Guitar Amps

Read and learn more about bass guitar amp head. For more, visit the Guitar Amp website GuitarAmpUniverse.com

Q: How can I fix an overheating bass guitar amp head?
What is it that makes it overheat and how can I fix it? It has a heat sensor that makes it shut off about 1/2 hour after turning it on. Its a rather expensive one and would rather figure out how to fix it rather than buy a new one.

A: You left out some rather crucial information. Mainly, what kind of amp is it? What brand? Solid state or tube? What kind of cabinet are you going into?

Without that info, the only thing I can offer up is that there is a mismatch in the load between the amp and cabinet. If the cabinet is a lower impedance that the output of the amp, then the rig would do what you are describing.

Good luck.

Greetings from Austin, TX

Ken

Q: What does a guitar/bass amp head do?
I saw some on the net, and one was titled “Kustom Groove 1300HD 1200-Watt Bass Amp Head” – so does this mean it adds 1200 watts of power to the amp itself or something?

A: The head is the amp. A combo amp has all the electronics and the speakers in the same enclosure, and a head is just the electronics only (pre-amp + power amp, etc.) and needs to be paired with an external speaker cabinet.

Q: Can I use a power amplifier and a loudspeaker instead of a bass amp head, for playing my bass guitar? ?
Can I plug my bass right into the power amp? Or do I have to use bass heads or bass amp combos? Or can I plug it into a powered mixer? Is that okay? Thanks.

A: A powered mixer possibly, but not power amp. Well, I mean you could, it’s not going to hurt anything, it’ll just sould like crap. You would want a preamp to boost the signal and provide EQ capabilities. If you get like a Tech 21 SansAmp, Line 6 Bass POD, a Behringer Bass V-AMP or some such, you can run it into what ever you want and it’ll sound fine.

Q: Is it possible to turn a stereo amp into a bass guitar amp?
I have an old stereo amp that I want to use to play bass guitar on. I don’t get the proper tone that is needed with just that. I also have a small (practice size) bass amp (BP-15). Is there a way to connect the two together to make a cheep bass amp head? I would be using separate speakers. Thanks for advise cool cool

A: I’ve run a guitar directly into a stereo, and I agree, the sound is too clean.

If there is an output plug running from the practice amp, you should be able to connect it to the stereo and any distortion or effects will come through to the stereo amp. You may need to make the correct type of cord to do this.

If the practice amp does not have an output, you should be able to have an electronics repairman or a music shop guy who knows amplifiers put one in, but I don’t have any idea what that would cost.

Q: GUITAR/BASS AMP CABINET/HEAD question!!!?
Can you play your bass guitar with just a plain cabinet and no amp head hooked up to it? For a cabinet to work does it have to be hooked up to a amp head?

A: Speakers do not amplify. They are an electro-mechanical device that requires power from an amplifier. Without an amp, speakers make no sound.

I presume you know that the amplifier needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet too.

Q: Can I use a Guitar Amp Head with a bass cabinet to run a bass guitar, or will it ruin the amp?

A: Yes, it could ruin the Amp. Bass sound requires a lot of power output. If you exceed the output power of the guitar amp it could fry it.

However if you play at volumes which do not exceed the power handling capability of the amp it will work fine with no damage to the amp. Its a matter of watts. Do not attempt to get more sound volume out of the setup than the amp could deliver from your guitar.

In other words, if you have a 50 watt amp, the output to the bass cabinet should not exceed the volume you would get from a 50 watt bass amp head.

Also the guitar amp head does not have (tone) trim controls which are tuned to the low frequencies which the bass produces. Therefore if you have a resonance or booming bass tone you will not be able to equalize the overall sound with the control which the bass head provides.

In closing , this will work but do not expect the best tone and make sure you keep the volume at a safe level during the most power producing parts you play. Be especially careful if playing slap because that type of action can really surge the power output momentarily. Just watch the speakers, if your really snapping them then turn the volume down.

Q: Bass or guitar players: do i have to buy an 800 watt cab for an 800 watt bass amp head?
I just bought an 800 Watt bass amp (head) and want to buy a speaker cab for it. I went to 2 different big name guitar stores and they both said something different: that I do have to buy an 800w cab for the head, and the other said that it’s better if I buy a 500 w so that i won’t be using up all the power of the amp at a gig. Is that true or will the amp just blow away the 500w cab?

A: It’s better to have the amp be rated at a higher power than the speaker. Since you’ll be cognizant of this, you’ll be careful not to drive the amp too hot. Even if you go a little bit over what the speaker is rated for, it’s a linear curve, so the speaker will oftentimes survive just fine.

The problem is when the speaker is rated at a higher power than the amp, and you drive the amp so hard it clips. This creates a very sharp change in voltage which will blow out most speakers.

Q: Bass Guitar Amp Question PLEASE HELP?
can you plug a bass amp head into a guitar speaker cab and play bass through it?

