The latest GP mag has an intersting article on amp size. Specifically, how the modern picker rarely, really, really rarely needs a Marshall Stack or Twin Reverb

Personally, 'have always liked playing "too much amp," even for the home music room, tho playing tends to be almost always at speaking-volume.

However, the concept of dumping the "too much" Cyber-Twin and Acoustisonic SFX because they are (criticism-justified) way, way, waay too powerful...

...in favour of a room-size-appropriate Micro-Nano-Champ just plain does not appeal.

Thoughts?

I guess I'm a dinosaur about it too. Smallest amp I have is a blackface bassman. Next to it I'm running a Plexi-clone on top of a Dual Showman cab. Perfect bedroom rig. Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

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My practice rig is a Twin. 100 tube watts of room rumbling, knock the pictures off the wall sound that I play on 1/4 power never above 3 or 4... and thats loud. I like big amps at low volume because there's more head room.

Hi JSJH: now that my rig almost never leaves the house a 100 watt Marshall is a bit silly, even using the switch which cuts it to 25 watts.

It sounds good at any volume level - but it sounds better loud!

I've tried several alternatives in the solid state and hybrid areas to find a satisfactory practice amp: adequate is all I've managed so far.

Will have to try one of these really small tube amps the magazines are full of these days...

Cheers - C

I don't know how pertinent it is to bass amps v. guitar amp, but I've always like a lot of wattage for my bass...so now I have band practice: Hartke Transient Attack 5000 (250 + 250), w/210 & 115, both XL series, @ home: same head, same cab set up...gigs, combined both cab set up with the same head I rarely go past vol 1 @ home, vol 5 @ practice, and however the soundman wants it set for gigs, as long as it sounds good to me, he can set it the way he wants.

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Rez(# 30916)
'89 Power Jazz Bass Special-BadAssIII, EMG P/J
Project PBass-EMG PX, Schaller BM Light Tuner
'05 Aerodyne JBass
'06 Spector Legend Custom Neck Through
VT Bass
Hartke TA5000 w/XL Cabs(210, 410, 115)

Hello JSJH,

Seem the older I get----
the less watts I need.

Cheers

just read the article, size turns out to be a misnomer. if a small one is used properly it can be more pleasurable for all involved. who said a big one is always better?

I have a blues junior and a crate vintage 50 in the basement.The crate was the shocker as my friend Timmy who has a small store sold it to me some years ago .I asked him what was the best sounding amp he had and when he said the crate I was shocked .It was used but mint and I could not believe how it sounded ,I mean it sounded killer .I took it home and researched it and it gets rave reviews everywhere but it weighs as much as a small car so it always stayed in the basement .I dont care for solidstate amps tubes all the way for me .The blues junior is just OK kind of a let down I think Fender could have done so much more with it,I dont have it moded but it should not have to be moded it is a Fender and they do know how to make great amps.Not that I am complaining but it could have been and should have been special.

I also run a tweed Blues jr. Great sound, all I need for me room

I love having enough amp. O.K., I'll admitt it; I love having way more amp than I need.

I play a modded 44 watt Deluxe Reverb around the house. When I was in a bar band, I played thru either two Twin Reverbs or a Dual Showman Reverb head and a 4-12 Hartke (guitar not bass) cabinet.

Now i like my small amps. Infact i bought an attenuator just so i can use my marshalls onstage. I rarely go above 8watts total volume. I own 2 5/6 watt amps.1,15watt and 2 100watt jcm's. The simple fact is that theres something very addictive about the pressure of a full tilt 100watt stack hitting you. Yeah its no good for your ears and its a useless stage amp, but i love it at home when the neighbours annoy me.

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No no and no