Even with just a few cash on hand to invest on a bass amp. Beginner players can already have a great time of purchasing a good sounding bass amplifier for that initial stage of bass rig set up at home. This small rig can be used for long hours of practice, jam rehearsal sessions with the band, and sometimes could be the right size bass amp for gigs in small venues, especially when running on front house support to even boost the sound.
For those who likes to know. Bass guitar amplifier needs a higher wattage than a guitar amplifier to achieve a good level of output sound. This is simply because the bass guitar is naturally a low pitch instrument compared to the brighter sounding guitar. Therefore it will need all the wattage it can get in order for it to deliver an ”ideal” punchy sound.
The consensus on a bass amp is that, the higher the wattage, the better response you will get in volume output and headroom, which are the essential elements to produce that nice clean low and high-end sound on the bass. So if you’re planning to play with a guitarist plug on a 25 to 40 watt solid state amp, a bass player would probably need ideally a 100 watt or higher wattage bass amp to match. While on the other hand for just solo practice in the bedroom or rehearsals in low volume, a 20 to 50 watt bass amp can be more than enough.
Bass guitar amplifiers under the two hundred dollar range already offers a good selection of 20-50 watt combos up to a 300 watt bass head amp that a player can pair with a speaker cabinet of choice and are all coming from well-known brands. These bass amplifiers are a great option when the money is tight on buying a beginner bass amp with bigger wattage. Making them ideal bass amps for a start-up rig on a budget.
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Gallien-Krueger MB108
- 25 watts bass combo amplifier for the bedroom and small jam sessions
- 1×8” inches ceramic speaker
- Cabinet is lined by a tough black vinyl covering and speaker cloth cover with GK logo
- Controls are straight forward to operate, loaded on top backside consist of a active 4-band EQ gain-treble-mid-bass and On/Off switch that can detect dirty power
- Sockets are input for the bass cord, aux-in for audio source and headphone jack for silent practice sessions
This bass combo amp offered by Gallien-Krueger for the budget audience is super portable and ultra lightweight to carry. The cabinet is simply made using the finest material for an amp box lined by a tough black vinyl covering and the speaker is protected by a cloth cover material with a GK logo.
It is a 25 watts amp with 1×8” inch ceramic speakers and the controls are straight forward to operate, loaded on top backside consist of a active 4-band EQ gain-treble-mid-bass for a no nonsense plug and just play amp. Sockets are input for the bass cord, aux-in for audio source and headphone jack for silent practice sessions.
Orange Crush Bass 25
- 25 watts bass amp that exhibits warm and rounded tonal character
- 8” inches speaker with reflex port which improves the amp low-end response
- Available in black or the legendary orange housing with basket weave speaker cover baring the Orange logo
- For controls, it has a master volume, active 3-band parametric EQ bass-mid-freq-treble, and pad switch for active basses or additional level control
- Additional features is an on-board LED lighted chromatic tuner, aux-in and headphone output jack
The Crush Bass 25 is the smallest in the Crush bass amp models. It exhibits the warm rounded tonal character of amplification like its bigger brothers in the line which is the main reason why many has chosen this bass amplifier as their go to amp above others when it comes to practice and using the amp as well in warming up before hitting the stage.
Orange Crush Bass 25 is a 25 watts bass combo amp with an 8” inch speaker that has a reflex port which improves the amp low-end response. For controls, it has a master volume, active 3-band parametric EQ bass-mid-freq-treble, and pad switch for active basses or additional level control. Additional features is an on-board LED lighted chromatic tuner, aux-in and headphone output jack. Crush Bass 25 is available in two colors. In legendary orange color basket weave vinyl covered cabinet and in black.
Ampeg BA-110
- 40 watts solid state power capacity
- 10” inches Ampeg Custom 10 speaker
- Wedge cabinet with front panel controls for easy dialing of tones
- Has a volume control for general output, -15dB input pad for active basses or additional level control, 3-band EQ bass-mid-treble and aux level knob for for the audio source material
- Special feature is the scrambler drive with blend control to achieve an overdriven svt or grind and gritty sound for bass
- Aux-in and headphone jack sockets are all included
The Ampeg BA-110 is one of the top choice at this price range in bringing-in awesome bass sounds. Its 40 watts power capacity is being pushed all out on a 10” inch Ampeg Custom10 speaker that can be aimed at the ears not in the legs when the amp is placed on the floor just like a monitor wedge speaker for alone time practice and jam rehearsal sessions with the band in low volumes.
This solid state bass amp has a volume control for general output, -15dB input pad for active basses or additional level control, 3-band rotary EQ bass-mid-treble to blend tones, and aux level knob for for the audio source material. A special feature on this amp is, it has an scrambler drive with blend control to achieve an overdriven svt or grind and gritty sound for bass. Aux-in and headphone jack sockets are all included.
Fender Rumble 40
- 40 watts of power for practice and jam sessions
- 10” inches custom speaker to voice out the sound
- Compact and lightweight enclosure with silver cloth grille cover
- 2 channel bass amplifier with selectable bright-contour-vintage button switch for shaping, overdrive channel with a drive and level control, gain knob, master volume and a 4-band EQ consist of bass-low mid-high mid-treble.
