Unless an amp isnt working properly there really isnt much you can do for it but an average bass can be changed and improved.To settle this go to Guitar Center,Sam Ash,Sweetwater and play a $300 to $500 bass thru the best best bass amp they have and listen to everything thats possible.Then pick up a $2000 plus bass and play it thru some cheap combo amp and listen.Notice that the $2000 to $3000 spent on the average bass/good amp combo wins everytime.Upgrade your amp 1st.Then you will know exactly what your bass needs.
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Which would you upgrade first? An amp or a bass?
- Thread starter StrudelBass
- Start date
Amp and cab, if you’re engineering a tone you should start there. Almost every bass sounds bad in direct input recording alone. The amp and cab do a lot of lifting for the sound, and the bass itself adds different elements to that depending on the type of bass. I believe that you only can hear the difference between two basses through a good amp and cab and that the differences are more subtle. Everything sounds the same or worse through a 25 watt amp
the resale value of amps and cabs also fluctuate more, you could get an 810 cab for 350 sometimes, there are so many svt heads out there that a vintage svt head costs close to the same as a reissue
would have probably parted with my stingray if I didn’t change amps from single 15 solid states to 10s and tubes.
the resale value of amps and cabs also fluctuate more, you could get an 810 cab for 350 sometimes, there are so many svt heads out there that a vintage svt head costs close to the same as a reissue
would have probably parted with my stingray if I didn’t change amps from single 15 solid states to 10s and tubes.
What I’m hearing is. … just give a clean DI signal to the sound guy (everyone on here seems to have one) nothing matters after that.
In 35-plus years of pro audio, and 25-plus years on bass, I have never found this to be the case. A good bass and a good DI—in my case, a Music Man StingRay and a Countryman Type 85—are all you really need, if the PA and engineer are competent.
Its definitely Carrots.
You can have appalling basses and amps/cabs and the plan should be upgrade both asap.
How far up you upgrade is also tricky.
If you are earning money from music then you'll probably have/need to commit upwards of $5k soon enough.
You can have appalling basses and amps/cabs and the plan should be upgrade both asap.
How far up you upgrade is also tricky.
If you are earning money from music then you'll probably have/need to commit upwards of $5k soon enough.
My thoughts on this are.... upgrade the amp first.
.... A good amp can make a not great bass, sound good. Whereas, nothing will sound good thru a crappy amp.
Just deal with the bass you have until you can upgrade it later.
.... A good amp can make a not great bass, sound good. Whereas, nothing will sound good thru a crappy amp.
Just deal with the bass you have until you can upgrade it later.
That's a big ask?
Too many get hired then become experts on your gear and playing when they just met you. Some of the biggest ego's are behind the desk.
I'm surprised to see amp winning the poll...
In my opinion (as it was asked) it's much easier in most occasions to beg borrow or steal (or DI as has been suggested) an amp, than a bass.
For me, a good instrument you're happy and comfortable with is key. In my... 35 years or so of playing bass, quite a few amps have come and gone, but all my basses stayed, for romantical or quality reasons.
Now that I think of it, I've never sold a bass, I don't own as many as a lot of ppl here (4) but I feel attached to them in a very different way.
Of course I know a great bass with a lousy amp will sound bad, but in big occasions you'll have a backline, on smaller gigs you can DI and hope for the best, in studio your bass will be key... At home with earphone amp or whatever, dunno, your bass is your bass, and much as I LOVE bass amps, for me it's a different level.
In my opinion (as it was asked) it's much easier in most occasions to beg borrow or steal (or DI as has been suggested) an amp, than a bass.
For me, a good instrument you're happy and comfortable with is key. In my... 35 years or so of playing bass, quite a few amps have come and gone, but all my basses stayed, for romantical or quality reasons.
Now that I think of it, I've never sold a bass, I don't own as many as a lot of ppl here (4) but I feel attached to them in a very different way.
Of course I know a great bass with a lousy amp will sound bad, but in big occasions you'll have a backline, on smaller gigs you can DI and hope for the best, in studio your bass will be key... At home with earphone amp or whatever, dunno, your bass is your bass, and much as I LOVE bass amps, for me it's a different level.
If your playing ability is up to par then it's time for a new bass something that cuts through no matter what you play it through your wood is going to shine and talk to you. first and foremost definitely Bass because that amp is only going to sound as good as your ability to play ..nothing between you and your amp other than your hands and what they can do be very confident play your ass off and you'll be just fine
If my bass was playable and I was recording or performing, i would upgrade the amp first.
If my bass was unplayable or difficult to play I would upgrade that first.
If I was playing bass in my bedroom by myself with no plans to go out in the wild, I would upgrade the bass first.
If my bass was unplayable or difficult to play I would upgrade that first.
