Will A Bass Screw Up A Guitar Amp?

Discussion in 'Musicians' started by Deranged, Oct 14, 2014.

  1. Deranged

    Deranged Senor Member

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    Ive got a nice guitar amp n a looper. I like to loop rhythm guitar then plug in my keyboard n loop a drum beat then plug in my bass n lay down a bass line. Then plug my guitar back in and play leqd over it all.

    Ive been told a bass will mess up a guitar amp. Anyone know anything about this? Ive got a bass amp but its kinda a cheapie. Should i use the bass amp to loop multiple instruments? Or should i be ok with my 40w fender deluxe tube amp?
     
  2. deleted

    deleted Visitor

    you should really get a bass amp. however you can mildly get away with it cutting back some gain. speaker replacement for deluxe is about 90$ ..
     
  3. Deranged

    Deranged Senor Member

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    Ive got a bass amp but its a cheapie. Will a guitar and keyboard drums mess up a bass amp?
     
  4. deleted

    deleted Visitor

    cheap, how? ..

    I dont think your keyboard and drum effect will hurt very much. what really causes damage is high spikes and static snaps. like when your plugging these in, or you have tone going thru a open cord and plug that it. You can save much your amp by making sure your volumes are off, and power is off to effects before plugging in amp, and the power to amp is off... accidents will happen, but try and pay attention to not to let that happen. It should last a long time..

    you can use the guitar amp the same way, just control the volume.
     
  5. MathSoCam

    MathSoCam Members

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    Deranged... It's been my understanding if you are not pushing the amp to full capacity you can get away with it but not for sure how long the longevity of the guitar amp will take over time...high gain level could ruin the speakers...
    Had a guy in our band that done this with an Ampeg guitar amp for awhile and it did not hurt it for the time he used it until he got a bass amp but beyond that... I wouldn't know...wouldn't recommend it for your fender amp...
     
  6. rollingalong

    rollingalong Banned

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    typical bass player.....oh....will it mess up my band if I screw the guitarists girlfriend........


    same applies to his amp....you can get away with it but many have tried and ''not''...... :)
     
    1 person likes this.
  7. Tyrsonswood

    Tyrsonswood Senior Moment Lifetime Supporter

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    I play guitar through a bass amp and have played bass through a guitar amp... If you're not maxed out it's not a problem.




    (Well, I've been known to max out that bass amp, but it's a vintage Sunn and Doom demands maxing shyt.)
     
  8. RetiredHippie

    RetiredHippie Hick

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    I've been playing my Telecaster Bass through my Fender Twin since 1972 and have had no problems. Still doing it. Played a lot of gigs that way too. I might add I use a JBL bottom with 2 fifteens and don't use the amp speakers
     
  9. Wizardofodd

    Wizardofodd Senior Member

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    Another vote for not trying it with your Fender.
     
  10. Deranged

    Deranged Senor Member

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  11. Tyrsonswood

    Tyrsonswood Senior Moment Lifetime Supporter

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    Guitar, no it won't screw up a bass amp. Keyboard drums... Maybe, because a keyboard puts out a much larger signal. (line level) At lower volumes from the keyboard it would be okay.... Better yet if the amp has an AUX/CD input that's used to play along with a CD or whatnot... That input is the same level as the keyboard would put out.
     
  12. Wizardofodd

    Wizardofodd Senior Member

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    You can probably get a monitor for pretty cheap.
     
  13. briezie13

    briezie13 Members

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    Playing bass through a guitar amp can be tricky. If you keep it low, and cut your lower frequencies out, you should be ok. The trouble begins when you begin to push the amp..its no necessarily the speaker thats at stake, I use a 4 10 cab...its the frequencies the amp has to process coming from your bass. I would suggest using your cheapie bass amp or run a di box to your pa.
     
  14. briezie13

    briezie13 Members

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    Or directly to your recording device.
     
  15. Irminsul

    Irminsul Valkyrie

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    Don't downtune the gain, crank that shit up! Anything electric was meant to be distorted. ;)
     
  16. AceK

    AceK Scientia Potentia Est

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    I've played a guitar through a bass amp before .. it didn't sound that good.

    I don't think it will screw up but I think the impedance is different maybe
     
  17. briezie13

    briezie13 Members

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    Bass amps can handle guitar frequencies..but not the other eay around. Otherwise we would all be playing through Marshals!
     

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