Warwick unleashes the Gnomes – bass heads you can fit in your pocket

Warwick has unveiled the Gnomes, a line of bass amplifiers that are so small you could stick them in your jacket pocket en route to the show.

Remember the days when bassists used to be cursed with carting a big ol' refrigerator to and from gigs? It seems like forever ago, as the arms race on portability has led to smaller and smaller heads. 

Warwick's Gnome line-up comes in three models, the 200-watt Gnome and Gnome i heads, and the flagship 280-watt Gnome i Pro head – each shares the same enclosure and setup, though the Gnome i and Gnome i Pro have USB connectivity.

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The Gnomes have had their Class D circuitry squeezed into the smallest of formats with just enough room on the front panel for your 3-band EQ, gain and master volume, and quarter-inch inputs and outputs for your instrument and headphones for silent practice.

Heck, there's not even an on/off switch; you'll find that on the rear of the unit, next to the USB and XLR out and ground lift.

Still, the Gnomes promise very respectable performance, with giggable power, and a 3-band EQ that offers 15dB of boost or cut over each frequency.

The units should hit stores in mid-September. Not only do they weight under a kilo, the prices are very accessible, with the Gnome retailing at €149.90, the Gnome i at €189.90, and €229.90. We're looking forward to putting these up against Trace Elliot's small but mighty Elf.

• See Warwick for more information.