Do i need pre amp for the DB?

fivaras · #1 12-07-2009, 10:21 AM

Someone told me that in order to play with an amp and a Db u need to plug it in a pre amp first. Is that true? And what kind of pre amp is this? they told me that this would work

http://www.thomann.de/gr/tech_21_san...basspreamp.htm

thank u guys

MNAirHead · #2 12-07-2009, 10:23 AM

Depends on the pickup/transducer etc.

Normally helps.

sloasdaylight · #3 12-07-2009, 02:27 PM

A buddy of mine who plays DB with his band on occasion runs by just micing his bass with a bridge mic and then runs that through his board. It sounds pretty good from the few times I've seen him out live.

wayne holmes · #4 12-07-2009, 04:40 PM

probably not

darjama · #5 12-08-2009, 08:30 AM

Short answer: it depends on the amp.

Typically when people say you need a preamp when running a piezo pickup into a bass amp, they're talking about impedance matching. If your amp can't handle the high impedance of a piezo, then you're going to get some funky EQ going on, which can lead to feedback at moderate volumes, etc. You want a preamp with a 10M Ohm input.

Nagrom · #6 12-08-2009, 04:17 PM

Pre-amp is indispensable for me. Never know what you're going to plug into. I use it even with my PJB superflightcase because it sounds so much better. Plus you get volume control at your fingertips.

I say get a decent pre-amp.

Ric Vice · #7 12-08-2009, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fivaras

Someone told me that in order to play with an amp and a Db u need to plug it in a pre amp first. Is that true? And what kind of pre amp is this? they told me that this would work

http://www.thomann.de/gr/tech_21_san...basspreamp.htm

thank u guys

Fivaras,
Many of the newer amplifiers have 1 Meg Ohm input loads now. MarkBass, Acoustic Image, Euphonic Audio, Gallien Krueger, and even SWR's do. So you don't necessarily need one any more to buffer the input signal. Check the specs on your own amplifier.

Ric

mr.hughes · #8 12-08-2009, 05:41 PM

True that a lot of amps now accommodate piezo pickups, but you still might encounter problems if you use your old tuner/pedals designed for magnetic pickups.

Here's a good bit of info to digest: http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/11-...RB_PICKUP.html

hofner · #9 12-08-2009, 11:23 PM

As said, its depends of your pu...
And your taste. some players don't need preamp, they likes their sound as it is directly from the pu.
This said, most of the piezzo are better sounding with a preamp, to match with amp and to manage sound, eq...
If you play in a loud band, you'll need the preamp imho. Piezzo are often 'thin" sounding....
i got underwood, k&k, barcus berry, etc, and none of them was nice directly on the amp...
One of the best preamp for db is the fishmann pro platinum...

AMJBASS · #10 12-09-2009, 06:23 AM

A preamp can be a real help when you need to match input impedance(as has been said). However that preamp that you linked is a rack mount preamp. IMO not necessary at all for Double Bass. You would be better off with a Fishman, K&K, Fdecks pre, etc. Smaller, lighter, easier to throw in your gig bag etc.

Bruce Lindfield · #11 12-09-2009, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian Juras

A preamp can be a real help when you need to match input impedance(as has been said). However that preamp that you linked is a rack mount preamp. IMO not necessary at all for Double Bass. You would be better off with a Fishman, K&K, Fdecks pre, etc. Smaller, lighter, easier to throw in your gig bag etc.

I agree - I use a small Sadowsky metal unit which seems indestructible! Most pro Jazz DBers I've seen use small preamps like you mention ...

http://www.thomann.de/gr/fishman_b_2...ass_preamp.htm

...at a small fraction of the price of a rack unit!!

fdeck · #12 12-09-2009, 08:41 PM

Just build one of these:

Just kidding of course. My latest DIY experiment.

dar512 · #13 12-10-2009, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

Just build one of these:

Just kidding of course. My latest DIY experiment.

Circuit boards are passé?

dvh · #14 12-10-2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

Fivaras,
Many of the newer amplifiers have 1 Meg Ohm input loads now. MarkBass, Acoustic Image, Euphonic Audio, Gallien Krueger, and even SWR's do. So you don't necessarily need one any more to buffer the input signal. Check the specs on your own amplifier.

Ric

+ 1 I have found I don't need the pre-amp with my Markbass head.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #15 12-10-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvh

+ 1 I have found I don't need the pre-amp with my Markbass head.

Nor do I. I believe the input impedance on a LMII is only 500k. Rules are meant to be broken. Sometimes, you just have to try stuff and see what works.

hdiddy · #16 12-10-2009, 10:10 AM

Shoulda posted this sooner.

http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/11-...RB_PICKUP.html

Ric Vice · #17 12-10-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvh

+ 1 I have found I don't need the pre-amp with my Markbass head.

DVH,

The Mark Acoustic 250 head has a different load on Channel 2 that's set at 1 meg ohm, so they have evidently figured out that a 1 meg ohm load is helpful for acoustic. The Little Mark II's or III's are set at 500 k ohms, but again lots of upright players are happy with them. I would be really interested in why they configured the 250's and the LMK differently. With both my amps the 1 or even a 10 meg ohm load improves the sound dramatically .

Ric

dvh · #18 12-10-2009, 01:07 PM

Thanks. I use an LM II. I've noodled around with and without the preamp and found it's not really necessary (the preamp).

fdeck · #19 12-10-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar512

Circuit boards are passé?

Nah, I was just in a hurry to try out some circuit ideas. And the design has changed since I took that picture. I'll commit to a printed circuit when I have a better idea of what I want and if it really works.

Marcus Johnson · #20 12-10-2009, 05:28 PM

I like it. It looks much more frightening when you open it up.