Are Bass Amps Still Relevant?

In this video, I'm asking the question: are bass amps still relevant? And the answer is...
Whether you're a beginner looking for a affordable beginner bass amp, or a seasoned bass player looking for an upgrade, bass amps are still a great option. In this video, we'll take a look at some of the best bass amp features that have become common amongst most bass amps on the market, that keeps them relevant. So if you're wondering if bass amps are still relevant, this is the video you need to watch!
My Bass Amp (in this video)
GK Fusion 112 | imp.i114863.ne...
Good Beginner Bass Amp Under ($300)
Fender Rumble | imp.i114863.ne...
Check out my website | travisdykesmus...
My Affiliates
By purchasing products from these links you will helping support this channel and bring more videos like this one!
MY HEADPHONE AND INSTRUMENT CABLES - www.marinocust...
My personal DISCOUNT CODE - TDYKES10
BEST CHEAP AUDIO INTERFACE | www.zzounds.co...
My TUNER PEDAL| imp.i114863.ne...
My AUDIO INTERFACE | imp.i114863.ne...
My BASS AMP | imp.i114863.ne...
My SYNTH BASS | www.zzounds.co...
My WIRELESS BASS SYSTEM | www.zzounds.co...
My WIRELESS IN EAR MONITOR SYSTEM | www.zzounds.co...
My IN EAR MONITORS | www.juicesmusi...
BEST BUDGET SYNTH BASS | www.zzounds.co...
My FAVORITE PORTABLE BASS STAND | imp.i114863.ne...
My BACKPACK | www.zzounds.co...
My STUDIO HEADPHONES | imp.i114863.ne...
My MAIN CAMERA | amzn.to/3zZRIky
My MAIN LENS | amzn.to/3tXIDES
My 2nd LENS | amzn.to/3HKKS4a
My PREAMP & COMPRESSOR | www.zzounds.co...
My STUDIO MONITORS | imp.i114863.ne...
My BASS CASE | imp.i114863.ne...
My BASS CASE ATTACHMENT | www.zzounds.co...
My AUDIO RECORDING SOFTWARE | imp.i114863.ne...
My KZbin MIC | imp.i114863.ne...
My FAVORITE BEGINNER BASS | www.zzounds.co...
MY FAVORITE BASS STRINGS TO USE |
4 string www.zzounds.co...
5 string www.zzounds.co...
MY ON THE GIG CAMERA | imp.i114863.ne...
MY FAVORITE CHEAP LIGHTING BUNDLE | amzn.to/2L0bW1J
Music in this video
Que Bola by Neon Beach | B97WOIMB12F7QZ7U
Fine Lines by SPARKZ | GWS0AAEVNUPMLTIU
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
INSTAGRAM | @TDYKES
WEBSITE | TravisDykesMusic.com
WANT TO SEND ME MAIL? SEND HERE!
Travis Dykes
1011 E Old Hickory Blvd
Madison, TN 37115
#TravisDykes

[@tofulee5706]

Feeling the bass is the best part about playing bass!

[@TheChef470]

Amen to that brother : )

[@AMx39]

🔥🔥💯

[@rogerssombe7369]

I second that Amen!!! There's nothing better than feeling the notes pass through air and hitting your ears...it's not the same with headphones..

[@junos001]

I so agree!! With that said, I'm in my 50's so, while feeling it is important, portability and in-ears are starting to look better everyday. :)

[@danieltorres5238]

I guess I'm the only one or maybe I'm just old School lol but I will still take my gk700rb and RBH 410 cab to most of my gigs and rock out. It has nothing to do with wanting to be louder than everyone else. I love having that low-end sound coming from that rig. It creates a stage experience that can be felt. Rock on everyone! 🎶🎵 🎸 🤘♥️

[@mattcastiglia7535]

I have an identical rig, and lugging that 98lb cab (or two) is ALWAYS worth it to me

[@danieltorres5238]

@@mattcastiglia7535 yes!! the bi-amp options on that rig is CRAZY good lol

[@bobbyzig3879]

Yes, stage volume is crucial!

[@TenFalconsMusic]

I love a good massage from a couple of 15s and a 4x10... ...but when you play a big festival of stadium gig, you'll be using (or wish you were using) in ear monitors. Especially when your bass tech has a violent case of diarrhea and you have to manage the columns of Stone Henge all on your own, on a very limited time budget. Trust me, that guy running sound won't be giving you extra time because he understands your predicament. That being said, small gigs with little to no PA... Bass amp all the way.

[@hermonbluesmaclin-theboogi6830]

Yessir With just the pedal on live gigs, you are at the mercy of whatever sound system is provided

[@bflathead]

I just can’t imagine doing a gig without an amp pumping out the bass behind me. 4x10 forever 👍

[@andyb7855]

Yup, same here.

[@danieltorres5238]

Absolutely!!

[@paulhopkins686]

4x10 😀

[@jhall6926]

❤yup 44/10 ampeg or 4/10 thick trace w/ david eden hiway or 405 traveler..yup....

[@TheOtoVac]

SWR 4 x 10 Goliath lll with my '76 Ampeg B25 B. Tone to die for.

[@nathanminert3119]

In my opinion it doesn't make sense to have an amp any bigger than the one in your video. You don't need to fill a stadium with your amp any more, let the PA do the heavy lifting and use your amp as a personal monitor. There are plenty of gigs that you don't need an amp at all as long as you have a good preamp/DI and you trust the sound engineer.

