HH Electronic Studio-60 Bass “Bass Baby” – 60W MOS-FET – Made in England

A wonderfully characterful early-1980s British bass combo from HH Electronic. The Studio-60 “Bass Baby” delivers 60 watts through a 15-inch speaker and features onboard compression, sweepable parametric EQ, bi-amp outputs and classic MOS-FET solid-state circuitry. Made in Cambridge, England.

HH Electronic Studio-60 Bass

“Bass Baby” · 60W MOS-FET · Made in England

Sometimes the name undersells the amplifier.

This is one of those times.

The wonderfully named HH Electronic Bass Baby is actually a surprisingly sophisticated British-built bass amplifier from the early 1980s.

Manufactured at Bar Hill, Cambridge, England, the Studio-60 Bass produces 60 watts into 4 ohms through a 15-inch speaker and belongs to HH’s MOS-FET generation of solid-state amplifiers.

And it has substantially more going on than most 60-watt bass combos of its period.

Proper old-school British solid state

HH developed a strong reputation during the 1970s and 1980s for rugged professional amplification.

The Studio-60 Bass combines a MOS-FET power section with:

Hi and Lo inputs
Built-in compressor
Bass EQ
Sweepable parametric mid EQ
Treble
Pull Bright function

The parametric section is particularly useful.

Rather than simply giving the player a fixed Middle control, the Frequency control allows you to choose which part of the midrange you want to affect, while the Level control lets you boost or cut it.

That makes it possible to add punch, remove boxiness, emphasise attack or shape the amp around different basses and rooms.

Far more connectivity than you'd expect

Turn the amp around and HH’s intentions become even clearer.

The rear panel includes:

• Line Out
• Hi-Out
• Lo-Out
• Effects Send
• Effects Return
• Extension Speaker connection
• Multi-voltage selector

The separate Hi and Lo outputs allow integration into a bi-amped setup — quite an advanced feature for a compact bass combo of this period.

60 watts, but not a toy

Period UK advertising from 1984 listed the HH Studio 60 Bass at £199, exactly alongside the Roland Cube 60 Bass at £199.

In other words, the Bass Baby wasn't positioned as an inexpensive bedroom amp when new.

It was proper working equipment.

Condition

This example is in very good vintage condition and perfect working order.

The cabinet naturally displays some cosmetic wear from approximately forty years of use, including light marks to the covering and ageing to the metal corner protectors and handle fittings.

Importantly, it remains unusually complete.

The control panel is intact, all knobs and switches are present, the HH Electronic grille badge remains fitted and the fantastic gold BASS BABY badge is still exactly where it should be.

The rear factory plate remains intact and identifies the amplifier as:

HH Electronic
Bar Hill
Cambridge
England
Studio-60 Bass
60 Watts into 4Ω

Why we like it

Because vintage gear doesn't have to be expensive or famous to be interesting.

This little HH has a proper history, a genuinely useful control set and the sort of unapologetically British industrial styling that manufacturers simply don't make anymore.

The MOS-FET circuitry gives it a clean, immediate response, while the compressor and parametric EQ make it considerably more flexible than its simple appearance suggests.

And then there's the name.

Bass Baby.

FREO GUITARS 1 QUARRY ST