Best Bass Combo Amp Under $500

By: The Gear Dude | Date: 5th August 2020

Buying music gear can be very complicated. When you want to play your bass guitar, it is understandable for you to wonder which bass combo will be most suitable solution for your play style and budget. So, you would most probably be sifting through a list of best bass amplifiers trying to find the right one. Well, here is exactly what you need to make a confident purchase; a list of ten of our favorite bass combo amps under 500 Watts!

Fender Rumble 25

1x8" 25-Watt Bass Combo Amp

What better way is there to kick off our best bass combo amp under 500 review if not with the inventors of bass amps? This surprisingly light amp (at just 21 lbs) black beauty offers a basement friendly 25-watt and also features an in-built overdrive; one of which you can’t miss and that I can’t recommend enough. It gives your bass guitar a warm and fat tone that is perfect for those who typically love to play without effects. The Rumble 25 combo sound shaping tool is flexible enough to allow you find your signature sound. Most notable of these sculpt features is the 3-band contour. Its 8-speaker pack is perfect for maintaining punch while keeping the volume at a minimal. In addition to the sound features, it has a handy aux input in which one can plug in their mp3 player, recording gear, iPod or other gear into during live performance and practice. It also has a 1/4’’ headphone jack so one can play late into the night. In short, the Fender Rumble 25 makes the best practice tool.

Fender Rumble 25 at a glance
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 25 Watts
- Height: 15.25'
- Width: 15.25'
- Weight: 21 lbs
- Depth: 11"
- Effects: Overdrive
- Speakers: 1x8"
- Headphones: 1/4"

Pros
- Basement friendly 25 Watts for practice
- Single 8’’ speaker for a serious & remarkable punch
- Modern features with vintage vibe
- Overdrive for sound shaping

Fender Rumble 25Check Price - Sweetwater.com

Fender Rumble 25Check Price - zzSounds.com

Blackstar Fly 3 Bass

1x3" 3-Watt Bass Combo Amplifier

Blackstar Fly 3 is one of the smallest Bass Combos amplifiers one can get for their bass. It has full range 3-pack speakers that exudes astounding amounts of bass out of its tiny enclosure and onto the speaker cabinet. Despite having only 3 watts this amplifier is actually frighteningly loud for its miniscule size and should impress any bassist. The overdrive and compression features of the Blackstar Fly 3 will help you shape your tone to your preference. The overdrive makes the music sound like a ranging tube bass stack while the compression evens out your attack which makes the Blackstar Fly 3 particularly appealing to slap-style players. Additionally, if you need to add some warmth to your tone, all you need to do is push the SUB button. The tone adjustment tools don’t end there, this baby has a classic depth adjustment knob that will allow you to set how low or mid-heavy you want your tone to be. The Blackstar Fly 3 has 1/8’’ input and output jacks that allow one to plug in their headphones, laptop or Mp3 player when practicing. The line input and headphone/line output come in handy when you want to play silently throughout the night without disrupting the neighborhood and to play along with the music item you are working on. Blackstar Fly 3 makes a perfect practice tool because of its stage-ready weight which is a mere 1.98 lbs. Did the lights go out suddenly while you were on stage? Don’t worry, the Blackstar Fly 3 has got your back, you won’t be humiliated unnecessarily. This sweet baby allows the use of 6AA batteries as an alternative power source so you can literally play your bass guitar anywhere!

Blackstar Fly 3 features at a glance
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 3 Watts
- Height: 4.96"
- Width: 6.69"
- Weight: 1.98 lbs
- Depth: 4.01"
- Effects: Yes
- Speakers: 1x3"
- Headphones: 1/8"
- Channels: 2, clean and overdrive
- Power: 6.5V DC PSU / 6AA batteries

Pros
- Big bass sound; super compact
- Overdrive, depth & compression controls
- It’s a convenient practice tool
- Uses batteries or optional power supply

