Practise amp for guitar and bass together.... On a budget

[Rufus357]

My son has a £50 practise guitar amp which I am considering sending back as its very noisy/hissy...

Am considering getting a practise bass combo with a second input for usto use together - any advise to what to look for in a bass combo that would do any ok Job of lead guitar as well?

Thanks

Edited January 20, 2013 by Rufus357

[6v6]

I think most bass amps will probably sound not very good for lead guitar (particularly if by "lead" you mean overdrive/distortion)

Perhaps you could get away with something that has an auxiliary input and use an external effects unit (something like a line6 pod or anything else providing guitar-amp simulation), then the guitar could go into the aux in via the pod and the bass through the bass preamp.

Personally I'd be looking for two cheap used practice amps, one for the bass and one for the guitar - IMHO any single amp solution is likely to be pretty limiting as the requirements (frequency response/preamp) for each instrument are very different.

[essexbasscat]

alternatively, get a powered mixer (there's a yamaha emx 12 on e -bay for £85 at the mo) or a passive mixer + amp and buy a suitable speaker. Plug lots of things in, tailor the EQ to suit and have the possibility to record if you wish.

Lots of options to play with, can be used for a living room rehearsal to many different instruments, can even gig with it if it's suitable (like the Yamaha emx 12).

[danthevan]

Depends how loud you want to practice.
I got a little Marshall 20w (guitar) amp a few years back and use it for bass and guitar

[Rufus357]

thanks for the options - I think I am being too tight fisted and will need to get 2 amps! Thanks

[6v6]

If your son is into anything involving lots of overdrive (and/or if he's likely to want to jam with a drummer at some point), then a good starting point would be something like an old Marshall valvestate, these can be had really cheaply, and can sound pretty good, I bet you could find something like a serviceable VS65R for less than £50 and the sound will be much, much better than any new combo around that price (because it has a real tube in the preamp, and a proper 12" speaker not a tiny, tinny sounding 8" one)

There are loads of good cheap options for bass amps too - I picked up a Hartke combo on here for £80 recently, and I bet there are loads of old tatty-but-bomb-proof Peaveys, Laneys etc going for very little on gumtree etc.

[Skinnyman]

I have a little Blackstar practice amp - only one watt but it's a big one - more than loud enough for living room duties - and I also use it for bass when I can't be bothered to get the big rig out. Obviously, I keep the volume down to reasonable levels and cut the low frequencies but it sounds really nice....

[Rufus357]

Right have returned the not very great practise amp and bought a second hand roland cube 30 (guitar) for £15 more. Definately will be a better guitar amp and fingers crossed with 30w and 10" driver will do an ok job as a living room bass practise amp as well.

Thanks for the input and I will report back for the sake of future googlers...

[GuyR]

I have a little Blackstar practice amp - only one watt but it's a big one - more than loud enough for living room duties - and I also use it for bass when I can't be bothered to get the big rig out. Obviously, I keep the volume down to reasonable levels and cut the low frequencies but it sounds really nice....


I have the same combo. Set the sound up clean, add a bit of reverb and a fretless jazz bass. Instant Jaco sound, just add talent (I knew there was something missing)