I tried searching, but I can't find a thread specifically on this.

Where do you start? For the person buying their first Stick, who has never had an electric guitar or bass, what do you need to go with the instrument?

Thanks

If your budget is short a basic ($200) amplifier with 2 channels is fine. More budget better equipment

SA

Pocket Rock-It

http://www.guitarcenter.com/C-Tech/Pocket-Rock-It-S1b-Standard-Bass-Headphone-Amp.gc

I went on craigslist and found a <$100 used keyboard amp; most KB amps have at least two channels. They're good as a starter, or more...I still have mine. I keep it as a backup and occasionally practice with it, a Behringer K900FX ($250 new at Guitar Center).

I've been very happy with this as my first source of sound for my stick, and was facing the same "electronic newbie" challenge (first electric instrument).

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ ... hgod_P4HDg

Just plug in and go, or unplug if the speaker's built-in battery is charged.

Note: you'll get more sound from the speaker if you use the TRS jacks. If you use the XLR jacks the speaker seems to assume some additional degree of preamping. It'll play, just not as loudly. Of course you stick comes with both kinds of jacks so take your pick.

The Behringer MPA40BT is a nice simple thing. It has two inputs and works anywhere due to the lead battery pack. It doesn't break the budget and can be used for practice or some performance.

Don't run the bass side through an open back amp (i.e. most guitar amps) at any kind of medium to high level. You can easily damage it.

I tend to recommend two-channel acoustic guitar amps these days, especially if they have two-channels with independent eq.

To get the full-range sound of the instrument, it's good to use a full-range amp.

Tell us more about how you imagine playing (solo, with drums, in a band, backing up vocals). This will really influence what the minimum is you need.

I've been running a grand 12 through a Behringer Ultratone K450fx. It's got 3 channels, on board FX.... perfect for practicing.

New is like 200 bucks...and it handles the stick easily.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifie ... -pa-system

Great practice rig as you can put FX on one channel and not the other for just a touch of feeling to the melody side.

When you want to get into a production rig, this amp would fall woefully short, but for practice and general FX...works great!

Plus...you can plug headphones into it and it goes silent, and you get all the sound and fx in the headset.

My 2 cents.....worth 1 cent with inflation

TP

Hey Doc.
How much money do you want to spend?

cheers,
kev

Hi Thomas,

Unless you have an ACTV-2, I don't usually recommend plugging straight into a keyboard amp. The impedance mismatch with the passive pickups is substantial, and the instrument can sound "pinched". This is why I usually recommend acoustic guitar amps instead.

If you are running into pedals first, then it's not an issue, but if you are plugging straight into the amp, then it definitely compromises the sound in a distracting way.