We all know how important practice is if you want to become a better player. And for that, we need to have a certain gear.
For bass players that gear is a practice bass amp that should be small, easy to use, and you can take it with you wherever you go.
Bass practice amps don’t need a huge amount of power or many speakers. It should be compact and affordable.
Also, if it offers some features such as effects or various amp sounds, it’s a plus.
What’s The Best Practice Bass Amp?
I have tested and made a list of the best practice bass amps I think have great features, and sound, and are very affordable. You can grab any one of these bass guitar combos and practice your bass riffs and lines.
1. Orange Crush Bass 25
Orange Crush Bass 25 is my favorite bass combo for practice because of its sound, simplicity, and features. I love the British tone it produces and the very controlled and pleasant low end. This bass amp offers very balanced bass tones, which is great for practice and rehearsal.
Orange Crush bass combo offers everything you need for practicing bass riffs. Has an EQ with middle, treble, and bass controls and an additional frequency knob that allows you to change the character of the bass tone. Also, you can control the volume, and connect headphones, and a digital tuner.
2. Blackstar Unity Bass U30
Blackstar Unity U30 is one of the best practice bass amps you can get. This is a combo amplifier with 30 watts of power and cool features that makes playing bass riffs a pleasure. I like Blackstar amplifiers and this particular one is a great example of the quality.
As I already said Unity bass combo outputs 30 watts of power which is great for practice. The source of the sound is a custom 8″ speaker. It has a footswitch input, line-in, and also DI output, and XLR cabinet link. And Unity 30 has a built-in chorus effect and compressor. But the best features are power attenuation and three modes of sound – classic, modern, and overdrive.
3. Fender Rumble LT 25
Fender Rumble LT25 is a popular bass modeling combo that is an amazing solution for rehearsals. And because it uses digital technology it’s packed with various bass tones. So, you can use it for recording too but the main purpose of this bass guitar combo is practice.
The amp looks slick and very minimalistic but I can’t say the same about features because it’s a diverse amplifier. Has a full preamp section, footswitch input, and headphone output. It has USB connectivity which allows you to record your bass riffs. But the best thing in Rumble LT25 is 50 presets, 15 bass amp types, 20 effects, and a digital tuner.
4. Ampeg Rocket Bass RB 108
Ampeg Rocket RB108 is a small combo great for beginner bass players. A great amplifier as a gift for beginner bass players. Has great features, offers amazing and rich tones, and the price is very affordable. One of the best small bass combos I have ever used.
It’s a minimal combo with all the necessary features such as a preamp section and a volume knob. Has an aux input and headphone output and an 8″ speaker. It uses SGT technology for overdrive which sounds amazing and very organic. If you want to have a simple yet powerful bass combo then RB108 is a great option.
5. Hartke HD25
Hartke HD25 is a member of the bass combo amplifier series which is very popular among bass players. I owned this bass combo and it was amazing sounding and also very durable. One of the best bass practice amps you can find. The quality of the sound comes from a custom-designed 8″ speaker.
This bass practice combo is not packed with features but has everything you will ever need to practice your bass riffs. Full preamp section with a separate volume knob. However, you can plug in your headphones and practice in silence.
6. Ashdown Studio 8
Ashdown Studio 8 is a classic-looking bass combo with the sound of a professional amplifier. I love its classic and minimal design which makes it a great option for practice. It features an 8″ speaker and weighs about 16 lbs. Just a great practice bass amp out of the box.
With Studio 8 you get volume, bass, middle, and treble controls with line-in and headphone output. But it also has additional features such as line mix which allows you to change bass tones and also a speaker mute option. Not many bass amplifiers offer these kinds of features. And Ashdown Studio 8 is somewhat unique in that regard.
Summary
Whether you are a beginner or a professional bass player you should have the best practice bass amp. They offer great features and simplicity and you can use them not only for practice but rehearsals and even recording. These bass combos have a compact size and the prices are very affordable.