Keyboard Combo Amp for UBass?

Edspyhill05

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What are the pros and cons of using a small keyboard combo amp with my UBass? I'm wondering if keyboard amps have a cleaner sound and somewhat higher volumes.

Ed
 
Keyboard amps are generally "tuned" for a flatter frequency response which may not be what you want with a bass instrument. A bass amp is going to accentuate the bass frequencies (duh). Volume will depend on a lot of factors like speaker size, wattage, etc.

But a small combo amp is a lot more portable than a giant bass amp.
 
When I first started playing the bass uke, I used a Crate Limo 50w combo guitar battery amp, which sounded perfectly fine. I say test the amp and make your own judgement. I've since been using a Phil Jones Double Four because of how compact it is, that it can use a battery and especially how great it sounds.
 
Jim Hanks, ampeep, kohanmike,

Thanks for the advice. I'll stick with bass amps. I have an old Peavey MicroBass III which I'll use until I see where the UBass takes me. Ed
 
What are the pros and cons of using a small keyboard combo amp with my UBass? I'm wondering if keyboard amps have a cleaner sound and somewhat higher volumes.

It's actually the opposite : ( You can get by if what you need is just to put a taste of the bass into the area, but you won't get a room filling or even deep at low volumes bass. Naturally, it depends what is considered a "small" combo, but generally inexpensive keyboard combos aren't designed (eg. how the eq is voiced) or built (stiff enough construction with a bass efficient enough speaker) to be satisfying to play through as a bassist. I've played bass through large keyboard combo amps and couldn't wait until the gig was over. I know, you would think that as a "keyboard" amp meant to amplify the left hand of a piano or synth it would be fine but it's quite a bit compromised. Again, it will work, depending on what you need to get out of it and what you need to feel standing next to it, and what kind of gig or context. But it's not like a bass amp. I totally get that you may be wanting an amp that can double as a keyboard and UBass amp, and goals like that and budget definitely override how not perfectly great it may be for bass : ) I'm just guessing at what your live needs might be, but my advice, if that's why you want one, is to don't base it on your keyboard needs and use it for bass. Look at ones that work well for you as a bass amp (IOW, go up a few notches in power, clean headroom and speaker quality in the keyboard amp ranges) and then you can use it for a keyboard, even though it's more than you may have needed for one.
 
Hartke sounds better. I play keys and ukes. The Marshall I plug in for keys is an AS100D. It can be used for everything because it is a stereo amp. You need some adapters. It might make for some complications on the mixing board but can be done. I use two separate 100 watt Marshalls for better control. My Harke is too small and I am not the main bassist. I only play on a couple of songs he sings. Plus, if my husband blows the tubes in his Carvin he can steal my one Marshall and drive me nuts with a reconfiguration. :p It's good to have a plan B. Our bassist is using 500-watt Carvin into Hartke speakers.
 
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