Preparing for GS Mini (or similar)- bass amp options?

[Birdbrain]

Part of my bucket list is to fool around with bass guitar. That was never an option as long as bass string scales were a foot longer than my guitar. My dainty fingers just won't stretch that far. But now that the Taylor GS Mini Bass has me looking, I'm discovering a new scaled-down bass option almost weekly: the Kala U-basses, the Ibanez Mikro-Bass, and most recently, the Guild Jumbo Junior bass.

Though I'm interested in all opinions on any and all things, that's not my question here tonight. I wonder what bass amp to buy?

Neither my Blackstar Fly or my Bugera V3 seem up to the task. They've made a versatile and portable stereo rig for my Godin and Micheal Kelly guitars, but I wouldn't want to ruin them with my inept bass inputs.

My first impulse is to buy another small, low-priced combo amp, such as Fender Rumble 25 available locally for $60. But do I really want another beginner amp? There's a 100-watt Crate bass head available used for $60. Add a cheap used 15" cabinet and I'm within the common musical "Mad Money" threshold of a hundred bucks. That would be a more capable bass rig, surely beyond my needs.

At that point, would I simply want to play my regular guitars through the bass amp instead? I've never tried anything like that. Or should I look for a small tube guitar head for the same bass cabinet?

I know there are many ways to skin this cat. I just don't want to be wasteful, and I also don't want to throw out my shoulder lugging my gear to jams... which might be one reason to split the load into amp heads and one good cabinet. Advice please?

[Shaneh]

I recommend splitting the difference and getting a used Rumble 40. It is very loud for its size and used are available from GC for $130

[leew3]

+1 for the UBass, I love mine and have played though the Rumble 40 recommended above and it's a winning combo for your purposes.

[Wengr]

Depends on the intended use. Playing at home by yourself, or small combo is one thing, when acoustic drums are involved it's quite another.
If you don't need much power, check out the Phil Jones line.
Also fwiw, maybe consider a typical bass guitar in short scale.

[JStotes]

Hey XNash,

I was on the hunt for a bass for quite a while. I'm a guitar player that was looking for something that was a real bass but easier to mange scale wise for someone used to guitar scales. My use is for recording and an occasional jam with buddies

I looked at all the options you listed in your original post and came to the conclusion that they were interesting but not real basses. I ended up getting a Fender Mustang PJ. It's fairly inexpensive, short scale, and has a Fender P and Fender J type pickup.

As for amps, I looked at a bunch and ended up going with the Fender Rumble 100. I liked the sound of the 12" speaker better and the power allows me a little more flexibility when jamming. The Rumble 40 would have worked also and is cheaper and lighter. What I really like with the Rumble series is the direct out for recording. As always YMMV.

Jay

[MikeBmusic]

I just got a used Fender Rumble 75 for $129. They don't make that size any longer, but it's loud enough for any possible band use I'll have.

[Birdbrain]

The Rumble sounds so popular, I night just have to buy something else. Sorry, I'm just that way. And that Crate head has a limiter circuit, which might smooth over some of my mistakes.

I'm not remotely interested in a "real bass." Authenticity is not my cardinal virtue. This isn't cosplay, but my adaptation to the limits of my anatomy. Even on the Ibanez, with a 30" scale, I can just barely stretch up to the fourth fret with my pinky. I could capo up a fret or two, but I'm playing sometimes-unfamiliar material with other guitarists and I want my dots to line up with their dots. That's too bad, because the Ibanez is less than half the price of the others.

Of the Kalas, I prefer the Hutch Hutchinson style with steel strings. With the shortest scale, it feels good in hand. The Taylor offers much better acoustic tone and volume, and I do like to practice unplugged. I haven't seen the Guild yet, but it looks gorgeous.

Actually, I may let the mini-bass question stew for a month or two, since yesterday I spotted a Godin Core 2 in a pawn shop at a nice price...