11 Best Cheap Bass Amps That Don’t Suck - 2021

Finding the best cheap bass amps that don’t suck can be quite difficult. So, we’ve made it easy and collected a selection of the best budget bass amps that sound incredible and prove the word “cheap” just means “budget-friendly”.

These are perfect options for players of all levels. Whether you’re a beginner player looking for a cheap bass guitar amp that you can get started with or you're a pro-level player who wants a good cheap bass amp that they can rely on - you'll find something here.

All of these amps are sub (get it?) £500 so they’re quite affordable and are comfortably suited to beginner players right the way through to professional level players. Here they are in price ascending order.

First up we have the industry standard mini bass amp – the Blackstar FLY 3 Bass Stereo pack. This extremely powerful, and very portable amplifier is certainly one of the best cheap bass amps around clocking in at a mere £95.

For this very affordable price tag you get the 3 watt amp itself packed with a 3” speaker as well as an extension cab, adding an extra 3 watts to your sound.

The result is a 6-watt stereo amplifier packed with classic Blackstar tones. You can change up the Gain, enjoy the OD (overdrive) Channel and even modify your sound utilising Volume, EQ, Sub Control and Compression Ratio controls.

The Speaker Emulated output allows you to record straight to a DAW and practice in silence as it also acts as a headphones output. If you've got limited room or need to practice at a moments notice this is ideal.

The Fender Rumble 25 Bass Amplifier Combo (V3) is easily one of the best cheap bass amps we stock.

The all-new updated version of the coveted Rumble series features a beefier power amp that provides that extra push you need when you’re playing live – it’s ready for the stages of the world.

You have 25 watts at your disposal and a built-in EQ control so you can sculpt your sound. However,

it’s the overdrive circuit and switchable Contour control that delivers gritty bite or slap-worthy articulation you need at the push of a button.

It’s hard-wearing, budget-friendly and sounds great thanks to the fact it’s loaded with all that signature Fender tone.

One of the best cheap bass amps on the market today for those who need a small bass amp for practice, recording or playing around the home.

This compact, lightweight combo delivers bonecrushing tone that belies its size, making it a perfect option for beginners or professionals on-the-move.

Part of the Ashdown Studio Series, the Tourbus 10w Combo offers an easy-to-use control panel with a 6.5” speaker in a rugged enclosure that’s built to last.

Featuring a headphone output for totally silent practice, you can also connect an AUX and play along to your favourite tunes (or do some last-minute backstage practicing before a show!).

The control panel is extra simple and features Volume, Bass, and Treble knobs that offer a great amount of flexibility whilst still delivering the classic Ashdown tone.

This one isn’t technically an amplifier in the way that you might normally imagine it, but it’s a super cool tool for practicing that allows you to fully immerse yourself in the sound of your bass.

The BOSS Waza-Air Bass is a personal amplification system that comes in the form of a set of headphones which deliver ultimate low-end tone directly into your ears.

Powered by the innovative Waza-Air technology, this futuristic piece of kit gives you full access to a natural yet incredibly articulate sound environment, all within the confines of your headphones.

This incredible innovation allows you to place yourself in the middle of an authentic space thanks to gyro sensors which are built-in to the headphones, meaning you can experiment for hours on end whilst jamming along with Bluetooth audio streaming and sound editing via your smartphone.

It truly is the most efficient way to practice, featuring five unique amp types and over 30 customizable bass-tuned effects - and it’s far, far lighter than anything else on this list (obviously), whilst arguably sounding the best.

If you need a bass amp just for personal practice, this is our favourite option.

If you need a cheap bass amp for gigs that won’t get you laughed off-stage, is ideal for fragging to practice and won't break your back then the Ashdown STUDIO-12 Super lightweight 110w Bass Combo Amp is a perfect option.

At under £300, it’s very reasonably priced offering up 110 watts of power through the 12” speaker – ideal for smaller gigs and rehearsal sessions.

At 10.3kgs/22.7lbs! this amp is also a very portable option which is perfect for beginners taking amps to classes and the tired musicians out there (like me) who don’t want to be carting around a massive amp!

You have 5-Band EQ of Bass, Lo-Mid, Middle, Hi-Mid, and Treble s well as a Valve emulated overdrive circuit making it a very versatile bass amplifier.

