do i need an amp? please help

aaguudis · #1 07-16-2001, 01:37 PM

I have an upright with a pickup on it. I'm wondering if i need an amp, or can i just a) mic it? or b) run it through the PA system?

thanks

dhosek · #2 07-16-2001, 02:12 PM

Yes. No. Maybe.

It all depends, really.

Who are you playing with? What's the overall volume level. Can you hear yourself?

No one needs an amp, but some benefit more than others from having one.

-dh

Monte · #3 07-16-2001, 02:36 PM

Enen with pickups, I've had good luck running through the PA, but certain p/up's may need a preamp to sound decent. If you have a good mic, it would be preferable, but bleed through and feedback are issues you'll have to deal with in a trade-off for a natural sound.

Monte

aaguudis · #4 07-16-2001, 03:15 PM

i play in a band with drums guitar keys vocals. i have an electric and the upright, but heres the deal: my electric bass is crapping out on me and so is my amp. so i've been considering making the switch to almost full-time upright playing. (probably just rock the electric at home for practicing or playing in a different band just for fun) money spent on something like a preamp or other nessecities(sp?) is not an issue because if i dont need an amp then i have the 1300$ i was gonna spend on that for other things.

so do i need an amp?

dhosek · #5 07-16-2001, 03:19 PM

I've always questioned the wisdom of people who insist on big wall of sound amps. I figure that the amp that I play through should be sufficient for stage volume and perhaps smallish rooms and leave the rest of it up to the house sound system.

$1300 for an amp? That just seems excessive to me.

I would get a good buffer preamp/DI combination (I use the Raven Labs MDB1 which also gives me a 3-input line mixer and effects loop, all for around $200. Then buy a good quality 100-150 watt combo amp. I actually use a Roland KC500 keyboard amp a lot of the time and am pretty happy with its sound.

You'll probably want an amp on-stage to help you hear yourself (and so your bandmates can hear you), but I would think that $1300 worth of amp is overkill no matter where you're playing and with whom.

-dh