bass guitar and stereo system

A line-level source is a line-level source. As long as the source output voltage and impedence are within the norm for line level sources, your stereo could care less whether it is connected to an instrument or to a tape deck.

I'm not sure that pickups actually put out a line-level signal, but if something was going to go wrong you would've found out really quick. Play away, man.

it plays fine

thank you for the advice

I used to run a few instruments through an old 70s receiver I had found. Had a curious soft-and-slightly-fuzzy tone. Never seemed to do it any harm.

Actually, patiodog, its close-enough. It was not uncommon, "back in the days" :wink: , for better amps and receivers to have an input - usually a front-panel ¼" standard mono phone-plug jack - labled "Instrument". The only thing "special" about it was that it was a mono input, distributing its signal to both left and right channels identically. Many offered microphone inputs as well, also typically standard mono ¼" phone-plug jacks; most of those were coupled to an impedence-matchin' preamp with independent level and pan controls in front of the stereo audio output stage. An aside - its not uncommon on contemporary receivers to treat an input applied only to the left, or white, jack, as a mono signal, applyin' it across both left and right channels - not universal, but not uncommon. The audio inputs of VCRS and TVs, however, almost always do this.

Come to think of it, I was able to plug straight in. Nowadays, do do the same thing I'd have to adapt from RCA to 1/4 inch, didn't have to then.

Loved the wood cabinet and brushed steel front on that thing. Wonder what I ever did with it...

You sold it to me for $100. Still works.

That ain't funny. I had an old (60s vintage) Fender twin reverb that I unloaded for a hundred bucks when I had to skip town in a hurry after college. Except for some stains on the cab and the grill, the thing was in primo condition. I don't even want to think about what I could've got for it if I'd had more time/patience/room in the truck.

One thing you definitely don't do though is to use a PA power amp with hi-fi speakers !
Saw a dude set up a stage once with hi-fi speakers as monitors.
I took the first two out with one stroke on the bass drum and the others went as soon as my guitarist plugged in.