Which guitar amps also work well as bass amps?

[NecroticImbecil]

Besides the above, Red Bear MK120 if you can find one. Designed to have plenty of low end even at low volumes, works great for bass.

 

[WoodyJ]

Back in the day....Fender Dual Showman

 

[Korladis]

I remember that I tried my bass in the shop through a Blackstar HT Stage 100 Head and Marshall Cab, and it sounded bloody good! So much so that I'm thinking about saving up for one sooner or later. Does anyone else know of any guitar amps that work well with bass?

Mesa/Boogie D-180 (channel 1 is for guitar, channel 2 is for bass).
Sunn Model T
Sunn 1200S head (the cab not so much)
Ampeg V4
Ampeg V9
Sunn Concert and Coliseum heads
Matamps from back in the day
Peavey Mace heads
Sound City heads
Hiwatts (as far as I know, they weren't really specified guitar or bass)

Many others

 

[NoBlackTShirts]

The Dual Showman was the default bass amp for a short period of time between the little bitty Fifties bass amps and things like the SVT and the Acoustic 360. You'll pry mine from my cold dead hands.

 

[Bushrod Johnson]

The Dual Showman was the default bass amp for a short period of time between the little bitty Fifties bass amps and things like the SVT and the Acoustic 360. You'll pry mine from my cold dead hands.

I had a silverfaced tall Dual Showman a long time ago. I'm glad you still have one. Wish I did.

 

[atrapp]

Fender super twin converted to a head is an awesome bass amp and relatively cheap to boot!

 

[D.M.N.]

Marshall Superbasses and some of the other early models (JTM 45/100, JTM 100) if you're into that tone.

 

[A. D. Fairhurst]

Marshall Superbasses and some of the other early models (JTM 45/100, JTM 100) if you're into that tone.

And a Marshall Superlead works well too!

 

[bigtone23]

Before I owned a 'proper' bass amp I used to rock my bass through either a 130W Peavey MX head (VTX series-4 6L6GC output with SS pre) or 160w Mace (VT series 6 6L6GC) and 1980 Peavey 4x12" with factory Eminence speakers. It sounded great!

 

[MrSidecar]

Funny, just today I had this chance to try a silverface Dual Showman Reverb (Master Volume version without Overdrive push/pull) on my MAS26 cabinet. It sounded REALLY great. Granted, it was a tiny room to fill and I only tried it briefly (in an unreal situation, without a drummer). But man, that amp is mighty. On a sensitive cabinet, this would work great.

I might end up buying it.

Best
Sidecar

 

[Munjibunga]

Almost any decent guitar amp head will work adequately or even well with bass. As for the speaker cabs, that's a whole different story. Most guitar cabs aren't designed to handle bass notes and, while some may sound fine at low to moderate volumes, they'll explode violently if you crank the amp while playing bass.

 

[chris_b]

Guitar amps for bass will work fine. I used a Marshall Super Lead 100 in the 70's. It had more definition and punch than the bass versions.

 

[jazzyvee]

I think a Roland JC120 is good if you are not turning it up loud or at a small gig. Very bright tone but eq it down and it works quite well.

 

[Blues Bass 2]

Back in the 70s my SVT head needed some work so I borrowed a friends silver faced Twin Reverb . Unplugged the internal speakers and plugged in my Peavey 4 ohm Cerwin Vega loaded folded horn and played a bar gig with it . Really sounded good and with that cab was loud enough .

 

[fly agaric]

I have a 10-year-old solid state Ibenez guitar amp (2 x 12) that I bought brand new and I ended up HATING it for guitar. Ended up getting a smaller tube amp that does the trick.

But that Ibenez ended up being a great combo bass amp for me. To this day, it's distorted channel is my absolutel favorite fuzz.

I had been using it as a practice amp, but the new practice space comes with an amp so now it just sits in my garage, which I imagine isn't good for it in this cold. Oh well.

 

[quickfix]

I think a Roland JC120 is good if you are not turning it up loud or at a small gig. Very bright tone but eq it down and it works quite well.

Great for electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and bass. Wish I still had mine.