A: yea you can, but sometimes youll blow the amp if you rock out to hard

Q: Is it possible to play a GUITAR through a BASS HEAD into a GUITAR CAB without damaging anything?
I know you shouldnt play a bass through a guitar amp because it damages the speaker but you can play a guitar through a bass amp with no probles. But is it possible to play a guitar through a bass head into a guitar cab with no risk of damage to the head or cab?

A: YES —-No Damage at all will happen – the only problem is that the pre-amp section, as well as the rest of the circuitry is designed for the lower frequencies of a bass guitar, so you won’t get the HIGH FIDELITY offered by a GUITAR AMP. But maybe it’s a sound that you will like .

Many guitarists play thru bass amps.

The bass head WILL NOT convert the guitar sound into anything lower, where the result would be damage to the guitar speakers. In other words, the speakers will be just fine .

Q: car amp to bass guitar amp?
car amp to bass guitar amp? is there a way to modify a car amp to make a ghetto bass guitar amp head

A: Possible; here’s what you need to do.

1st. bass amps are usually class c meaning higher power but more distortion. Most car amps are class AB for quality and power.
Don’t expect it to be overly loud.

2. you will need a big power supply for the amp. going to have to be something like 13.8 volts at least 25 Amps. Without a big power supply the amp will run undervoltage and burn up. You said bass amp, that means BIG power demands. Car battery would work very well but it is not advisable to use them indoors because of the gasses emitted during charging and discharging.

Also If using something to convert 110VAC to 12VDC It will have to be clean power or you will have a unwanted hum at the output.

3. you will need a 1/4″ female to RCA connector. Radio shack could help you with this.

4. Adjust the amps crossover settings or turn them off.

5. Hook the speaker(s) up. Mono bridge if able

You’re ready to Go!

Q: Can I use a guitar amp head as a power amp?
Power amps can get a bit pricey… is it possible for me to use a powerful guitar amp head as a power amp? If I plug in the components (guitar, bass, microphones) into a mixer, then plug the mixer into the amp, then run the amp into a speaker, will that work?
Also, if this configuration is possible, would it also be possible to make it stereo?
Thanks!

A: If your guitar amp has an “effects loop return” or a “power amp in” jack on it, then I would plug the mixer into that.

Plugging into the normal input is not recommended, as the preamp and tone stack on a guitar amp is not optimal for reproducing full range signals (like what you’re wanting to amplify).

To go stereo, you would need a second power amp/guitar amp. No way around that.

Power amps are, as you say “pricey”, but they’re built to have a wide frequency response, and usually have a lot more power output than a guitar amp. A 100W guitar amp is pretty large, but that’s a very small PA amp.

It’s not going to be optimal, but it will make noise for you.

Good luck.

Greetings from Austin, TX

Ken

Q: Guitar head, Bass cab?
Im just curious , would it be possible to connect a guitar amp head with a bass cab ??

A: Yeah most likely, because there is not much of a difference in the two besides the tone. Try it! I want to know what happens!

Q: When buying a bass amp with no control panel, do you HAVE to buy a bass amp head?
Say for example, I wanna buy this amp http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Acoustic-B410-400W-4×10-Bass-Cabinet?sku=600775

Would I have to buy an amp head, or could I deal without it (For gigs and such)

A: Those are just speakers, you need an amp to drive it. 100W is plenty for gigs/practice

Q: PA speaker used as a Bass Guitar Amp Cabinet?
I have a 500 watt Peavey Sanctuary PA speaker that I use for vocals.
I have recently been looking to buy a bass amp stack considering I now play bass for a new band I am in.

I asked the man that i purchased my PA speaker from about bass cabs, and he told me I could use my PA speaker as a bass cabinet, and I would just need to buy a bass amp head to connect it too.
I was a little skeptical about it, then he went on to tell me that DJ’s have lots of bass in their music, and it flows through their PA speakers fine.

So would it be a good idea to use my PA speaker as a bass cabinet as long as I bought a bass amp head?

Thanks in advance.

A: You don’t even need an amp head. You can plug your bass straight into the mixer.

Many bands do this, especially for small gigs. I’d do it all the time if our monitors had better bass response but as it is, I need my bass amp so I can hear what i’m playing. If you find that your tone changes too much when you plug direct to the mixer you can just use a DI box rather than an amp head.

Our band are always praised for our sound, everybody comments on how clear everything is, that’s partly down to our TAPCO speakers, but also due to the fact that we run my bass through the mixer and mic the guitar. And if our bass, guitar and vocals drown out drums, we mic the drum kit.

Q: What type of Bass Amp is this?
I recently acquired this weird bass guitar amp head but i dont know the company that made it nor do i know what type of speaker i should hook up to it. any suggestions on the company or speaker?

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d153/Tommydreamer9163/PA120149.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d153/Tommydreamer9163/PA120150.jpg

A: Look in TotalMusic.com’