Cons
- Only 3 Watts

Blackstar Fly 3 BassCheck Price - Sweetwater.com

Blackstar Fly 3 BassCheck Price - zzSounds.com

Ampeg BA-110V2

1x10" 40-Watt Bass Combo + Scrambler

We cannot look at the best bass combo amp under 500 and not look at this versatile piece of music gear with Ampeg’s own 10’’ speaker and a band standard EQ. It produces an amazing tone that can be reformed to a variety of genres and a flexible input to accommodate both passive and active pickups. The sound is clean with a thick, well-emphasized bass which you can still add flavor to using the overdrive feature. The bass combo’s bass scrambler is a modification that eliminates the need for a distortion pedal as long as you stick to classic music genres such as hard rock, alternative, grunge, blues and heavy metal. Thanks to its new design, the Ampeg BA- 110V2 bass amplifier can be used in an upright position and in a wedge position. The wedge position will actually give you a clearer sound while the upright posture gives your bass guitar a better bass response and definition. All the controls of the bass combo are now on the front to allow you to turn up and adjust the 3-band EQ easily. This player focused design makes Ampeg BA-110V2 very reliable.

Ampeg BA-110V2 Bass Combo features
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 40 Watts
- Height: 18.8"
- Width: 16"
- Weight: 33 lbs
- Depth: 13"
- Effects: Yes
- Speakers: 1x3"
- Headphones: 1/8"
- Number of channels: 1
- Power: Standard IEC AC cable
- EQ: 3-band

Pros
- Very durable Tolex coat and metal corners
- Unique Ampeg tone
- 60-degree (wedge) monitor angle
- Custom speaker
- Good overdrive circuit
- Design allows upright or wedge posture

Cons
- Not powerful enough for live outdoor use

Ampeg BA-110V2Check Price - Sweetwater.com

Ampeg BA-110V2Check Price - zzSounds.com

Fender Rumble LT 25

1x8" 25-Watt Bass Combo Amplifier

Fender Rumble LT should be most appealing and suitable for a new bassist as it has several options that will allow you explore your music style. This compact, 1-channel bass combo has a light weight and is therefore appropriate for a grab-and-go performance. It comes with a 3-band EQ for dialing in and shaping your tone as desired as well as 50 preset sounds ranging from jazz-inspired tones, blues, hillbilly, ethnic and grunge so you can explore your style. To select and modify a tone all one needs to do is tune the ‘edit’ button and scroll down through the tones and apply their choice tone on that preset.

Fender Rumble LT 25 combo amplifier feature
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 25 Watts
- Height: 15.25"
- Width: 15.25"
- Weight: 19.2 lbs
- Depth: 11"
- Effects: Yes
- Speakers: 1x8"
- Headphones: 1/8"
- Number of channels: 1
- Power Source: Standard IEC AC
- EQ: 3-band

Pros
- Has a great bass tone
- Has 50 presets that allow you explore your sound
- 3.5mm aux and 1/4" input to allow silent practice
- It is durable; has a black textured vinyl covering

Fender Rumble LT 25Check Price - Sweetwater.com

Fender Rumble LT 25Check Price - zzSounds.com

Roland Micro Cube Bass RX

4x4 5-Watt Portable Bass Combo Amp

Even before getting to the features, one look at this cutie makes one fall in love with it! The Roland Micro Cube Bass RX uses Roland’s proprietary FFP technology and is stage-ready due to its light weight. It has four amazingly beautiful silver-coated speakers, eight COSM amplifier models, six digital effects and a built-in tuner. It also comes with a Rhythm Guide function, an aux input to allow you to plug in your MP3 player or CD and jam along with the music piece you are working on. It even has a headphone out that works as a direct output during your practice or otherwise. The Roland Micro Cube Bass RX 4 is run either on battery or AC power which makes it very feasible and capable of being taken anywhere notwithstanding that the area has a blackout or no electric power source. The amplifier is also efficient thanks to its custom speakers and Roland’s proprietary drivers. Once you purchase a Roland Micro Cube Bass RX4, you can be sure that it will serve you and stay in your home for a long while. The gear is a collection of desirable amplifying features packed in an indestructible box. I am sure that this is good enough to put you in a trance.

