Fender B-Dec 30

[Bass-ic]

So! Ive been looking around to get a decent bass combo to start out with. has anyone used the fender B-DEC combo, just how useful is all that stuff on it, or is it a gimmick?
Matt (AB)

[E_MaN]

There was a review in BASS some while ago and I think it gave it great marks, however, the only way you'll be able to check is by trying yourself

[DirkThrust]

I've got one of those. It's a great practise tool, though not the be all and end all of practising.

It's got a whole load of loops of every different music style, which you can play continuously and practise along with. You can also do a whole load of different things to each loop like taking all the bass and other instruments out so it's just drums. You can add effects to your bass sound. It's got overdrive, fuzz, flange,chorus, phaser, wah, delay and more. You can speed up or slow down. There are also a lot of amp models like the classic Fender Bassman, Ampeg, Eden, Trace Elliot and upright.

You also get a method book with it that has all the loops written out in tab and proper musical notation. It does far more than I've listed here, I've barely scratched the surface of it.


It's a lot of fun to play with and you can easily lose an afternoon to it. It's a good motivational tool and I would definitely recommend it. Whether you think it's worth £250, only you can decide that.

Edited February 10, 2008 by PaulMartin

[Perry]

I find it hard to understand how a small amp could sound like an Eden or Ampeg.

If you want something to use for practice, maybe you should try a Tascam Bass Trainer.

If you just want an amp then just but an amp.

If you want effects then get a pedal.

When you get, "All In One" things there is always a compromise somewhere. I have tried to re-word this post so I don't come across with an attitude but I cant, sorry.

I love my Hartke A100 combo, a nice clean sound, fast response, nice bottom end. Great for practice, jamming or even small gigs. I actually use it more than my Eden setup. I picked it up off the 'Bay for £150 (£249 new)

[DirkThrust]

[quote name='Perry' post='139230' date='Feb 13 2008, 01:47 AM']I find it hard to understand how a small amp could sound like an Eden or Ampeg.

If you want something to use for practice, maybe you should try a Tascam Bass Trainer.

If you just want an amp then just but an amp.

If you want effects then get a pedal.

When you get, "All In One" things there is always a compromise somewhere. I have tried to re-word this post so I don't come across with an attitude but I cant, sorry.

I love my Hartke A100 combo, a nice clean sound, fast response, nice bottom end. Great for practice, jamming or even small gigs. I actually use it more than my Eden setup. I picked it up off the 'Bay for £150 (£249 new)[/quote]

Ooh, you've got such an attitude

The scenario you are describing is the exact one I wanted to avoid when I got this thing. A practise amp is intended for practise. It's not supposed to be an All-in-one anything. No one would seriously suggest that a 30w 1x8 could do what an Ampeg SVT does. It just gives a range of different bass sounds based on different classic amps. Fun to play with but ultimately useless.

Likewise with effects, it gives the user a taste of most different effects available without having to go out and buy expensive pedals that wont get much use.

Sometimes I don't want to learn a song off a CD or program a drum machine. I just want to plug into something and play and maybe get some inspiration from it. This is a small combo that sits in a corner for when it's needed. It's not supposed to be a gig rig. It does a bit of everything.

The B-DEC is a compromise. That's exactly what it's supposed to be. It's expensive for a practise combo but a lot cheaper than buying a CD-BT1 + effects + drum machine/metronome + backing tracks, and it still does a whole lot more than all those things can do.

[Bass V]

a universe of thumbs up on the B-DEC! can't praise it high enuf for all-in-1 value and overall quality.