What's The Best Portable Bass Amp? Our Top 7 Best Small Bass Amps

Dagan shows us his Top 7 Best Portable Bass Amps and best small bass amps that won’t break your back or your bank balance!
Bass amplifiers used in this video are all available at PMT Online:
00:00 7 Best Small Bass Amplifiers Intro
00:43 Vox VX50BA Bass Guitar Amp - goo.gl/k9uidN
04:22 Fender Rumble 40 V3 Bass Guitar Combo - goo.gl/VzkNPh
09:35 Orange Crush Bass 25w Bass Guitar Combo Amplifier - goo.gl/FpcfdE
12:25 Ashdown AAA Series, Tourbus 15 Bass Combo - goo.gl/zuSYHv
15:05 Blackstar FLY 3 Bass Stereo Pack - goo.gl/tiBHGX
19:20 Ashdown OriginAL 300 Watt Bass Amplifier Head - goo.gl/eiWzgy
23:05 Trace Elliot ELF 200W Bass Amp Head - goo.gl/dTh6Av
Shop bass amps over at PMT Online: www.pmtonline....
Dagan begins his search for the best small bass amp and reviews a selection of the best portable bass amplifiers money can buy. Each of these amps have been chosen thanks to the fact they’re easy to carry and lightweight but still deliver a booming bass sound whether you want to practice at home or gig in front of thousands!
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[@paddydaddyo]

Video recap: A remarkably sober and younger Capt. Jack Sparrow plays a bunch of good shite on a Fender Jazz through tiny little ampers.

[@JuanCruz-un9jy]

Swarvy.

[@endze1613]

You mean a rock'n'roll Russel Brand?

[@faethe000]

His playing amazes me. He seems to know every rock, metal, blues and country riff ever written, just off the top of his head. And he can do it on both the guitar and the bass.

[@colincampbell8178]

The lad can play! Love his vibe!

[@matthewblack7206]

@@endze1613 Dagan is better looking than either of those men.

[@emersonsrandomvideos248]

This is what happens when the store owner is not around: The salesman is secretly a band bassist and test all the bass gears in his vlogs. Nice review!

[@_Only_Zuul]

fender rumble v3 40w is great. one of the best little combos ever. i used to own one and it could totally hold its own on stage into the PA with full band, small venue with a 30 piece choir and another time i played with a african drumming group outdoor on the beach with audience, the fender rumble delivered.

[@Stratisfied22]

For the money and overall the Rumble 40 is the way to go. It sounds amazing and the 4 band eq is very impressive. It is also a very loud amp for 40 watts. Pro sound from this little guy.

[@christinamichelle8790]

Stratisfied couldn’t agree more. Best $200 I ever spent

[@omarsharif927]

How loud can it get.

[@kingdeedee]

@@omarsharif927 if you're asking that question, you probably should avoid it

[@larryn2682]

Is that a question or a statement?​@omarsharif927

[@frankvozak7280]

You are one of the best amp salesman that I have ever seen You are the guy I'd like to buy an amp from. You really do know your amps.

[@jakp8777]

The nutube isn’t a “faux tube”, there is a vacuum tube in there. The nutube is a preamp only. The tube isn’t a traditional round tube, it’s made with vacuum fluorescent technology similar to VFD displays.

[@bobrogers6078]

How they sound with a pick is different than fingerstyle. It would have been better to have both styles represented with both techniques on each amp.

[@airinbone]

Absolutely!!! Picking always adds more bite to the attack and more high freqs at that point.

[@BigDaddyPapaJ]

Hard to take a bassist seriously when they play with a pick

[@simonnyberg5578]

@@BigDaddyPapaJ well at least someone who ONLY plays with a pick. A lot of us don't play tons of rock and metal and goes for a less modern and warmer tone.

[@Bahiti-wv7yh]

Agreed but good video either way

[@dickr9345]

@@BigDaddyPapaJ Hard to take you seriously with a dumb statement like that. Some of the greatest bassist on the planet use a pick, either exclusively or when it suits. Sure, I could name names, but the real question is... Who are you again?

