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Double Bass Acoustic Image Focus/Clarus+ with electric?

C

CBFinet

Nov 11, 2002
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Phoenix, AZ
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#1
I know this is the double bass side and to be honest, I play upright at least 95% of the time but I'm wondering what everyone's experience is using the AI amps with electric.

I'm almost sold on picking up a Focus 2R SIII or one of the new Clarus+ but if it sounds awful with electric it might be kind of a deal breaker for me. I wouldn't be opposed to using an outboard pre such as the Fishman Platinum or a list of others if that makes it more workable for electric. Does anyone do this when using the AI amps for electric? If so, do you bypass the AI preamp altogether and go through the effects loop?

My other alternative is the EA Doubler. I'm not sure how different the sound would be for upright and I'm not thrilled with the HPF being adjusted with a screwdriver but I'm still considering it. It's also significantly less power and while I really don't need to be all that loud most of the time it would be nice to have the extra headroom.

Thanks in advance.

Chris
 
#3
I think part of it depends on your needs for electric bass tone. The AI amps have a pretty dark, punchy, mid focused electric bass sound. It doesn't naturally put out alot of low-lows and high-highs (but as Jason said an outboard preamp can assist with this). For fingerstyle playing, especially in a jazz context, I find the AI amps to be perfectly suited tonally. For a Marcus Miller type sound I can see other amps being preferable. If you play 95% upright with a little electric, it sounds as though you don't have any really demanding electric bass needs.
 
#4
My AI Clarus doesn't sound anything like my SWR SM-400, but each works well in its own way.

I've found that an active electric bass does fine with the Clarus although a passive bass seems to benefit from using a preamp through the effects loop. I've used an Aguilar Tone Hammer successfully for that, essentially turning the Clarus into a doubler by using both the input and the effects return for different basses.
 
#5
I think the AI head sounds a little dry if I run my (mediocre) electric basses directly into it, but it sounds great when I run through a SansAmp Bass Driver DI first. Incidentally, I also use the SansAmp with my Underwood pickup into the AI, I think it helps a lot.
 
#7
My main slab is a custom thing with Bartolini pups and an Audere pre. It sounds great through my Focus III. I've tried two passive basses and they sound like poop. As Jason said, they are extremely transparent amps. As much as I have thought about trying something else, I stick with what works and I get the most beautiful tone on DB.
 

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