Trying to emulate GK's contour EQ with a EQ3B

Gearhead43 · #1 10-25-2010, 02:08 PM

I play primarily upright bass, equipped with piezo pickups, and mostly / alot of slap style rockabilly and country.

The preset "contour" mid-scoop that is built in to my GK MB115 (and 800RB) sounds great for taking out the nasal piezo twang and fattens up the tone. It, by itself, is all the usual EQing I need - which frees up the 4-band for any final tweaking for the room.

My problem is that going DI sucks because the MB115 is pre-EQ only on the DI. * see disclaimer below

I recently picked up a Presonus EQ3B, three band fully parametric EQs. I want to emulate (ball-park it anyway) this EQ curve with the Presonus, so "my tone" will go out thru the DI. *see disclaimer below

Is the exact "contour" EQ curve from GK listed somewhere I can reference, or is this one of those proprietary secrets I won't be able to find? I posted this question here instead of on the DB side, because their seems to be alot of knowledgable GK fans here, and Mr. Gallien does pop in from time to time.

I mic my amp whenever possible, but the small club gigs and low-buck sound guys I deal with make DI'ing alot less of a hassle.

*Disclaimer - I am NOT interested in bass guitarists telling me that scooped EQs suck, and I should go pre-EQ to the soundguy, etc. Amplifying piezo'd upright bass in a Roots music context is a way different ballgame, and a scooped type of tone sounds appropiate in THIS case. IMO, in my band, with my bass, etc. It is common stuff for slap rockabilly and country bass to use a scooped EQ - within reason of course. The uneffected raw signal from a piezo upright bass pickup sounds like rubber bands without EQ.

Thanks for any info on the actual EQ curve used.

rpsands · #2 10-25-2010, 02:27 PM

Check out the Markbass contour eq curve in their manual, it's probably pretty close.

If it were me, I'd start with this: Center your cut around 400hz and move the Q between 1 octave and 2, and you'll probably get the right sound. There is probably some boost around 80hz, but I don't know if you'll really need that. Contours sometimes include some treble boost, but again not sure you'll need that.

Gearhead43 · #3 10-25-2010, 02:33 PM

Great info, RP - thanks a bunch.

I am getting close, just playing around with it - but that helps. I'll check out that Markbass manual.

crusie · #4 10-25-2010, 02:36 PM

another thing you could do would to have your local amp tech put the DI POST the EQ, hence giving you and many else what they really wanted GK to do. you could make him install a switch pre/post EQ, like some Markbass/other products have.
like stated in an ealier post, why make this small an amp with no chance of using the sound from the amp to the board ? not much point in draggin this one on to a huge stage if you can't even get the sound right from it. Then again - who plays a huge stage with a small combo... argh nevermind, must be tired or something.

J-wall · #5 10-25-2010, 02:50 PM

Keep in mind that I only own the GK MB200 and it only has an on/off switch for the contour. However, in my owner's manual (available on GK's site) it spells out exactly what frequencies are boosted/cut and how much in db's. Hope that helps.

Gearhead43 · #6 10-25-2010, 03:42 PM

Ah cool - the MB200 info says -10db @ 500hz. I mostly just wanted that center frequency to play with the Q on it.

I wish I could get this amp modded to post-EQ - just not sure who to ask. I wonder if GK would do it for me? They are only about 40 minutes away.

wcriley · #7 10-25-2010, 04:09 PM

The Contour on a G-K 1001 is +2dB @ 50, -10dB @ 500, and +3 dB @ 10K. I have no idea what the Q is.

Have you asked this question on G-K's forum? A guy who goes by Jon A over there (and B-string here at TB) is pretty knowledgeable. Or maybe someone from G-K's tech staff will answer.

Gearhead43 · #8 10-25-2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wcriley

The Contour on a G-K 1001 is +2dB @ 50, -10dB @ 500, and +3 dB @ 10K. I have no idea what the Q is.

Have you asked this question on G-K's forum? A guy who goes by Jon A over there (and B-string here at TB) is pretty knowledgeable. Or maybe someone from G-K's tech staff will answer.

Nah, I need to get a new login over there. I was on there, then the forum went tits-up for a while, and I never got back on and lost my password and login name.

I think just knowing those freq numbers will help enough. I can play around with Q.

Thanks guys for the info.

Anyone know who I should ask at GK about the mod to post-EQ for the DI? That would be ideal - the less gear I have to schlepp, the better. Already have to drag a man-sized instrument around.