Dem0n0us

I have seen multiple people play guitar through bass amps such as Josh Homme from the Queens of the Stone Age. I don't have enough cash and room for 2 amps so I want to combine it into one. I do not really have a set price range for the amp. Maybe 300 to 400 USD? Could be slightly more. I have played metalcore and hardcore in the past, but currently im into Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters, Skillet, Modest Mouse, Shinedown, and Gaslight Anthem. I would like something versatile for bass and guitar. I am planning to get a multi-effects pedal board for guitar so guitar tone won't be really an issue. Is there anything I should watch out for? What are suggested brands? Any good models? Open to every opinion, but I probably wont change my mind abt the combining. Also, I am in New York City.
Thnks

moody git

don't yamaha do an amp designed specifically for both? not sure about any of the specs, but it might be worth a look. edit: THR10
in all my experience, bass amps make guitars sound that bit better. make sure you don't get a guitar amp straight out and end up ruining it when you plug your bass in.

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anarkee

When you are looking at an amp for both guitar and bass, the Fender Bassman always comes to mind--it is the go to amp for quite a few blues guitarists. However, its a bit above your cash allocation.

In your budget, there are alot of options. I would avoid GK and Ampeg in that price range--but you can pick up some decent amps from Ashdown, Acoustic, Kustom and Hartke. Also if you are willing to go used, your options in those manufacturers get even a bit better. If you are going to gig with the bass, make sure you give yourself enough headroom in wattage. My general advise is not to look at less than 200W.

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chatterbox272

Just make sure you know that bass amps, especially cheaper ones, often lack a drive mode. and even if they do, it's usually not the kind of drive you want on a guitar, so you'll need to factor in a distortion pedal unless you're happy with just cleans until you get your multiFX.

EDIT: actually, for your purposes I will recommend you look at the Digitech BP355 when you look at your multiFX. They claim it's designed for bass, but it's really just a slightly modified RP355 with a few bass models thrown in as well as the guitar models. That'd make it great for you because it could do FX for both guitar and bass.

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MaggaraMarine

^^ The BP355 doesn't have all the same models as RP355 but yeah, seems like it has all those Mesa Rectos, Marshalls and Fenders. And the FX are almost completely the same. All of them are really guitar FX models.

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My motto: Play what the song needs you to play!

Gear:

Charvel So Cal (MIJ)
Digitech RP355
MXR Micro Chorus
Laney VC30
Tokai TB48

FatalGear41

I'm afraid that there aren't many bass amps that work well for guitars. The original Fender Bassman was one such amp, but it was really a guitar amplifier the whole time. It just did not know it then. Back in the late 60's - early 70's, a few guitarists liked to play through an Ampeg SVT. Unfortunately, you aren't going to find an SVT rig in your budget.

Since it is critical that you play bass through bass speakers, perhaps a guitar amplifier with a good low end and a bass cabinet is what you need?

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Alucard817

I used to use a bass amp for my guitars back in the day. They work pretty well, but you lose a little off the high end when a guitar is plugged in.

Check out some Hartkes might be the sound you're going for.

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Sudaka

Of course, remember that if you only use one cab or one combo, it should be made for bass, since guitar speakers won't last if you plug a bass to them...

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Sliide90027

Tough order to fill.

Sounds like he is headed down the Road with a Floor MultiFX, a Power Amp and a 3 way Monitor Wedge.

He can let the PA do all of the heavy lifting on Volume and take advantage of the Amp Modeling until he is ready to commit to a Guitar Amp.

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Ibanez BTB 1006 Fretless and 405 (no Barts)
456 & 455(w/Barts)
Genz Benz NeoX400 112T & NeoX 112T cab.
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Dem0n0us

Hey, Thanks for the quick responses. I am not planning on any major gigs- only a small bar here and there. I am not planning on getting a stack anytime soon. I find them to be a pain in transportation and storage. These are a few of the combo amps that I am considering:
Opinions? Tips? Disclaimers?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Hartke-...?esid=107934523

-and-

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-...?esid=105767834

anarkee

I'd pick the Hartke over the Fender, because I have been always underwhelmed by the Rumble series amps. They're kind of meh sounding to my ears.

I love the Hartke though and we have one at the studio where I help out at on occasion. We've used it for bass, guitar and an amp for electric drums and it sounds great and is built like a tank. (It takes frequent abuse from 10 - 12 year old students).

Ultimately, I would head down to your local GC and try them both out along with an Acoustic amp, which tends to give you alot of bang for your buck.

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chatterbox272

I think I have to agree with Sliide on this, a PA and MultiFX is probably the way to go.
Maybe the aforementioned DigiTech BP355 and an active PA speaker like this Gemini RS-410. Then you can use the bass amp models for bass, and the guitar amp models for guitar. That should cover just about any sound you need from either bass or guitar quite adequately.

