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Bass amplifier facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Bass instrument amplification is an amplifier used for bass guitars, double bass and similar instruments. It makes the sound they make louder. It is different from other types of amplification systems because it is difficult to reproduce low-frequency sounds (bass). Bass amps need strong loudspeakers, and a relatively larger speaker cabinet. Speaker cabinets for bass instrument amplification usually have larger (or more) loudspeakers than those used for the amplification of other instruments. The loudspeakers themselves must also be sturdier to handle the higher power levels.

Images for kids

  • Ampeg SVT Classic

    An Ampeg SVT cabinet with eight 10" speakers, with a separate Ampeg SVT amplifier "head" on top.

  • Yamaha B100-115 SE

    A Yamaha B100-115 combo amp, which contains a 100 watt amplifier and one 15" speaker in a wooden cabinet.

  • Hartke LH500 500W Bass Amp Head + Ashdown MAG 414T Deep 650W Bass Cabinet (4x10"+tweeter)

    A Hartke 500 watt amp "head" on top of an Ashdown 4x10" speaker cabinet.

  • Rickenbacker electric upright bass (1935), Amplifier (mid 1930s), Console piano, Museum of Making Music

    A 1930s era combo amplifier and a Rickenbacker electric upright bass from 1935.

  • Ampeg B15 Bass Amp

    A vintage Ampeg B-15 amp and speaker cabinet.

  • Kustom 200 bass amplifier (1971)

    A Kustom 200 bass amplifier from 1971, featuring a separate amp head on top of a 2 x 15" speaker cabinet..

  • Bass rig

    A bass rack from a professional bass player's touring setup. The bass amplifier is the lowest chassis in the rack; above it are a wireless receiver, several pre-amplifier devices, and a power conditioner.

  • The Police 02

    In this 2007 photo of The Police's singer-bassist Sting, several Ampeg cabinets with multiple 10" speakers can be seen on the left side.

  • My Bass

    Small practice amplifier have low wattage and low volume which make them mostly suited to individual learning of basslines.

  • Wzmacniacz do gitary basowej CMD-103H firmy Markbass

    A Markbass 3x10" combo amp.

  • Pearl Jam Philadelphia 2016 01

    Bassist Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam) in front of a wall of bass stacks.

  • Jimbo Wallace

    Psychobilly bassist Jimbo Wallace onstage with Reverend Horton Heat and a large bass stack consisting of a 1x15" cabinet, a 4x10" cabinet, and an amplifier "head".

  • Bass amps with cabinets - Fender cab, Genz-Benz head & cab, Aguilar head & cab (by Don Wright)

    A selection of bass cabinets. From left to right: a Fender cab, a Genz Benz cab (and amp head) and two Aguilar cabinets.

  • Hartke LH500 Bass Amp

    A Hartke LH500 bass amplifier "head", which is rated at 500 watts.

  • Mesaboogie bass 400plus front

    A Mesa/Boogie bass amplifier "head"; note the graphic equalizer sliders on the right side

  • Kt88 power tubes in traynor yba200 amplifier

    The glow from four "Electro Harmonix KT88" brand power tubes lights up the inside of a Canadian-made Traynor YBA-200 bass guitar amplifier.

  • Peavey head & Ampeg Classic cabinet

    A Peavey bass amp head with an Ampeg 8x10" speaker cabinet.

  • Norman Watt-Roy Ampeg SVT-AV settings - Wilko, Norman & Dylan 2014-01-18 06.11.57 (by Don Wright)

    A close-up of an Ampeg SVT amplifier head's front panel.

  • Bass Rig in Rehearsal (by Simon Doggett)

    A bass stack consisting of an SWR amplifier head on top of Mark Bass 4x10" and 2x10" cabinets.

  • Don Kerr

    Don Kerr playing a cello through an Acoustic brand amplifier head.

  • Ampeg Portaflex PF 350

    The Ampeg Portaflex is a small, lightweight, yet powerful bass amplifier head. It is small and light enough to be carried with one hand, yet powerful enough to run a large bass stack.

  • Acoustic bass guitar 1

    Music store display showing a variety of bass "combo" amplifiers and speaker cabinets.

  • Gotthard Lynn 2010

    In some genres, bass players use a large number of speaker cabinets for a powerful onstage sound.

  • Bass reflex spk

    A bass reflex enclosure schematic (cross-section).

  • Warwick Sweet 15

    A 150-watt "combo" bass amp with a horn-loaded tweeter (in the top right of the speaker cabinet).

  • Bas-versterker

    The controls for a rackmount bass amp "head", the Hevos400D.

  • Ashdown ABM-300 Bass Amplifier - input level meter angled (2007-02-24 by Andrew Plumb)

    An unusual feature on Ashdown bass amps is a VU meter with a needle, which indicates input signal levels (pictured is the Ashdown ABM-300).

  • Eden WT-400 Traveler Plus (rear)

    This rear view of an Eden WT-400 Traveler Plus amp head shows a 1/4" speaker output, a 1/4" signal out (to plug into a second amp, if needed), a "send" and "return" jack for creating an effects loop, a DI output, auxiliary left and right inputs and a tuner out jack.

  • Ashdown MAG 410T 4X10" Deep Bass Cabinet backside plate

    The rear jack plate of an Ashdown 4x10" speaker cabinet shows the parallel speaker cable jacks that are usually provided on speaker cabs.

  • DNA-1350 Amplifier

    A DNA-1350 amp head; note the three indicator LEDs on the right-hand side, indicating amplifier status.

  • EconHall4May07Stringbass

    A jazz bassist performing on an upright bass, using an amplifier and speaker to augment the instrument's natural volume

  • Bass effects - EH, fulltone, MXR, Demeter, AMT

    A selection of bass effect pedals at a music store.

  • Peavey Guitar amplifiers family

    Over the years, various Peavey bass amplifiers have had built-in distortion effects.

  • Marshall guitar amplifiers family

    Lemmy Kilmister, the bassist for Motörhead, obtained a natural fuzz bass tone by overdriving his triple 100 watt Marshall Bass stacks.

  • Yamaha MBII Motion Bass

    A bass amp head used with two speaker cabs, with each cabinet containing two loudspeakers and a high frequency horn.

  • Little Dot MK III Tube Headphone Amplifier Pre-amplifier

    A Little Dot Mk III tube headphone amplifier.

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Bass amplifier Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.