Double Bass a revelatory experience

[Mike Arnopol]

Ok---I'm stupid picky. I was subbing for Eric on his steady gig. He has a two channel AI Clarus there. I always just plug the E string side Yamahiko into it. This time I was a bit early and plugged both in. E string side at about 12 o'clock on gain and the G string side at about 9:30. It was near perfect. Better than putzing around endlessly with the Doubler.

Criticisms of the Yam on the E string solo. G string has a lot of attack and pop but not enough weight. E string has a lot of weight but not enough pop. Still better than anything else out there. Limitations like any other gear.

Add the G string pup. All of q sudden the G stering has much more weight and the E string has a lot more pop. I just felt more in control of the groove when walking. I had the mids almost off. (forgot my Fishman). The note attack and separation of notes was the closest I've ever gotten to acoustic.

Great---now I have to find a used Clarus.

 

[rickwolff]

Or you could just buy a new one. Or maybe the new Clarus SL2

Acoustic Image

 

[Ric Vice]

Or you could just buy a new one. Or maybe the new Clarus SL2

Acoustic Image

Or he could just use one of his own
powered MAS 1/8’s. However they may be moving off the shelves so fast that he can’t keep one for himself.

Ric

 

[flatback]

THis is the exact set up that I have...only both pickups going into a stereo jack with one cord to the Felix. But in terms of the balance between the two pickups just like that. Something about one being dominant (as opposed to evenly balanced) just works so good. I have to admit I keep coming back to the front end of the AI focus (older Clarus)...it didnt sound good with some of my previous pickups but with the Yamahiko it rocks. And I totally agree yank back the mids and you get a very un piezo warmth.

 

[SamuelHarris]

Ok---I'm stupid picky. I was subbing for Eric on his steady gig. He has a two channel AI Clarus there. I always just plug the E string side Yamahiko into it. This time I was a bit early and plugged both in. E string side at about 12 o'clock on gain and the G string side at about 9:30. It was near perfect. Better than putzing around endlessly with the Doubler.

Criticisms of the Yam on the E string solo. G string has a lot of attack and pop but not enough weight. E string has a lot of weight but not enough pop. Still better than anything else out there. Limitations like any other gear.

Add the G string pup. All of q sudden the G stering has much more weight and the E string has a lot more pop. I just felt more in control of the groove when walking. I had the mids almost off. (forgot my Fishman). The note attack and separation of notes was the closest I've ever gotten to acoustic.

Great---now I have to find a used Clarus.

Aww come on man, don't make me buy a second yamahiko!

 

[massimo]

A question for Yamahiko/Clarus owners. I have a AI Clarus SL head (the small one, one channel) and MAS 25 speaker. I read that the Y has lots of mids and you need to tame them with Eq.
Is the Clarus equalisation ok ? The eq frequency points are 250 hz for medium low and 1200 for medium high. Or i need an external EQ ?(i have a Fishman dual parametric but prefer to keep it simple and use just the Head)
Actually i'm using and Underwood or an Upton Revolution and the amplified sound is good, but both those wing pickups (especially the Underwood) eat power from the bass when playing without the amp. The Y, having the pickup in the shaft, hasn't this problem.

 

[SamuelHarris]

A question for Yamahiko/Clarus owners. I have a AI Clarus SL head (the small one, one channel) and MAS 25 speaker. I read that the Y has lots of mids and you need to tame them with Eq.
Is the Clarus equalisation ok ? The eq frequency points are 250 hz for medium low and 1200 for medium high. Or i need an external EQ ?(i have a Fishman dual parametric but prefer to keep it simple and use just the Head)
Actually i'm using and Underwood or an Upton Revolution and the amplified sound is good, but both those wing pickups (especially the Underwood) eat power from the bass when playing without the amp. The Y, having the pickup in the shaft, hasn't this problem.

I use a Clarus sl and mas18 with my yamahiko. I actually just leave the eq flat, sounds great to my ears. Only thing I ever adjust is master volume and high pass filter.

 

[Ric Vice]

A question for Yamahiko/Clarus owners. I have a AI Clarus SL head (the small one, one channel) and MAS 25 speaker. I read that the Y has lots of mids and you need to tame them with Eq.
Is the Clarus equalisation ok ? The eq frequency points are 250 hz for medium low and 1200 for medium high. Or i need an external EQ ?(i have a Fishman dual parametric but prefer to keep it simple and use just the Head)
Actually i'm using and Underwood or a Upton Revolution and the amplified sound is good, but both those wing pickups (especially the Underwood) eat power from the bass when playing without the amp. The Y, having the pickup in the shaft, hasn't this problem.

Having used both the Underwood and Upton Revolution Solo, I think you're going to be in for a treat with the Yamahiko. While I remember that the Fishman BP-100 did "eat power" because, those metal clips with the felt inserts, muted the bridge, the Underwood and especially the
Revolution Solo, have pretty minimal impact, on the sound generated acoustically, granted it's there, but at least on my bass it's pretty subtile. That said, the Yamahiko should have less muting effect, or at least no more, than a standard set of adjusters, whicn most of us
have learned to live with. The magic part of the Double Bass sound, is in the lower midrange, the Claris SL should give you all the emphasis, in that set of frequency band's you'd ever need. Personally, I'm not a fan of preamping the preamp, as there is just to much interplay
between two different preamps. My solution, has been to go with a powered cabinet from Mike and a Grace Felix preamp, but that's a horse of a different color. Just my take of course.