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Masquerade: #19

Dem0n0us

chatterbox272,

I do not quite understand. Do you mean I can just have a speaker along with a pedal board. Wouldn't this setup require a head?

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Also anarkee,
You mentioned acoustic amps. How do they compare to bass and guitar amps. What should I expect from them? Any suggested models?

chatterbox272

Quick breakdown of parts in an amp for this explanation: The 'head' contains a preamp, tonestack (Equaliser), and power amp. The speaker I suggested there is a powered speaker, which means it has a built in power amp. The pedal board does a fine job of being a preamp and tonestack.

Also, the 'Acoustic' amps anarkee mentioned aren't acoustic guitar amps. She's talking about the brand Acoustic, they make some good value bass amps.

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Masquerade: #19

MaggaraMarine

Do this.

__________________
My motto: Play what the song needs you to play!

Gear:

Charvel So Cal (MIJ)
Digitech RP355
MXR Micro Chorus
Laney VC30
Tokai TB48

Dem0n0us

If I do get a PA... for MulitFX, am I limited to only bass pedalboards or can it work both ways? I am primarily a guitarist trying to expand my skills onto other instruments. So although I have decided to dedicate my future time to bass, I would not like to ignore guitar tone too much. Are there any recommended pedal boards out there? I will probably get the DigiTech BP355 for its looper, unless theres anything better with a comparable price.

chatterbox272

No, you can use any pedals, racks, or multiFX you like. I only recommended the BP355 because it has a lot of amp models for guitar and bass, so you can kill two birds with one stone and have great versatility for both instruments. And the guitar models aren't a half assed afterthought on it either, their pulled straight from DigiTech's RP series guitar multiFX.

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Masquerade: #19

Sliide90027

Powered PA Cabinet or Monitor is Full Range and can handle anything you put into it as for frequency response.

Your expectations are sending you away from off the shelf individual Instrument products. Full Range is where you need to be looking. This will be like performing with hugh output studio monitors, or taking over a sidefill PA cab as your Audio Monitor.

When I did 5 Nights Opening for Petra, Clair Bros. was doing the sound and the Meyers Audio Back Side Fills (4 of them) were so perfect I shut my Micro Tech 1000 power amp off and told the stage hands to send my Cabinet (later sold to Adam Nitti and used by him until he signed with SWR) to the Trailer. I just did the Gigs with the Basses, the Yamaha PB-1 and my TFX4.

I cannot say what the Price is of a Powered Speaker or Monitor, so I cannot say the idea is within reach to you.

If you are doing light gigs, you can get away with 200 watts and let the PA carry the room.

Any Floor MFX Unit should have plenty of output to drive the Powered Monitor/Cabinet.

Otherwise you spend more money to get separate power amp and speakers.

Whether you choose a 2 Way Cabinet/Monitor or a 3 Way, it is Full Range, so it will do either instrument.

Just select the instrument and Pedal Board (as some pointed out the BP355 will do all the RP will do, some even use the venerable BP-8 [$100 avg. used] on Guitar because there is a 12ax7 tube in the preamp section) and run from that into the Powered Speaker.

If money and mass were no object to me, I would have:
my floor effects,
the two BP-8s, run stereo into -
2 PB-1 Preamps, then the Highs into-
2 Digitech 2120's, then into -
two Studio Quad 4's handling Stereo highs and Lows. and finally to
Powered Myers Cabinets of Choice, 2 Subs and 2 Fulls.

While my present Rig is 12's with little tweeters, I am not confident that the Bass Ported Cabinet is going to give you the versitility of tone for whatever Guitar tone you seek.

It might redefine your playing and you might love a little Genz Benz NeoX Combo, but it also might not be what you are wanting.

Thus, I suggested the Full Range PA Cabinet, Powered of course.

Focus on Things other than Berrenger. QSC had a good name last I knew. Look for used and check product reviews as normal.

__________________
Ibanez BTB 1006 Fretless and 405 (no Barts)
456 & 455(w/Barts)
Genz Benz NeoX400 112T & NeoX 112T cab.
Digitech BP-8 (x2)
Yamaha PB-1
Boss: SYB-5, PS-2, OD-20, EQ-20, PH-3,BF-3, CE-20, DD-20
Morely A/B

Sliide90027

Chatter,

Thank you for your pleasant vote of agreement. Seriously. I appreaciate the good will.

__________________
Ibanez BTB 1006 Fretless and 405 (no Barts)
456 & 455(w/Barts)
Genz Benz NeoX400 112T & NeoX 112T cab.
Digitech BP-8 (x2)
Yamaha PB-1
Boss: SYB-5, PS-2, OD-20, EQ-20, PH-3,BF-3, CE-20, DD-20
Morely A/B