LF Double bass AND chapman stick combo, powerful

Daniel Baskin · #1 08-09-2005, 11:28 PM

Does anyone have any experience with amps that are good for both a chapman stick AND a double bass? I'm have about a $700 budget. I would like the amp to be some kind of combo amp that can easily overpower an entire jazz band in a closed, dead-bass-acoustic room. Any ideas? If you aren't familiar with the chapman stick, it relies heavily on high mids. I think.

Thanks.

winston · #2 08-10-2005, 04:36 AM

I actually have a 10-string Stick (Purpleheart, Matched Reciprocal tuning) that hasn't seen much use since I started playing DB about two years ago.

It really depends on whether you plan to be running a stereo or mono signal. If you have the active Block or Pasv-4 pickups, I believe they both have stereo/mono switches that let you choose. People who go for a fairly unadorned tone, like Bob Culbertson's, can get away with running a mono signal into one amp.

If you go stereo, and want a combo with two separate amp channels, there aren't many options in your price range. Ampeg has announced a new 2-channel 2x8 combo-- http://www.ampeg.com/products.htm?pr...111&catid=13--
but no one here has tried it yet.

Stick Enterprises is working with the Italian SR company (which makes Schertler's esteemed PUB series amps/speakers) on a Stick combo but I don't think it's been released yet. I have heard Stickist Virna Splendore and bassist Michael Manring play through small SR combos--they both sounded great.

Aside from keyboard amps (which rarely have much channel EQ) the only bass amps with multiple channels tend to be pretty expensive (Acoustic Image, Epifani, Eden, Walter Woods). If you decide to get a single-channel amp you'll need some sort of external mixer (or auxiliary inputs) to bring together a stereo signal. Something like the DTAR Solstice would probably work well for both Stick and DB into just about any full-range combo.

The amp I use for Stick is an Eden WT-400. I run the bass side through various FX into the Eden's preamp. I run the treble side into a Boss GT-3 multi-FX unit which plugs into the aux input on the rear. The Eden powers EA or Bergantino 12" speakers and sounds great with Stick, BG, and DB.

Vunz · #3 08-10-2005, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winston

I have heard Stickist Virna Splendore and bassist Michael Manring play through small SR combos--they both sounded great.

Interesting! Did they both use only the SR combo, without extension cabs or whatever? If so, did it produce sufficient low frequencies? I am thinking of buying one for upright bass, so I would very much appreciate your comments.

Cheers,

Vincent

winston · #4 08-10-2005, 02:43 PM

I'm not sure which models Virna and Michael used but they looked very similar to this: http://www.sr-tech.net/jam150.htm. They are small, biamped combos and sound very big for their size. Judging by the 93 db efficiency, I believe they're going for Light and Low at the expense of Loud.

I saw Virna at a Stick conference where she played to a room with 100 people in it. Just going through the SR she got a very full sound that handled both sides of the Stick without crapping out. I saw Michael playing through a similar one at the Oregon Country Fair in 2004. It was a small outdoor stage and Michael's rig consisted of his Zon basses into a Boss VF-1 FX unit and the little SR. He was also running through a small PA and monitors, but the amount of sound coming off the stage was impressive.

You might need a separate preamp to use with a DB pickup but with the built in mixer, running a mic should be easy. I think you'd have to buy extra units if you want more coverage, as I'm not sure if they have speaker out jacks due to the bi-amp feature. I'd definitely like to check one out close up.

Daniel Baskin · #5 08-10-2005, 08:51 PM

I do have a pre-amp for my DB by the way, and it USUALLY does ok with the amp I have at school, but I want something more reliable and something that's mine. I am working a few extra days at my job so I may be able to get the money for it.

For all of you that live in the Seattle area, would Hammond Ashley have a wide enough selection of powerful amps? Also, would BassNW also have some good amps for DB (even though they are all about BGs)?