Best gigbag-friendly mini amp as backup in case of main amp issues

[JapanAxe]

I voted for the Markbass Nano, only because I have one so it’s the obvious choice for me. Also good for one-trip rehearsals, but for gigs it is relegated to backup as I find it too clean and uncoloured.

 

Mine once did the job of power amp for one side of the PA on a gig.

[Woodinblack]

I voted for the BAM200, purely because I have one, and I know it would do the job. 

[mcnach]

21 hours ago, Clarky said:

These seem to be the main options as far as I can tell. Please vote or comment away:

 

 

 

Not sure what's the best, as there are many different parameters to consider... but when facing this question, I went and bought muself a TCE BAM200. Mostly because it was tiny tiny and cheap. It turns out it actually sounds pretty good and I played two gigs with it. It looks odd on a 410 cab but it does a very decent job.

I considered other bigger amps that were arguably better, but size was a big point for me: if it's not tiny and fits easily in the gig bag I know I just would leave it behind often. 

[peteb]

I voted for the Elf as I carry one in my gigbag for the same reason that you are considering getting one for. 

 

It is very small and sounds pretty good. It isn't really quite loud enough, but will get you out of trouble in an emergency. I wonder what the 280w Gnome is like, maybe a little bit of extra power might be useful? 

 

I used to carry a GK MB200 as a spare, but that was larger than the Elf (didn't easily fit in an iGig pocket like the little Trace) and was nowhere near loud enough. 

 

[Clarky]

Thank you folks for all your feedback and thoughts.

 

The result: I have bought an Elf (the slight poll winner) and, together with my Sansamp DI pedal, hopefully have all eventualities covered should my amp du jour (now an Orange Terror Bass) go belly up on a gig.

[Downunderwonder]

2 hours ago, Clarky said:

bought an Elf

Did you get a speakon cable adapter along with?

[Clarky]

8 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Did you get a speakon cable adapter along with?

Nope, bought a cheapie off Amazon

[Chienmortbb]

2 hours ago, Clarky said:

Nope, bought a cheapie off Amazon

As a maker of the finest bespoke cables, I insist that you return it and buy one from me at a vastly inflated price. On a serious note be sure that you get good quality connectors on a cable. Within reason, any cable will do but the connectors will let you down if they are sub standard. For example, this one  will surely fail at a gig.

[Downunderwonder]

Agedhorse can tell you tales of woe, resurrecting amps fubar'd by knockoff speakons.

[BassmanPaul]

I changed all the speaker connectors I own over to SpeakOns many years ago. 1/4" Phone jacks are an accident waiting to happen IMHO.

[Heynorm]

GK MB200 is quite a simple, great tool. I originally bought it as a backup to my MB500, but often have used the 200 as my main head. Who knew?

[Linus27]

Too late now but I have a Warwick Gnome and been perfectly happy with it. Even used it as my main amp a few times. Not sure if it's the best but it does the job very well and it's very loud.

[FinnDave]

I've played gigs with my Elf and a Super Compact, works fine for me, but prefer to use an ABM combo at the moment, so the Elf is relegated to back up and sits in the bag of leads, etc. I haul to gigs next to the Sansamp DI I have had for years and used once. Not all of the gigs I play have PA suitable for bass guitar, often they are just lightweight vocal PAs. I have damaged holdback monitors by going DI as well.