With EB some say the sound of the AI by itself is a little too tame. I use a SansAmp BDDI w/ my electrics in front of the Focus. The sounds I can get w/ the SansAmp make me very happy.
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Double Bass Amp for Electric/Upright Bass
- Thread starter VincentPuleo
- Start date
Simplest setup is a mic on a stand right in front of you. Mic runs to the PA. Sometimes this can sound fabulous. But you have no control over the sound coming out the PA, except to adjust the relative position of the bass and the mic. You also might have trouble hearing yourself.
If they run some of your signal thru the monitors, you might be able to hear yourself better on stage. Problem is sometimes it can introduce feedback issues w/ your instrument. You have no control over the level or the tone.
So to hear yourself better you could perhaps send your pickup to a small amp on stage. The amp serves as your monitor, and you control its level and tone.
For more flexibility when using a p/u and a mic, you can send the pickup and mic signals to some type of device you control on stage (e.g. D-TAR Solstice blender, two-channel amp). Depending on that device's features, you can then send your pickup signal, your mic signal, or a blended signal on to your amp, and also to the PA. For example w/ a Solstice I can send a blended signal to my amp and mic-only signal to the PA.
I use the AI and the Sansamp Bass Driver with my electric and have been very happy. I use the Sansamp with any amp though. I love my bass sound to have a little bit o grit. Not Rickosound but just a little 'tube' dirt. I came up on 70's prog so maybe that's why.
The Sansamp is a great for recording too. I don't know how many sessions the engineer mic'd the amp and took a line off the Sansamp and ended up using Sansamp signal only. A bunch easier to carry than an amp too
. Also a great direct box for live.
I ALWAYS do this. I feel like I have never been able to hear myself as well as I'd like without a pickup signal to a amp on stage. This also helps the drummer too. Especially when the band gets crankin.
I play in a jazz quintet setting, most of the times small clubs/events, sometimes larger places, upright (Yamaha Silent Bass Slb-100) and electric (also with a passive Fender precision fretless but from 1978) as well as for ballads a new Cort acoustic freteless bass guitar.
I had a great Ampeg B2 combo for the last 8 years and have just gotten the new SWR Natural Blonde amp (for acoustic bass) that sounds good with all of them, if I need more volume (larger places) I connect (effects send/return) it to the Ampeg (that I kept) as it has a very nice 15" cone. Connected from the SWR (sum output out) to Ampeg (Effect send)
Roby, Milan, Italy
Link Removed
I had a great Ampeg B2 combo for the last 8 years and have just gotten the new SWR Natural Blonde amp (for acoustic bass) that sounds good with all of them, if I need more volume (larger places) I connect (effects send/return) it to the Ampeg (that I kept) as it has a very nice 15" cone. Connected from the SWR (sum output out) to Ampeg (Effect send)
Roby, Milan, Italy
Link Removed
Fingers and Bolo thank that was very helpful...
I have made some decisions... firt off I realized deciding to go with the mic and run it into the PA is very unpractical because we go to a lot of competitions at different schools so it will be to risky to depend on there set up.
Blending sounds very interesting... so I run a mic and pickup through a 2 channel amp like the Clarus 2?
Here is the highschool band I play with
... as you can see it is very loud. The problem I had as I said was not being loud enough becuase when I ever I turned my amp up all the way I would just get horrible, unbearable tone.
So I think I have narrowed it down to a AI head with either a Bergantino or EA cab...
I was on the AI site and saw the Focus... Can I get some direct information on that compared to the clarus and about how it would deal with upright AND electric... that is my main concern before I order the amp... I want to be confident it will be good for both basses.
Also what is this Sansamp?
I have made some decisions... firt off I realized deciding to go with the mic and run it into the PA is very unpractical because we go to a lot of competitions at different schools so it will be to risky to depend on there set up.
Blending sounds very interesting... so I run a mic and pickup through a 2 channel amp like the Clarus 2?
Here is the highschool band I play with
... as you can see it is very loud. The problem I had as I said was not being loud enough becuase when I ever I turned my amp up all the way I would just get horrible, unbearable tone.
So I think I have narrowed it down to a AI head with either a Bergantino or EA cab...
