Bass guitars and guitar amps?

[gnizak]

I've been playing guitar for a long time and I want to take up bass too. Anything I'd be interested in playing would have been recorded in the 1960s-1970s, so the sounds from that era are what I'm after, mainly acts like the Doors, Neil Young, the Who...

 

I really want to buy an Epi Thunderbird, but I also want to play this through a tube amp. From what I've seen tube bass amps are pretty expensive, even used. If I pulled an old tube amp off of ebay that was meant for guitars, say, a Sovtek head, plugged it into something like a 2 x 15 cabinet, would I have any problems, and would it sound good with a bass guitar plugged into it?

[Thumper]

We really ought to sticky this one...

 

You can play bass through a guitar head (tube or ss) as long as you use a bass cab. Bass guitars produce too much low end, and will blow guitar speakers unless you play at very low volumes. Also, never, ever power up a tube amp without plugging in a cab.

 

I've played bass through tube guitar heads (Sound City, Sunn, and Fender). You can get a nice, dirty tone. If you're looking for (relatively) cheap tube heads, look for an older Traynor Bassmaster, Fender Bassman 100 and 135, Ampeg V4 and V4B. The Sovtek head should sound fine, but might be lacking low end.

 

Good luck.

[gnizak]

Thank you for the timely response, this is just along the lines of what I was hoping for. Now the trick is finding a good cabinet!

[Thumper]

What's your budget for a cab?

[xOriginalNinjax]

 

Thank you for the timely response, this is just along the lines of what I was hoping for. Now the trick is finding a good cabinet!

 

 

If you're wanting old-school tone and are using a guitar head...find an old Ampeg 215....you'll have that tone easy peezy....

[gnizak]

 

What's your budget for a cab?

 

 

I'd like to spend around $300 on a cabinet, but if I found a 2 x 15 cab that I had to have I'm sure I'd cough up for it.

[Roguetitan]

We really ought to sticky this one... You can play bass through a guitar head (tube or ss) as long as you use a bass cab. Bass guitars produce too much low end, and will blow guitar speakers unless you play at very low volumes. Also, never, ever power up a tube amp without plugging in a cab. I've played bass through tube guitar heads (Sound City, Sunn, and Fender). You can get a nice, dirty tone. If you're looking for (relatively) cheap tube heads, look for an older Traynor Bassmaster, Fender Bassman 100 and 135, Ampeg V4 and V4B. The Sovtek head should sound fine, but might be lacking low end. Good luck.

I agree 100% with the sticky suggestion. I know that this same question has been asked in at least 4 threads in the last week:rolleyes:

 

for the record +1 for the response to the OP:thu:

[Mudbass]

It shouldn't be too difficult to find a vintage 2x15 cab from that era. Sunn, Fender, Ampeg, the list of speaker manufacturers making bass speakers was pretty slim back then and they all used pretty much the same ones from companies like JBL, Altec Lansing, Jensen and Utah.

[Thumper]

I'd like to spend around $300 on a cabinet, but if I found a 2 x 15 cab that I had to have I'm sure I'd cough up for it.

 

http://www.avatarspeakers.com/

 

Check out the B212 Neo cab. It's at the upper end of your budget (and over with shipping), but Avatar cabs rock. They sound great, are well made, and don't cost an arm and a leg. I have a 2x10 Neo and 1x15 Neo in my rig.

 

Having said that, I'd grab a 2x15 cab with JBLs if I could find one in your area---if you don't mind local pick-up and a work-out every time you load out/in for a gig.