Gut strings sound great! I do a lot of gigs unamped, but there are some special problems in amplifying guts, and I didn’t see much here on TB about that. So here’s what I, in all my inexperience, have experienced in guts. (I also play steel strings on my second bass.) Mainly, I guess I am interested in learning from you all about whether or not you use a mic or pickup with guts.
IMO the best amplified gut string sound is through a mic -- rather than pickup -- because it's the overall sound of the bass you're amplifying, not just the vibrations from under the bridge foot or from a wing slot. That can sound muddy, depending on what kind of strings you play. But with those pickups, Realist, Underwood, etc., you’re only amplifying part of the sound of the bass. With a mic, you get the full sound of the bass as it comes out of the bass into the room, the richness, the overtones, plus the deep tones and pinging sound of the gut strings. You hear the projection of amplified gut strings even up into thumb position, which is just phenomenal -- something steel strings simply will not do for you. Amen.
I've got two mics. I prefer the Neumann KM185. It's "hyper carotenoid" or whatever, which means it restricts the area it amplifies, a focussed "spot" mic -- not an all-rounder -- and will produce more volume before feedback than a less focussed mic. I got an “H-Clamp” for holding the mic firmly in place where I want it. The Neumann needs phantom power, and the Acoustic Image head provides sufficient power.
The AMT SB25 is also good (quite a bit cheaper than the Neumann and made in the US). It is a bit more resistant to feedback than the Neumann. Uses a battery or phantom power, and has its own preamp.
Feedback is the tradeoff. With a mic you'll get feedback much sooner than with a pickup. There are ways to avoid feedback, however, and it doesn't really impair my playing anymore. Each room seems to create its own unique situation, acoustically, for feedback. The Hi-Pass Filter is a great tool. Sometimes I place the amp off the ground, or slightly in front of me, or find some other way of ensuring the mic does not "see" the box.
I think guts sound best with a mic. Does anyone prefer a pickup, say a Realist or Underwood or Fishman, with guts? How does that compare to a mic for guts in your view?
Some of the TB-ers seem to think that synthetic strings like Obligatos or Evahs sound muddy, but these guys are almost always using a piezo pickup of some kind, not a mic. They say Obligatos sound good when you’re practicing by yourself, but not when amplified. Isn't it more accurate to say it's not the strings, it's the pickup and where it is located that makes the difference?