Roland Micro Cube Bass RX at a glance
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 5 Watts
- Height: 15.25"
- Width: 11.69"
- Weight: 15 lbs
- Depth: 8.38"
- Effects: Yes
- Speakers: 4x4"
- Headphones: 1/4"
- Number of channels: 1
- Power: AC adaptor or 6AA batteries
- EQ: 3-band
- Footswitch I/O: 1/4"
- Number of models: 8

Pros
- Battery driven (13-hour maximum usage)
- Recording output
- AC adaptor included
- Stereo aux input
- Built-in chromatic tuner
- Has six digital effects
- Tonal variety
- Durability
- Compact enclosure with a carrying strap

Cons
- Only 5 Watts; not powerful enough

Micro Cube Bass RXCheck Price - Sweetwater.com

Micro Cube Bass RXCheck Price - zzSounds.com

Fender Rumble Studio 40

1x10" 40-Watt Bass Combo Amplifier

The Fender Rumble amplifier is 40-watt powerful amplifier best for the studio and rehearsals. It is particularly famous for its Fenders Mustang GT amplifiers which produces a variety of sounds from the ‘50s up to the current modern-day low-end tones. It has over forty effects (including the compression and EQ effects), a cool 60-second looper great for songwriting and practice and more than fifteen amplifier/cabinet models to allow tonal and stylistic exploration. Fender Rumble Studio 40 Combo amplifier allows wireless connectivity or setup as it comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB record to address all your modern technological needs.

Fender Rumble Studio 40 features
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 40 Watts
- Height: 16.88"
- Width: 16.5"
- Weight: 19 lbs
- Depth: 12"
- Effects Loop: Yes
- Speaker: 1x10", compression tweeter
- Headphones: 1/8"
- Number of channels: 1
- Power Source: Standard IEC AC
- EQ: 3-band
- Footswitch I/O: 1/4"
- Number of models: 15+

Pros
- 10" speaker that delivers stellar bass tone
- 60-second looper
- Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth and USB out
- Line out

Fender Rumble Studio 40Check Price - Sweetwater.com

Fender Rumble Studio 40Check Price - zzSounds.com

Tech 21 VT Bass 200

1x12" 200-Watt Bass Combo Amp

This is one of the most powerful producers of massive bass tones. It is among the music gear products that are reliable and have excellent performance; so, you can never go wrong or be disappointed by a Tech 21 product. Since 1989 when the first SansAmp was released, Tech 21 has kept up and produced an impressive line of products that cover every application and player’s needs. Each of their products is professionally built with the best materials, have unique features such as their smooth custom actuators which are licensed to other manufacturers. Tech 21 products are built while being conscious of guitar players so you won’t fail to notice the tonal perfecting features on each piece. The Tech 21 VT Bass 200 is a total sell out as it is loaded with a dominant 200-Watt class D power amplification section ready for any performance both in outdoor gigs and during indoor practice. Based on the popular SansAmp VT Bass DI pedal, the combo has a variety of tones; from old school to modern tunes. Flexible preamp controls and the character knob will help you conjure up fat classic rigs and help you get the tone you need. To get a presence bump, hit the bite button. At the back of the Tech 21 VT Bass 200 is a DI XLR output that will relay the tone you are enjoying on stage to the rest of the house during a gig so you absolutely don’t need to manually fine-tune your tone. There is nothing as good and fulfilling to a player than knowing that your audience loves what you are playing and the Tech 21 VT Bass 200 knows exactly how to communicate this to a player during a gig because they will be sure that what their audience is moving their bodies to be exactly what propels them to play. All these wonderful features weighing in at 28 lbs only! Take a chance at reliability and dependability and get yourself one of these. You won’t regret it.

Tech 21 VT Bass 200 features
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 200 Watts
- Height: 17.5"
- Width: 17.5"
- Weight: 28 lbs
- Depth: 14"
- Effects Loop: Yes
- Speakers: 1x12", 1x tweeter
- Headphones: 1/8"
- Output: 1/4" external speaker,
- XLR (DI out)
- Power: Standard IEC AC adaptor
- EQ: 3-band, Shift Switch

Pros
- Balanced XLR SansAmp line output
- Character control
- Switchable HF tweeter

Tech 21 VT Bass 200 Check Price - Sweetwater.com

Gallien-Krueger MB110

1x10" 100-Watt Bass Combo Amplifier

100 watts weighing on at 21 lbs only? That’s an obvious go-for piece of music gear because then you are sure to have a powerful bass combo amp for outdoor performance and that you won’t have to haul the amplifier around every time you have a gig! Another cool feature of the Gallien Krueger MB110 is it lets you connect to an MBP-powered enclosure which in turn creates a big club-ready combo rig. The 4-band EQ gives you control to nail your signature style and tone on your guitar with just the right amount of grit, your fans will really love you for.