[@jasonwebb1898]

I got a rumble 40 about 2 months ago. Keep the vintage button on almost all the time. Sounds great and that 10" speaker really puts out some powerful bass. The rumble 25 just didn't quitte have the same ooomph in the bass when I played them side by side. The 25 is still surprisingly loud. Also tried the Orange 25 and it was abit lacking in volume for me. The rumble 25 is plenty loud for at home but the orange 25 may leave you wanting for more. The line out in the rumble 40 is great to plug into some speakers or a guitar amp if you're using your line in on the amp to play music. This really helps the trebles of the song not disappear.

[@andrewzamorski4950]

The Elf is great, I have one at home but even better are the 2x8 cabinets with Faital speakers from Trace perfect for practice and two of these cabinets with the elf give you an amazingly portable rig for small gigs.Thoroughly recommend

[@babayaga1767]

i have one also, i run 2 2x8s or 1 2x8 and 1 1x10 .

[@michaelross1339]

I needed a really light and not-expensive bass amp, and bought a Fender Rumble 40. It is really versatile. Lots of low end available.

[@maeredabtsog6164]

I've got a Fender Rumble 25 v3 and it's perfect for my needs. Much louder and better sounding than expected. It's the first piece of musical gear I've bought in decades where I felt I got my money's worth - if it lasts a good long time.

[@jaylamb88]

I completely agree. Great little amp.

[@maeredabtsog6164]

I also ordered the 15, but it is disappointing. I'm sure I can find a use for it.

[@_Only_Zuul]

Rick Jones i agree they're easily among the best practice bass combo amps ever made. i've got the rumble v3 40w and it kicks ass. very light weight, good EQ and tone switches. i played a live gig last year with a drummer, piano, guitarist and 30 piece choir and mic'd up it was still able to hold up well.

[@coedcaes1thiccboi521]

I’m looking to buy the 25W would it do small gigs and live music for small pubs/restaurants ?

[@anthonyholland2669]

The fender rumble looks and sounds great ! So does that jazz bass 🙂🙂

[@agapeguy777]

Orange Crush is the best from your set here (

[@mgreene300]

Shocked at how good the Blackstar comes across in this recording! I had the guitar version for about an hour... Just long enough to swap it for a IDCore 10. Hated it, but this little Bass fly sounds better here than most of the others. Seems like a nice space saver for someone who records & doesn't need a gigging volume level.

[@ModernJargonFailure]

That's the problem when you mic up these amps for a demo that's f****** stupid

[@exomoneylabel]

**cries in bass**

[@doctorskull8197]

Acoustic bass amps pack a punch with deep, loud tone for a great price! One of the best bass amps out there.

[@kevmac1230]

As an over 60 bassist I need light weight and fairly low priced amp that can handle casual jams as even my old Peavey Minx 110 is breaking this old gig worn back.

[@timgreen2538]

The Elf does have Distortion and compression it's built into the pregain knob the higher you turn the more compression. Max it out for the classic trace distortion

[@simons.2948]

I’ve just bought the Vox and wait in anticipation for its delivery 🎸👍

[@ronbosgra8230]

Two years later, did it arrive? And how is the sound?

[@simons.2948]

@@ronbosgra8230 Sounds pretty good, great for taking to lessons, not a ton of volume on battery only complaint though.

[@ronbosgra8230]

@@simons.2948 alright, thanks!

[@c3920]

Got a Rumble 25 in my room, love it! And it can get plenty loud.

[@antman104]

I’ve got a fender 25 as well but it’s a little too clunky to bring places

[@taylordavis6089]

That Vox really does it. Great picks fender, sounds pretty good to but I would do the Vox.

[@pyroman6000]

MarkBass Micro Mark. A tiny 10" cube w/a 8" speaker and 40 watts of power (60 with an extension cab). It's loud as hell, and sounds great. Also ridiculously portable. Or just get the small Markbass head- not much bigger than a radar detector, but plenty of power.

