Single amp that works for both bass and six string guitar?

Ted

Is there such a thing?

Any advice appreciated

xscaramanga

How loud does it need to be? Yamaha THR10 has a usable bass setting. 

ICBM

The obvious candidate is the Fender Bassman... the head versions have a bass channel and a ‘normal’ channel which sounds great for guitar. No overdrive, reverb FX loop or anything like that though - and even the later ones with master volumes won’t really distort until they’re cranked right up.

After the 60s the two things became increasingly specialised and so it’s rare to find an amp that will do both well - although a lot of it is down to the speakers, any reasonably powerful and clean amp will work for both with the right cabinet.

There are a few modern bedroom-type amps which can take both - Yamaha and Blackstar both do them - but it’s debatable whether they really sound good, especially for bass. The Yamaha THRs sound good for guitar, at least.

Winny_Pooh

Perhaps a Roland cube bass amp. 

Ted

I just wanted it to be a practice amp really.

BenSirAmos

I'm currently using a Fender Rumble 100 (v3) for guitar and it suits me perfectly (and it is so light!) - but it wouldn't do for everyone. And for bass it might be a bit under-powered in a loud band.

ecc83

My son has just aquired a Peavey 112 100 W sstate amp and I guess if the speaker were swapped it would make a decent bass practice amp? The nitty is of course, which speaker is good for both? We had a 15" 200W Fane in a 6cuft cab for bass G but that sounded quite decent with a Strat. Not at all "muddy".

Dave.

ICBM

ecc83 said:

My son has just aquired a Peavey 112 100 W sstate amp and I guess if the speaker were swapped it would make a decent bass practice amp? The nitty is of course, which speaker is good for both?

The Eminence Delta 12A. It’s really a PA bass driver, but sounds good for both guitar and bass, handles 400W so you’re very unlikely to blow it with bass even in an open-back combo, and only costs £67 brand new!

The tone for guitar is ‘chunky’ rather than ‘lively’, but that’s actually ideal for rounding off a slightly harsh or buzzy solid-state overdrive sound.

ecc83

ICBM said:

ecc83 said:

My son has just aquired a Peavey 112 100 W sstate amp and I guess if the speaker were swapped it would make a decent bass practice amp? The nitty is of course, which speaker is good for both?

The Eminence Delta 12A. It’s really a PA bass driver, but sounds good for both guitar and bass, handles 400W so you’re very unlikely to blow it with bass even in an open-back combo, and only costs £67 brand new!

The tone for guitar is ‘chunky’ rather than ‘lively’, but that’s actually ideal for rounding off a slightly harsh or buzzy solid-state overdrive sound.

Ooo! Might put that to him IC. I know they have a bass guitar but not sure if they have an amp for it. (not sure I quite believe a 400W rating for a 70quid 12 but will take YOUR reccy!)

Dave.

Flanging_Fred

For practice

Marshall bass 12.  That Johan bloke on eBay seems to like it for guitar.  I have the bigger Marshall Bass Combo 5503 (30w 12” speaker) which I use to gig with my guitar. Actually works better for guitar than bass, but it does work.

Fender silverface Musicmaster Bass ( seems similar to a champ with a bigger speaker, but I’m not if that’s true or not)

Other oldies, but too big maybe, which I’ve heard can be used successfully for both guitar and bass.

WEM dominator Bass
Traynor YBA-1

Flanging_Fred

Sorry, Johan Sageborn on YouTube, not eBay!

57Deluxe

if just for home then the Laney LX10 Bass model is superb little package that sounds really tinkly and toneful with a six string too.

ICBM

ecc83 said:

(not sure I quite believe a 400W rating for a 70quid 12 but will take YOUR reccy!)

Nor me, but even a genuine 200W would be enough. The magnet is about the size of the LHC and vented, so I don't think it's necessarily impossible either!

Flanging_Fred said:

Fender silverface Musicmaster Bass ( seems similar to a champ with a bigger speaker, but I’m not if that’s true or not)

No, it's a very different amp really, but it does sound great for guitar.

Just not for bass! Horribly farty and flappy above very low volume with anything more than a very low-output bass - which is of course what it was designed for.

Flanging_Fred said:

WEM dominator Bass

Better, but still not really good for bass.

Flanging_Fred said:

Traynor YBA-1

Better still... not sure I've actually played bass through one but it's got a bigger, cleaner tone than the others.

EricTheWeary

BenSirAmos said:

I'm currently using a Fender Rumble 100 (v3) for guitar and it suits me perfectly (and it is so light!) - but it wouldn't do for everyone. And for bass it might be a bit under-powered in a loud band.

Must have been yourself who mentioned this the other day then I tried a guitar through my son's Rumble 40. Worked fine, it's not exactly boutique tones but sounded like an electric guitar. These are small, light but surprisingly loud ( it has been used in a band setting for bass) and cheap as chips used. Might want a pedal or two to make it more guitary ( reverb/ delay for starters). 

I had a couple of jams with a chap who had one of the Line 6 Spyder guitar combos  that he played bass through. My experience of these are that they are 'orrible as guitar amps but as a low level bass amp it was actually better. 

On a bigger scale I'm sure Dusty Hill used Marshall guitar heads for bass but through bass cabs. Any amp will work as a make louder device really, it's the speakers that are more important ( IMHO,etc). 

LastMantra

WEM ER40

JezWynd

I've been using an Ampeg PF-20 head into an Ampeg 15" cab with a Tele and Ric bass and it sounds fabulous for both. Also use a Laney Cub 10 as a head and that sounds quite similar. Both use 12ax7 into 6v6's which might explain it.