[@saustindavis]

This is the way! I used to run sound at a 275 cap club and bands would show up with Marshall 4x12 stacks and Ampeg 8x10 fridges, and it was absolute overkill. Guitarists only need a 1x12, and bassist only need a 2x10 or a 1x15 at 99% of gigs.

[@marvin1690]

Would you believe Stanley Clarke used about 7 amps on stage,,, at the same time? Did you know he uses a Marshall guitar amp for his hi tone pickups, did you know that one of the amps drives a18 inch speaker under the stage…do you know how many amps a series 2 Alembic can drive? Do you know about the five pin stereo electronics? Music is art. Just like I don’t listen to music performance that becomes a hit and all the guy uses is his iPhone and trap beats…. I could only imagine Bootsy without amps. He runs one amp clean and put the effects on the other and plays stereo.

[@tbirdpunk]

@@saustindavis Yeah... you must have a quiet drummer.

[@bobbyzig3879]

Well what if the venue has garbage monitoring or mains? I will still haul around my ampeg svt 4x10 cab and rack mount rig. I also have a Darkglass DI/preamp.

[@stephenhookings1985]

​@@tbirdpunk acoustic or eDrums? Or both :-)

[@derekdauchan2741]

I was just thinking about this because everywhere I've gone lately don't allow amps, the bass has to go direct and you have to use IEM's. My little 2-10 cab and 350 watt d-class amp is more than enough whenever I get to use it. Appreciate you Travis and what you contribute to the bass community.✌

[@busterfoxx]

I have a pedal and I listen through my IEMs, and that's all I need. It works and sounds great.

[@blopartDGRI]

Yeah the Fender Rumble 500 is so incredibly good !! ❤️‍🔥

[@Mr_Eyeholes]

I haven’t made “appropriate” use of my 4x10 540w cab in a couple decades, but I’ll never get rid of it for a couple reasons: 1) It’s awesome in every way, 2) If I’m ever in a situation where there’s an acoustic drum set but no PA, I’m golden with the 4x10s. Otherwise I use an orange crush 50 so I can play in different rooms in my house.

[@charliecarrot]

I recently picked up the smaller Boss Katana 110 bass combo amp, and I feel like it's the only amp I'll ever need. It can get surprisingly loud, has drive and compression built in (along with most effects I'd need like chorus, octaver, delay, filter env), and has a DI out that works with the cab emulation. I use the headphone out for home practice, and with the Bluetooth features, my tablet can stream audio to it for backing tracks, playalongs, or metronome. You can also switch between presets with the mobile app and go in-depth to all the settings, which works well if you don't have a foot switch. Unfortunately it's a bit heavy at 37lbs/17kg, which makes it less practical than a DI box for gigging. But still lighter than most huge amps and cabs people go for.

[@sqlb3rn]

I've never heard a PA that sounds better than my bass amp. The bars I play are small enough I let my bass rig carry the sound. We mostly just use the PA for vocals

[@hdslave]

If the pa doesnt sound any good / no subs. Let that shit rip. If u play a large room or something tho, let those floor 15s do their thing

[@WatchingMamut]

Exactly. Oldschool. You're in charge of your sound too

[@tracewingo9910]

I do understand both sides of the debate. For those who’d rather travel light, use a DI, run straight to FOH, use IEMs, eliminate traveling with speaker cabs, more power to ya, if that’s what turns you on. Me…. I have a truck and I load up and take gear to EVERY gig, and I play EVERY weekend. I have a GK 4-12 cab, an AMPEG 4-10 cab, an AMPEG 1-15 cab, and a little BEHRINGER 2-10 cab I typically use at home for practice along with a GK BACKLINE 600. My GK BACKLINE 600 I use mostly for home practice, although it and the little BEHRINGER 2-10 cab are very useful in most small venues I play, and I HAVE used them for smaller venues, and yes they performed flawlessly and exceeded my expectations. I have a CROWN 1500 watt power amp I use to run a tech 21 Sansamp preamp, and two CARVIN B2000 (2000 watt) bass heads which I ABSOLUTELY LOVE and will never get rid of. They are my FAVORITE bass head of all time, and no longer manufactured by CARVIN. All my amps, power amps, and preamp, with the exception of the BACKLINE 600, are mounted in road-ready racks, and I choose by venture size, indoor and outdoor, what gear suits me each gig. We also use IEMs, but I still like gear on stage. I like gear on stage at my ready. I LIKE to FEEL the floor rumble with low end while I play. And, if we set up at a venue with no stage, and a concrete floor, I have a small wooden pallet I take, and place my speaker cab on it, to get it off the concrete floor and on some grounding, resonating wood. I’m ALWAYS overpowered, and ALWAYS ready for any situation, HOWEVER….. I NEVER….. NEVER play louder than necessary for my band’s needs, and NEVER create a volume war or power struggle with my bandmates. It’s NOT professional, and I’d never do ANYTHING detrimental to the integrity of my band or myself. Bottom line is, YES, you can get away with less, and still perform as needed. However, I personally LOVE my gear, love having it on stage with me, and I personally will NEVER treat bass gear, amps, heads, cabinets, as irrelevant. I’m 56 years old, have been through hell and back. I’ve been blown-up, shot, stabbed, run over, beat on, but I keep in good shape. Maybe someday I’ll have to succumb to loading and lugging “GEAR,” and travel light…. however, while I still can, I’m taking it with me…… OLD SCHOOL!

[@haroldlanni8702]

Started playing bass in the late 60’s. First real amp was a Kustom with 2 15” JBL’s. Only 100 watts per channel but really cool for the time being 17 years old on stage with this amp.