[@joesho1245]

"No one knows" start. Love it

[@dermotmcmahon4351]

I must confess I am smitten with the Rumble. Sounds perfect for what I want.

[@gkarjala]

Not only is this a good vid, but your "demo" work is good too. Welll done, good on you.

[@inceptor7517]

Don't miss out the BC212 Pro from Eich Amplification. 14 kg, 500 watts, 4band EQ, Insert, Aux in, Headphone out, DI, 12" Speaker and a silky 4" cone driver. Superbly build, all Made in Germany. Excellent sound and plenty of punch and power. Lightweight, but not cheap...

[@h4ppyn00dl3b0y]

Got the Trace Elliott Elf with the 2 x 8 cab and the 1 x 10 cab. Awesome. Can't believe how much volume and clarity I get out of something so small. Perfect for home practice, band rehearsal and small - medium sized gigs. Don't need a station wagon or van for transport any more. Last gig i fit 2 bass guitars, my pedal board, gig case and entire bass rig in the trunk of my car. Nothing on the back seat. Fucking crazy.

[@ModernJargonFailure]

Way to not see the price a****** good job!

[@420Bassist]

Bought my first bass a month ago and have been playing it on my Fender Mustang 1 guitar amp and am realizing the tonal deficiencies. When I try to practice slap and pop, I can't help but notice this buzziness that makes it very hard to practice. Yep I need a bass amp.

[@paultyler1742]

Great review, thanks for being so enthusiastic and rockin out rather than getting all slappy n tappy n flash! Bought my Ibanez SRFF805 off you guys online and you were great - very efficient. I’m up for a portable head and cab set up this coming new year and ditching my vintage Trace Elliott ( megaheavy) combo and I’ll certainly be checking out your stock. Just shame you haven’t a store near me in Dorset! 🤘🤘🤘

[@lunarscorpio3987]

I'm so awkward for loving the Orange sound. I love how smooth Orange is.

[@DeanRoberts]

You're not alone, the orange really stood out to me as the nicest warm sound

[@DeanRoberts]

@@RockerProf it does come in black as well

[@alecmullaney7957]

@@RockerProf they come in green, black, and orange. Im sure you can also buy spray paint

[@sparselepidopteran]

Pick player and luthier here, thanks for the pick oriented demo!!! Let the fingerboomers whine, they already get enough representation.

[@RiverOfBlacklights]

FINALLY! Someone who "gets it"! Let them whine indeed...

[@thewindsorproject796]

GREAT DEMO! Personally preferred the Ashdown and Trace Elliot heads, but that's probably because they have enough power to drive a FULL SIZE cab... For the portables, the Fender was nice, but still a bit bulky... So I'd probably go with the VOX ...

[@michaelmosley1385]

For rehearsal by myself I use a roland micro cube it has internal beats, mp3 jack,head phone jack and also can take batteries. I also have a trace elliott elf For small gigs.

[@bonnieprietojr9979]

I Love the Orange and Fender Rumble 40...it is awesome..Thank you so much for sharing this..Appreciate it much..More power to your Channel..

[@paulevans4334]

I really dislike sunburst paint jobs but that one looks great. Especially the woodgrain coming through the paint.

[@JJ-bb3jv]

YOU'RE BACK! Finally we have missed your reviews!

[@Bleats_Sinodai]

NuTube isn't a faux tube, it's a vacuum fluorescent display purpose-made to be used as an audio tube. VFDs are still tubes, just in a different enclosure.

[@halfcookedtorrilla3094]

The Blackstar Fly is so adorable and looks like a perfect Christmas present!

[@robertobrien2903]

Vox used to make Bass Amps...They need to reissue and update some of the best models...Then I'll buy one.

[@adamlewis1961]

I wish Vox would do a decent bass amp...did they do a Pathfinder bass a couple of years ago? I stopped looking at new amps about 10 years ago, so this "not too loud rehearsal amp" is news to me...don't know if there's much else Vox offer at the moment for bassists - it'd be great if they re-issued the V125 valve stack or did a new 300-400w updated version...

