SWR FOR UPRIGHT????

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by MLysh

Never used the Aural Enhancer while playing upright with the amp. Also, I was using a Fishman pre which mixed the piezo with a small mic, so that helped.

At the time, it was the affordable alternative to the WW + cab combination, and I thought it sounded much, much better than the GK combo that everyone else I knew was using. Plus, it was killer for the smaller venue electric bass gigs I was doing.

I agree that it did a nice job with Electric Bass and it was way cheaper than an Walter Woods. I knew that because when I sold it I turned right around and bought Walter's new MI-400-8. Walter's head alone was two times the price of the Baby Blue. I still have access to that cabinet since I donated it to Webster University. I guess I'll try using it at their jazz camp this summer.
It did sound better than the GK, but if I'm not mistaken GK put out the MBE around the same time SWR released the Baby Blue. Even with it's tone controls set "flat" the midrange coming from that amp didn't work with my Underwood PU where both the 200MB series I and II sounded great. I sold it before I changed to the Realist, so it may sound fine with the newer pickups. Side by side I prefer the MBS to the MBE but that's definitely not true for most the Taklbass Double Bass clan.
I'm very interested in the new MB500 cause it's got an EQ section that looks like the old 400 and 800 RCB's.

SWR amps all have a 1 Meg Ohm input impedance, so they are piezo friendly. The Working Pro line has some neat cabinet setups.

Ric

[etoncrow]

Originally Posted by bribass

I'm not a big fan of SWR for DB either. There are much better options out there for DB amplification. Acoustic Image, Euphonic Audio, Walter Woods; all great from personal experience. NOT fond of GK.
I hear good things about Phil Jones, Genz-Benz Shuttle, Mark Bass...BG

I was using a SWR WorkingPro 400 through a Goliath Jr (2-12) and a Son of Bertha (1-15) until I got an Azola EUB. The sound was too colored for my taste. I tried the SWR California Blonde II 12" combo which is suppose to be for acoustic instruments but did not measure up. I switched to the Euphonic Audio iAmp500 with the E-A NL-210 and the E-A CLX-112 and the sound "cleaned-up" considerably. If you like the color added by SWR or Ampeg or Hartke or GK than go with what you like but if you want a truer representation of your instrument go with one from Bribass's list. I liked the E-A setup so well I even bought an E-A Micro 300 with a Wizzy 10 for more acoustic type gigs.

[matthewbrown]

Get a bass pod and clean power amp Then you can have your choice...

[bolo]

Originally Posted by etoncrow

If you like the color added by SWR or Ampeg or Hartke or GK than go with what you like but if you want a truer representation of your instrument go with one from Bribass's list.

An SWR head with your bass and your Aggie cab might sound great to you. It's hard to say without you actually trying it and then comparing it to something else.

I plug my Laklands into a WM head and an old WM 2x10 at church and in that setting I can make a good sound.

OTOH, I used an SWR WM 15 for a while for both DB and slab, and was never completely happy. I like my current AI+EA set up much better. YMMV.

[ Edit - I am using a different pickup now, plus a mic. It's hard sometimes to describe equipment I used to own, since (I hope and I think) my technique has improved over time. ]

[Jason Hollar]

I like Joel's suggestion of strong acoustic tone first followed by Ike's 4x10 + Big Ben concert rig!

[Gearhead43]

I think tone is a very personal thing, obviously. Many members of this forum play mostly Jazz in Jazz clubs at low level volumes. They seem to want as transparent a sound as possible, which makes sense. That's why many tend to use the really expensive boutique upright bass-specific rigs like the AI, EA, WW, etc.

Other players like myself who live in the American Roots Music, Popular music, Classic Country, Rockabilly, etc world often play at louder volume levels where we try our best to get a good sound from our rigs that in some cases isn't the "bass only louder" sound, because after a certain level that purely acoustic tone goes straight out the window. I have heard rockabilly, rock, & country upright bassists that had massive tone and sounded outstanding - tone that could never be achieved, IMO, by an electric bass guitar.

Their sound may not be very "transparent", but it is a sound all it's own, and still sounds like an upright bass, to me.

That's why I think you see alot of upright bassists in poplular music using more "bass guitar" rigs - not only are they more accessible and less expensive, but they can get the sound that they want at higher volumes. Of course, some amp brands, like GK and even Ashdown, tend to sound better than some others for upright - YMMV.

I like the tone I get with my SWR, but if I had the dosh for a WW I'd get one in a heartbeat!

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

I think tone is a very personal thing, obviously. Many members of this forum play mostly Jazz in Jazz clubs at low level volumes. They seem to want as transparent a sound as possible, which makes sense. That's why many tend to use the really expensive boutique upright bass-specific rigs like the AI, EA, WW, etc.

I can get pretty loud with my rig, but actually it's pretty difficult to
control feedback with a Walter Woods because it dosen't have Lo Cut, Notch Fiters, or a Phase Switch. For my particular situation it's better to send a mic to the house if I have to have more volume. But, even that has limitations if the band you're playing in is really cranking.

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Other players like myself who live in the American Roots Music, Popular music, Classic Country, Rockabilly, etc world often play at louder volume levels where we try our best to get a good sound from our rigs that in some cases isn't the "bass only louder" sound, because after a certain level that purely acoustic tone goes straight out the window. I have heard rockabilly, rock, & country upright bassists that had massive tone and sounded outstanding - tone that could never be achieved, IMO, by an electric bass guitar.

