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Double Bass All-tube for DB?

#21
Ok, here is the list of things that I have tried and have/have not worked for me.
I do like tube amp sound and use both BG and DB in a couple of gigs.

My DB uses a Realist PU under the E string leg.


1967 Ampeg B-15-NF
Great sound, a bit limited on the tone haping capability.
I am keeping that amp because I love the sound and the look.
The weight isn't cool (I am only 34) :smug:


Demeter 201S/Ampeg SVP-CL + QSC PLX
Used both a Bergantino HT210S and an Aguilar GS112.
The Demeter is great and packs some serious punch, a bit too bright for me.
The Ampeg didn't provide enough gain. I had the non modified version (output was originally low on those, to be coupled with the Ampeg power amp)
I still have the power amp but sold both pre. Could't keep 5 pre at home.
Both cabs are gone... I have discovered Epifani.


Aguilar DB680 + Aguilar DB728
That's definitely my keeper at this point. Both together sound awesome through an Epifani UL-112.
I tend to add some mids and cut some highs with the parametric eq, I really dig that tone. Even the sax player in my Ornette Coleman/Pat Metheny covers trio tells me that she loves the sound.
It is kinda ridiculous looking though, the stack of amp is twice as big as the cab :eek:

All those are kinda heavy but I am very happy with the tone and they work well for the music I play.
I am thinking about getting a AI F1 for gigs that I would qualify as "quickies".
I read in a previous thread that the AI + Epifani is a good match.


Anyway, I hope I brought some more info to the table.
 
#23
I love tube amps and have several. I have an Ampeg SVT and 810, '60's Ampeg B-15, B-18, and a '62 Fender Bassman. In addition a pile of different size tube guitar amps.

None of them work very well on my DB. The SVT is to big, to much, and I can't get it to be quieter. Even through my little EA cabs the SVT was warm but boomy and fed back like crazy. B15, B18 and Bassman sound furry and have to much distortion when it gets loud enough to be useful. When it got quiet enough to be use-able the tube factor gave little benefit over the Solid State stuff, especially when considering the relationship of the weight to it's usefulness.

Like Bruce has mentioned anything that is designed to amplify solid body or hollow body but primarily electric instruments is going to have to much emphasis in places where it's not useful for the DB. The Fender Bass was designed because its really hard to amplify the DB. It's only become really inspiring in the last 10 or 15 years--at least enough for people to be ok with putting down the electric bass again.

Right now I think the best DB amp heads out there are the WW ultra, the Focus 2R III and the EA iAmp 800. All solid state. I'd use an SVT or some tube thing over my solid state stuff any day for my Electric Basses but the solid state for DB gives me the best punch, clarity, volume and warmth without feedback or howling or excess rumble.

Perhaps with the proper preamp the Mesa may be useful but I would be very surprised if it was.
 
#24
WovenGraphite said:
Aguilar DB680 + Aguilar DB728
That's definitely my keeper at this point. Both together sound awesome through an Epifani UL-112.
I tend to add some mids and cut some highs with the parametric eq, I really dig that tone. Even the sax player in my Ornette Coleman/Pat Metheny covers trio tells me that she loves the sound.
It is kinda ridiculous looking though, the stack of amp is twice as big as the cab :eek:

All those are kinda heavy but I am very happy with the tone and they work well for the music I play.
Click to expand...

Holy handgrenades, Batman!!! While I LOVE that 680/728 setup, my mind is reeling at the thought of A.) playing it through a single UL-122, and B.) using it for upright. But you know, I could see where that would sound great! You are just barely tapping into the 728's power output. Although it is different, I bet a 359 would sound great in that situation, too.

Tom.
 
#25
Uncletoad said:
I love tube amps and have several. I have an Ampeg SVT and 810, '60's Ampeg B-15, B-18, and a '62 Fender Bassman. In addition a pile of different size tube guitar amps.
Click to expand...

I still have my B-15 as well, but it needs a new set of transformers.
IMHO Ampeg should have put the B-18 head on the B-15 cabinet and used a JBL or Altec Speaker. For the time that would have been a
fairly powerful amp.

Uncletoad said:
B15, B18 and Bassman sound furry and have to much distortion when it gets loud enough to be useful. When it got quiet enough to be use-able the tube factor gave little benefit over the Solid State stuff, especially when considering the relationship of the weight to it's usefulness.
Click to expand...