[@alecmullaney7957]

Their amplug bass amp is phenomenal

[@bullfrogboss8008]

Wait, Fender Rumble 40 is "portable"?

[@mikkywhalan]

The I consider the fender 100 portable.

[@CrAnSwIcK]

I was thinking the same thing...I HAVE a rumble 40, and I'm watching this video looking for something portable...😅

[@geoffwhitemusic]

Thanks for the review. I'm looking to get a cheap bass guitar and amp for home recording at some point soon. The Orange sounds the best to my ears. Three-band EQ.

[@krautnation]

I play with the Rumble 200. I keep the vintage bottom on as I play my Höfner through it. It’s delicious.

[@cjleongson]

you make anything sound good.

[@jeffbruce6369]

thx for the very entertaining vid!! as a well seasoned bassist i know what to watch for through decades of the biz, on stage and off~~two things i'll bring up here~~#1-i may have missed this, but what are your bass pup settings?? this will alter any amp production~~#2-ever tried a Roland "BassX cube?? i've got one and it is awesome (runs on 9 AA batts also for us street corner players)~~maybe comp one sometime, eh?? thx again for the vid (you could be a magician w/a road act)

[@phatbassanchor]

I did a little research on the Elf. When I heard 200 watts my first and only question was 200 watts at 8 or 4 ohms? The answer? 200 watts at 4 ohms, 130 watts at 8 ohms. This was sweet music to my ears as the cab I would consider purchasing the Elf for and using it with is rated at 150 watts at 8 ohms. So, not only would the Elf make an awesome practice amp I could actually keep it in my bag as a back up amp to power both of my 12" cabs with 200 watts at 4 ohms. Thanks Dagan!

[@pcbass2]

Got the Fender Rumble 40 , 3 weeks ago .. I like it ..

[@robfninh]

There is a huge market here. How about Ampeg, Peavey? They all work pretty well.

[@MsCRISTIANORONALD]

Gracias por este vídeo, me ha ayudado mucho, el Orange esta genial!! El Rolland también pero poca potencia para tocar con banda. Rock n' Roll 🤘

[@marcelaharo8848]

Thank you Dagan. Outstanding demo. Love that Vox!!

[@TenFalconsMusic]

The problem with portable bass amps (and bass amps in general) is that in 2020, they're obsolete. Quite notably replaced by in-ear monitor systems which cost less weigh a minute fraction of even the smallest bass amp. What's more, your sound engineer will thank you for reducing the amount of "stage noise" they have to deal with. Your back will thank you along with the time you spend loading in/out.

[@richardgudino7630]

lol! You're a riot - I think I'd buy any one of these from you! But seriously, I'm most impressed by the ELF but tone-wise at least through my hi fi headphones and KZbin I'd give the nod to the Vox which sounds incredible. Very helpful, thanks.

[@lionelmonteiro9440]

Which Fender Jazz Bass is he playing ? What color is that ?

[@sparkyguitar0058]

I'm not a bass player per say. But I do got a whole system. Behringer amps, 300 watt 15 in combo and 25 watt 10 in small combo. Got'em both cheap and they sound good.

[@benmckernan7296]

One of these days Dagan will play come together right.

[@drforjc]

Trace Elliott for me

[@brucestowe7740]

I have the fender Rumble 200. Good for smaller venues with 140 Watts but plug in an extra cabinet and jam with the full 200 Watts. And only weighs 38 lbs.

[@garymorrison4139]

Great demo with a 4=string bass. I would like to see a demo using a 5-string. The same goes for demos that leave out the 7-string guitar. Most amps are 2 shallow on the low end and yet there is a growing market for these instruments.

[@caffeinatedmango3840]

guys, whats better between the Fender Rumble 40 V3 and Vox VX50BA for practicing and gigs? send help pls

[@Bibichdr]

0:16 seconds of the video and i HIT THE LIKE. GIVE QOTSA TO THE PEOPLE

[@hughes2397]

I really like the the Ashdowne Original head, and the Trace Elf. I'd go with either one of those.