[@michaelkeefer4293]

My bass rig has not left my house since I played a large conference back in 2018! Every gig I seem to do now is either at a church with an in-ear monitoring system or in a studio. Most of the time I use a Line6 HX Stomp for amp sounds and effects, I also have a Tech21 Programmable SansAmp for when I want to go quick and simple. I have to say that I really don't miss lugging a big amp around, and I think if I ever do start needing an amp again I will probably look into that GK and other small but mighty bass amps.

[@edwinwise6751]

I have the GK 1x12 x earlier model about 27 #s And it totally kills it . I am always amazed when it stands out in an incredible way over the mix. It is a piece of engineering art. No pedals and standard p bass is all you need

[@boomerbutler7569]

I'm an ampless bass player, but I do own a fender amp. I think the points you made about powering other amps and portability are interesting, but in my application (church, small gigs) it's easier to show up to a venue with my pedalboard and be ready to go in 3 minutes. I think if you're running IEM's, there's no need for amps because the FOH will be supplying the sound to the subs and it's basically only being used for stage volume. There's no need for stage volume unless your IEM's fail and you will need a backup to getting sound output volume when stage wedges aren't present. Most modern bands use IEM's and therefore I think the amps are going the way of vinyl records, which are super cool to listen to but kind of cumbersome when you need to change a song or in this case move the amp around.

[@eaf27]

yes... yes they are for me. I don't care how big the pa is, a floor wedge is not a bass amp and not designed to be one. Not a fan of IEM's but they can work okay if you okay with that headphones no low end sound. For me part of the point is to feel it and when that's gone and guitar amps are screaming on stage while acoustic drums are booming in your ears, you're just tinking on some strings representing low end pretending to be bass.

[@Andyanddiana467]

In my situation, the answer is yes. I have no PA support in most places I play, so I have to provide the sound the audience hears.

[@busterfoxx]

... so you pump your sound from on-stage into the audience? How do you know what it sounds like from the perspective of the audience? What about issues like your bass clashing with the kick drum - are those things you care about? I suppose everyone else in the band also just blasts their sound from on-stage into the audience... My goodness!

[@Andyanddiana467]

@@busterfoxx unfortunately, yeah. We don’t have enough money for subs and a higher quality FOH, so we just use the PA for vocal. I use my wireless to walk out during soundcheck and then make tweaks as necessary. *shrug*

[@johngpendleton]

My first bass amp in the '80s was a 100 watt GK combo with built in compression and chorus, as well as external speaker jacks and 1/4"/balanced line levels out -- they were way ahead of their time in the tiny, light, utilitarian amp category. Then I went to giant SWR rigs in the '90s and now I'm back to a 5 lb. GK 500 Fusion head after selling off the heavier SWR rack stuff. And the circle of gear life continues.

[@jbferguson1884]

I have a few amps that I use for different situations; a 1-10 combo for small places, and GK neo 2-12 cabs for larger places. SansAmp Bass Driver /DI is awesome and I recommend it for both amps and DI situations. Good video.

[@erikavery1105]

I use two SansAmp DIs: the BassDriver for clean Full Range and the ParaDriver for more of a Geddy Lee Overdrive.

[@MM2Sheriff123]

I’ve got a Behringer DI …it’s a nice cheaper version of Sansamp

[@SpencerWestwood]

Absolutely love my MB112. I've used for small pub gigs, weddings and even big swing band gigs in big venues and never gone past 1/2 way on the volume. If it needs to be louder out front, the post DI thru the desk does all the work. Great choice sir!

[@gantz4u]

Im going to keep this in mind when I get gud at bass. right now I got 7 nation army bass riff under my belt and about to branch out and explore in the garden of eden.

[@danielisgro6609]

Playing through an amp is much more fun and exciting than just a pre-amp / IEMs...but I totally understand the house sound advantage of a no amp stage. I prefer an amp but most of the time it's not up to me and you just gotta roll with what the gig calls for. I'm always glad when I don't have to haul a bunch of gear around though too!

[@enriquekikzdelapazbichain1126]

If the pa lacks power, your bass is going to sound thin, it's lovely to have a speaker that actually punches and cuts through the mix on stage

[@snoopyjc]

Yes - I’ve been looking for a tiny amp with a built-in compressor as that’s the only “effect” I use

[@Cake_Doge]

Nothing beats the feeling of filling your room with all the weight of the frequncies of your bass and amp with the tone you shape out of both

[@Blakeadam52]

Im LOVING my tech21 stack and dont use anything else. I may eventually switch, but i cant help but love having an amp everyone can feel especially when places dont have a good sound tech or DI.

[@robertmansell3667]

From DI Pedals to big monster stacks,they’re all relevant depending on your needs and uses,I’ve only ever played in Rock Bands and trust me a 1x12 ain’t gonna cut it😂

[@Hordes_Of_Nebulah]

They are definitely still relevant in the metal world. It's hard to keep up with a guitarist running a ts9 into a100 watt tube amp through a full stack. I play a pretty wide range of venue sizes as well so it is nice to have a large rig that can handle any stage environment. I have a hard time imagining playing a show with just DI. They would need to be blasting the stage monitors in my face for me to even stand a chance.

