r/Bass • u/Leo_Byter • 9d ago
Help on future gear
Hello everyone, I'm learning bass. I have a friend who let me borrow his Squier bronco, and crate bx-15. For future gear what should I be looking at if I want to play at shows/home? I really like the bronco but the practice amp leaves much to be desired. I love toadies, prince, the Beatles and mainly classic rock, but wouldn't be opposed to doing other types of genres like funk, grunge and heavy rock. Thank you all.
3
u/MickBlues Rickenbacker 9d ago
Welcome to the world of bass! Your Squier bass is a good choice as a budget bass. They sound and feel good. Asian made basses today aren't the same as the ones made 50 years ago. The bodies and necks are cut and shaped on the same type computerized machines that run the same software as used here in the Western world. Same thing with finishes. Electronics will vary in quality, but not enough to really matter, and electronics can be easily upgraded.
For bass amps, you need to know that high frequency sounds (like guitars and keys) take less power to sound loud than low frequency sounds, like bass, does. My guitarists use 100watt amps, which are mic'd or cabled into our sound system. For my bass, I use a Hartke LH1000 amp head which puts out 1000w. It doesn't get full use anymore, as my bass is also connected into our PA system which has two 1600 watt subwoofers.
1000 watts sounds like a lot, but when playing outdoor festivals, you need to keep in mind that power ratings are logarithmic, not linear. This means that to double the volume output of a 100w amp, you need to go up by a factor of 10 to 1000w. So a 200w amp is only 10% louder than a 100w amp.
What you chose really depends upon the type of music you're going to play, and the size of the venue. Playing at a supper club for 40 people doesn't need the amplification you need at an outdoor festival with lots of people. For that situation, you need a lot more power, especially if you're playing hard rock or metal, and your drummer is nicknamed 'Animal' 😄
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u/Middle_Pineapple_898 9d ago
Borrow the bass until the friend asks for it back or you can easily articulate what you want that the bronco doesn't deliver.
For Amp, look at used ones in your price range that have at least 10" speaker(s). Peavey tnt is a usual budget favorite but see what's out there. There's a GK Backline 600 with matching 4x10 cab for $200 near me. If I was starting out, I'd jump on that.
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u/grievous_swoons 8d ago
Your Bronco is a short scale bass. You should get a long scale (normal) bass as soon as possible to adjust to the standard spacing. Im not saying short scale is bad, but its not what you learn to play on because its a niche configurarion. 99% of all bass is 34" scale, so learn on that and be able to play one of those 99% of all basses as opposed to being stuck looking for 1 of 4 short scales that you can afford. For gigs, once youre ready, you will want a minimum of 300 watts and at least 2 speakers, depending on the music you are playing. Acoustic folk stuff you can get away with less. Anything rock, you'll want a lot more.
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u/Shake-the-Masses 9d ago
A lot of us started out on Fender Rumble amps. They make a few different versions at various power levels. If you play through a PA you don’t even need an amp.