- Aux-in, XLR DI line out and haedphone output jack are placed on the back
This brand needs no introduction and their rumble series of bass amps as well. The amp is on its third installment already, proving the amps reliability because it has serve and will continue to serve countless of bassist in the coming years.
The version 3 Fender Rumble is aesthetically overhauled for better styling and re-engineered to be much lighter and louder more than ever. Fender Rumble 40 is the 40 watts model in the line with a 10” inch custom speaker to voice out the sound. It is a 2 channel bass amplifier with selectable bright-contour-vintage button switch for shaping, overdrive channel with a drive and level control, gain knob, master volume and a 4-band EQ consist of bass-low mid-high mid-treble. Aux-in, XLR DI line out and haedphone output jack are placed on the back.
Behringer Ultrabass BXL450A
- 45 watts 2 channel bass amplifier
- Bugera 10″ inches hard attack aluminum cone speaker
- Housed on a wedge shape cabinet to tilt-back and direct the sound upwards in the ears
- Clean with dedicated gain control and distortion channel with dedicated gain, shape and level controls
- Both channels share a master volume and on-board 5-band FBQ equalizer to fine tune specific frequency region unlike other bass amps
- RCA connections for your CD or mp3 player and headphone jack for quiet practice are included
Behringer’s entry for a good sounding and professional looking bass amp for practice and jam session is the tilt back Behringer BXL450A. This 45 watts amp with original Bugera 10″ inch aluminum cone speaker is a 2 channel bass amplifier that can capture every tones possible on a small package.
Channel 1 is for clean that has a separate gain control to add more character and body to the clean tones. While channel 2 is the distortion channel with dedicated gain, shape and level controls to grind in aggressive sounds. Both channels share an on-board 5-band FBQ equalizer to fine tune specific frequency region unlike other amps EQ which are generalized. RCA connections for your CD or mp3 player and headphone jack for quiet practice are included.
Hartke HD50
- 50 watts bass combo amplifier
- Hybrid speaker combining paper and aluminum for its cone
- Rudimentary lightweight cabinet in black tolex with metal grille speaker cover
- Control panel is mounted on top consisting of a master volume knob and 3-band EQ bass-mid-treble knob to blend-in the sounds
- Headphone and aux-in for audio source to play along are located at the top as well
Coming from one of the powerhouse when it comes to bass amplification. The HD50 by Hartke gives bass players out there, all the required amount of power and essential features they will ever need on such a small bass amplifier.
Hartke HD50 is a cool 50 watts bass amplifier with a hybrid speaker combining paper/aluminum for its cone and then it is attached on a ceramic magnet, giving the bass amp its versatility to produce warm and solid attack on the tones that is best for all players of all styles. Control panel is mounted on top, easy to operate, consisting of a master volume knob, and 3-band EQ bass-mid-treble knob to blend-in the sounds. Headphone and aux-in for audio source to play along are located at the top as well.
TC Electronic BAM200
- 200 watts compact bass amp head to cover practice and most venues
- Rugged road worthy housing and so small to fit right inside a gig bag
- Controls consisting of a gain, 3-band EQ bass-middle-treble and master volume
- Added features are the headphone out for silent practice and DI out with ground lift for direct connection to a mixing console and recording equipment
If you like the PolyTune tuners, different effects pedals and other product TC Electronic has on the market, for sure you will also like their offering for this price range of a budget friendly bass amplifier head called the TC Electronic BAM200.
The BAM200 bass amp by TC Electronic is so small that it can fit right in your gig bag and powerful enough to bring it for small to medium size venue gigs. This 200 watts bass amp head is not short of tone shaping capabilities using only what a bassist really needs for controls and sockets consisting of a gain, 3-band EQ bass-middle-treble, master volume, instrument input, headphone out for silent practice and DI out with ground lift for direct connection to a mixing console and recording equipment. Impedance is 4 to 8 ohm and use only the proper speaker cable
Behringer Ultrabass BXD3000H
- 300 watts bass amplifier head that can be paired with any speaker cabinet
- It has a clean channel with dedicated gain control and dirty channel with a gain-shape-level controls to tweak and get to the intended sound
- At the center control panel is a FBQ equalizer to fine tune the frequencies accordingly
- Built-in compressor to smoothen out volume peaks for a nice even sound
- Ultrabass knob for the low-end power and master volume
- Socket on the front and rear are input for the bass cord, headphone out, aux-in, foot switch, FX loop, and XLR DI line out for a mixing console
This ultralight bass amplifier head made by Behringer is a cool 2 channel 300 watts amp that can be paired with any speaker cabinet and a great choice when starting on a conservative budget. It has a clean with dedicated gain control and dirty channel with a gain-shape-level controls to tweak and get to the intended sound.
At the center of the panel is a FBQ equalizer to fine tune the frequencies accordingly and on the right completing the control panel is a compressor to smoothen out volume peaks for a nice even sound, Ultrabass knob for the low-end power and master volume. Socket on the front and rear are input for the bass cord, headphone out, aux-in, foot switch, FX loop, and XLR DI line out for a mixing console. Impedance is 4 to 8 ohm and use only the proper speaker cable.
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