Whether you’re performing live or recording in the studio, the right bass amp head can make a huge difference in your sound.
Browse Reverb’s best-selling models to decide which one is right for you and get enough resonance to shake your guitarist’s strings.
However, since amp heads offer more customization options than combos, finding the right amp head for your rig can be a lot harder.
In this post, we’ll take a look at the best bass guitar amp heads of 2024, each with its unique features, tone, and price point. If you’re looking to bring your bass line to life,
10 Best Bass Guitar Amp Heads 2024
1. Gallien-Krueger Legacy 800 Bass Head
The Gallien-Krueger Legacy 800 bass head is truly unique.
It’s a powerful yet compact amp designed for bassists of all levels. With 800 watts of pure power, it delivers a clear, powerful sound that’s perfect for a variety of venues.
This amp features a four-band active EQ that lets you tweak the low, mid, and high frequencies to your liking. In addition, the footswitch overdrive option adds a warm distortion effect to the low-end sound.
On top of that, there are additional switches such as Bump, Edge, Presence, and Contour to shape your tone further.
This amp head also has a balanced DI output, effects loop, Aux, and headphone output for added convenience.
2. Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2
Should we start with a bass amp that can do everything except drive a tour bus? Let’s start with the 6-band EQ. Set it flat and you’ll see the completely transparent performance, just like a top-of-the-line acoustic amp.
Even a slight adjustment to one of the 6 EQ parameters can have a profound effect on your tone.
Combine this with the onboard compression with its own control (simply turn it clockwise for more, counterclockwise for less), and you’ve got everything you need.
The 900’s Microtubes Engine section gives you control over drive, level, tone, and blend to further enrich the tone of your instrument.
The overdrive on this amp is also excellent, with two tones (a modern, combative B3K and a vintage VMT) selectable via a switch, with a colored LED to indicate which tone is being used.
This is a top-of-the-line professional bass head with all the latest features on the back, making it ideal for stage or studio use.
3. Aguilar Tone Hammer 500
Perhaps one of the best solid-state bass amp heads money can buy, the Aguilar Tone Hammer delivers a fearsome bass sound in a virtually weightless package.
You also get incredible versatility, allowing you to dial in just about any bass tone you want.
The Drive control works in conjunction with the EQ section to vary the tone depending on the gain setting. That is, the EQ is flatter at lower gain settings, but as you turn up the volume, the lows get tighter and the highs get smoother.
The EQ section is also very dynamic, with 14-16dB of boost or cuts available across the spectrum. But the power is in the midrange, and with a little experimentation you can get some really powerful low-end tones.
4. Fender Rumble 100 v3
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, well-specced bass combo, the relatively compact 1×12 Rumble 100 is a great choice for those who don’t feel like they’re carrying around Undertaker’s refrigerator.
It features classic Fender styling, a black vinyl ported plywood cabinet with a silver grille, and a well-designed control panel on the top of the amp with controls for gain, drive, level, lows, low-mids, highs, highs, and master volume.
There’s an overdrive on/off switch accessible via an optional footswitch, which can be a little dusty at the touch of a button, and a Bright, Contour, and Vintage switch to change the amp’s tone.
Bright gives a pump high-end boost, Contos up the mids (for high, slap bassists), and Vintage emulates the dynamics of a tube amp.
Pretty cool. Rumble comes in a variety of forms, but for practice and small gigs, this is the one to go for, and for the price, I recommend it.
5. Orange Terror Bass 500-Watt Bass Head
The Orange Little Bass Thing is a great example of a great Orange bass head. It has the tonal power to create black eyes and a stage-worthy tone that is perfectly suited to the demands of the modern rocker.
The original Orange Terror Bass amp built its own fan base at a time when portable amp heads with built-in valve distortion were rare. This new iteration features more grind and tonal color.
The Orange Terror bass amp head delivers a powerful punch that will rock the stage. In classic Orange style, this amp is durable and ready for whatever you throw at it.
Plus, it weighs just 10 pounds, making it easy to handle and transport.
This amp head offers great tone control with its 3-band active EQ. Plus, enhancement features like the Clean and Pad switches are great for active bass.
In addition, the Orange Terror also includes post-EQ and post-saturation XLR balanced outputs. This allows you to connect directly to your audio interface or mixing board.
6. Fender Rumble 200
This may be the second Fender entry on this list, but the Rumble 200 takes a very different approach to bass enhancement than the classic Bassman.
The Rumble series of amps now includes everything from 15W practice combos to 800W bass behemoths, but we chose the Rumble 200 because we believe it offers the most value for your money.
The 200W power is more than enough for most situations, and the 15-inch Eminence speaker provides plenty of low-end punch.
Plus, you can turn the compression horn on and off via an on/off switch on the rear of the amp, so you can dial in the perfect amount of high-frequency to complement your howling low-end tone.
Other features include a three-button voicing section with a choice of Bright, Contour, or Vintage modes, an XLR line out with ground lift, and a footswitched overdrive channel.
7. Bugera Veyron M BV1001M Bass Head
Now for serious bass amplification, Bugera has you covered. The Veyron M BV1001M boasts 2000 Watts of power.
