Is there a difference between an electric guitar and bass guitar amplifier?
Yes, there are a lot of differences in the two.
– Preamps:
Guitar amps usually have the preamps designed with more than enough gain to overload the input stages so distortion can be generated. Bass amps are usually designed to remain clean.
– Tone Stack
This is where a lot of difference exists. The tone controls on any amp have center frequencies that they control. The frequencies that are appropriate for a guitar will usually be too high for a bass.
– Power
Bass guitars take a lot of power to reproduce cleanly. Period. While 100 watts is very loud for a guitar amp, it makes for a weak bass amp. I almost always recommend at least 300 watts for a bass amp.
– Speakers
Guitar amps will usually have 8″, 10″, or 12″ speakers. Bass amps will usually have 15″ or 18″ speakers, or a lot of 10″ ones. The idea is to have a lot of cone area so that the lower frequencies can be reproduced correctly.
Some bass amps will also have a high frequency horn (tweeter) in them as well. That sounds great on a funk bass, but would sound horrible on a distorted guitar.
Finally, bass guitar speakers are usually in a sealed (or closed-back) cabinet, while guitar speakers can be in either open-back or closed-back cabinets.
You can play a bass through a guitar amp as long as you're not pushing it so hard that you damage the speakers (if they start sounding like they're about to jump out of the cabinet, then they probably are). In the late 60's, a lot of bassists used 100 Marshalls just like the guitarists used (Jack Bruce of Cream, Noel Redding of Jimi Hendrix, and Felix Pappalardi of Mountain).
Greetings from Austin, TX
Ken
If you have seen a live band you may have noticed that they have more than one type of guitar. Most likely you’ve seen their electric guitars, maybe an acoustic guitar, and definitely a base guitar.
It is very easy to learn to play the bass guitar. Children have been known to master this instrument in a short time. It is the simplest instrument anyone will ever learn to play. Beginners simply start out by learning each note separately. By doing this, they will avoid confusion and other problems down the road. Fretted guitars are recommended for those who’ve never played a guitar before. This will simplify the task of learning and playing notes.
Anyone wanting to learn to how to play the bass guitar can start out with simple exercises, even before they have the instrument. Start out by relaxing your fingers. Then lift either hand making a ninety degree angle with the floor. Lift your fingers one by one and make sure to do this in rapid succession. When playing the base guitar it does not matter which hand you use. It’s as easy to use left-handed as it is right-handed.
After successfully learning the finger exercises you are ready to move on to the guitar. Use either hand to hold up the neck of the guitar. Place the guitar on your thigh with the strings facing away from your body. If your guitar doesn’t have a sloped body you may use your forearm to adjust the position of the guitar.
Now support the guitar’s neck with either hand. Start by placing you thumb on the E string (it is the centermost string). Next play your index and middle finger on string D (2 strings down from the E string). Practice plucking each string one right after the other. This may seem difficult at first but with some practice you’ll be able to do it. Just be patient and it will come to you quicker.
Next you’ll want to consider your options as you learn to play the base guitar. There are several options you may want to consider. If you want guitar lessons with a personal trainer this will cost you a great deal of money but you’ll have personal assistance when you need it. If you prefer to spend little or nothing, you may want to surf the internet for a free or one-time fee site that offers online bass guitar lessons. A third alternative is to purchase a DVD on how to play bass guitar.
Beginner bass guitar lessons are best offered to young children. If you have kids who want to learn to play music offer them a chance to learn bass guitar. Still, one is never too old to decide he or she is interested in learning to play the bass guitar. Any adult pursuing this skill must be willing and able to put ample time aside for practice. A great deal of time is needed to learn the basic lessons. Furthermore, an older person must be highly motivated to learn and have plenty of confidence as well as patience.
Anyone who can play the bass guitar can play amongst other guitar players for recreation. Having the skills to play bass guitar will enable you to add a variety of spice to songs others are playing. This is how most bands perform. So learn to play bass guitar starting with the basic notes and when you feel comfortable, learn the more advanced notes.