I was on the AI site and saw the Focus... Can I get some direct information on that compared to the clarus and about how it would deal with upright AND electric... that is my main concern before I order the amp... I want to be confident it will be good for both basses.
Also what is this Sansamp?
Clarus vs Focus is a power (and $) thing. If you get the 2 channel model they sound exactly the same. I have a Clarus and it gets stoopid loud.
I prefer EA cabs. Wizzy 12 M-Line if you can find one.
Invalid Link Removed is a tube emulator preamp.
You're looking at dropping a nice chunk of change but this is al top notch gear. Good luck
I prefer EA cabs. Wizzy 12 M-Line if you can find one.
Invalid Link Removed is a tube emulator preamp.
You're looking at dropping a nice chunk of change but this is al top notch gear. Good luck
Yes, you are right I will be dropping a large amount f money, but I am tired of being unhappy with my sound...
as Bob G say's "Life is to short for bad tone"
But about my questions.. you think a combo with the clarus 2 would be suitable for electric and DB and do you think I could get enough power to cut through the band I posted?
once again sorry for these repetitive questions, wish I could go to the music store and figure all this out my self but all I have is Guitar Center... they do not carry anything DB related.
as Bob G say's "Life is to short for bad tone"
But about my questions.. you think a combo with the clarus 2 would be suitable for electric and DB and do you think I could get enough power to cut through the band I posted?
once again sorry for these repetitive questions, wish I could go to the music store and figure all this out my self but all I have is Guitar Center... they do not carry anything DB related.
Vincent,
Not sure what you mean by the word "Combo". I assume that you mean the Claris 2 and some kind of cabinet. I think that could work, provided you had some P.A. support. Ideally, the Focus would be better, but it is more expensive. If you have the extra money I'd get the Focus. Otherwise go with the Clarus. Just make sure that you get a speaker cabinet that is efficient like the EA Wizzy 10 or 12. That way the Claris will be able to drive the cabinet effectively.
Ric
Ric
I just received a Clarus SL from Bob G. It's a very clean sounding amp. Almost too clean to BG. Running it into an Acme B2 it sounds wonderful as is. Going into the Wizzy 10 I feel the high mids are too much so I run a Sansamp into it and it tames the mids to my liking.
For URB, it sounds great as is and you could use it like that. For the EB, just add a Sansamp and you've got a great sounding rig that weighs practically nothing.
For URB, it sounds great as is and you could use it like that. For the EB, just add a Sansamp and you've got a great sounding rig that weighs practically nothing.
Ric, yeah combo was a type O I meant to say cabinet...
hmm I was pretty sold on the Bergantino but every seems to favor this EA Wizzy thing, can I get a link to that.
Also th Sansamp... is it a pre amp or something... how much are they and Freddels which one do you recommend.
but my main issue is still volume. Can someone watch like 5 seconds of that video and tell me if you think I am going to get enough power... it is sad but unfortunately the band is almost always that loud.
hmm I was pretty sold on the Bergantino but every seems to favor this EA Wizzy thing, can I get a link to that.
Also th Sansamp... is it a pre amp or something... how much are they and Freddels which one do you recommend.
but my main issue is still volume. Can someone watch like 5 seconds of that video and tell me if you think I am going to get enough power... it is sad but unfortunately the band is almost always that loud.
Good, I was kind of worried there for a minute.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Well, I've never owned a Bergantino so I can't speak to that issue. All the EA cabinets that I own (and I have all the models of VL line except the VL 210 which sounds very nice as well) sound great with double bass with the exception of the VL 110 which is a little dark for my tastes and my bass. Chris Fitzgerald recently sold all his VL stuff cause he diggs the Wizzy 10's. That's a pretty good sign that they sound good.
I'll let Freddles handle this one
If that's the case then IMHO you should save your pennies and get the Focus 2R. With either the EA or the Bergantino it's gonna have more headroom.
I have the Clarus. At 400 watts into 4 ohm (wizzy 12) it is PLENTY loud for any jazz gig I've done.
I used to do a big band hit with a GK MB 150 with an extension and it was plenty.
