In this post I’ll be going over the best beginner bass amps for 2024. There aren’t as many low price options like there are guitar amps that are worth mentioning so these amps (and headphone amp) range in price from around $60 – $350. Because learning to play bass is generally not as difficult (with a good bass teacher) you might want to consider starting with an amp that you can eventually use to play with other musicians, or even in a band. Or, if budget is an issue, start with a less expensive option and then graduate to something bigger and more powerful.
Vox amPlug 2 Bass Headphone Amp
The Vox amPlug series of headphone amps has really caught on since their introduction to the market in 2007. These plug directly into your bass and eliminate the need for an amp and cable… just plug in headphones for silent practicing. The Bass model includes 9 built in-rhythm patterns to jam along to, as well as an AUX input for a smartphone, tablet, or MP3 player. At around $60, these are a portable, affordable option that sound great and allow you to practice late nights without disturbing anyone.
Fender Rumble 15 1×8 15W Bass Amp
The Fender Rumble series has gained quite a few fans since its inception. The Rumble 15 is a 15 watt amp with an 8” speaker that includes an aux input, headphone output and three-band EQ and weighs 16 lbs, making it perfect for practicing at home or bringing to a friend’s house to jam. If you’re looking to play with a drummer, I would go larger wattage.
Ampeg BA108V2 1×8 Bass Amp
Ampeg amplifiers have long been well respected in the bass community for their unrivaled tone. At around $120, the BA108V2 features 20 watts RMS power, an 8” Ampeg custom speaker, headphone output for silent practicing, an aux input for jamming along to a smartphone or mp3 player, and the classic styling of the Ampeg brand, making this amp a solid choice to purchase for a beginning bass player.
Acoustic B50C 1X10 50W Bass Combo with Tilt-Back Cab
The Acoustic G20 steps us up into the 10” speaker range for a fuller tone that is hard to be reproduced by a smaller speaker size. This amp features a 3-band EQ with Mid Shift, 2 channels for playing clean or crunchy, plus a gain knob for controlling the amount of drive on the second channel, a headphone jack for silent practicing, and an aux input for plugging an MP3 player or smartphone in.
Fender Rumble 100 1×12 100W Bass Combo Amp
Another Fender Rumble on the list… the Rumble 100 boasts 100 watts and a 12″ Eminence special design speaker for a little more low end tone. The included aux. input, XLR line out, FX loop and four-band EQ make this amp a good choice for practicing, rehearsals with a band, and playing gigs. They’ve also been redesigned to be lighter in weight making them more portable and easy to haul around. Great tone, portability, and features galore collide to make the Rumble 100 a solid buy.
Shop here for the Fender Rumble 100 1×12 100W Bass Combo Amp
Now you’re hip to the best beginner bass amps for 2024!
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About the Author
Mark Hamrock has been Orange County’s premier guitar and bass guru since 1995, teaching students how to excel in every genre including rock, blues, classical, metal, funk, and country. After studying rock guitar with Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney, Elton John, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Willie Nelson, Santana), classical guitar with David Tanenbaum, Scott Tennant, Ricardo Cobo, John Schneiderman, and Jazz with Alan Rowe (Stan Kenton Orchestra, Keith Jarret); Mark has gone on to tour extensively and perform in concerts featuring Jazz Legend Larry Carlton, Tim Reynolds (Dave Matthews Band), and Dave Mason with Traffic. He currently produces, composes, engineers, and teaches, and is working on developing a series of instructional books and videos for guitar and bass. In what little free time he has, Mark enjoys traveling, culinary arts, scuba diving, and entrepreneurial pursuits.
