Playing a bass through a guitar rig

Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

we went through this a bit ago. I said guitar speakers may get effed up from bass frequencies and everyone called me an idiot. I'm not bitter about it or anything.

Other than the speakers taking a lickin', guitar amps have been used for bass a lot, and vice versa. I suppose you'll only do damage if you're running full-on too. I would PERSONALLY stay well within the wattage of the speaker if you're playing bass through it.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

jon the art guy said:
we went through this a bit ago. I said guitar speakers may get effed up from bass frequencies and everyone called me an idiot. I'm not bitter about it or anything.

Other than the speakers taking a lickin', guitar amps have been used for bass a lot, and vice versa. I suppose you'll only do damage if you're running full-on too. I would PERSONALLY stay well within the wattage of the speaker if you're playing bass through it.
Click to expand...

An idiot? Jesus that's a little harsh.

What you said makes sense to me. Thanks man.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

Don't all of the metal guys who are playing in Drop-W use regular amps? They have to be getting pretty close to bass frequencies for their open strings.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

You CAN, but not at much volume. Not recommended if you're using an open back cab, like a combo. A closed back cab helps restrict the low frequency excursion of the speaker. And, your amp's EQ is set to tailor guitar frequencies, not for the bass. So you can do it, at very low volume. But you do run the risk of damage, especially to the speakers.

Now, if you have a high powered tube amp, like a Twin Reverb, plugged into a 115 or 215 bass cab, that will probably be fine. Or something like a SS Peavey Renown (160 WRMS) into a bass cab--good to go; but I wouldn't recommend using the combos' internal speakers.

If you have an old PA head, like a Peavey XR-600, you can definitely run bass through that; and if plugged into a PA cab--say, a 115+horn, you can get pretty good sounds.

There are some budget bass amps out there that would work fine for a small studio or recording applications. And if you're recording, you might as well go direct through a good DI or preamp anyway--that's how many engineers would record a bass.

Would help to know more about what you're thinking of using.

Bill
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

I've been a lead-player for 30 years. One the occasion that I needed to play bass I always just made-do with guitar stuff.

But last fall I finally got the "get serious about playing bass" bug and bought several Sterling basses (Ray35, Ray34, and 34 fretless). I ended-up with a killer (inexpensive) bass rig. It's a GK MB200 head and an Eden RS115 cab. And let me tell you that despite having plenty of capable guitar gear... this little bass rig KILLS it all for bass stuff. For pumping-out deep, house rattling lows, this little solid-state rig with one 15" speaker rumbles the house more than a pair of 100-watt tube heads running into a pair of 4X12s. Because this bass rig was made for bass. Just like guitars rarely sound their best when run through a true bass rig. (And yes, I do realize that the Fender "Bassman" and similar amps were originally intended for bass).
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

Whatshisface Dylan Carlson uses a GK combo when he's playing in Earth. It's a tele into the amp, and you've never heard a telecaster move mountains quite the way his does.

here's a video with my point of view, from Celestion of all people.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

Boogie Bill said:
You CAN, but not at much volume. Not recommended if you're using an open back cab, like a combo. A closed back cab helps restrict the low frequency excursion of the speaker. And, your amp's EQ is set to tailor guitar frequencies, not for the bass. So you can do it, at very low volume. But you do run the risk of damage, especially to the speakers.

Now, if you have a high powered tube amp, like a Twin Reverb, plugged into a 115 or 215 bass cab, that will probably be fine. Or something like a SS Peavey Renown (160 WRMS) into a bass cab--good to go; but I wouldn't recommend using the combos' internal speakers.

If you have an old PA head, like a Peavey XR-600, you can definitely run bass through that; and if plugged into a PA cab--say, a 115+horn, you can get pretty good sounds.

There are some budget bass amps out there that would work fine for a small studio or recording applications. And if you're recording, you might as well go direct through a good DI or preamp anyway--that's how many engineers would record a bass.

Would help to know more about what you're thinking of using.

Bill
Click to expand...

The singer, keys player, and I (guitar) are jamming with a new bass player this weekend. The drummer is not available, so we are going to do a quiet practice. Just for ease, I told the bass player that he didn't need to bring his rig.

I have a Warwick that he can use, and was going to just plug him into one of my amps, and probably run him thru my 2x12 closed back cab (V30, G12H30)

Since we aren't playing with drums, we won't play with ear plugs and super loud.

Worst case scenario is I go and buy a bass amp, I need one anyway.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

No...if you live in a six-story walk-up...by all means, have him bring his SVT and 810 cab!!! At least then you'll be able to judge his level of commitment! LOL! :)

I'd worry about the G12H30--so VERY low volume.

Good luck!

Bill
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

on a serious note tho...as long as the rms wattage rating of your speaker exceeds the rms wattage rating of you amp, you'll be fine.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

It can be done.

One day I got to thinking abkut how much low end my Mesa Triple Rec is capable of and decided to plug my Peavey 5 string bass into it, and it sounded great! I was really surprised. But I didn't keep at it for very long because I didn't want to damage my speakers. I don't know if there was any substance to that fear, but I didn't want to press my luck.

A few weeks later I was reading up on Robert Trujillo's bass rig, and come to find out, he runs a Rectifier preamp for his distortion.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

I wonder if it'd be a good way to soften up a cone...

Preferably not to the point of tearing it, of course.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

short of a bass amp
a powered PA speaker would work

I have a 15" powered Carvin
and a Digitech floor pedal
the Carvin is 400 Watts RMS has level and 4 band EQ
weighs 39 lbs
the pedal lets me separate the internal drum loop and the instrument signals
so if the drummer doesnt show I just add another powered 15

very versatile
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

"For the Blizzard album I used one of Randy's 100-watt Marshall amps through a 4x12 cab and Gibson EB3 bass. The Diary album I used an Ampeg SVT vintage head (which I still have) through an 8x10 cab with my '61 P bass (natural finish). With Rainbow for the recording of the Long Live Rock and Roll album I used that same '61 P through one of Ritchie's doctored 200W Marshall heads through 4x12 cabs."
Bob Daisley
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

gibson175 said:
on a serious note tho...as long as the rms wattage rating of your speaker exceeds the rms wattage rating of you amp, you'll be fine.
Click to expand...

This. Bass frequencies take more power to amplify than higher ones, so bass amps tend to have much higher wattage than guitar amps. Higher wattage is much more of a worry than low frequencies.
 
Re: Playing a bass through a guitar rig

dystrust said:
This. Bass frequencies take more power to amplify than higher ones, so bass amps tend to have much higher wattage than guitar amps. Higher wattage is much more of a worry than low frequencies.
Click to expand...

That makes sense also.

Thanks guys
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top