Guitar through a bass amp

[Hotrod]

Does anybody do this? I've got a friend who's a bass player in a band and wants to switch to guitar. He's got a guitar, but no guitar amp. He was wondering if he could use his Carvin bass head and the corresponding 8 x 10 cabinets. I told him I thought he could but it just might sound very "dark". I know it's not a good idea to run a bass through a guitar setup, but this shouldn't hurt anything would it?

Any input is appreciated [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

[horns666]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

yes it's sounds like ASS X 1000..

except ..if your a blues player and dig Fender Bassmans..and I think that sounds like ass X 2.. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[StarRider]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

[ QUOTE ]
yes it's sounds like ASS X 1000..

except ..if your a blues player and dig Fender Bassmans..and I think that sounds like ass X 2.. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

agree 100%

[toejam]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

Nah, it won't hurt anything. Jim Marshall actually had a Fender Bassman laying around his shop and someone tried a guitar through it with great results... that's what Jim then based his Marshall designs off of.
I used to play guitar with an old DOD Overdrive Plus pedal into a Peavy 1x15 combo and thought it sounded great; though, it was a little darker sounding. I also would sometimes run through the Peavey and a cheap little Gorilla amp with a stereo chorus pedal with great results of the two blended together. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Hotrod]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

Thanks for the replies. It's something to try anyway until he can decide if he wants to put some money into a guitar setup.

Thanks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[nonamemx]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

Yeah, haha, it sounds absolutely terrible.

[metallicarocks]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

I've done it before at low volumes. It hasn't seemed to hurt the amp at all. Can't speak for loud volumes though...

The tone will sound squashed. All of the lows are accented (go figure) and the highs are terrible. Even if you EQ the fuck out of it, it will still sound pretty nasty. It'll work and get you through though, you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.

[thetroy]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

It definitely won't hurt anything, go for it.

[Fragle]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

+1
won't damage anything but your ears [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[mab8485]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

I think Josh Homme used bass amps for his guitars in the Kyuss days didnt he?

[catzodellamarina]

Re: Guitar through a bass amp

As someone pointed out, there is the legendary Bassman experiment that has influenced tube amps since. I have a friend with a modded Bassman head, modded by a Soldano employee, that has killer tone. It's not even fair. Guitarists listen with jaws on the ground at his Bassman head that is actually a cloaked Soldano. The next day eBay is flooded with Bassman searches. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Years ago I used to play through my roomate's Bassman combo w/15 and used a Rockman. Yes it sucked. I was a poor student and had no amp. I'm sure it would have sounded better if I had used a guitar cab loaded with Celestions.

But we're talking about a Carvin. No bass amp, other than the Fender Bassman, has ever been glorified as a guitar amp. I'm sure, if he wants to jam, and tone isn't an issue, any amp with wattage will do. He'll need a pedal, or preamp, and don't forget the guitar cab. Otherwise I'm afraid he'll sound like ass.