guitar amps for bass....? (namely orange micro terror)

[Guest Jecklin]

Ok, my amp knowledge is seriously reduced:
I stopped using amplifiers when I started playing the double bass 7 years ago.

However I'm now involved in a project where some amplification is required.
I'd love any insights from players here.

Specifically what are the compromises with using guitar amplifiers for amplifying bass instruments (not just bass guitar in this case)?

My guess would be reduced transient response and much lower headroom for a clean sound. The latter is not important as I'm looking for some distortion in the sound. The cabinet wont be a problem either.

I seem to remember when I was starting out playing bass guitar that I was told the transformers in guitar amps couldn't handle the frequencies involved (or some such rubbish), however I'll be using class D amps so there aren't really transformers to worry about, so it's more an issue about the voicing in the pre-amp. Can I expect a serious roll off?

To sum up I'm rather interested in the Orange Micro Terror and if anyone here has one for guitar, I'd be very obliged if you could run your bass through it and a bass cab and assess it's output in terms of bass frequencies and sound level. ie could you talk over it ( I don't need anything very loud as it is for an acoustic environment, but it needs some oomph to handle a large dynamic range). I'd need to know what those 20watts relate to in real world terms.


Cheers
Thomas

[Mr. Foxen]

There probably won't be much bass output, but you might find that what you think is bass isn't actually bass at all, but your ear synthesising it from harmonics.

I don't think the micro terror is class D though, only 20w output doesn't need the complication.

[brensabre79]

Bass frequencies require a lot more power due to the Fletcher-Munsen effect of perceived loudness. Guitars operate in the range of frequencies our ears are most sensitive to (the same range as a baby crying incidentally) so not much amplification is required. Bass frequencies however are well outside this range of sensitivity so require a lot more amplification to be perceived at the same level as a guitar (or anything else in that frequency range). Which is why guitar amps generally don't need to go much past 60W - 100W (a big stack!) whereas bass amps start at around 100W and go up to 1000W + to be heard at the same perceived volume.

Its probably OK for practicing to have a 20w bass amp, but you need power to carry those frequencies in a live situation and I doubt 20W would even get you above the level of an acoustic guitar!

[1970]

I have a tiny terror for guitar and if you want to get volume you really need to push the gain well into breakup so i doubt the micro terror would give you the kind of headroom you need. Plus my orange PPC112 cabinet (with a vintage 30) does NOT like bass going through it at all. It's a pretty bad cabinet tbh.

[Guest Jecklin]

Thanks for the pointers everyone.

To clarify, the acoustic instruments will be the primary sound source with the amps being used as an effect. An augmentation every now and then.

Cheers
Thomas

[Telebass]

I'm looking at getting one of these and modifying the fron end for a bit less dirt, then running it through a very efficient bass cab, say a BArefaced super 12. Reckon that would do a quiet gig with no drummer, or good studio setup.

[Tee]

A while ago, out of curiosity, i hooked up my Kustom Defender V15 (guitar) combo (EL84s 4w/15w) up to my Aguilar DB210 and it sounded pretty good. I put that down to the simple valve path and the amazing cab. Stuck it on 4w for break up and 15w for more clean headroom. The amp also has a cool 4 position bass response switch, American <-> British.
It's not bad just plugged straight into the amp too, for home noodling/practice.

[JapanAxe]

I tried bass through my (all-valve 15 watt) Tiny Terror and an Ashdown 1x15. Sounded rubbish, hissy, and way short on volume. May still repeat the exercise with the TT and BF Compact. Why? Just because!