Can you use a drum amp for a bass guitar? Will it sound good? Is there a chance that the drum amp’s speaker will blow off? Will the drum amp be safe if I use a bass guitar in it? There are always concerns when you use a different amplifier for your instrument, especially the bass guitar. Let’s find out if you should really worry about having a setup like this.
So, what is a drum amplifier or known for short as a drum amp? A drum amp is used to amplify the sound of an electronic drum so that the drummer can hear what he is playing. It also allows other people to listen to the sound played on the drums.
Although Pollard Syndrum, which is the first electronic drum kit, was introduced in 1976, it was still in the 1990s that the idea of using an electronic drum kit rather than the acoustic drum kit for performances really took off. With the increasing demand for electronic drums, it was also clear that a drum amplifier would be needed, especially for smaller venues.
Nowadays, drum amplifiers are already available in different sizes, from small practice amps, which are great for home use, up to large sizes for outdoor use like band performances. Using your drum amplifier will also save your ears from hearing loss, as it is really expected that you will be using headphones for a long time if you are not using a drum amp.
What Are The Effects Of Using A Bass Guitar Into A Drum Amplifier?
Can I use a drum amp for a bass guitar? Yes, you can use a drum amplifier in playing your bass guitar if you do not have a bass amplifier. You can use any type of amplifier when you are playing with your bass guitar. The only question is whether it is safe for your gears or not.
Drum amplifiers are known to be able to amplify an extensive range of frequencies. An electronic drum kit can produce from very low to very high frequencies; that is why a drum amplifier is expected to reproduce the sound produced by an electronic drum kit.
Drum amplifiers have an average frequency response of 60 Hz to 20 kHz, but other drum amps can produce 50 Hz or even as low as 40 Hz. Drum amps can handle low frequencies produced by the bass drum, so there is a chance that the drum amp will be safe when used or played on bass guitar.
Bass guitars are known for their very low frequencies; that is why audio engineers are really cautious in dealing with them to avoid having damage to the amplifier or the speakers. The frequency range of the bass drum and bass guitar is almost similar; that is why some drum amps can still perform greatly when used on a bass guitar.
Four-stringed bass guitars have a frequency range of an estimated 40 Hz to 400 Hz, so there will really be an issue if you prolong the use of a drum amplifier for your bass guitar. If your bass guitar has humbucker pickups, then there is a massive chance that it will really produce very low notes; that is why you should use a drum amplifier that can go below 40 Hz.
If your bass guitar produces lower frequencies compared to what your drum amplifier can hold, then there is a possibility that it will sound really muddy, and if it is used for a long time, there is a huge chance that the drum amplifier’s speaker will blow out.
Five and six-string bass guitars can go down 31 Hz; therefore, you should really watch out when you are using these types of bass guitars in a drum amplifier, or else the amp’s speaker can blow off. It would be better if your bass guitar used single-coil pickups, as they produce higher tones than humbucker pickups.
If you don’t want to experience any problems in using your bass guitar, then you should use a bass guitar amplifier to amplify its sound, but if you do not have any choice except for using a drum amp, then you can use it, but you should be extra careful and never play it in high volume to avoid blowing off the drum amp’s speaker.
Can I Use A Guitar Amplifier For A Bass Guitar?
If you really do not have any choice but to use the guitar amplifier for your bass guitar, you can use it. Guitar amplifiers will always work if you plug a bass guitar on them, but you should always be careful in doing these kinds of setups as they can give you problems in the future.
Guitar speakers usually have a frequency range of 60 Hz to 6 kHz, which is why there are some possibilities that the guitar speaker can blow off as bass guitars can go down to 30 Hz. You should avoid using five or six-stringed bass guitars as they tend to produce lower frequencies than four-stringed bass guitars.
It would be preferable if your bass guitar has single-coil pickups than humbucker pickups, as the former produces higher frequencies than the latter. The guitar speakers are safer if the frequencies produced by your bass guitar are within the range that it can accommodate.
If your bass guitar produces lower frequencies than the guitar speaker can accommodate, it will result in a muddy and ugly sound and could make the speaker blow if maintained for a long time. Always remember not to crank up the volume of the guitar amplifier or turn up the EQ on the bass knob, as it can possibly damage the guitar amplifier and speaker.
You can also use amplifiers like the Fender Bassman. The Fender Bassman is supposedly designed for bass guitars, but they have been widely used as a guitar amplifier for a long time. This type of amplifier can be an excellent option for your bass guitar. You can be sure that the speakers are safe with this amplifier, and you’ll have a great time playing with your bass guitar.
Overall, guitar amplifiers can be used for your bass guitar, but there are restrictions that you should always follow to avoid damaging your gears.
What Is The Best Alternative You Do Not Have A Bass Amplifier?
The best amplifier you can use for your bass guitar if you do not have a bass amplifier is a keyboard amplifier. A keyboard amplifier has a vast frequency response range, which is why no matter how long or loud you are using it for your bass guitar, it would still be ideally safe.
A keyboard amplifier has an average frequency response range between 20 Hz to 20 kHz, so using either a four, five, or six-stringed bass guitar is still safe for the speakers. As keyboard speakers can accommodate the frequencies of a bass guitar produced, there is a very low chance that the speaker will blow off.
The only thing that you should expect is that it will not sound as good as a bass guitar amplifier. Yes, they can handle the lower frequencies, but they are not made specifically for bass guitars. That is why it will not really sound that good.
As a bass guitar owner, it is essential if you know whether you can use a drum amp for a bass guitar or not. Bass guitars produce lower frequencies than other instruments, so you should know what types of amplifiers you can use with them and their restrictions to avoid damaging the gears.