[@baconstrips6260]

It doesn't really matter at the end of the day, this guy can barely play his bass during demo videos and has the opinion of a tween that just found out about modeling amps but has yet to look up the price point. On top of that he obviously has never played a gig in his life because unless you bring your own sound guy, the house sound guy has NO IDEA what your specific bass tone is so they will make it how they like a bass to sound. Give me my SVT-AV, 8x10 and 18" Black Widow or its not even worth showing up for the gig. Plus when have you ever heard your bass through the stage wedges at a gig you didn't headline!

[@Dis-Emboweled]

I've played so many different rigs and gig set-ups over the years, I'm happy with my Ampeg Scrambler Di and for small clubs I have a 1000 watt powered speaker I play that through. Gone are the days for me lugging a 8x8 and a 500 watt head up and down stairs! But plugging into a sound system with subwoofers is ideal. 👍😁

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Bass Amps will always be relevant if you play an electric bass or guitar. Each amp has a slightly different character which though you can simulate through a DI pedal, it's not quite the same.

[@craigphillips3154]

But, will anybody (other than the bass player) ever notice?

[@brycemallumakopp]

​@Craig Phillips Prob not but it's about the feel and the maybe even possibly, the look of having a big ass cab on stage

[@jgfakjshfdgkajshd]

@@craigphillips3154 yes. They feel it but don't know why. A lot of people maybe even don't know what bass is playing, but they know without bass it will sucks !

[@Sledr1994]

When I play on stage I'm certainly mostly concerned about the entertainment and how the crowd is enjoying the overall experience, but it's also my moment, and I want to feel the air pressure behind my back. So yes, I might choose one day to have a more compact rig, but I'll always have an amp and (most importantly) a cab behind me.

[@leftaroundabout]

Most of the characteristic amp character comes from the cabinet. In most live situations, the engineer will not risk using a lot of bass-amp mic (and very often he'll just ignore whatever the bass player says about how awesome that amp sounds, and instead just work with the DI signal anyway because he knows exactly how to use that in the mix and his job is to make the crowd happy, not the bass player...) And when it comes to DI: a pedal can provide that _exactly_ as well as a bass amp can. (Also FWIW, I'm pretty sure pedals nowadays can even approximate whole amp+cab+mic so good that nobody could tell the difference, neither consciously nor subconsciously.) All that said, I agree that a bass amp is still relevant because it's the best kind of monitor for the player herself, which is in fact also a very important aspect.

[@badspy100]

short answer, yes they are. best combination is in ear monitor+bass amp. i prefer and i use 4x10 or 6x10 cabin with EBS REIDMAR 752

[@Bjmusic2491]

Yes bass amp are still relevant because most situations don’t have a decent PA system or subwoofers to project the low end

[@stevecrozet306]

I dont gig without my amp. I love to feel some power behind me. And to gig through some crappy 12 inch PA speakers makes the bass sound awful in my opinion

[@juancanela8891]

Still relevant brother and the on going improvements in technology with lighter and smaller builds packing same punch as your old school bigger ones make it more of a reason that no time soon will they become irrelevant. I own a 112 Aguilar cab with a tone hammer 500. It’s beautiful and like you said, I’m planning on saving to get another 112 to stack. When God permits it! Blessings to you brother and keep on jamming!

[@israelcedenojr8551]

Impossible to stop the amps … I’m a many years GK user and can’t live without it …

[@Theweeze100]

Yes, still relevant! I’ve got three different set ups. I don’t gig very often these days, but it seems like the gigs I do all call for varied equipment requirements. Was playing local community theater, and during the quiet passages the fan on my SWR burgundy kept coming on. I love the sound of that amp, but it doesn’t work for community theater. Love your channel! I subscribed!

[@chrisAclaes]

Whoa, you weren’t kidding about that one being expensive. I’ve bought and built all sizes of cabs, but right now I’m just rocking a little Phil Jones 4x5” and love it. I can’t imagine needing much more, but could always aim an ext cab at the drummer.

[@jimsuber6784]

After 42 years as a gigging bass player I can tell you for sure that I have no idea what is coming to a close but yes, they are still relevant. Especially if you're pickup gigging and you don't know what the upcoming sound gear is like

[@laurarosas5899]

Amps! I love amps! Nothing shameful about being a purist. I used to lug around a Leslie for my keyboards! Late 70's, 80's . I played my '63 Fender Jazz on a Fender Bassman, mic it. But I also love the smaller amps that have quality sounds and can jam a place. I'm 61, female, and play praise and worship, country/ western, love southern rock and of vourse, Tejano. Love your channel!

[@PeeJayBrownJr]

I can't tell you the last time I used a amp. I now run a Zoom B6 with Headrush monitor. Before that it was a Line 6 Bass POD. But the Headrush was just for that little bit of feeling since everything is in ears.

[@7krunch77]

I am definitely an amp dude. I have a big amp (Carvin BRX Series) and a variety of smaller cabs that I run with my Mark Bass Mini Mark III. My combo is the cool Behringer 4500. I shock players with that one. The boom is enormous and they are surprised when they see what it's coming from. Rock on, brothers! 👌🏾

[@ThundersMcCoy]

I like your style brother.

[@TenFalconsMusic]

I converted to in ear monitors (for gigs) over a year ago. I won't be going back ever. My personal mix is dialed in no matter where I'm standing & I can still feel the bass thunder waves from the mains. Disclaimer: I still use my amp for band practice, but only because I still like pushing air & making the snare springs sizzle.

[@dougsmith8874]

About 8 years ago i bought the Markbass 112 combo and the 112 ext cab. Great Tone Light and Loud .

[@lukasobi]

i am always pluggin my bass raw, no pedals, no nothing. never failed me. PA and the sound guys always got me.

