Small guitar and bass amps: How small is enough for gigging?
Introduction
I’m not sure to whom I should be addressing this question. Is it Google, musicians, Reddit, or Quora? Whenever I search for small musical equipment such as small amps, small PAs, or small pedalboards I get these SERP (“search engine results page”) results that are, in my opinion, unlogical and contradictory.
Don’t get me wrong, I also throw in words such as compact, tiny, micro, “for gigs”, etc. I just think that if I search for small instrument-related gear it should be clear that I am not playing stadiums or sports halls that hold 10 thousand people.
I am talking about small musical instruments gear for small gigs. Many people need small and lightweight musical gear either because of the nature of their gigs, personal preferences, or health issues. Let me explain this in detail in the paragraphs below.
Small
When I talk about small musical equipment I mean smaller than most gear. If not extremely small then this gear should be at least feather-light weighted to compensate for the size. If we want things to be easier for us musicians we should aim for smaller gear when we are limited with space.
Space can be an issue during transportation to the gig, either because the whole band relies on one car or because we are traveling by public transportation. Sometimes, the size of our equipment can be a problem at home because we simply don’t have the room to fit four 18-inch subs in our one-bedroom flat.
Small guitar and bass amps – How do search engines define them?
Have you ever searched for small guitar amps online? You get results for mini or micro practice amps that are, well, practice amps, not amps you could gig with. Or you will get results with 12-inch combo amps that are obviously small in someone’s opinion. I must agree, they are smaller compared to 2 x 12-inch speaker cabs.
I have seen YouTube videos from popular musical instrument dealers trying to convince musicians that guitar combos with a 12-inch speaker and a weight of 30 lbs are small. Since small is relative I will explain what I think small and lightweight is.
Small, compact guitar and bass amps exist in the real world. There are many manufacturers of small guitar gear. Some of them are major brands, but many are small businesses that sometimes only do custom orders. They can be found, but not as easy as the major brands.
What is a small amp in my world?
I would say small falls between micro practice amps and 12-inch speaker sized amps. A gigable amp is one that can produce enough power to be heard in a small band playing small venues like bars and hotel terraces. Many 8 to 10 inch combos are more than capable of giving you enough volume for small gigs.
If weight is a more important issue for you than size there are excellent quality 10 and 12 inch neodymium speaker cabinets that are as light as 5-8kgs (10-15 lbs). They are usually made as separate cabinets. A separate cabinet and amp is a factor to consider for those aiming to carry their gear more easily. It’s easier to carry a guitar cab in one hand and an amp head in the other. Amp heads that pair with these cabinets are very small and lightweight (1-3kg). Quilter, DV Mark, Vox, and Orange have many guitar amp heads that fall into the small category.
Weight is a major concern for musicians who have problems with their backs. Age is also a factor we should be more aware of. Hauling heavy gear for a long period of years can cause health issues that can’t be reversed.
Benefits of small guitar and bass amps
- Small size (volume): When you play with small or compact amps you will have more room to fit other equipment in your car or at home.
- Weight: Smaller in most cases means lighter. Lighter gear = easier to carry
- Efficiency: Small and lightweight guitar and bass amps are easier to setup, teardown, and transport
How to find small guitar and bass amps?
- Online: Use specific keywords. Instead of small, use terms like compact, boutique, lightweight, or an exact dimension or feature (e.g. “compact 10-inch guitar amp neodymium speaker”)
- Specialized forums and social media groups: These are places where musicians can start a topic about anything they are interested in. If you can’t find what you are interested in, start a thread yourself. The chances of getting answers related to small guitar gear are surely higher than before.
- Specialized retailers: Physical stores may be hard to find in most areas, but online retailers specializing in selling niche music gear can be found.
- Specialized music gear sites: Easymusicgig.com is a site where the focus is on small, lightweight musical instrument gear and how to simplify your gigs.
Conclusion
The benefits of small guitar and bass amplifiers are important for many musicians, especially those with health problems. However, finding what fits your needs can be hard since online search engines show us results of brands that are the most popular. This is a very niche category in the world of guitar and bass equipment.
Easy Music Gig is focused on bringing you information on everything related to small and compact musical instrument gear, and guitar and bass amps are no exception. Which small guitar or bass amp are you playing?