Also I watched your video and you guys are no louder than any high school or college band. Granted it is a big group but it didn't strike me as crazy loud.
I used to do a big band hit with a GK MB 150 with an extension and it was plenty.
Also I watched your video and you guys are no louder than any high school or college band. Granted it is a big group but it didn't strike me as crazy loud.
I thought that cabinet was going to be like 1000 dollars... that is good to hear it is 400 cheaper then I thought
sorry, what is head room? haha does that mean using the power of the head it its full potential?
from what I remember there is a focus one and two?
pros...cons worth more paper?
man, I am going to be working a lot to pay this off
but
Life is to short for bad tone!
sorry, what is head room? haha does that mean using the power of the head it its full potential?
from what I remember there is a focus one and two?
pros...cons worth more paper?
man, I am going to be working a lot to pay this off
but
Life is to short for bad tone!
Ok well, it seems I have even more questions
I looked at the focus and clarus
if the wizzy 10 is only 250 watts what would be the benefit of having a focus? Couldn't I not use all of tis power if I am combining it with a wizzy 10?
and also, the wizzy 10 falls under the category of a high quality speaker right?
I looked at the focus and clarus
if the wizzy 10 is only 250 watts what would be the benefit of having a focus? Couldn't I not use all of tis power if I am combining it with a wizzy 10?
and also, the wizzy 10 falls under the category of a high quality speaker right?
Hey Vincent,
I play around KC and have visited KC Stings. It is a very cool shop and the basses they make are wonderful. They do have a room full of used basses, too. I got my son's upright there, and my daughter's cello as well. The service is awesome.
I use and BassMax pickup and one of the K&K preamps--never had a problem--though I did move the p'up to the G string side of the bridge. It smoothed out the tone quite a bit. I use and Eden WT330 into an Eden D210XST (4ohm). It is plenty loud enough for most gigs I do, and really great for doubling. The nice thing about the WT330 is the dual inputs--one for URB and one for Electric. I play with a 4 piece jazz/R&B group, a rock band (I do use an Eden WT400 for that), and a 13 piece big band and never have a problem being heard. Oh, and my tone kills.
I play around KC and have visited KC Stings. It is a very cool shop and the basses they make are wonderful. They do have a room full of used basses, too. I got my son's upright there, and my daughter's cello as well. The service is awesome.
I use and BassMax pickup and one of the K&K preamps--never had a problem--though I did move the p'up to the G string side of the bridge. It smoothed out the tone quite a bit. I use and Eden WT330 into an Eden D210XST (4ohm). It is plenty loud enough for most gigs I do, and really great for doubling. The nice thing about the WT330 is the dual inputs--one for URB and one for Electric. I play with a 4 piece jazz/R&B group, a rock band (I do use an Eden WT400 for that), and a 13 piece big band and never have a problem being heard. Oh, and my tone kills.
I am going to have to try moving it to the G string side... such a pain to sand down the bridge but it seems like it is worth it
so how do you like KC String basses, I think I can get a pretty good deal on one.
so how do you like KC String basses, I think I can get a pretty good deal on one.
When you sand or file, do a little at a time. Remember you can't put any wood back.
I have played the KC Strings basses and they are really something--the tone is to die for, and they look just plain sexy. I don't have one of my own-the price kind of put me off a bit (>$15K). I have an older 3/4 Scherl and Roth that I rebuilt with a local luthier. We had to reset the neck, and I got to form and fit the bridge--a very cool experience.
I have played the KC Strings basses and they are really something--the tone is to die for, and they look just plain sexy. I don't have one of my own-the price kind of put me off a bit (>$15K). I have an older 3/4 Scherl and Roth that I rebuilt with a local luthier. We had to reset the neck, and I got to form and fit the bridge--a very cool experience.
15K!!!
What about the one you bought your son?
are there any KCString basses, that are between 1500-4000 that have are plain sexy and have a tone to die for?
What about the one you bought your son?
are there any KCString basses, that are between 1500-4000 that have are plain sexy and have a tone to die for?
BTW, I have used an AI Contra (series 1). It sounded great with URB, but I really didn't like it with electric. It never seemed loud enough and would distort when I pushed it.