[@RobertModica]

While I do have several bass amps for various applications, I use IEM's most of the time, I'll DI whenever I can. Good sound guys know their venues better then I do. So I could care less if I have an amp on stage or not.

[@konk15d]

Still relevant! I’m actually getting the Fusion 212 combo today… 😎🎸

[@petercorbett3794]

You can’t beat a good little bass combo. The clue is in the name. Matching amp to speaker. The oldies are the best. Fenders, older Peaveys, they have a matched round sound that’s totally reliable. I’ve never owned a big cabinet, if I can’t carry it by myself it’s too big!

[@bigc2nyce]

I think bass amps definitely are still relevant ,and thats because the big companies have been keeping up with the times. I think competition between companies is also great for the consumer (me)! As long as we are willing to buy it, they will build it! lol

[@Grumdot]

I think it really depends on what you are doing as to whether you need one. A small amp under 50lbs and 100 - 300 watts is what works for me now. I like to practice out load. I find headphones irritating and only wear them when I need to, (like when the rest of the family is sleeping).

[@potatoheadhaoy]

I switched to a sansamp a while ago, and the actual amp is chiefly for monitoring so I don’t use anything big. I know some people swear by their ampegs and what have you, but I think pairing a ss amp with a good preamp pedal can save you a lot of backache while providing a consistent, workable sound.

[@enossifiedossified3145]

The short answer is that when you have to play a gig where there is not adequate PA support, you still need an amp.In over 40 years I’ve done exactly two gigs where I was DIed into the PA and used no amp. One was a fly gig, the other was when the promised backline amp wasn’t there. There have been many others where I could have just DIed, but at most of them there was backline provided. I’m not about to leave an amp in the car just in case I might need it, mainly because it would only take a couple of gigs before someone broke into the car and stole it…. As you discussed, I use small cabinets (1-10 and 1-12) and stack them up when I need to, which is not often. In 20+ years of small cabinets I have never been underpowered and I minimize the amount of stage space I need to set up.

[@nautilaz]

I can't speak for doing large venue PA stuff as I've never done anything like that professionally. However, each and every component in your rig adds character and tone, even the drivers in your speaker enclosure. Just like a guitarist chases tone, bass does that too with amps, though its not as pronounced when in a mix or band. But in a small room or practice space with others, I'll take the designed bass speaker over the in house PA monitors.

[@TR60]

I’ve been debating this very issue for the last year. Like you I have a small rig ( Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 and an upgraded Genz-Benz Focus 1-12), love it! But, lately I’ve been taking my Tech 21 VT Deluxe Pedal, which can save six presets, allow two basses to plug in, and the best, phantom power (no external power source needed!) I have found that I should first always check the quality of the PA/monitor system being used. If it’s a great system, the VT Deluxe gets used. Average to poor, I bring my amp rig. So I think that depending on the situation you are heading into, both are still relevant.

[@MichaelStoneham]

From doing sound and playing bass. I always preferr going bass>pedals>DI split to amp on stage and PA. AMP on stage should be loud enough for stage use with a bit of bass out the fold back. Then the sound guy can controll what's coming out of the main PA.

[@lukehinkle9614]

I'm a fan of the Fender Rumble Stage 800. I've had it for a few weeks, and I may give up bringing my pedal with me to gigs.

[@boomerbutler7569]

Ironic because I've got the same amp and do the complete opposite 🤣

[@Brak0777]

Great video! As I am getting older, it is harder to lift heavy amps and I don’t want to hurt myself. I recently sold my Hartke LH1000 amp and a HD410, HD150, and a HD210. System sounded good but too much stuff. Replaced it with a Fender Rumble Stage 800 and the 2x10 cabinet that matches with it. I no longer use pedals because it models amps, pedals, and cabinets. Right out of the box I found 11 patches that sounded fantastic! The bottom end is full and round and you can also use Bluetooth on your phone to play music through the amp. It has 100 presets and you can add 100 more. Both cabinets are light and it is about 800 watts of power. Built in tuner too. Feels great on my back and I didn’t lose a thing with the switch.

[@stephenhookings1985]

So I made a bid on a Hartke 4x10XL - won it, paid. Now waiting for the seller to get in contact else I raise a case. I wanted it for home use - I wanted to feel the bass. You are saying you are more than happy to have traded for a Rumble? Maybe I will try one of those. I prefer to keep the modeller and amp separate - or at least know how to bypass incase one component breaks.

[@Brak0777]

@@stephenhookings1985 I also had apprehension about a combo amp. Sounds like we think the same. But the Rumble Stage 800, in my opinion, sounded better with my Geddy Lee Fender jazz. If I had to choose between the two, I would definitely pick the Fender. Hands down. Especially with the extension cab. I barely turn it up when playing live. Also my Hartke was a HD. Not a XL.