If I was playing bass in my bedroom by myself with no plans to go out in the wild, I would upgrade the bass first.
Yes I would agree but some people want to upgrade their bass first because if you are a working musician like myself that wood you play on is very important .the ability that your hands allow you to put out a Groove, you can only sound better with a better sounding bass whether you have a decent amp or not....alot of nights im going direct and just coming through a monitor or inears so you might not have an amp to play through so now you have to rely on the bass you're playing..and that's even with recording this is why a lot of guys record with certain bases because you're looking for a certain sound with that bass some basses are too noisy to record with some basses have a distinct sound like fenders, music man's but like you said if you're sitting in your room and have no plans to go out into the world and do this for a living then you can change or upgrade things at your leisure because at this point its just recreational if that makes sense
No argument from me. I also said if the bass was holding me back because of playability, I would upgrade that first. You could extend that to how it sounds. But if you have a garbage tone it is tough to tell if it is the bass or the amp.
I'm of the opinion plugging a top of the line bass into an amp with a garbage tone is going to have a garbage tone more than plugging a bad bass into a top of the line amp. That is probably debatable.
Hey sounds like were both right and we both make good points
Here you can check out the tone on my Q5 Enjoy my friend..
Put on your headphones or big speakers
Here you can check out the tone on my Q5 Enjoy my friend..
Put on your headphones or big speakers
My take on it...
Amps sounding not so good. What else could be amiss?
Bass can sound not so good and/or is uncomfortable to play.
If it's sound and comfort, you can eliminate two faults with a new bass vs one fault with the notsogood amp. -> Go for a new bass.
If it's a draw... complicated.
Amp meaning head or combo?
Does it have an fx-loop? Maybe a different preamp can help. Maybe you can borrow one, maybe buy at a shop where you can return hasslefree.
I'd go for the bass if it's more than one reason you don't like it. If it's only for its sound, I'm a pedal guy and livingroom player using DI -> active monitor. For my needs, I can easily get around it using pedals. I'd go for the amp in this case.
Any particular bass / amp you're having in mind? How easy would testing/aquiring be in each case?
Edit: I guess you guys write "hasslefree". No Zs around...
Amps sounding not so good. What else could be amiss?
Bass can sound not so good and/or is uncomfortable to play.
If it's sound and comfort, you can eliminate two faults with a new bass vs one fault with the notsogood amp. -> Go for a new bass.
If it's a draw... complicated.
Amp meaning head or combo?
Does it have an fx-loop? Maybe a different preamp can help. Maybe you can borrow one, maybe buy at a shop where you can return hasslefree.
I'd go for the bass if it's more than one reason you don't like it. If it's only for its sound, I'm a pedal guy and livingroom player using DI -> active monitor. For my needs, I can easily get around it using pedals. I'd go for the amp in this case.
Any particular bass / amp you're having in mind? How easy would testing/aquiring be in each case?
Edit: I guess you guys write "hasslefree". No Zs around...
The question as-asked is to difficult to answer. I'm just going to state that if I have a decent/playable bass and amp, I would first upgrade the amp.
It's not a decision made academically, but emotionally... basses need to be playable, but badazz amps and cabs just turns me on.
That said, if the bass isn't playable, that would need to be addressed first.
It's not a decision made academically, but emotionally... basses need to be playable, but badazz amps and cabs just turns me on.
That said, if the bass isn't playable, that would need to be addressed first.
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Like most things, it depends. If you have a limited budget, then you need to identify specific needs before you go out and spend money. The needs will vary wildly depending on many factors.
Start by making a list of your needs, then figuring out which pieces of gear aren't meeting those needs.
For example: You're in a rock band competing with 2 guitarists using amps and a drummer. You currently have a 1x10 practice amp that you can't hear during rehearsal.
Getting an awesome bass won't help with that scenario. You need more volume or you need to convince the band to go ampless or use IEMs. If you need more volume, then you likely need more speaker area (bigger cab).
Keep it simple. Identify the needs you have right now, and get the gear that solves that problem. If you don't have a clear problem right now, then save your money for when you DO have one.
Start by making a list of your needs, then figuring out which pieces of gear aren't meeting those needs.
For example: You're in a rock band competing with 2 guitarists using amps and a drummer. You currently have a 1x10 practice amp that you can't hear during rehearsal.
Getting an awesome bass won't help with that scenario. You need more volume or you need to convince the band to go ampless or use IEMs. If you need more volume, then you likely need more speaker area (bigger cab).
Keep it simple. Identify the needs you have right now, and get the gear that solves that problem. If you don't have a clear problem right now, then save your money for when you DO have one.
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you would think that would be the case (is for me) … but on this site virtually everyone seems to have total access to their own sound person and a first class sound system at “every” gig, and they will tell you amps aren’t needed anymore