I think that's why the B-15 was such a sucessful studio amp for Duck Dunn et. al. At low to modest volume levels it sounds very warm. However if you push it, it will distort. Ampeg actually built the SB-12
as their "DB amplifer", but it's only about ,what, 15 or 20 watts rms because that's all they could get out of those amps in the 60's untill the
SVT was designed? Then along comes Walter Woods and the whole world got turned on it's ears. Ampeg and Fender never got their "solid state amps to work" they were a dismal failure.

Uncletoad said:
Like Bruce has mentioned anything that is designed to amplify solid body or hollow body but primarily electric instruments is going to have to much emphasis in places where it's not useful for the DB. The Fender Bass was designed because its really hard to amplify the DB. It's only become really inspiring in the last 10 or 15 years--at least enough for people to be ok with putting down the electric bass again.
Click to expand...

Agreed, that's why, at least in my case I played Fender Basses througn a B-15 for ten years and left my upright for College orchestra and
Classical Stuff.

Uncletoad said:
Right now I think the best DB amp heads out there are the WW ultra, the Focus 2R III and the EA iAmp 800. All solid state. I'd use an SVT or some tube thing over my solid state stuff any day for my Electric Basses but the solid state for DB gives me the best punch, clarity, volume and warmth without feedback or howling or excess rumble.
Click to expand...

And its a ..... of a lot easier to tote around with a DB

Uncletoad said:
Perhaps with the proper preamp the Mesa may be useful but I would be very surprised if it was.
Click to expand...

Mesa build's wonderful amplifiers, but IMHO the market just isn't there for them to build a DB specific preamp that would be cost effective. Sometimes we get lucky and a bass amp manufacturer accidentlaiiy builds a EB amp that works well, not great mind you, but well with our acoustic instruments. I also think the preamp eq for DB and the Preamp EQ for EB are counter intuitive, Making it very difficult to put all the features needed into one "hybrid amplifer".
Ric
 
#27
ps. I have seen Bob Magnusson play a number of times here in San Diego. He uses an AI amplifier and an Underwood pickup for pizzicato. He sounds unbelievably good. You will see on this forum that the Underwood is not a favored pickup. But Bob sounds amazing with it. It may be that it is just well suited to his instrument. But I would be willing to bet that good technique and great playing ability conquers all gear. i.e. We're better off investing in improving our playing skills than buying gear.[/QUOTE]

+1 !!!
SS amp (warm voicing) +Underwood pickup on a good instrument, in good hands...
 
#31
I've used an SVT II all tube head with one or two Eden bottoms (4X10 + 2X12) for loud outdoor gigs (Rock and Blues) with my DB and liked the agressiveness of it. However, I don't like schlepping that stuff around any more like I did when I was 20 years old. So I too, am in the process of offing all the big, heavy stuff in favor of a lightweight, compact rig.
 
#33
I use a Mesa 400 at home (on a Mesa 4x10) for jams. I never get to lift it above 2, but it actually sounds quite good for DB. The rig rarely leaves the house because it is a beast and we're not playing giant shows. Typically my practice and gig rig is an older SWR 400s and one or two Aggie gs112s. That can sound great, but with so many knobs you can get unnatural pretty easily. I'd love one of the new AI's, one of the guitarists I play with has a Super Champ and I'm envious of the one handed carry, but I'll have to wait for funds to arrive, or sell off some gear.
 
#34
I've been borrowing a SWR Baby Blue II.
I believe it has a tube preamp and a
solid state output amp. To me it has a
nice clean warm sound. I like it better
then my GK. Also tried a AI and thought
that it sounded similar to my GK.

I recently saw a Eddie Gomez, Bill Evans
video, circa 1975 from the Monterey
Jazz Festival. Eddie was playing through
a large Ampeg rig. It was either a V4B or
SVT amp. Sounded great.
 
#35
Rabb said:
I've been borrowing a SWR Baby Blue II.
I believe it has a tube preamp and a
solid state output amp. To me it has a
nice clean warm sound. I like it better
then my GK. ...
Click to expand...


This preferred sound is likely not unique to a circuit based on vacuum tubes.
 
#36
i use a PIGNOSE B100V combo tube amp. it sounds great with the electric or double bass. i mostly use it for double bass. it's 100 amps and about as heavy as an ampeg portaflex, but the tubes are permanantly affixed on top of the speaker. i bought it new about four years ago at rudy's music in n.y.c. it cost $350.00.
the dimensions are 27 inches tall by 18 inches wide by 13 inches deep.
 

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