Double Bass Best combo for jazz newbie

I went from an Underwood to a K&K Bass Max to a Full Circle and each one was a noticeable improvement. I personally don't have a need for a preamp with the Full Circle. I have an Acuostic Image Clarus and an LDS 2x8 Cabinet. It does all that I need. The rest is up to me.

I just picked up the full-circle and a platinum pro, to replace my 10+ year old Fishman BP100. I absolutely love the combo.

The preamp does impedance matching for piezo pickups, which you'll need for running through generic amps. If you go with one of the Acoustic Image amps you don't need the impedance matching from the platinum pro, but if you can afford it the pre is a fantastic addition to any rig, and will let you use any amp you come across down the road. Also it means you can easily tweak volume and eq without having to reach for your amp.

The pickup is awesome, just make sure it'll fit your existing bridge or you'll have to swap the bridge as well. (Most adjustable bridges with metal adjusters should be an easy swap.)

If your ensemble is un-amped, I'd say just get the full circle and an Acoustic Image amp. Great tone, simple setup. You can add the preamp at any point later if you don't want it right out of the gate. Later in life you can add an extension cabinet to your Acoustic Image amp to get more volume for larger gigs, if you ever get there.

I'm using an RSII direct into a GK MB150 and it works well. Not the ultimate in tone, but I've gotten a few compliments on the tone and it is convenient. Not had experience with the FC, but I do own and have used the preamp and it seems ,to me,to be more trouble than it's worth. Valuable on the rare occasion I only need to go direct to the house or might need the phase reversal to reduce feedback. I'm a guy that just wants to plug in and go.

Hard to go wrong with the Full Circle and ProEq. I finally took the plunge on a series III AI Coda and could not be happier with the total package. With the AI, the ProEq isn't really needed, but is a nice thing to have handy (as per the message above).

Regarding the Full Circle, keep in mind that there are two sizes available (6mm versus something in SAE sizing). Anyway, you can avoid some headaches by ordering the correct size (if your bridge already has adjusters).

Good luck on your search.

If your bridge already has adjuster wheels and your instinct is to go with the FC, then go with it. Get a luthier to install it, preferably the same one you buy it from. That way, no worries about thread matching, dropping your soundpost or getting your bridge back into the right place. There are other pickups that would be more convenient if you don't have adjusters already on your bass.

If you need the pre-amp depends somewhat on which amp you end up with.

What is the best amp for a DB Jazz Newbe? I would say the one that fits your needs and budget. If price is no object, then most will agree that the AI or EA combos are excellent choices. Others still will suggest those heads with various speaker cabinets. Will you always drive to where you play? Will there always be a place to park or will you be parking at a meter and carrying a few blocks? If not, you can trade size for money. Portability is expensive.

The SWR Workingmans 12 is a reasonable amp for what you are describing. A bit heavy and not the perfect sound that you want, but a lot of people use them. The 10 is better still to my ears, but lacks some power. A lot of things with 1 or 2 10" speaker or 1 12 inch speakers can be good. The Ashdowns are I think a very good value. Make sure not to get an amp with practice amp wattage if you plan to use it to perform (100 Watts on the low end. 200+ is better) and if you go this way, you're probably going to want that preamp to impedence match as people above suggested.

You could also look for a used GK MB150 or Polytone. They can be a great buy and have been a staple for many years to jazz players. I wouldn't particularly suggest buying either new for your purposes because you start getting into a price range where you have some other choices.

Good luck and welcome to world of jazz doublebass.

Troy

I find having to use an outboard preamp in addition to your amp is a step I don't like to deal with, extra cables, batteries etc..

If I were you I'd try to find a combo or seperates that have a high input impedence and avoid the preamp thing.

All that being said I had a GK combo through HS and college that served me well, atleast until I knew better (these days a markbass or acoustic image combo is probably a better choice). You will likely narrow your preferences after owning an amp for a while, so I'd start out with a small investment.

Good luck....Pete

EDIT: I should have mentioned I do have a K&K pre, it is useful when I want to go direct and not bring an amp or if I'm in a studio or playing with a small combo that already has sound. When I don't want to bring an amp. When I use my own amplification I don't use the pre....

thedbassist said:

Hey all, I've just started to really get into jazz this year and know a lot about bass( I've been playing most classical for 6 years) but have no idea what to get for pickups and all that jazz on the bass. I just have a kremona(from gollihur) double bass with no amp or anything on it.
What is everybody's view on the fishman pro eq platinum bass preamp combo with the full circle fishman pickup? What exactly does the preamp do? And what kind of amp do I need? I'll be playing jazz w/my magnet school jazz ensemble next year. Heres a link to the fishman full circle combo: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] .

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Check out my post #51 in this thread.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=298969&page=3&highlight=brain+dump+small+amp

I highly recommend the Yorkville XM50C.
Sound GREAT and it's under $300.

Good luck, BG

bribass said:

Check out my post #51 in this thread.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=298969&page=3&highlight=brain+dump+small+amp

I highly recommend the Yorkville XM50C.
Sound GREAT and it's under $300.

Good luck, BG

Click to expand...

I remember reading through this and it seems like a good starter investment!

peterpalmieri said:

I remember reading through this and it seems like a good starter investment!

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Yes, but it's not just for newbies. I've been using mine (the older equivalent model) professionally since 1999 and it's been trouble free all that time. The new ones have some great added features.
They also have a great "even if you break it" two year warranty.

I'd say hold off on the yorkville man.


Simply put, if you can afford an AI head and cab or combo, you'll basically never regret it. Ever.

And also

I'd vote for you spending a second reading about microphones. A lot of guys, especially myself coming from the classical world, love the sound of their bass too much to just put in a pickup and plug it into an amp and get a sub par sound.

If you really love your bass, and want to get a great sound, go with AI and think a little bit about microphones.

It's a bad habit to get into buying equipment, and just sort of living with an OK sound because it was cheap, and easy. You'll get hired more if you just play great and sound great.

Also, don't get in the habit of buying too much stuff, and then selling it. It sucks.

I know a few guys who have bought the AI combo and regretted it. Others love them, I know one guy who said that there couldn't be a better amp, used his for something like 5 years, then bought the newer AI and said "I didn't think there could be a better amp, but this one is perfect". But I also know some guys who they didn't work for for some reason. They have a tone.

Our poster never said whether he has adjuster wheels or not already on his bass. If he does, I contend that adding a full circle would do nothing to harm his acoustic sound. If he does not, I wouldn't recommend it either. I would recommend instead, something that he could easily remove when he was playing in the orchestra or maybe a mic, but mics don't work for everyone either. In a big band, not necessarily the best plan. Close quarters, loud gigs, not necessarily the best idea. Ideal controlled circumstances, yes. But it's not a black or white decision.

I don't know the Yorkville and it's not something I would think of, but I would agree that if he's got $1,000-1,500 to spend on a amp he should go with one of the absolute proven DB amps; EA and AI at the top of the list. If not, though, there are passable alternatives to get started with. I know great players who never upgrade. And if you pick used amps up, selling them later is not that big of a deal. It's just if you buy new and sell barely used that you end up really losing money.

Troy