DB750 volume

[dancinDaveNY]

Bass guitar people,
I have an Aguilar DB750 and it has the best solid state tone I've ever played. The only problem is, when I play clubs/smaller venues, I always get told to turn down. I can barely turn my volume and gain knobs on! It's that bad. If I just turn it to about 7 o'clock it's on, but not a good sound. If I turn it up to where it's a decent tone, maybe 8:00/8:30 it's too loud for any club I've played. Does anybody know of a way to be able to use the Aguilar with the tone it's so well known for?
I know the first comment/question will be, "have I got it in the 'active' input?" and the answer is "Yes! I'm padding it the lowest it will go." I want to use it for all gigs but I can only use it for concert gigs or venues with an outside stage. HELP!?!

[naturalkinds]

That's the way the master taper on the DB750 works. It's absurdly sensitive at the beginning of the taper. Your gain should be set irrespective of where your master is set. Start at noon. If you can't find a way to touch the master delicately enough to raise it to a stage appropriate volume, then hire a ballerina to set it for you.

[gastric]

Consider hiring someone to replace the volume pot with something linear?

I personally thought their volume pots were trickery to get you to think their amp is louder than it really is. "Wow, this thing is SO LOUD and the volume is only on 2! My other amp has to be on 6 for that volume!"

[Andy Will]

I've never really encountered any of the problems being mentioned here with either my DB750 or DB751. Some simple solutions would be to:
a) Back off on the volume on your Bass slightly. Or
b) Use an appropriately sized cab for the venue you are playing.

I once played a tiny coffee shop in Amsterdam (not 'that' kind of coffee shop! ) with my DB750 and a GS210 that worked great once I backed up on the lows a little.

I definitely wouldn't go and void the warranty on the amp by having unnecessary pot changes.

[naturalkinds]

I was suggesting that a ballerina might have a more delicate touch, not necessarily competence in bass amplification modification.

[Andy Will]

Originally Posted by naturalkinds

I was suggesting that a ballerina might have a more delicate touch, not necessarily competence in bass amplification modification.

Sorry, this was a reply posed to the question in the post following yours. Can understand where you're coming from.

[dancinDaveNY]

yea, now I've got some ideas. I'll try a bunch of those options y'all suggested. Thank you guys.

[EricF]

The volume knob on your bass is your friend.

What cab are you using?

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by gastric

Consider hiring someone to replace the volume pot with something linear?

A volume pot should have a logarithmic, AKA audio, taper. A linear taper will just compound the problem.

Paul

[dancinDaveNY]

Originally Posted by EricF

The volume knob on your bass is your friend.

What cab are you using?

I have several cabs, Eden and Ampeg, and I usually use two but I'm going to use only one from now on in the clubs. Small clubs will be the D210XLT and the larger clubs will be the D410XLT. When we play larger venues I'll bring out the D115XLTs and add accordingly. I think that's my best option. Are any of you guys using a DB750 with 2 cabs in the clubs?

[EricF]

If you're running the DB750 with 2 cabs (4 ohms total, I assume), it's no wonder you're crushing people pretty easily in small rooms. For rehearsals and small bars, I run just a single DB115. I've also used a DB210 by itself very sucessfully. Only if the room can handle it will I run both together.

[blastjv]

You might try jumpering the effects loop while in series mode and turning the effects knobs down...

[Son of Bovril]

You don't say what cab you use, maybe use a smaller cab/ less speakers for smaller venues then you can still turn the amp up

[blastjv]

Yeah, a single 8ohm cab might be the way to go.

[naturalkinds]

It really puzzles me why you can't just use the master volume knob. Dozens of people -- myself included -- have used the DB750 just fine on non-arena-sized shows with big 4 ohm cabs. It is beyond me why you'd need a smaller cab JUST to play quieter. If you want one for transportation reasons, that's one thing. But to turn down...?

I guess you could always pick up a Pignose and play out of that.

: /

[dancinDaveNY]

Originally Posted by naturalkinds

It really puzzles me why you can't just use the master volume knob. Dozens of people -- myself included -- have used the DB750 just fine on non-arena-sized shows with big 4 ohm cabs. It is beyond me why you'd need a smaller cab JUST to play quieter. If you want one for transportation reasons, that's one thing. But to turn down...?

I guess you could always pick up a Pignose and play out of that.

: /

I've got it now. After I read a little closer I started the master volume at 12 o'clock and then just nudged the gain volume a little bit at a time and I got a volume that's acceptable. I'm sorry for sounding so newbyish but the "ballerina" and "pignose" got to me and made it a little more difficult to understand. Thanks for the help. I should be good to go now. I'll find out when I play the show tonight.

[naturalkinds]

The trouble with starting the master that high is that you aren't getting an optimal signal-to-noise ratio. It's always better to start with the master at zero, and raise the master to suit your volume needs once the gain is set to your preferences. With a tube pre, like in the DB750, where you place the gain is contingent on how much tube-y-ness you want from your sound. With a SS preamp, you generally set the input gain until it starts to clip, then turn down a smidge.