# If I got an 8-string, should I get a bass amp?



## AWAX (Apr 6, 2011)

2nd post! 1st thread 

Ok, I will most likely be getting an 8 string guitar soon, HOWEVER, my "main" amp is a 30watt Traynor (DG30D), and I highly doubt that would be able to even come close to the lows I need. I doubt it could project the low B, so I was wondering if I should get a new guitar combo (Cannot do head & cab unless its dirt cheap, would have to be through kijiji or ebay as well) or if I should get a bass amp and play through that instead.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 6, 2011)

AWAX said:


> should get a bass amp and play through that



No.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Apr 6, 2011)

Guitar setup. You don't need a bass setup.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Apr 6, 2011)

Sniped by that fucker Max


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## AWAX (Apr 6, 2011)

Ok. Awesome. Thanks for the quick replies guys. Anything specs wise I should look for, or some kind of general idea?


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## Poparad (Apr 6, 2011)

AWAX said:


> Ok. Awesome. Thanks for the quick replies guys. Anything specs wise I should look for, or some kind of general idea?



You'd be surprised the amount of low end you can get from a guitar amp. Try it out on your Traynor first and see how it sounds.


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## Philligan (Apr 6, 2011)

AWAX said:


> Ok. Awesome. Thanks for the quick replies guys. Anything specs wise I should look for, or some kind of general idea?



Totally up to you, man. I like higher gain amps (so I can turn the gain down a bit and get a more controlled sound) but I've heard high gain stuff on 8s sound great through a JCM800. Try everything you possibly can, it'll at least get you familiar with qualities you like and don't like, and you can make a more informed decision from there. Take what we all say with a grain of salt, too, because everyone's tastes are different.

Also, if you're not doing this already, try boosting the amp with a Tubescreamer or Tubescreamer-style OD pedal (Vol: ~10, Gain: ~0, Tone to taste). It makes a world of difference for a lot of people, me included.


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## TomAwesome (Apr 6, 2011)

As long as you want it to sound like a guitar, get a guitar amp. You don't actually need a shitton of low end just because you tune lower.


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## Eric Christian (Apr 6, 2011)

AWAX said:


> 2nd post! 1st thread
> 
> Ok, I will most likely be getting an 8 string guitar soon, HOWEVER, my "main" amp is a 30watt Traynor (DG30D), and I highly doubt that would be able to even come close to the lows I need. I doubt it could project the low B, so I was wondering if I should get a new guitar combo (Cannot do head & cab unless its dirt cheap, would have to be through kijiji or ebay as well) or if I should get a bass amp and play through that instead.


 
Once you get your guitar you should take it down to the biggest music store you can find and plug it into every guitar and bass amp they have and see what sounds good to you. Maybe a bass amp will be what works for you, maybe not. This is the best way. You never know though, maybe a bass amp with the right effects will give you your own unique sound.


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## Rev2010 (Apr 6, 2011)

Some players actually turn down their bass a bit at the amp when using an 8-string to keep the tone clear. A bass amp for an 8-string guitar would be counterintuitive. Leave the bass amps for the bassist 


Rev.


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## AWAX (Apr 6, 2011)

Ok. That clears a lot up. And I dont have a Tubescreamer, yet, so I will try that out.


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## Matti_Ice (Apr 11, 2011)

AWAX said:


> 2nd post! 1st thread
> 
> Ok, I will most likely be getting an 8 string guitar soon, HOWEVER, my "main" amp is a 30watt Traynor (DG30D), and I highly doubt that would be able to even come close to the lows I need. I doubt it could project the low B, so I was wondering if I should get a new guitar combo (Cannot do head & cab unless its dirt cheap, would have to be through kijiji or ebay as well) or if I should get a bass amp and play through that instead.