This amplifier is designed to deliver powerful bass performance in any environment while keeping weight down.
Powered by MOSFET technology, this amplifier head ensures efficient power supply while adding a little warmth to the tone. So it doesn’t sound noisy and unpleasant, but rather beautiful.
In addition, the footswitched effects loop adds variety to your sound setup. It’s a great choice for both live and studio settings.
The passive gyrator EQ circuit guarantees a warm and rich sound, mimicking the unique tonal characteristics of vintage tube amplifiers.
Includes a selectable mid-frequency switch to adjust and shape your sound to your liking. Balanced DI output, FX loop, tuner output, Aux input, and headphone output.
8. Trace Elliot ELF
To give you an idea of the size, the ELF is 0.4 inches wider than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and less than 1.5 inches tall.
You can fit it in your pocket, and you might even want to carry it around with you because it feels like you can’t live without it.
The performance is excellent, with a respectable 200 watts into 4 ohms and all the essential features you need.
The 3-band EQ plays the percentages and parks the lows at 80Hz, the mids at 500Hz, and the highs at 4.2kHz, all very reasonable and very useful. There’s also an XLR out for direct PA.
But don’t let the portability aspect fool you. This thing is also great in the studio and comes with REAPER DAW and Peavey ReValver amp modeling software. Plus, there’s a headphone jack for silent practice.
9. Aguilar AG 700 Bass Head
Designed for bassists who want top-notch performance, the Aguilar AG 700 definitely delivers. With its elegant design and user-friendly controls, it’s a solid contender on our list.
This amazing amp head has everything you need for a variety of tone shaping. It features a 4-band EQ section and “Bright” and “Deep” switches for extra boost and great dynamics.
Despite all these qualities, the Aguilar AG 700 weighs just 4.9 pounds. This makes it an ideal choice for bassists who value simplicity and effectiveness at the same time.
It comes equipped with a pre-loaded Aguilar cabinet and a fully-featured IR loader with the ability to store your favorite third-party custom IRs.
The power section includes universal mains, and the cap support can accommodate loads up to 2.67 ohms.
10. Boss Katana KTN210B
Drive and compression are always great additions to a bass amp, but Boss has gone two steps further, allowing you to add your own effects from their impressive library.
You’ll find plenty of vintage choruses, expansive flangers, and massive octave effects.
The two 10-inch speakers move a lot of air, but still retain enough pop to slice through your mix, making this a great option for gigs.
As with all Katana amps, it’s also a great home practice amp, with a switch that dials down the power from 160 watts to 1 watts, so you can comfortably use it in your bedroom without upsetting the neighbors.
Conclusion
Whether you’re an experienced bass player or just starting out, you need a good bass amp to take your sound to the next level.
This range of bass guitar amps offers a wide range of options to boost low-end frequencies and bring your bass guitar sound to life!
FAQ
How do I know which bass amp is right for me?
So finding the best bass amp for your needs really depends on your application. The right bass amp for a touring rock band is a world away from the right bass amp for your average bedroom warrior.
So think carefully about what you want to do with your new bass amp and use that as your starting point.
Things to consider include power, sonic versatility, connectivity, and of course, portability if you’re gigging. This guide covers most situations, so you’ll find the right amp for your needs here.
How much power do I need?
When it comes to power, it again depends on what you plan on doing with your bass amp. If you’re practicing at home, 1, 15, or 20 watts will usually be plenty.
That said, if you’re playing small gigs or attending band rehearsals regularly, you’ll want at least 100 watts.
200-800 watts is ideal for larger gigs, but keep in mind that the more wattage you go, the more clean headroom you’ll have. So if you want a clean, clear tone, you’ll want to keep the wattage pretty high.
Who Makes the Best Bass Amplifiers?
There are a few major brands in the bass amp space. Brands like Fender, Gallien-Krueger, and Orange have produced some of the best bass amps of all time and helped to create the blueprint for modern companies like Markbass and Darkglass to build on and advance their technology into the future.
Can I play bass guitar with a standard guitar amp head?
It is not recommended to play bass guitar with a standard guitar amp head. These amp heads are not designed to handle the low frequencies of a bass guitar. Doing so can result in distorted sound or damage to the amp.
How do amp heads differ from combo amps?
Basically, separate amp heads offer more flexibility when pairing with different cabinets. Combo amps, on the other hand, are more compact and standalone solutions.
What is the difference between solid-state and tube bass amp heads?
Tube amps are widely considered to be better than solid-state amps because they offer greater dynamic range, responsiveness, and rich tones.
Solid-state amps, on the other hand, generally have more features and require less maintenance.
What is the ideal wattage for a bass head?
The ideal wattage for a bass amp head will depend on your playing style, the size of the venue, and the volume you want to achieve.
For practice and small gigs, 200 watts should be sufficient. For larger venues, you may need a bass head with 500 watts or more.
How loud can a 100-watt bass guitar amp head be?
A 100-watt bass guitar amp head can produce about 100 to 120 dB of sound output when measured from 1 meter away. This is equivalent to the sound level of a rock concert or a loud car horn.
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