Double Bass Accoustic Image Contra

[Nick Ioannucci]

DOes anyone have this combo? ive been looking at it for a while, and was wondering if it was a decent amp for doubling? i play upright and a fender fretless jazz. Looking for some input as to sound and worth. is it worth 1000? please and thank you
-nick

 

[Marcus Johnson]

I have a series 1 Contra. It's good for double bass; I don't care for it with the fretless. Many folks do use it for doubling, however. I prefer a front-firing cab for any electric bass work.

 

[Wil Davis]

I have a Contra (Mk 1) - it's works quite well with the double-bass, in fact I've had gigs where the leader has specifically asked me to use it (instead of the AI Clarus/Raezer's Edge, or the GK150 which I also use). I've used the Contra with the extension cabinet at a few gigs as well. The sound is great, and they seem to work much better if the cabs are slightly tilted - for the Mk 1s this is done with a "Magic Triangle" (small metal prop inserted under front edge of the cabinet).

It works OK with the electric bass, but I've used mine mostly with the double-bass.

I would have thought $1k to be high - I would think for that price you'd get the extension cabinet as well… (oh, are you talking about a Mk 1 or something more recent?)

- Wil

 

[Ryan Nilson]

It is great for DB and OK for BG. It all depends on the sound you want. Your not gonna get a punchy funk sound out of the BG. I use it for both DB and fretless BG in a traditional jazz setting, but not in funky, heavy electronic settings. A thousand is alot for it though look around you should be able to find one for 850 or in that area.

 

[Nick Ioannucci]

cool. mabey ill have to find a place where i can play my frettelss on one and see if i like it. can anyone reccomend any alternatives for a someone that doubles?

 

[TroyK]

Nick, not to be a tool or anything, but search the DB Amps forum on "Acoustic Image", "contra", "doubling"

You'll see that we've spent a ton of time discussing these things and as a result there is a wealth of information waiting for you that could be had with 20 minutes of reading old posts.

I think you'll be glad you did and then if you have some more specific questions, come back and post and I think you'll get some more specific answers.

 

[carved czech]

Nick,
I had CONTRA for few month, got it off, came back to GK MBE. Too much CONTRA´s problems on various stage surfaces, two trips to car, no handy shape, rather strange lows...

 

[carved czech]

Oh, forget about CONTRA for BG. My fretJazzBass didn´t sound like "electric bass" through AI CONTRA.Downfiring woofer is not good for BG.

 

[seamonkey]

Hmmm - since only lows go through the downfiring woofer, it seems like it wouldn't matter much about different flooring. Lows being omni and most flooring not absorbing lows.
?

 

[bolo]

DOes anyone have this combo? ive been looking at it for a while, and was wondering if it was a decent amp for doubling?

FWIW, IMO trying to answer Nick's original question about whether or not the Contra will work in a doubling situation depends a lot on (1) the player and (2) the situation, in particular the max overall volume requirements.

Actually I tend to agree w/ what Marcus said in his post (#2). And there certainly are a lot of cool options out there for doubling. But in the final analysis, I still think a lot of it just depends on #1 above, namely the player's tastes.

I know one cat who uses a Contra w/ his fretless and he is able to get a very deep, punchy and authoritative tone.

What that proves ... I dunno.

 

[mje]

Hmmm - since only lows go through the downfiring woofer, it seems like it wouldn't matter much about different flooring. Lows being omni and most flooring not absorbing lows.
?

The AI's problem for BG is not the configuration, but the lack of tonal coloration. BG amps typically have all sorts of non-linearities designed in, whether from a 12AX7 in the front end, or tone shaping networks. Add a SansAmp Bass DI to a Clarus and be surprised.

 

[jazzbassnerd]

To mess up this whole situation, I must say that I like the contra (I have a Coda, but same difference) with my fretless. Granted, I don't play fretless that much anymore, nor do I play in a rock band, but I did play in a "Fusion" band. It was drums/bass/guitar trio with myself as the front-man, kinda. Lotsa bass melody tunes and such. It cut it for rehearsals, and when we got to venues I used the PA and monitors.

As people have said above, it does depend on the player and situations. Being a self proclaimed mainly upright bassist, I kinda like the "sterile" electric sound. But I'm trying to get a fairly uncolored "upright-esque" sound.

 

[seamonkey]

The AI's problem for BG is not the configuration, but the lack of tonal coloration. BG amps typically have all sorts of non-linearities designed in, whether from a 12AX7 in the front end, or tone shaping networks. Add a SansAmp Bass DI to a Clarus and be surprised.

Ah Ok.
Myself, I like a transparent amp/speaker so that I can add on preamp/effects to color the sound if I choose. Or turn it off and get a transparent sound. In fact, a good PA is a good way to go.