Cheap Bass Guitar Amps

What to Look For

For the best sound and sustainable tone, it’s important to choose an amp suited to bass guitars. It’s not enough just to have a lot of power behind the sound. If the speaker-amplifier configuration isn’t right, players have a tendency to push for more impact and that’s when the sound distorts, or the equipment gets fried. A common problem is a loudspeaker cone tearing because it can’t produce the sound waves as directed by a jacked-up amp.

Bass amps have to deal with a low range frequency continuously. A guitar amp can’t handle the lack of variation. So a cheap bass guitar amp needs to have a balance of wattage and ohms resonating within a good cabinet to produce quality sound.

What is an ohm? It is the impedance, or measurement of restriction, of an electrical current. For an easy explanation as to why the combination matters and how to gauge it, look on the helpful tabulation site Harmony Central.

Generally, keep the following in mind when choosing a bass guitar amp you’ll take on the road:

• Speaker size should increase based on wattage, or the cabinet should have two-to-four speakers to handle the load
• Ohm units should be balanced based on wattage as well, and the configuration of the cabinet
• Look for master and gain controls, as well as a variation of tone controls
• Line inputs and outputs suitable for your needs, such as RCA inputs for recording devices, a headphone jack, and a balanced XLR

Estimating Cost and Usage

There’s a difference between practice amps and working pro amps. Sometimes you just need to hole up in your room, plug in the headphones, and work out some rhythms. Dropping $100 on a practice amp makes that easy, and you’ll keep that amp for a long time. It’s not fancy, but it works.

However, if you’re playing sets with a full band, especially with a drummer, you’ll need a cheap bass guitar amp that can also hold its own against the power of the drums, the room setting, and the type of output you’ll need.

Starter or practice amps usually run about $100. Depending on your budget and set up requirements, you’ll find mid-range models at about $300-$500, and larger bass amplifier combos starting at $500 up to $1,200. Again, assess your needs. If you’re jamming with a garage band or playing 100-seat rooms, a mid-range amp will probably suit your purposes just fine.

But, if you’re gigging on a regular basis, at a spectrum of events from outdoor festivals to larger venues, make the investment in a higher quality system.

Finding Cheap Bass Guitar Amps

Musician’s Friend carries hundreds of amp combos. Choose a Peavey Practice 10-Watt Combo, which usually lists for approximately $90. If you’re ready for small room gigs, upgrade to the Ampeg BA115 100-Watt Bass Combo, often on sale for $350.

zZounds offers deals frequently on the Ibanez 10-Watt IBZ10B Bass Combo Amplifier. For under $100, it makes an excellent starter or practice amp. A step up from that is the Behringer 45-Watt BXL450A Combo, which helps a bassist keep up with the drummer’s power. This unit retails for $250, but is often on sale for about $100 less.

When ordering from an online retailer, look for free shipping specials to help your budget.

Other options include:

• iSwap – A favorite among musicians in the U.K.
• Musicians Buy Online – In addition to cheap equipment sales, you’ll find gigs. Use the site's bass amp comparison chart to make your decision a little easier.
• eBay – Always a good resource for bass guitars, amps, and other used music equipment.
• Craigslist – Musicians swap equipment and share stories about venues on this site.