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This Practice Amp Had Me Playing More Bass in 2022 (Without Infuriating the Neighbors)
Confession time… Traditionally, I have never been the biggest fan of bass practice amps.
To me, there is nothing like plugging in and letting that 800-watt head push air around the room. That said, I do live in an urban neighborhood where there are houses all around me and I am not going to be that terrible person that keeps everyone up at night. I really needed to find a great alternative that would satisfy my need for sound, while keeping me in check with the neighbors – lol!
Back in June, you may remember how impressed I was with Spark MINI when I reviewed it. This mighty little piece of tech wizardry has so much potential that I have barely been able to begin exploring all the possibilities it has to offer. But it did EXACTLY what I needed it to do… now I can practice late into the night and not bother anyone. Better yet, I connect my headphones and I get amazing sound quality that almost makes me feel like I am in a studio or on the stage. And with the amount of settings and options, every time I plugin there is something new to discover, giving me that, ‘No way, I didn’t know this amp and smart app could _________!’
Recently, I acquired an entry-level bass that has good bones and a solid sound if you dial it in and leave it there.
When I plug this beauty into MINI, I have so many ways to alter my sound that this basic bass now has no limits. MINI gives countless sonic choices without needing additional pre-amps or pedals. This feature is perfect for those beginners who can’t afford more advanced gear so they can avoid getting discouraged by the limitations of the equipment they have at hand. In addition to the quality sound, the app offers so many learning tools that facilitate the process and motivates you to want to play more.
I have a nephew who is getting his first bass soon and I think this amp would be a perfect way to get started. As he digs technology, when he pairs the MINI with the smart app, he will have access to models of classic bass amps that he can tweak to his heart’s content; I know that he will be impressed with the range of possibilities, allowing for his musical expression.
The app also provides access to Positive Grid’s online ToneCloud® community, so he will always have the opportunity to check out tons of bass tones made by other users.
One important consideration is that I have plans to travel next year.
You might remember that I recently got a Kapsule duo to protect my two favorite basses. You know that Spark MINI will be in the car so I won’t miss a beat while I am on the road. It hardly takes up any space and is so lightweight that traveling with it will be a breeze. I can play in my hotel room without getting tossed out for disturbing everybody there.
An added bonus… because I get hours on a charge with this battery-powered amp, I won’t even need to be near an outlet.
Check out one of my favorite on-the-road videos with bassist @aprilkae of MINI in action…
I am very impressed with all the features MINI has to offer and I just saw that they now have really cool custom grilles to make each amp even more personalized and fit in with anyone’s particular space and aesthetic.
You can design them on Positive Grid’s Spark x You platform using a selection of colors and patterns, or you can upload your own artwork or photos.
…and this fun video was just released on personalizing your Spark!
This amp really has so much to offer and I am most excited about exploring more of these features in-depth in the coming years… Spark MINI is exactly the type of amp that grows with you.
For more information on Spark MINI,
visit online at positivegrid.com/products/spark-mini
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Photo: Self-portrait by Melissa Auf Der Maur
Melissa Auf Der Maur is a Canadian bassist who played with Tinker, Hole, and The Smashing Pumpkins. She released her own work and is a photographer with photos published in Nylon, Bust, and National Geographic. She released her ‘90s Rock Memoir “Even The Good Girls Will Cry” on 17 March 2026.
KB: Did you always want to be a singer-musician growing up?
I’ve played music my whole life. In school, I played trumpet and sang in a children’s choir, so music was always within me. My mother was the first female disc jockey on the Montreal airwaves; her record collection played a huge role in my inspiration and love of music.
KB: When did you start playing bass, and why this instrument?
When I was 19, the early 90s music explosion began to percolate in tiny clubs around the world. I was lucky to be a ticket girl at Montreal’s underground music club. In one year, I saw Hole, Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, White Zombie, and The Breeders – all had female bass players. That’s when the seed was planted. By the age of 22, I was the bass player of Hole.
KB: Which brands of basses have you used in your career, and which one are you using now?
The first bass that I learned on was a vintage Squier Precision. Hole was sponsored by Fender guitars, so I upgraded to Fender Custom Shop Precisions. That is all I play, but I have a cool vintage 8-string Greco that I use on recordings to thicken up guitar parts.
KB: What equipment do you use or have you used with your basses?
Ampeg SVT amps and cabinets, a couple of Sans-Amp pedals, and that is it.
KB: How did you become a member of Hole, and what is your fondest memory of that time?
Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins was helping scout a replacement for (RIP) Kristen Pfaff, Hole’s bass player. My band, Tinker, opened for them on the Siamese Dream tour, so Billy had seen me play and could vouch for me. Courtney trusted her talented friend, and that was it. I initially said “no thank you” due to my commitment to my photographic studies and the drama and chaos surrounding the band during the “Live Through This” album release. Courtney took it as a good sign that I said no, so convinced me to reconsider, and soon after, I accepted their invitation, in the name of helping put females in the male-dominated landscape of rock music. My fondest memory is every show we played as a mostly female band, symbolizing what a woman could do in a rock band. Every show had a purpose: get more women to play music.
KB: You are a photographer as well. What makes a great picture? Do you shoot in color or b/w?
I started shooting photographs at age 15. Initially only shot black & white and worked in the art school darkroom. In university, I took a color photography course, and shifted mostly and forever to that, because it was easier to process film on the road when I joined a rock band. I experimented with many cameras, point and shoots, manual, polaroids, medium format, and vintage finds. The trick to a good photograph is to shoot many and all the time – the magic is in the edit and selection process.
KB: Are there artists you would love to collaborate with or wish you had?
??I’ve been lucky to collaborate with some of my favorite musicians in my career. I would still love to collaborate with a new generation heavy electronic artist on an analog bass, heavy electronic drums, and synths collaboration project. Take me out of my usual zone, merging the past and future: my love of 80s dark new wave and new artists exploring that genre. It was very futuristic back then, and we are now, after all, living in the future. I am in the mood to play bass to heavy beats I want to dance to.
KB: What are your 7 favorite bass lines in music across all genres? And why these 7?
“Mountain Song” – Jane’s Addiction (love a rambling, rolling bass line – feels like the ocean waves)
“Black Top – Helmet” (was the first bass line I taught myself)
“Gold Dust Woman” – Hole from “The Crow 2” Soundtrack (it was my first bass line contribution to the band)
“Get Ready” – The Temptations (Motown just feels so good, because of the bass)
“Lucretia My Reflection” – Sisters of Mercy (makes me want to hit the dance floor and play bass simultaneously)
“Be My Druidess” – Type O Negative (full chord bass playing at its best by iconic, demonic, Peter Steele, RIP)
“Romantic Rights” – Death from Above (1979 – unique distorted overdriven tone, combined dance rhythm and melodic intelligence, all in one shot – also! Shout out to a bass & drum only band, which is awesome, and we should have more of, but the bass player needs to be a killer to fill that role.
KB: What are you currently up to?
Releasing my ‘90s Rock Memoir “EVEN THE GOOD GIRLS WILL CRY”. Visceral healing process, it was to get it out of me and write it, but I suspect the real magic will begin by putting it into the world and reflecting with others on what the magic of the ‘90s was all about. Powerful music decade that carried us into what is now a brave new world of digital corporate weirdness – may the past shed a light on our future. That’s my hope for this book release and tour.
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