Gallien-Krueger MB110's features
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 100 Watts
- Height: 15.5"
- Width: 14.5"
- Weight: 21 lbs
- Depth: 12.5"
- Effects Loop: Yes
- Speakers: 1x12", 1x tweeter
- Headphones: 1/8"
- Outputs: 1/4"
- Power: Standard IEC AC adaptor
- EQ: 4-band
- Number of channels: 1

Pros
- It is lightweight; only 21 lbs
- Durable; tough Tolex covering for longevity
- Aux in - plug in your audio devices for practice
- XLR direct out
- Its active 4-band EQ

Gallien-Krueger MB110Check Price - Sweetwater.com

Roland CUBE-20XL Bass

1x8" 20-watt Bass Combo Amplifier

Roland has done it again, the latest Roland design is larger, louder, lighter and more impressive than the previous Roland versions. Roland calls this new version the XL treatment. This cute pup has six fantastic COSM amp models and seven studio-stage-ready effects such as drive and poly octave so players can really get creative with the different tones and musical styles that can be produced. Roland CUBE-20XL also comes with a power squeezer function which lets you go wide open producing a perfect 20-watt punchy sound that is perfect for a solo session.

Roland CUBE-20XL Bass at a glance
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 20 Watts
- Height: 13.19"
- Width: 13.19"
- Weight: 12.88 lbs
- Depth: 12.5’’
- Effects: Yes
- Speakers: 1x8"
- Headphones: 1/8"
- Outputs: 1/4"
- Footswitch: 1/4"
- Footswitch: No (sold separately)
- Power Source: Fixed AC adaptor
- EQ: 3-band
- Number of channels: 1
- Amp Modeling: Yes
- No of models: 6

Pros
- Power squeezer switch helps you maintain volume
- 7 effects including chorus, poly octave, delay & reverb
- Single-knob compression & 3- band EQ
- Solo mode with memory recall
- TRS footswitch input jack for controlling EFX functions

Cons
- Only 20 watts; not powerful enough

Roland CUBE-20XL BassCheck Price - Sweetwater.com

Hartke HD15

1x6.5" 15-Watt Bass Combo Amp

If you want to get the most out of your bucks, a Hartke HD15 is the go-for choice. The bass combo amp pushes 15 watts of power through a single 6.5’’ speaker; making it perfect for bedroom practice and quiet rehearsals. Its featherweight quality makes it capable of being carries about from one gig to another without much effort. What makes the Hartke HD 15 stand out apart from other combos of similar power is its sleek design. The bass combo amp uses paper on its outside for warmth and aluminum in its center therefore making it an incredible sonic combo that is worth trying. The combo gives the best of the oldies and the modern time tones. It is simply undeniable.

Hartke HD15 at a glance- Type: Solid State
- Type: Solid State
- Total power: 15 Watts
- Height: 15.5"
- Width: 13.19"
- Weight: 16 lbs
- Depth: 11"
- Effects: Yes
- Speakers: 1x8"
- Headphones: 1/4"
- Power: Standard IEC AC Cable
- EQ: 3-band
- Number of channels: 1

Pros
- Combines paper & aluminum for warmth & extra punch
- 15 watts of power makes it suitable for quiet practice
- Highly Portable
- 1/4" mono headphone for silent rehearsal
- Built-in limiter for controlled volume

Cons
- Only 15 watts

Hartke HD15 Check Price - Sweetwater.com

Hartke HD15 Check Price - zzSounds.com

Each of the above amplifiers has a unique feature and is worthy of your consideration. But I can assure you that none of these will disappoint you as long as you make a pick based on the outcome you seek. Our list offers you the best bass combo amp under 500 whose vast variety is suitable for both indoor and outdoor events. It is now up to you; I hope our list of the best bass combo amp under 500 give you the confidence to make an informed choice.