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Double Bass ai amps, not for everyone

#3
I tried the Clarus head with my Acme B-1 and just didn't hear what I wanted to. I bypassed the Clarus preamp, plugged my Demeter preamp into the return loop, and there was "the sound".

I really, really wanted to like the Clarus (four pounds, the size of a book, who wouldn't) but the preamp section didn't work for me. I'll continue to lug a small rack bag with the Demeter and a Stewart power amp.
 
#4
Maybe it is the preamp. I just found it to have a very nasally sound with my setup. The guy I borrowed the amp from has a Wilson pickup and it sounds good (though I'm not crazy about the sound of that pickup). The WM10 just seems to have more body. I want something a bit more powerful, yet small. Any suggestions? I've heard good things about the GK150 whatever little combo.
 
#6
If you are playing a mix of bass guitar and double bass, I think your best bet would be a Euphonic Audio iAMP. They have a flat response, and are very clear. An extremely versatile EQ section as well. If you are playing mostly Double Bass, I think the AI equipment is hard to beat. They give you a flat voicing. What you put in is what you get out.
 
#7
I've got a '99 Andrew Stroetter 3/4 (thanks to alot of good people in this forum, we've discerned that it's ALOT like a Strunal 5/35) In any case, I have a Realist p/u into an AI Contra. For the longest time I've not liked the sound....way too dark and muddy. However, last week I bought a Tube Studio MP V3 preamp and I run my UB into it and the preamp into my effects return on the Contra. Voila...no more mud. I'm doing a big band gig in a week or so and THAT will be the telltale sign of whether this is going to work. Like someone said before, the size and weight of the AI mazke it a great amp to have to schlep around....but not at the expense of my sound. I'll keep you posted.
 
#9
In defense of AI--I've owned a Contra, a Clarus (just sold) and now a Focus--I wouldn't necessarily blame a muddy boomy sound on the pre-amp section of the Clarus. I've found that it is much more a function of the pickup and the particular bass. While I know that lots of people have had good luck with the Realist, and the modifiied Realist that is on my Eminence sounds fine through the AI gear, a Realist on my Hatchez carved bass sounded like total crap. Just like posted above, it was muddy and dark and boomy. The only way I could get any kind of acceptable sound was to turn the bass control and mid controls almost totally off, and even then it didn't sound very good.

Once I took the Realist off and replaced it with a Schertler StatB, the sound through the AI gear became absolutely beautiful--accurate, not boomy, woody and natural. I continue to get compliments on my amplifed sound, and have had no trouble with getting a good natural sound out of AI amps. While there is nothing wrong with carting around a preamp to use with the AI gear, I've never wanted to do that since I've found it is just one more thing to carry, leave behind and service. I like my rig to be as simple as possible. You might also spend some time experimenting with which one of the two input jacks on the AI basses results in the best sound for your particuar instrument and pickup.

For bass guitar, the Focus is also incredible--loud, warm and sort of tubey--I'm not sure yet if I'm going to begin the use the Focus instead of my WW Ultra, and I need more gig experience with both amps before I know the real nature of the Focus.

Erik Hansen
Los Angeles
 
#10
IMHO the beauty of the double bass is the acoustic sound. We each hear a sound, so we choose different basses and different strings to express ourselves. Choosing an amp is an extension of this. Definitely not "one size fits all".
 

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