 
Ok I'm going to be the odd man out here and say I see nothing wrong with the bass amp. I honestly love my guitar rig, Randall G3 head, 4x12 cab (Eminence Man O War, Governor, and 2 Celestion GT75s) Apex Aural Exciter, BBE Sonic Maximizer and them my pedals, wireless, tuners and such. I get plenty of low end everything is bright clear, and has the responsive (but not annoying distortion) BUT in the same breath I will say this, at one time when I was jamming at home I was running my 8 string through an Ampeg bass amp and using the distortion on my Digitech processor. A little tweaking and I got a tone I absolutely LOVED! It was interesting sounding and not something I would want 100% of the time but I honestly would say go try it out at a music shop somewhere and see what you get, the way you talk, I'm thinking you may actually could come up with something you like. I'm going to suggest sticking to a digital more death metal distortion and really tweaking those cleans tho, or else you're prolly going to have something very muddy


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## PRIMUSSUCKS (Jun 3, 2011)

If you really feel the need for uber LOW get a half stack 4x12. If that isn't enough, (I wanted more low end) you can do what I did; get a 15in bass cab and hook it up with the 4x12. I have a Marshall Mode 4 with a 4x12 B-52 400WATT cab, and a Behringer 1x15 Bring on the LOWS!


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## MF_Kitten (Jun 3, 2011)

Not unless you can make a proper setup with it. Use a guitar amp, then save up to get a bass amp if you find it lacking in the low end department. Get some pedal that has two outputs, and split the signal. Use the bass amp for lows only, and the guitar amp as normal, but with slightly less low end.


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## failshredder (Jun 3, 2011)

Are you going to be playing with other people/in a mix at all, or just by yourself? If the latter, go for the bass amp. If the former, you'll be inaudible sludge playing with a bassist unless you bump up your mids and use a guitar amp.


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## orakle (Jun 3, 2011)

just get a 1x15 or 2x15 cab extension and you're fine


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## jeremygxxx (Jun 4, 2011)

I'm not really experienced that much but Line 6 and Marshall are good for low end in my opinion.


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## Trespass (Jun 4, 2011)

I play through a bass amp for my cleans, with reverb and echo from a GT-8. Lots of headroom, great for spacey, big hall reverb type sounds.


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## Randomist (Jun 4, 2011)

I've run both before with a six string drop tuned, just used a line out into the active input into the bass amp "active" input. I was only messing around for a while with some relatively cheap gear, but for solo playing it gave a fuller sound. For the sake of clarity in a group/mix i doubt you'd really want a lot of bass though. 
Having said that, the fender bassman was designed for bass...


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## Sponge (Jun 4, 2011)

You could always go with the Orange Thunderverb 200 and PPC412HP-8 Cab. The celestions are 100 watt and the head can be used for bass or guitar. Its a great combo for low tunings.


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## Sephael (Jun 4, 2011)

MF_Kitten said:


> Not unless you can make a proper setup with it. Use a guitar amp, then save up to get a bass amp if you find it lacking in the low end department. Get some pedal that has two outputs, and split the signal. Use the bass amp for lows only, and the guitar amp as normal, but with slightly less low end.


this is what I use to do with my bass, I'd run it clean through a bass amp and through a mild distortion into my guitar amp


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## jaco815 (Jun 6, 2011)

My suggestion: If you can afford it, get an AxeFX II ($2200) or pick up one of the AxeFX Ultras going for cheap these days ($1600 on ebay and elsewhere). Add a good PA and that will give you all the sound options you could ever really need. I recently heard my friend's Ultra through a PA and it sounded just like a great guitar amp over my drums.


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## -One- (Jun 7, 2011)

jaco815 said:


> My suggestion: If you can afford it, get an AxeFX II ($2200) or pick up one of the AxeFX Ultras going for cheap these days ($1600 on ebay and elsewhere). Add a good PA and that will give you all the sound options you could ever really need. I recently heard my friend's Ultra through a PA and it sounded just like a great guitar amp over my drums.


What makes you think he can afford either of those? He said it has to be dirt cheap.


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