Good practice amp for guitar and bass?

axisus

I'm looking to pick up something cheap secondhand for my daughter who dabbles with both guitar and bass. Her main instrument is keyboards, but she could do with a small amp in her bedroom.

Anything good/useable out there? She's not into soloing/distortion really, just relatively clean sounds.

ecc83

No idea about specific models Ax' but the fly in the grease is the bass. The speaker in any guitar amp you buy will be in danger from a bass guitar. You might say "she will never play loudly" and I can believe you but 'it'appen and a dropped instrument or feedback can bork the speaker (guitar combo speakers SHOULD be rated for anything the amp can throw at them but are not made for sub 80Hz watts)

I would look for a 'wedge' stage monitor and an EQ pedal perhaps to 'tweak' the response? Be OK for keys as well.

Or, get a cheap S/H solid state combo 12" and swap the speaker after she borks it for a bass unit. My son has a Peavey SSt 100 and with a decent speaker in it would make a pretty good bass rig for non rock drum pub gigs and jazz.

Then again, I am putting bass through an HT-20 head and a Celestion Greenback at home but I am  being VERY careful!

Many here will have much better ideas than I.

Dave.

TheMadMick

I use an Ashdown Perfect 10 bass practice amp. When I'm being idle, I stick ,]my acoustic through it and it sounds OK with a slight tweak to the settings. They're not expensive either. I paid about £100.00.

There's one one Flea bay with bids at £25.00 and 3 hrs to go.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203998819059?hash=item2f7f46f2f3:g:sbAAAOSwJdNirfvu

However, I'd think most any reasonable bass practice amp would do if she's not to fussy.

ICBM

Isn’t one of the little Blackstar models designed to take both? I know I hate the sound of them and all that, but… (Core Beam or something?)

If not then the Yamaha THR10 is.

If those are too expensive I’m sure you’d be fine with a solid state Peavey guitar amp or something like that. I use mine for bass quite a lot - it’s harder to kill a modern speaker with bass than you might think, unless you really thrash it.

munckee

I play bass through a super champ x 2 a thr 5 and a Princeton all at home volumes with no issues. 

stickyfiddle

THR10 here. I use mine for both guitar and bass. Granted I mostly use an HX Stomp for amp modelling up front these days but there is nothing wrong with the THR's onboard sounds. It's a fantastic bit of kit

ecc83

ICBM said:

Isn’t one of the little Blackstar models designed to take both? I know I hate the sound of them and all that, but… (Core Beam or something?)

If not then the Yamaha THR10 is.

If those are too expensive I’m sure you’d be fine with a solid state Peavey guitar amp or something like that. I use mine for bass quite a lot - it’s harder to kill a modern speaker with bass than you might think, unless you really thrash it.

I am sure you are right IC. I have however wrecked quite a few speakers with a bass but many years ago.

The Bstar is the "IBEAM" Never tried one but I cannot see it being all that good?

Dave.

JezWynd

If her main interest is Keys, get her a keyboard focussed amp - that should cover bass and guitar ranges. Something like this - https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Laney-AudioHub-Freestyle-Amplifier/Z4D ;

ICBM

ecc83 said:

The Bstar is the "IBEAM" Never tried one but I cannot see it being all that good?

You’re absolutely right!

But some people seem to like them…

JezWynd said:

If her main interest is Keys, get her a keyboard focussed amp - that should cover bass and guitar ranges.

The problem with a keyboard amp is that it may have a tweeter, which will make it sound dreadful for electric guitar with even a small amount of overdrive, unless you’re using a multi-FX type unit with speaker emulation.

ecc83

ICBM said:

ecc83 said:

The Bstar is the "IBEAM" Never tried one but I cannot see it being all that good?

You’re absolutely right!

But some people seem to like them…

JezWynd said:

If her main interest is Keys, get her a keyboard focussed amp - that should cover bass and guitar ranges.

The problem with a keyboard amp is that it may have a tweeter, which will make it sound dreadful for electric guitar with even a small amount of overdrive, unless you’re using a multi-FX type unit with speaker emulation.

That's what CD cases and gaffer tape were invented for.

Dave.

MPH

I use a Vox Mini5 Rhythm for guitar and bass. It works well for me for using around the house.

When using bass I choose either 'Line' or 'tweed 4x10' (bassman) as the amp setting.

In 'line' mode the gain knob acts as a low eq knob instead.

swiller

ID core beam. My local guitar tech has one to audition customers guitars in his porch. He is quite well respected down here in swansea, So if its good enough for him.. I was very impressed. Does Bass, guitar and acoustic voices. Plays generic music as well so should be fine for a keyboard. Bluetooth, usb and 2x3 inch speakers which punch way above their weight. 

Zonular

Peavey vip, does both, decent sounds