps are way too low wattage if any other instrument is going to be played. If just practicing by yourself, they might be ok. How much are you wanting to spend. I think 25W is still too low, but that should be the least you think about getting. 50W to 75W would probably be sufficient playing with a piano.
Posted by MudCatMatt
Louisiana
Member since Dec 2018
238 posts
Posted on 4/14/21 at 2:41 pm to
Blackstar or Laney
Posted by FearlessFreep
Baja Alabama
Member since Nov 2009
19558 posts
Posted on 4/14/21 at 3:24 pm to
Based on my experience with Hartke, I'd probably go with this: Hartke HD15

$100 from Sweetwater, also have a slightly larger model (HD25) for 30 bucks more.
Posted by midnight1961
Member since Jan 2007
1662 posts
Posted on 4/14/21 at 9:37 pm to
Don't know about the bass version of the Black Star mini amp, but I have the guitar 6 watts stereo version, and I really like it. Has a headphone jack for late night practicing, and for it's size is pretty loud, with great tones.
Posted by goatmilker
Castle Anthrax
Member since Feb 2009
74381 posts
Posted on 4/15/21 at 9:23 am to
Just upgraded mine to a Fendor rumble 25.
Best bottom end you can get for a small amp $119 shipped.
Posted by Big Scrub TX
Member since Dec 2013
38521 posts
Posted on 4/15/21 at 7:06 pm to
quote:

Those amps are way too low wattage if any other instrument is going to be played.
That's basically my question. If someone is playing piano, someone is singing and someone is playing bass through there...can we hear the bass?
Posted by crazy4lsu
Member since May 2005
39298 posts
Posted on 4/15/21 at 7:12 pm to
quote:

That's basically my question. If someone is playing piano, someone is singing and someone is playing bass through there...can we hear the bass?



Probably not, depending on the type of the piano. Playing with a full grand piano, generally the bass keys on the piano will drown out the bass guitar, depending on the acoustics of the room. To help cut through, I wouldn't necessarily limit myself to a bass amp, but add a compressor too, which can definitely help cut through. Is something like the Ampeg 100W Ministack too much for you, in terms of space? Or do you want something even more portable?
Posted by Big Scrub TX
Member since Dec 2013
38521 posts
Posted on 4/15/21 at 11:28 pm to
quote:

Probably not, depending on the type of the piano. Playing with a full grand piano, generally the bass keys on the piano will drown out the bass guitar, depending on the acoustics of the room. To help cut through, I wouldn't necessarily limit myself to a bass amp, but add a compressor too, which can definitely help cut through. Is something like the Ampeg 100W Ministack too much for you, in terms of space? Or do you want something even more portable?
I don't care about portability really - just about having a pretty small visual presence of a bass amp in the room (ideally, I'd like it to fit into the music cabinet I have so it's only visible when used and then behind a closed door when not.)

That "ministack" is huge (at least relative to what I'm hoping to find). Those actually mini bass amps are like 6"X7"X5". The "little" ones that people are recommending are like 15X17X19 - just an order of magnitude bigger. (I understand that those are actually very small compared to some big actual rig.)
Posted by wareaglepete
Union of Soviet Auburn Republics
Member since Dec 2012
17571 posts
Posted on 4/16/21 at 9:18 am to
quote:

just about having a pretty small visual presence of a bass amp in the room


What you are looking for is Phil Jones Bass Amplifiers. But, they are a bit expensive. You can get small ones with 50W with 7" speaker and tweeter or 75W with 2 4" speakers and tweeter. Expensive, but I hear only good things about them.

Also, what kind of bass will be played through the amp? A bass with "hot" pickups or an active bass will most likely have more output and get more out of the amp.
This post was edited on 4/16/21 at 9:21 am
Posted by Big Scrub TX
Member since Dec 2013
38521 posts
Posted on 4/16/21 at 10:32 am to
quote:

Phil Jones Bass Amplifiers.
Oh wow, thanks! These might do the trick. They are a bit bigger than a wanted, but definitely smaller than the usual "mini" basses.

quote:

Also, what kind of bass will be played through the amp? A bass with "hot" pickups or an active bass will most likely have more output and get more out of the amp.
It's just a cheap Ibanez I bought on a whim a few years back. I don't think I paid more than $175 for it.

ETA: Would you think this would be suitable for the purposes I've described?

LINK

And what about as compared to this one:

LINK
This post was edited on 4/16/21 at 10:53 am
Posted by wareaglepete
Union of Soviet Auburn Republics
Member since Dec 2012
17571 posts
Posted on 4/16/21 at 3:32 pm to
If you don't have guitars and drums, the Micro 7 would probably do the trick. The 110W would for sure do it.
Posted by wareaglepete
Union of Soviet Auburn Republics
Member since Dec 2012
17571 posts
Posted on 5/10/21 at 8:21 am to
Back to this topic wondering if OP pulled the trigger on one.
For reference on small bass amps, I went to a rehearsal for a wedding/event band a guy is putting together. They have a bass player, but wanted a back-up/on-call guy and that is good for me. The guy on bass was playing through a Rumble 40. The band was drums, keys, and guitar. They did not bang at high volume. You couldn’t hear the guy. I played my Mesa Subway through a 4x10 and they said I was way better than the other guy. I said maybe, but how do you know when you can’t hear him. Bass has to have at least 2x the wattage of whatever the guitar is playing.

On the mini amps, I pulled the trigger on a Phil Jones C4 bass cab. Get it tomorrow and will report on it.
Posted by Big Scrub TX
Member since Dec 2013
38521 posts
Posted on 6/26/21 at 2:37 pm to
Any update? I was going to order one of these this week.
Posted by UKWildcats
Lexington, KY
Member since Mar 2015
18816 posts
Posted on 6/26/21 at 3:15 pm to
Yeah you don't want some 25 or 50w job if you're jamming with others. Look at 100W.
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