Acoustic B20 1x12 Bass Combo Amplifier: Review

During the 1970's, Acoustic brand amps were the amplifiers of choice by bass players. Many famous bassists proudly used Acoustic bass amps and were happy with their true sound and good price. Unfortunately for bassists, Acoustic soon stopped making bass amps, only to begin manufacturing them again in 2007. With all of the changes in technology when it comes to creating bass amps, most, including myself, were skeptical as to how good the new era Acoustic bass amps would be. I naturally was unsure what to expect when I picked up the Acoustic B20, but quickly found it was much better than I expected.

Product Ratings for the Acoustic B20 1x12 Bass Combo Amplifier:
Features: 4/5
Sound: 5/5
Price: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

Main Product Features

I must admit that I am a guitarist first and a bassist second. When I picked up my used bass guitar in 2007, I was looking for a decently priced bass amp that would be loud enough for small gigs and had a good sound. Someone pointed me towards an Acoustic B20, and it's a purchase I haven't regretted making.

To start things off, the Acoustic B20 features a classic design that the older, 70's model amps had. For those looking for a retro amplifier look, the B20 is a good fit with its blue power light, aluminum knobs and black grille. It's actually a pretty stylish amplifier as well, which is unlike many other amps in the price range.

But who cares about style if it doesn't sound good? Luckily, the Acoustic B20 has a nice sound. I wouldn't say it's as nice as a tube amp, but it's a lot cleaner than most would expect to get in this price range. The bass is full, rich and virtually free of annoying hum. It can be as quiet (less than 1watt) or as loud (20watt maximum) as the bass player needs. I usually keep mine dialed at 4 or 5 and that's plenty in my house.

One thing that isn't commonly found is the dual-input jacks. The B20 has two different bass input jacks, so if you have two bass guitars and want to keep them plugged into the Acoustic B20 at all times, you can do that. Since I don't have two bass guitars, I haven't really used this feature, but it's still a nice one.

Another nice feature that the Acoustic B20 has is the ability to plug in an MP3 player and jam along with songs. Since many bassists learn how to play songs by listening to them, this is a nice learning tool.

The only issue I have with the Acoustic B20-and it's a relatively minor one-is that it is such a simple amplifier. It has the standard volume, low, lo-mid, hi-mid and hi knobs, so there are really no effects or anything else built in. For bassists that like simplicity, this isn't a problem, but for those who want a little more out of their amp, it can be.

Price: $149.99 at Musician's Friend

Overall: Being the tone enthusiast I am, overall, I am quite impressed with the Acoustic B20. It delivers a nice, simple sound and is an excellent practice amp. It's not the best practice amp around, but for the price, few people will find a better amp.