Absolutely, Viktor Krauss gets a great sound with Lyle Lovett and to do it he uses a Fishman BP-100 which gives you lots of midrange growl. Chris Wood also has a unique sound that works within the context of Medeski, Martin and Wood. Jim Creeggan has the rock upright sound with the Barenaked Ladies. It's not your typical jazz upright sound but it works for that group.

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Their sound may not be very "transparent", but it is a sound all it's own, and still sounds like an upright bass, to me.

I think that as long as you have a Double Bass in the mix with the right pickup, it can sound very convincing at higher volumes. Realists don't work very well in these situations however.

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

That's why I think you see alot of upright bassists in poplular music using more "bass guitar" rigs - not only are they more accessible and less expensive, but they can get the sound that they want at higher volumes. Of course, some amp brands, like GK and even Ashdown, tend to sound better than some others for upright - YMMV.

It's also easier to find one of those amps as a rental or stage setup for a festival. GK and SWR have way more dealers than Acoustic Image and Euphonic Audio so you're not likely to see one of those amps as part of a house setup.

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

I like the tone I get with my SWR, but if I had the dosh for a WW I'd get one in a heartbeat!

Well, Walter does make great amplifiers, but they are now very expensive, they don't have notch and lo cut filters, and there are some really nice alternatives these days.

Ric

[Gearhead43]

Thanks for the input, Ric.

For now, I am happy with my SWR head and Avatar cabs. I agree that a high-pass filter and phase switch are invaluable tools. That's why I run my Underwood into a Fishman Pro EQ Platinum Bass before my rig. That little box is awesome, I could see even leaving my amp at home for gigs where a nice PA is going to be there.

Seems like for the premium price, the WW would have a notch and phase switch. That's dissapointing, but those are way out of my price range anyway.

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Thanks for the input, Ric.
For now, I am happy with my SWR head and Avatar cabs. I agree that a high-pass filter and phase switch are invaluable tools. That's why I run my Underwood into a Fishman Pro EQ Platinum Bass before my rig. That little box is awesome, I could see even leaving my amp at home for gigs where a nice PA is going to be there.

There way out of my price range now as well. I was fortunate enough to be able to buy my Woods Ultra from a close friend at a very reasonable price. I bought the MI-400-8 when gigs were good.

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Seems like for the premium price, the WW would have a notch and phase switch. That's dissapointing, but those are way out of my price range anyway.

Walter's Amps once had DI's and a Phase Switch. Unfortunately, he chose not to include those features on the Electroacoustic Amps. Probably because he ran out of room on the front panel, take a look below. They never had Hi Pass or Notch Filters. His EQ section gets at most of the problems without actually cutting frequencies completely out. But there are times when there's no substitute for Hi Pass, Notch, and Phase when you have a problem with feedback driving you nuts. What I need is a little box like the Fishman for a microphone, with a Phase Switch, Lo Cut and Notch Notch Filters. Unfortunately, as far as I know no one makes such a device. These days most amps for acoustic instruments, not necessarily basses, have all those features.

Ric

[Andrew McGregor]

Several companies make feedback destroyers for vocalists that are basically a set of digital notch and phase filters in a box... Behringer's has a pretty decent reputation for an absurdly low price. Just don't use one in auto mode on bass, it will try to take out every note you play...

(note: I haven't actually done this, last time I used one for instrumental was for sax and it didn't work on auto for that either)

[Jason Hollar]

Greg O -- Where you at in PA?

If you're near Pittsburgh -- you can come check out my rig.

I used my Bass 350 and 4x10 (at the band leader's request) last night at a Holiday Inn lounge gig and it was total overkill.

I used the same setup today at an outdoor winery concert and it wasn't quite enough. I wish I would have brought another 2x10.

It's all about the room, venue, etc.

[Gearhead43]

So far I am really liking the sound I get from my Bass 350. I use a Pro Platinum preamp and an Underwood - and I leave the EQ flat on the amp and dial in my sound with the preamp.

Not sure how much of my "tone" is actually coming from the amp, but this setup sounds good and gets LOUD with little to no feedback.

[CamMcIntyre]

I use a WM12. It's a great work horse amp, not terribly heavy, sounds pretty good on both basses, and doesn't cost a whole lot. If i remember correctly, i paid $350 used for mine from BassNW about 3 years ago.

Once i get the coin-I'm getting an AI Focus & an Epifani UL110.

Before i got the WM12, i was playing a SansAmp RPM through a Carvin DCM2000 into an Avatar B212. Tone heaven on both basses. Except-it weighed around 110-115 pounds. That B212 wasn't the neo-i think it weighed 75 pounds, the DCM weighed 40, add in the rack case & my 2 preamps. There's a reason why that stayed in Lafayette & the SWR came to Chicago.

Some of the things that I love about the SWR are that it's got a DI on it & the general ease of use. The DI has been nice having. On my SansAmps (RBI & RPM), I enjoyed having the DI w/independent level control so that the sound guy could take whatever he wants-pre or post EQ & whatever level he wants and then we could adjust the level out of my cab independently.

all the best.