New rig advice.

[momo]

I have been away from the upright for a couple of years, but I am going to start doing some casual jazz gigs again. I am thinking that I am going to need a new amp setup. Here is the question. I love the idea of the acoustic image contra, but I think 1k is out of my range at the moment. My eb rig consists of a GK1001RB and an Avatar 2x10. My upright has a underwood PU, and I don't own a good preamp. Here is what I could afford soon, what would be best?

Some type of Pre that I could use with my EB rig,

Run the GK head into a contra cab,

Or, possibly, get a clarus head and run into the Avatar, or an old 12 PA cab.

If I get the clarus or contra, I won't need the pre, correct? I feel like such a newbie, but I didn't have talkbass before I put the DB down, so I always just assumed that it was supposed to sound like crap when it was amplified. Thanks.

[junglebike]

Quick ideas, roughly in the order that you might want to try them:

1. Try your existing rig without a pre. It might sound great!

2. Buy a Sansamp Acoustic DI, or a Fishman Pro Platinum EQ and drive your rig with it -- try it through the "line in" (bypassing the GK preamp) as well as the normal instrument inputs.

3. Sell your GK head, buy the focus head (or Clarus if you don't nead the power) and use it for both upright and BG. With the cash left over, you can buy a small, light, accurate cab for DB if you want (or not)

4. (not sure about this one) Sell your GK head, buy the Contra, and use the Avatar as an extension cab when you need it for DB or BG.

[greitzer]

Momo -- Jungle gave you some good options. Just buying an AI amp doesn't mean you won't need a preamp. I'd go with Jungle and try the DB with Underwood pickup straight into your existing amp and see how it sounds. You never know, it might sound fine...it depends on what type of sound you're looking for.

I suspect, though, that a preamp with very flexible EQ'ing, like the Fishman Platinum Pro, may be needed. Underwood pickups tend to sound like crap without good EQ'ing to offset their tinny, electronic sound.

I haven't tried any of the AI amps, but a good preamp with flexible EQ may elminate the need for a costly amp.

[momo]

Thanks for the advice guys. I guess the question should have been "would a good pre be a waste of money if I plan on eventually buying the contra?" Good to know that the contra won't eliminate the need for the pre. I am pretty sure that the underwood won't sound good through this setup, as it has always fallen prey to the thin sound of impedance mismatch through all of my other setups. I can't sell the GK for an AI because the GK just covers too much ground of the BG for me, but it is something to consider. THanks again.

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally Posted by momo

Good to know that the contra won't eliminate the need for the pre.

I've tried atleast a dozen different piezo pickups made for doublebass (including the underwood) and I haven't found one yet that needed a separate preamp to work great with either my old Series I Contra or my new Series III Coda Acoustic Image amp.

[B String]

Originally Posted by Bob Branstetter

I've tried atleast a dozen different piezo pickups made for doublebass (including the underwood) and I haven't found one yet that needed a separate preamp to work great with either my old Series I Contra or my new Series III Coda Acoustic Image amp.

Well Bob, thats because the AI amps have a built in
10 meg ohm impedance on the input jack. Most other amps
don't have that, so you can usually benefit from a good
preamp. As a matter of fact.......

I like the idea of getting a Sansamp Para Driver DI, and
running it in the effects return of the GK. Bypass the
preamp in the GK. Then see if the Avatar sounds good
for you. If not, get a Berg HT112 or something for the
upright gigs. You can always use the Sansamp for either
bass. jmho

[Jaromir]

[quote=B String]Well Bob, thats because the AI amps have a built in
10 meg ohm impedance on the input jack.


Not anymore! The new AI amps have only 1meg ohm impedance input - same as GK or WW.

[Bob Branstetter]

=JaromirNot anymore! The new AI amps have only 1meg ohm impedance input - same as GK or WW.

Apparently that doesn't make any difference. I've used the same pickups with both the old and the new and both sounded great.

[Jazzin']

Keep your GK and Avatr for DB too. Just add in a pre-amp made for DB.