[@Nikrowl]

nice little amps but would have been better if there were more styles shown off other than the pick one, just to see how the sound changed

[@heinrich5098]

Fingerstyle is everywhere

[@arnlmndza]

How does the Roland Bass Cube compare to these?

[@sussezqt.1439]

Really enjoy your videos. Thank you!!

[@trance9158]

Blackstar and Hartke.

[@user-nc1wo7ds2c]

nice one d. you can never break the chain. lol. good vid mate.

[@mikecorbett1030]

Surely in this company, the Crush 50 makes more sense - vs Rumble 40? The 25 is hard to beat at it's size/price point. Would like to see Laney RB2 in here...

[@t.c.tomaselli3399]

I'm looking for a small practice amp & what's very frustrating about ALL these demonstration videos is that the amps are tested with microphones placed right in front of the speaker grills. I'd find these videos more informative if the mics were placed about 4-6' away. Just think of how good bass response is through great headphones, that is until you pull them away from your ears & the deep bass becomes inaudible because the headphones can't move enough air to project the long wavelengths. Same principle using small amps. Those tiny Blackstars appeared to have deep bass comparable to the Fender, but I seriously doubt those tiny drivers sound as robust as they seem in the video.

[@mathewroberts6173]

The Ashdown rules. Clean. Lots of low end. The Trace Elf is 2nd as far as tone, but you can put it in your back pocket.

[@dezsodebreceni4829]

Mathew Roberts I have the same Ahsdown in 30 W version. Only problem is gravity is tending to have it's effect 3 times on that amp than other 30W combos

[@ratty860997]

Mathew Roberts I’ve got the Ashdown AAA60 it’s a cracking little amp, not as little as some of these though but it’s really light for its size. Looks really good too

[@jasoncherry3404]

I work on the road 90 percent of the time, I just picked up a bass to take with me while I’m traveling. Im looking for something just like this to take with so I can practice while im sitting in the hotel in the evenings. For the price which one do you think would work best for something I can take with me to practice with?

[@rivermistband3472]

3 Band....but that is a SEMI-Parametric mid band. A Parametric EQ includes Amplitude, Frequency and band width (or Q).

[@director2bob]

What is the most powerful battery powered bass amp that would be suitable for busking? I am told the Roland at 5 watts is a tad too low.

[@letsleepingdogslie2492]

Vox - Good! Fender - Better! Orange sounds a bit bassy ,your call! Ashdown sounds good but a bit weaker than the fender! Blackstar sounds very good the best one! Ashdown original is good too Elf sounds great! I'm getting one of those puppies! Thanks Russell Brand!

[@berner]

It's like Colin Ferrel cosplaying as Kirk Hammet, except with more flowers.

[@unrequitedmusic8004]

Just bought the Rumble 40 a few months ago. Great for home practice. A little concerned about the quality of the buttons and the knobs.

[@bengagliardo1080]

the Vox sounds a little clicky.. i see tour using a pick but that amp enhances that sound . are you using a guitar pick or are you using a felt bass one? and that fender has only one 10 inch speaker... im digging it. no one takes a ton of gear to a audition left to take it all home if tou don't get the gig. Stay safe dude. finding the right mix of musicians can ne time consuming. thing.

[@dingobabies9824]

Has anyone ever told you, you look alot like Colin Farrell? Cause you look exactly like Colin Farrell. Great video btw! very helpful

[@frankvozak7280]

That vox is impressive

[@edgeGabe]

choosing between the Orange Crush and the Fender. The pick on the bass always gives lots of noise.

[@perfectfan2006]

AXL TYRANT .....my husband used a 1969 ampeg v4 with a 4/10 cab and 2/15 we moved all across america touring so guess it was portable lol

[@keithbrown1189]

Did he mean "Portable" or "Combo"? I had a V4...well, at least they're lighter than the old SVT's!