[@marvin1690]

I think ever bass head made today is no bigger than a church Bible. The cabs average around 30 pounds, . Technology has advanced as far as size and power, so you can blow out the average large club or high school gym , and if you’re doing stadiums they have amps under 100 pounds that would handle it. Although I like the bigger old school because that’s what I came up on, I have to respect that,,, but I would be a fool to trust some engineer that doesn’t know me, trying to adjust my tone. Sometimes I take the bass tone down to 3 when I want to play my jazz bass or Alembic close to the bridge, then I may want to run the bass tone on 8 when I’m playing my precision or hofner…,

[@TheDieselndust]

I’ve played in cover bands for over twenty years. My bass rig has gotten smaller and smaller over the years. who wants to lug around that heavy equipment anyway? Now I just bring my tech 21 sans amp, DI into the board and the sound man turns me up in my monitor. I always get compliments on how good I sound, and asked where is my amp. 😊

[@keithkenyon3845]

amps will always be relevant IMHO. i do think they're definitely LESS relevant for live gigs as IEMs and killer DI boxes have gotten way more popular. it seemed as soon as i got my AG DB751 with 212 cab in matching tweed, this no amp trend started.... LOL!!! never getting rid of it though, it's too sexy! current live rig starts with Tone Hammer 500 and i'll bring along 1 or 2 of my SL112s depending on size of venue and instrumentation . i love that the Tone Hammer can just run as a DI box if needed. that's my 2 cents.

[@steventrueman3493]

Yes, amps are, but i was brought up in the era where these pedals were'nt available so it was amp [and speaker cab] or nothing so you younger guys are very lucky to have all this new stuff. i had the peavey mega bass set up and it was brilliant, it was relatively small to take to gigs and i could use it for practice, but what i really admired about it, which really suprised me in relation to your comment regarding effects, is that the only built in effect that it had was a chorus pedal which i think is one of the most essential effect you can have and it was the most delightful chorus i've ever used. i've stil got a lot to learn with regardds to things i can get/do with bass as i have just recently gone back to playing purely for my own pleasure, cant wait to see what tricks i can get to enhance by "pathetic" bass playing😂 thanks for your content keep it coming.

[@thescatman5029]

As I indicated on your IG, I bought the GK 115 Microbass, in 2001. 150 Watts of pure power. I bought the extension in 2013. Rarely need the extension. I did plug the main amp into a Hartke 4x10 cab a church had, during a service. Boomin'! And I mean boomin'! One thing I love about the Microbass is that it is real portable! Oh, last year, I bought the Ampeg DI Box, just in case any amps, period, are not allowed!

[@keithhampton9700]

My first Bass amp barely fit in the back of my pickup truck. Now I just use a Caline Wine Cellar Di. At home I just use my Hartke HD 25.🤘🤠🤘

[@Sternodox]

I play an Ampeg RB-12 and it's incredible! Plus it weighs 75 bazillion pounds less than my 1972 SVT and Carvin stack did. After lugging that rig around for 40 years my old muscles can't deal anymore. And you're right ... they don't need to.

[@j1o1h1n1f32]

Travis. Been watching your videos for a while. Nobody's amp is going to sound like yours, you're phenomenal.

[@johnhood7098]

I agree! Definitely still relevant!

[@rcb_matt]

Depends for me. Do I have PA support? If they have a good sound system and are normally having bassists run direct, I just take a DI. If there's a question, I carry my amp. Basically same setup... single 12 Markbass combo (small gigs) with a matching extension (larger gigs) just in case.

[@georgederocher8202]

Eighty-ninety percent of my gigs : Genz Benz 9.0 run through an Acoustic (Guitar Center rebrand ) 12” cab, 21 lbs. Really big group /venue , same head run through a used Avatar 4x10, weights about 60 lbs. San Antonio area, which means jazz, county , oldies, Tejano.conjunto, older funk, horn bands . 1990 Hohner Steinberger copy Young me at the store : How many watts? Sixty year old me: How many pounds ? Neo speakers have changed the world. My old GK 4/10 weighed over 90 pounds . Lifting it up onto a full size truck tailgate sucked . Got a used Roland micro cube for the office -5 watts .. it’s enough . Never been a gear head

[@stephenbobic3226]

Amps are still going to be around, but I've kind of changed how I use the amp I take with me most of the time. But I do see a lot of advantages of using a DI like a "SansAmp" Bass DI for a lot of the stuff I am doing. I have 3 amps, an Accoustic 200 Watt (2 15inch speakers), a Fender Rumble 30 and a Roland Cube Bass amp (4 2-inch speakers). I primarily take the Rumble with me and it becomes my bass monitor, though I will use it as my amp in small rooms. I have gone to going through a DI to the board most of the time and use an in-ear system when I can. But for bigger rooms, I will take the big amp with me and use that, even in conjunction with going to the sound board. I like it because of it's larger tone control on the middle and low end. I use the Rumble as my practice amp, with an input from my computer for playing what I am working on and then headphones so I don't bother the others in the house. I agree with you about being a bit of a purist about things, but I also keep up with some of the trends. Thanks, Travis!

[@asdfghjkl117]

For home practice, my recommendation has always been to use a "direct" sound, typically out of a DI. Amps in comparison sound more colored and flattering. Feeling the bass with your entire body is great but a DI sound provides a clearer, truer picture of what you are doing with your instrument. This consequently is a better way to hear the subtleties of your playing and what needs to be improved upon. As far as live situations go, "strictly no stage amp" gigs have become a lot more common but they are still not the norm across all styles and all situations. I personally have nothing against in-ears but one does have to recognize that their use requires depending on the engineer’s expertise and equipment. The best engineers and the best equipment is usually not typical with your average, local/club/church gigs. A great musician, especially a bass player is I guess one who is willing and able to humbly adapt to a variety of situations, ideal, or not. Our job is to "make it happen" and to leave the rest to guitar players.

[@MEGAtuned]

I started playing bass with a cheap 50$ amp 4 months ago and intent to keep learning! If what you’re saying is true what DI or equipment do you recommend or should I just stick to my amps?

