do smaller bass amps work for guitar?

**stevedenver** · 08-21-2011, 02:35 PM

ive got an SWR working mans 15-solid state and 160W

and i spent a couple of hours trying to dial it in to my archtop, my les paul, and a tele-with and without horn option

while it sometimes was passable, even good -i thought in a mix it would be very muddy

it just seems to be too bassy and too boomy-no matter how i dial in the eq-heavy mids, no bass, mid mids a little bass, rolled off treble and presence etc etc

now -im not completley stupid (i think) but
why is this the case-why cant i simply eq this thing for a guitar?

is there something inherently different in bass amps voicing or something?

you are saying "why do this at all"

just thought id try with the 15"-this amp is easier to transport than my twin
and....
its paid for

**hot ford coupe** · 08-21-2011, 03:20 PM

I'm going to take a whack at someting. I'm originally a bass player and a number of years ago, I bought and Ampeg BR 100 solid state bass amp since my original amp from the 60's blew up. The BR 100 is the solid state equivalent of the old B 15. Mine also has the 15 inch speaker. I'm going to fiddle with it and see if I can get it to do what I want. Then I'll tell you how I did it.

**Vihar** · 08-21-2011, 03:56 PM

I think any amp works for guitar, it's just that you either like what comes out or you don't.

**AlohaJoe** · 08-21-2011, 04:43 PM

I had an SWR Workingman's 12 and it was a great little bass amp. It worked for guitar and sounded OK, but just OK. Same with the GK. They're not guitar amps. They're certainly usable (and paid for is a major plus), but I could never get either one to sound as good to me as an amp designed from the get-go for a more midrange instrument like guitar. Maybe I didn't know how to dial it in, but I suspect it was more of a round hole, square peg issue. On the other hand, what Vihar said.

**Jazzaluk** · 08-21-2011, 05:48 PM

I wouldn't use one in a gig, but I did buy this micro bass amp for practicing. It is an amazing little amp for a carve top. At low volumes it very accurately reproduces the acoustic sound and adds a nice balanced full bodied tone. I tried it for kicks at a music store and bought about fifteen minutes latter. It sits undeR my coffee table, nicely concealed close to my Hofner Jazzica. I'm pretty sure the 9" speaker does allot to make it suitable for an arch top.

**JensL** · 08-21-2011, 05:51 PM

Since the frequency range of a bass is different from that of a guitar it is not so strange that it's hard to get a good sound.

A bass amp will boost the low-end of the spectrum and while jazz guitar is often described as dark that is probably more about absence of high than boosted (and often boomy lows). And the "dark" guitar sound is maybe also more of a stereotype than what is most common in jazz sound?

If you have an amp and you find that you have to always turn something all the way up or down, you could ask yourself if it is the right amp for the job.

Jens

**max chill** · 08-21-2011, 07:42 PM

In general, I think bass amps suck for guitar, they usually sound terrible...unless you've got a fender bassman head, that's quite another story.

**stevedenver** · 08-22-2011, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by JensL

Since the frequency range of a bass is different from that of a guitar it is not so strange that it's hard to get a good sound.

A bass amp will boost the low-end of the spectrum and while jazz guitar is often described as dark that is probably more about absence of high than boosted (and often boomy lows). And the "dark" guitar sound is maybe also more of a stereotype than what is most common in jazz sound?

If you have an amp and you find that you have to always turn something all the way up or down, you could ask yourself if it is the right amp for the job.

Jens

thanks you and all the other with constructive thoughts-this pretty much says its all-ajzz guitar sound isnt bassy-and the bloody amp doestn work for jazz even in the basement!!!but it was worth a long hard try and the good thoughts and confirmation here

**JensL** · 08-23-2011, 01:25 AM

You're welcome

I've had people trying to sell me bass amps twice when they heard I played jazz. It seems that since the polytones everybody thinks jazz guitar is played on a bass amp, at least that's where I think it's coming from.

Jens

**mangotango** · 08-23-2011, 05:31 AM

Originally Posted by max chill

In general, I think bass amps suck for guitar, they usually sound terrible...unless you've got a fender bassman head, that's quite another story.

Yep. When I was a bassplayer, I had a Fender Bassman 50 Export set up (head and 2x15". Great sound, another of those "Why did I sell that?" moments).

Once when I was trying out something else, the guitarist in my band of the time would "borrow" the Fender. Teamed up with his Mustang and a 2x10" cabinet, he got an amaziingly good sound, much better to my ears than the Marshall that he had.

And that's a completely different kettle of fish from a SS combo........

**Vihar** · 08-23-2011, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by JensL

Since the frequency range of a bass is different from that of a guitar it is not so strange that it's hard to get a good sound.

A bass amp will boost the low-end of the spectrum and while jazz guitar is often described as dark that is probably more about absence of high than boosted (and often boomy lows).

Let me respectfully disagree.

There are many guitar amps used for bass professionally, and they do an excellent job, paired with the right cabinet. Amps like the VOX AC100 or the HIWATT DR-103 Custom 100 are very popular in that role, along with a couple of Marshall models, but really, anything goes as long as the speakers/cab are able to reproduce the low end properly.

That being said, bass amps don't boost bass frequencies on purpose unless you set the EQ that way. It's the bass instrument itself that happens to generate those low notes. Most modern bass amps are actually designed with a flatter and more extended frequency range in mind, that you can shape with the built in EQ to your tastes. That's why many modern bass cabinets are 2 or even 3-way systems, with a tweeter built in to be able to reproduce treble frequencies faithfully. Today's bass amps are built by very similar concepts to pedal steel or jazz guitar amplifiers. Often it's only the cabinets and speakers that are significantly different.

**stevedenver** · 08-23-2011, 08:33 AM

!!

**Vihar** · 08-23-2011, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by stevedenver

numpty!

Ah umnae.

**stevedenver** · 08-23-2011, 09:44 AM

well done Vihar!! i am impressed -truly
all the best
steve

**Vihar** · 08-23-2011, 09:48 AM

Thank you Steve. And please, you don't need to quickly modify your posts, I can take it.

**juuso1** · 08-23-2011, 10:30 AM

Hi,

Have used my old bassamp HH-B100 with a-topguitars. It works guite well with 6-part´s EQ. Made amp easier to garry by separating head and speakercabinet. This bassamp i have played with several different a-topguitars and pickups and all works imo the same: loud enough, not too bright or muddy.

Cheers juuso1

**Vihar** · 08-23-2011, 10:38 AM

That's a nice amp juuso1! Love that furniture style 70s look.

**hot ford coupe** · 08-25-2011, 05:07 PM

I said I would try my Ampeg B100R and check back. The amp works beautifully with my guitar. I plugged in a Vestax D'A with a DeArmond FHC pickup and it was nice and clear with good tone and response. The bass in no way overpowered the treble. I'd use it exclusively if I could easily lift it. It's got to be in excess of 50 pounds and that's murder on my spine.