[@perfectfan2006]

@@keithbrown1189 well it was both i guess more portable than a half or full stack that axl amp had great sound and it was good for a birthday party or the east town theater if needed a big bottom cab ran perfectly ,, super good amp for a reasonable cost took a beating and lots of good bells and whistles kind of gear that ends up making you money not just costing you money.. one of them buys you never once regretted after 15 years or more ... our issue was we ran into a bunch of gigs that most combo amps seemed to small and a half or full stack seemed a bit much and that axl 15 in amp was just perfect for them situations ... very well built piece of gear made my money back many times over zero issues not even a fuse

[@alanalbrecht1184]

No Phil Jones amps? They're the definition of portable! WAACKKKK! But I did like that ashdown head, pretty neato.

[@kevmac1230]

Yes to P.J. But they're in the $500.00 range and are in a different class than most "practice"amps.

[@andyplatt6692]

The TE Elf really is amazing!

[@etpslick100]

Mark King (level 42) uses the Ashdown Amps. He was with Trace Elliott but switched. From what I was told; the inventor of Ashdown Amps used to work with Trace Elliott. Hmm.🤔

[@llbros7297]

Pretty sure he uses all tc electronic now

[@Cguy7]

Nice QOTSA intro

[@thisverymomentmeditation]

i know the song, but i cant say which one can u tell me?

[@tomchet7020]

@@thisverymomentmeditation I've asked so many people, yet, no one knows

[@thisverymomentmeditation]

oh lol im so dumb xD ty@@tomchet7020

[@didymostruespeal]

A question for everyone. I do a loop act and I put base on the loops my current amps 30 watt crate doesn't seem to have enough bass for me but I still playing guitar and all the other pieces singing Everything. I'm wondering if the fender rumble could handle that. Or if I should be looking at something else?... PS I need one speaker facing me and one speaker facing them.

[@ducatilance]

How about putting the pick down and do a reviews using finger and pick and toss a pluck with some slap on top so bass players can get better ideas

[@linovinn7011]

Trace Elliot is really great!!

[@BuckFlicks]

My cod... that is the sexiest finish on a Fender guitar or bass I've ever seen. What's it called? Jupiter?

[@portuguesebeer5069]

I like the Fender and the Vox, and deslike the Orange. Cheers from Portugal 🍺🤘

[@frankvozak7280]

Its amazing how loud these small caN PLAY SUCH GOOD VOLUME WITH SO LITTLE WEIGHT. iN MY PAST LIFE I HAD AN aMPEG bt15=d which sound amazing with either 15 in cab but those would give you a hernia to carry

[@given0077]

I have a line 6 bass amp, have had it for over 8 years now and works great, only issue is it's bulky and hard to take to choir practice easily 😂😂😂

[@paulhopkins686]

Which bass amps are battery-powered?

[@BobCorey]

Hey nice video, do you think this Trace Elliot head with the Trace Eliot 110 cab could be heard over a rock drummer for small (bar type) stages?

[@garrettp7003]

I'm in the market for a new combo bass amp (going to give my Markbass a bit of a break). Anyway, I'm on the fence between the Orange, Ashdown, Fender used in this video as well as the Phil Jones double 4. Any input from fellow musicians is appreciated.

[@thenationalrepublicoffrogs3398]

when you plug in your headphones does it kill your ear and can you urn the noise down

[@kaontagyud]

Can you make a video of bass amps for band rehearsals

[@voornaam3191]

Are there any non-portable amps? Like you need to hire professionals to move them? And free masons to deal with the huge concrete resonation chambers? And Terawatts of power output? For real?

[@modernkowboy4611]

Fender Rumble 40 winner IMO!!!!!

[@CyrilViXP]

What is the market for these Voxes? For the price of big size amp you're getting plastic sounding but not so small combo amp. Very strange

[@scottconger1266]

The bass he is playing with the fender rumble 40 would be a nice set up, i would use it for years👍.

[@jasperchance3382]

Vox sounds pretty nice, Fender sounds saltless, orange sounds muddy, ashdown sounds great, blackstar is ok, I guess