[@Messerjocke90]

For me it's just weird not to play over an amp.. I used to know a guy on Facebook that just plugged into a computer over a interface and got great tones with a software. But I'm too old school for that 😂. I want a amp and pedals.

[@robertcamp1606]

Well done vid!! I have a 300w amp for outdoor/'big' places, I also usually use an older GK 12inch 125w for small places. They both have line out to the house system so I usually don't need to turn up past 6/10.

[@dennleavy4407]

It is industry standard to record and blend, both mic'd amp and DI signal. Therefore, I'd personally say yes.

[@liamreeves3832]

Personally, i so agree that huge amps are not necessary, but I love cranking my 6x8 just so I can feel the rumble…. but all you really need is a 1 or 2 speaker cabinet/amp.

[@marvin1690]

Recording it’s not that bad, but performing, it’s a must have.

[@riffgroove]

I was using a rack mount Sansamp as a preamp for my live rig long before most people. Live sound engineers loved me, because it eliminated any need for a direct box. I just ran a line out directly from my Sansamp straight into the board and the engineer had all the tone he could want. And minus my cab's individual coloration, had the same tone coming out of my Amp.

[@niteshades_promise]

Single 15" combo at home, on stage I just plug into D.I. box and use monitors. Just my bass and cable. stage people turn amps down so low theyre pointless to haul.🍻

[@_KingOfCalifornia]

Guitar player here. Did bass amps not sound good in the past? I’ve always loved running my guitar through them

[@Piettore]

Absolutely, bass amps remain crucial in many contexts, especially live performances where they contribute significantly to the overall sound and presence of the bass guitar. But Using a DI (Direct Input) alongside my bass guitar allows me to connect directly to the sound system, ensuring a clean and consistent signal, which is particularly handy for weddings and private parties where space and setup time may be limited. For smaller club gigs, I use the Markbass Cmd121 Combo which provides a compact yet powerful solution, offering both portability and enough volume to fill the venue without sacrificing tone quality. I usually add a New York 122 2x12 Cabinet for larger clubs, creating a 3x12 stack that can handle larger stages and louder environments with ease.

[@luisixcolin1763]

I love feeling the bass. I’m using my recently purchased fender bassman 800 that is a hybrid with two 12ax7 tubes on the preamp and D power. Along with the fender 410 cab. That more than you’ll ever need and I’m happy with it.

[@nkostie]

I play in a metal /hardcore band. It 100% makes sense for me to us a 500w amp with a 410 cab. I also run di out of my maxed out sans amp. There are different types of gigging musicians. For me I love the feel of a loud cab behind me.

[@bertrandmajorik6589]

My first bass amp was an EMC 1970's, 2 18 inches cabs, 400 watts each, talk about heavy !!!!! Now, I'm a fan of 10 inches combos.A 25 watt 190 inches is enough for practice.

[@horrifyinggelatinousblob]

The Boss Katana Bass amp is honestly everything i could have ever wished for. It's honestly perfectly versatile.

[@randybrown8872]

A strong amp is often heavy too, unfortunately. I love my mini universal amp but it just isn't suitable for concerts.

[@hottotty13]

Probably depends on your genre and venues. For Doom/Stoner rock nothing will touch standing in front of a 8x10 cab with a monster tube amp.

[@Soul74]

Yes. I play a lot of rehearsals and jams without a PA.

[@xeverettx2564]

I’ve always found that bass amps with 30 tube watts and a 1x12in speaker or bigger (15,18) will usually always get the job done if you through a driver pedal in from(my choice is a sansamp bass driver). If it’s solid state you might want 100-200watts. With bass it’s about moving air whereas guitar for gigging the bigger the better, usually twice the speakers and twice the power of what the bassist have. My main bass rig for playing heavy and loud is as follow, I play a 51 telecaster P-bass, 2003 Gibson EB-0, and a 1969 Gibson EB-0 longscale. They run into a boss analog tuner, Sansamp Bassdriver, Sovtek Russian Big Muff, the yellow Boss Bass Overdrive, JHS delay, Hall of Fame reverb unit(which if you don’t have one get one, great for bass and guitar, then finally the Electro-Harmonix three knob compressor. Going into a 68 drip edge Fender Bassman with original matching 2x12 Original Jensens in a oversized showman cab, I would like to get the dual showman cab with the four JBL 15’s(next big bass purchase) jumping channel 1 and 2. Bass set at 10 on both channels, treble set at neutral 6 on both channels, and stage volume at 3 on channel 1, volume at 5 on channel 2. I use my Marshall 4x12 and Laney 4x12 off my second output on the Bassman head. Next I run into a 1970 acoustic 370 through matching acoustic 301 cab and that is slaves through a Sunn 6x10 cab and a Sunn 4x15 V angled cab using a Sunn concert slave 1,000 watt head with one knob hahaha! So yeah it’s a lot of amp just because I can but for church I’ll just use the Bassman head with the 2x12 match cab and my sansamp bass driver because that really the only pedal I need in that setting and it’s handy because it has a direct line out to send to the sound board and it gets some great tones and o can use a little bit of overdrive on some parts and it’s not like the big muff more of a gentle OD to kick on during big epic parts! Not to mention the Bassman head through theb2x12 and my marshal and Laney cab stacks makes for a crushing guitar sound. Anyway great video and thanks for sharing and I apologize for my long back line back story! I’m just really passionate about bass!!

[@cliftonmartin451]

I love my Genz Benz ML 200 amp , it makes my basses sound huge , it's only 200 watts but sounds great coming thru the sound system, my Genzler MG 800W amp and Aguilar cabinet makes me very happy. Both have direct outlets.!!