Finally, there’s also a headphones input for practising in silence too.

The VOX Pathfinder 10w Bass Combo Amp is definitely one of the best portable bass amps on the market today, but it’s also one of the best cheap bass amps as it clocks in at under £90.

This provides 10 watts of VOX power, which is more than enough for practising at home.

One of the key benefits of this small bass amplifier come sin the form of the dual 5" VOX Bulldog Speakers. These speakers provide a well rounded, powerful sound that represents your bass tone accurately. 

The smaller size makes it a perfect home-practice bass amp that you can take everywhere.

Ideal for those who want to be able to jam at home, on the tour bus or in student halls.

The Ashdown OriginAL 300 Watt Bass Amplifier Head is another one of our favourite cheap bass amps that certainly doesn’t suck.

This is a very small, very portable but VERY powerful bass amplifier head that busts out 300 watts of pure power.

One of the main reasons we love this amp is the fact you have an Active/Passive switch which allows you to set the amp up so you get a clear signal path that has been specifically tailored for bass guitars with active or passive pickups.

You have an integrated 5-band EQ and the classic Ashdown VY metre as well as a Shape control that you can use to get that coveted Mid-Scoop in the frequency range.

An integrated headphone output is also a great addition as you can practice anywhere anytime in silence. When you’re ready to start gigging, just add your bass cabinet and you’re ready to enjoy world-class sound.

A very powerful cheap bass amp that’s perfect for players of all levels.

The Blackstar Unity Bass 30-Watt Bass Combo is perfect for the bass players out there who want something budget friendly that will still get the job done.

This is perfect for smaller gigs, as it’s packed with an 8” speaker and pumps out 30 watts of power.

If you’re just starting out in the world of bass or you need a practice amp or something for smaller gigs, then this is ideal.

A footswitchable Overdrive and Chorus function really sets this bass amp apart and the 3 voices - Classic, Modern, Overdrive makes it particularly versatile.

A great option for those who need something capable of handling a wide variety of sounds and genres of music.

If you need a mean, rugged and very powerful bass amp without a massive price tag, then the Orange Crush Bass 50, 50w Bass Guitar Combo Amplifier is perfect.

At £249, this won’t break the bank, but the 50 watts might just break your windows – so be careful!

A heavy-duty 12” speaker beautifully pumps out the 50 watts which are delivered to you thanks to the all-analogue circuitry, active EQ and Blend & Gain controls.

You can effectively blend the channels or isolate them, effectively giving you two amps in one!

This means you get total control over your tone and a range of sonic options and the rugged design ensures your amp is safe whilst you’re transporting it from gig to gig!

Not only is this combo one of our favourite looking bass amps ever, it boasts the specs of a much more expensive amp.

The Ampeg Rocket Bass 115 Combo Amplifier combines vintage 60s styling with modern performance enhancements that ensure your low-end is always exactly how you want it.

Designed for the modern musician, the lightweight construction hosts a 15” Custom Eminence Speaker and an Ampeg Legacy Preamp that delivers some of the most awesome tone you can get.

The output is a gig-ready 200W, and this amp also features a Super Grit Technology (SGT) Overdrive as well as AUX In, Headphone Out, Ext. Speaker & XLR Direct Output connectivity options.

The built-in FX loop means it’s versatile too, and at just 15.45kgs/34lbs it could be the perfect solution for your bass rig.

Built by one of the icons of the bass world, this awesome combo gives you a premium tone in a small package.

The Trace Elliot ELF 1x8 Combo Bass Amplifier is lightweight and compact, but still manages to exert 200W of solid state power from its 7.7kg/17lbs enclosure.

Even at low volumes the tone from this beast is detailed and precise, but it also comes complete with a wide-range input gain control and a 3-band rotary equalizer that emulates the classic multi-band graphic EQ filters for which Trace Elliot are renowned.

Expandable and versatile, you also have access to an ultra-high preamp input impedance feature in addition to a post-EQ balanced XLR DI Output with Ground Lift, 1/4" Headphone Output, and External Speaker Output.

For practicing and small gigs it’s hard to find better than classic tones like this!

Shop a full range of bass amplifiers over at PMT Online or call in to your local PMT store to try out a full selection.