Small bass amp options?

[JSett]

Is there a small bass combo amp for home use that doesn't sound like utter garbage that's a) about the size of a BF Champ and b) has front controls?

Space is at a premium in the spare room so it has to be small and I absolutely hate top-mounted controls

I tend to like that kinda Ampeg-y classic punk rock sound but I can seem to make most bass amps sound how I want with a little knob-twiddling.

[Jonesie]

It's like two stacked champs, but I love my Ampeg Micro VR. It definitely does the Ampeg thing really well.

[JSett]

It's like two stacked champs, but I love my Ampeg Micro VR. It definitely does the Ampeg thing really well.

Yeah those have been on my radar. I'd much prefer a 1x10 or 1x12 combo though as space is at a severe premium in there. I've been using my VibroChamp at VERY low volumes so I don't ruin the lovely broken-in Weber that's in there but it doesn't sound great at all

[shoegaze_head]

I'm by no means well versed in bass equipment but I really like my fender rumble. It does have those hated top controls though...

[panoramic]

I use this MIJ Roland keyboaerd 60 amp I got out of the trash like a decade ago. It works pretty good, I remember you had one or two of those guys also? those would work okay me thinks.

[JSett]

I'm by no means well versed in bass equipment but I really like my fender rumble. It does have those hated top controls though...

I had a Rumble 40 for a while but, yeah, top controls pissed me off too much

I use this MIJ Roland keyboaerd 60 amp I got out of the trash like a decade ago. It works pretty good, I remember you had one or two of those guys also? those would work okay me thinks.

I have an '83 Cube 40 guitar amp (that sounds wonderful after a speaker swap for clean guitar) and an '82 Cube 60 Bass. The bass one sounds really nice but, again, dreaded top controls.

[marqueemoon]

I’d say Peavey Microbass, but don’t know how common those are in your part of the world.

[JSett]

I’d say Peavey Microbass, but don’t know how common those are in your part of the world.

They're pretty ubiquitous for the later MIC ones. I've read the 80's USA ones sound far, far better though so might keep an eye out for one of those

[Bradley-Jazz]

I had a MIC Micro Bass and really didn’t care for it. I have a Mark Bass Micromark now - it is vastly superior (and much louder). That has only two controls (vol and a variable filter) and they are on the top. However, I control mine with a bass preamp pedal out front so don’t fiddle with the top much at all.

[wooderson]

The Guitar Center Acoustic line sounds pretty good - I've only played the 100W but the 50W is a 1x10.

[Fiddy]

Id stay away from new Ampeg products.

[andy_tchp]

Fender Bassman 20 is a weird but very good sounding thing.

Mightn't be small enough for your requirements though as it's a (compact for Fender) 1x15 layout.

[Professor Bill]

Now I'm curious why the new Ampegs are to be avoided...

I've got the little Acoustic B15 (15w and a 10 inch speaker) from GC and find it to be pretty good for what it is. The onboard "overdrive" Is better than it sounds, and will add just a little grit. It looks like the line has changed since I bought it (4-5 years ago) but I'm assuming the B25 is pretty similar, or there are used B15s for cheap on Reverb.

[Surfysonic]

It's like two stacked champs, but I love my Ampeg Micro VR. It definitely does the Ampeg thing really well.

I had one of these for a time and I let the bassist of our surf/punk band use it in our club gigs - totally underrated, awesome amp. Foolishly moved it on at some point in my early gear acquisition craze.

Here with the late, great, Snorre (RIP)...


I currently have the Fender Rumble 500 Watt head with the 410 1000 Watt cab (likely too big for Johnny's needs), but man, it's a solid amp.





At some point, I splurged on a Fender Super Bassman head which was absolutley too big, too heavy, and unsuited for my home use but paired well with my Rumble 4x10 cab. I had gotten it when I was still gigging and with the potential of playing bass in another project. Finally sold it off and brought the Rumble 500 out of storage, as it's far more suitable for my current situation.



If I didn't have the Rumble 500, however, I'd absolutely go get another Ampeg Micro VR.

[Fiddy]

Now I'm curious why the new Ampegs are to be avoided...

I've got the little Acoustic B15 (15w and a 10 inch speaker) from GC and find it to be pretty good for what it is. The onboard "overdrive" Is better than it sounds, and will add just a little grit. It looks like the line has changed since I bought it (4-5 years ago) but I'm assuming the B25 is pretty similar, or there are used B15s for cheap on Reverb.

I bought a new head that started sounding funny, after a day, so I returned it. The guy at L&M said, that there seemed to be issues with those because they get returned more often than other comparable model / brands.

Then I bought a used combo with the 1x8 speaker, i bought it without testing, brought it home and had a terrible rattle with certain high frequencies/notes. Told the dude i bought it from, he fucking ignored me like a piece of shit, and i went and dumped it back in his front porch.