Whenever I attend concerts, I will always pay special attention to the setup that the band has. Inevitably, I will be scrutinizing the bass amplifier that the guitarist is using. This is because the high quality sound that you hear during such concerts is the result of a good choice of bass amp. Usually, people would purchase an amp for short scale bass guitar. I mean, seriously, what is the use of the guitar if you do not pair it with an amp? Having said that, since we know that amp for short bass guitar is a must, which of these is actually the best for short scale basses? Is there anything that we should look out for?
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Best Amp For Short Scale Bass Guitar Reviews
There are indeed many awesome high quality amp for short scale basses in the market, especially on our favorite online store, Amazon.com. As a professional player, there are a few items that I am quite particular on when it comes to choosing the best amp for short scale basses. For example, a high powered amp will be important for short scale basses. This is because bass provides the backbone of any song, and hence they will need to provide a good foundation to the music that is being played. Also, the amp should be able to add a good, clear and solid low fundamental note. It shouldn’t add too much midrange color too, as it will distort the music.
Are these criterion tough? Pretty much! It limits us to a few top choices that can qualify the amp as the best amp for short scale guitars. We certainly do not believe in getting cheap knockoffs that do not live up to its promise. Let us now look at the top choices for the best amp for short scale bass guitar.
1. Markbass Mini CMD 121P 1x12 Bass Combo Amp
If you are serious about your playing and you are aiming towards being a good professional and performing awesome music in front of people, then your only choice should be the Markbass Mini CMD 121P 1×12 Bass Combo Amp
When doing the Markbass Mini CMB 121p 1×12 bass combo amp review, we noticed that many players really love and commented on how full the sound is. Coming from plenty of professional players who have been in the scene for years, this definitely sounds good. The rig is not heavy, and it is still able to produce a ton of sound. When you combine portability and functionality together, this will be the top choice for the best amp for short scale bass guitar! This is indeed true if you are intending to use this amp for short scale bass guitar on medium sized venues.
This amp weighs only at 29.3 pounds, hence making it easy for you to move it around places. There is the Mark Combo II head that is rated at 500W at 4 ohm or 300W at 8 ohm Gain. What I like about this is that the EQ is easily accessible due to the construction and design of this beautiful and functional amp for short scale bass guitar.
Talking about the construction, when doing the Markbass Mini CMB 121p 1×12 bass combo amp review, we noticed that the construction, as well as the material, is exquisite. This best amp for short scale bass guitar uses the high-grade, multi-ply poplar material as the exterior. They are glued and screwed together to provide a very good foundation. In addition to that, the compounds are specially selected to ensure a high-quality sound. Hence, the perfect marriage between materials and functionality produces this awesome amp which is extremely portable! To protect the system, there is also the grill screen protection that protects the speaker from unforseen damages.
In terms of sound quality, it offers a wide range of tone. Of course, the tone is also dependant on the quality of the short scale bass guitar that you are using. When you plug this into your system, you will be able to hear the difference in sound quality as compared to others. The sound is deep and clear, and your members will surely be able to appreciate the quality of sound that this best amp for short scale guitar can produce!
Pros
- Affordable
- Superb sound quality
- Sleek design
- Deep round sound
Cons
- Tone can be choppy sometimes
2. Hartke KB15 Kickback 500W 1x15" Bass Combo
Another top contender for the best amp for short scale bass guitar, the Hartke KB15 Kickback 500W 1×15″ Bass Combo
Most serious guitarist knows that Hartke does design awesome products, especially for their amps. They revamped the Kickback series to produce this massive amp that is suitable for so many occasions. Let us go into detail the sound that this best amp for short scale guitar, as it is usually the main concern that most people would have.
Do not be fooled by the compact size of this amp. When you plug in your short scale bass into this amp, you will be pleasantly surprised that you will be able to get a very solid round sound that tips the scales even at the bottom. This sound is then further enhanced by the Shape Knob, which can be found on the amp itself. Go ahead and experiment with that knob, as you could achieve plentiful of varied sounds using that Shape Knob. It can further be enhanced by the 3 band EQ to modify the sound to your desired quality The sound is delivered via the 15″ HyDrive speaker, and the amp uses 500 watts of power to bring awesome tones and sounds to you and your audience.
And since it is compact in size, you will be able to bring this amp around for your gigs. It weighs at 56.4 pounds, which is not too heavy considering most other amps can be pretty much heavier. The designers of this awesome amp for short scale bass guitar ensured that the quality of sound matches the aesthetics of the amp itself. The sleek design, coupled with its functionality, makes it a top favorite amongst most players. The cabinet can either be flat on the stage, or you can simply tilt it upwards. This allows you to be in control over the delivery of the sound itself. The construction of this amp is exquisite, as the amp is cover with tolex, which of course is thick and durable.
Pros
- Affordable
- Superior sound
- Portable
- Deep round sound
- Can be tilted
Cons
- Not for extremely large venues
3. Gallien-Krueger Neo 212-II Bass Guitar Cabinet (600 Watt)
For those that are in the know, you would have expected us to select a Gallien-Krueger bass cabinet to review. This is becayse Gallien-Krueger is known to produce high quality bass cabinets for reasonable prices. Hence, we chose to review the Gallien-Krueger Neo 212-II Bass Guitar Cabinet (600 Watt)
First of all, let me clarify that we are selecting the Gallien-Krueger Neo 212-II Bass Guitar Cabinet (600 Watt)
The top reason why some short scale guitarist love this particular amp is due to its compactness as well as its portability. It weighs only at 58.6 pounds, hence making it extremely portable. You can safely put this in the back of your sedan or other cars too. The 12″ drivers, which is incorporated into the system, has an even response on all spectrum of sound. This makes it one of the best all rounder amp for short scale guitars.
In terms of quality of sound, the bass is pretty strong. There is the 2 custom designed cast-frame neodymium 12″ loudspeakers that help to deliver sound of exceptional volume and clarity. This is not a norm in the amp industry, as some amps produce a sound that cracks at the higher volume. The response is even from the top to bottom range, and there is plentiful of color in the top range. As for the bottom, it is flat.
Remember, we talked about this amp’s portability? This is further enhanced by the caster sockets at the bottom of the amp itself. This allows you to attach wheels to the amp, allowing you to push it around with ease. In terms of materials, it is constructed using good quality materials, such as the rugged 11-ply poplar which wraps the around the Tolex.
Pros
- Affordable
- Good all rounded sound that works in all spectrums
Cons
- Handles are not that comfortable to use
- Just a single Speakon
- Soft interior
Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite a few selections to the amp that will suit your playing needs. Do choose carefully, and have a good time playing!