[@ezequielcosme3416]

I have the same bass amp but mine is the 210 version. Best amp. You should make a video of how you set it up!

[@PkkSpiral]

I exclusively use the Darkglass Infinity as my DI, Compressor, Distortion, EQ, and Headphone/Practice amp. I'm never going back.

[@adamulias2315]

This was a really excellent video, Travis. Thank you for taking the time to make it. 😃👍

[@stevenlewis4376]

I've been using the Line 6 Bass Driver DI since it came out. I plugged it into the effects return of my GK amp or a QSC power amp for large gigs and send my signal to the board . No mikes required. I need to feel the moving air. Although I once tried one of those plywood decks that have a drum shaker unit mounted to it. Standing on that felt surprisingly real with very low stage volume. The drawback is you can't move around. They work really well in the studio as well. Anyway ,the Bass Driver DI is still unsurpassed as a preamp.

[@michaelanthony9068]

Great question, I love this topic. I’m old and don’t play out anymore so my opinion is like me, irrelevant. BUT, playing at home, I’m all about my amp. AND my rack, maybe cuz I grew up in the day of refrigerator racks. I can’t stand the claustrophobic feeling of headphones all the time. Music is partly FEELING the vibes, so, it’s AMPS, ALL DAY LONG !!!

[@jamesvelazco9837]

I absolutely agree with you about using a bass amp to feel it in a live situation especially as I play guitar. I want to feel it as well especially since I want to feed off the groove and rhythm of them along with the drummer.

[@HaoXiaoXi]

They are still relevant for live performance. They just aren't as heavy as they used to be. A 2x10 cab with really efficient speakers is enough to feel it.

[@CalebPeavy]

I love my GK 200MB. Picked up used. It’s older than me and is a beast! I use the bassrig for church. Basically the same thing as a solid amp but redundant with a great amp eq.

[@rofferdal]

Yes. They are relevant. I use a small amp+1x2 cab for home practice and hugely prefer that instead of headphones. When practicing with a band with an acoustic rock drummer, a powerful amp is essential, and even on stage in smaller venues with small, basic PAs, having a bass amp as a stage monitor is important.

[@tomlane6324]

Idk, I’ve got in ears, a backbeat, a quilter bb800, an SVT 4pro, and 810e, a 410hlf, a barefaced Six10, with a two10 on order. If you’re playing a big venue with a massive line array, maybe in ears are enough. However, If the sound man is a burnt out goon who doesn’t care anymore, it’s nice to be able to hear yourself how you want to be heard, or prepared in the event of one sort of technical failure or another. Redundancy is important when the show must go on. That being said… the big setups dont really leave the house much anymore, hence to ordered 210. The 610 is still reasonable if I ever play outdoors or DIY again, but I’ve considered selling off the speakers in the 810 and turning it into a spot for the cats to play.

[@05645ci]

Of course, they are; nothing like hearing and feeling the sound of my Ampeg V4BH with the 4x10 cab when my 3 piece band cranks up to jam. That's what rock is. Sheesh.

[@UltimaJC]

There is one big reason I don't have a bass amp and that's budget. For the time being I'm running through Rocksmith and that's getting the job done while I get back into bass after my 5 year hiatus.

[@aj81ds]

I'm a beginner bedroom bass player and I have an Ampeg BA108 V2 combo but just got a Darkglass Element so thinking of selling my combo amp since I don't play out and I found better tones out of the Element with the cabsim. My current bedroom rig is 50 Watt IKM Micro Monitors > DG Element > SA Bass Driver DI V1 > TCE Spectra Comp > Tuner.

[@adityatyagi4009]

I love my Fender Rumble 100!

[@robsantorobass]

For years I’ve lugged around an Ampeg 8x10, full rack unit, etc. It was loud, heavy, sounded great, but one of the shows my band was opening for, after I lugged my rig off stage, the headline act just had a pedalboard, went DI, and that was it and the sound was massive. So now I don’t lug around big rigs anymore because it’s honestly not needed especially today. I have an Ampeg BA 115 v2 with an option to DI and it sounds massive through a PA system. The real test I put it through was a show we did a year or so ago. Both guitar players had a Mesa 4x12, a 6505+, and a 5150, and I had my BA115, a compressor, a sans amp, and my wireless and once I went DI with my set up it FILLED that room. A couple guys came up to me asking about my set up/tone, etc and the look on their face when I showed them all I was using was priceless. 😂 they thought I was using a massive amp, not a combo. That told me that I had made the right choice not needing to lug a massive rig around anymore.

[@ericplummer4089]

Gk was my go to but l'm in a markbass phase right now. Initially l didn't like mb but something clicked a few years ago and l figured out how to dial in a markbass head. I'd like to have both gk and mb but l aint rich. So l usually run a ag1000 thru a 210 or 115 or both, and sometimes another band will have a mb104 cab. The ag1000 with the 410 mb cab is awesome. If they run it thru the house, the mb di and level control to the mixer is very useful. So for a warm tone that can get modern its markbass for me. For a modern tone that can be warmed up. Gk. Thanks for a great informational video!

[@PhoenixFlight94]

Our band runs IEMs with wireless battery packs. If my batteries die mid-song, I'm sure glad to have my amp as a backup and also providing some lows on stage.

[@Mclasher18x]

I used to play with no bass amp, I use iEM on every show, but then I played GK 4x12 one day, and I was like “damn I gotta get me one of these!” GK makes awesome products