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Amplifying a low F# on a budget?

#61
carl h. said:
Define audible.

(BTW, I have studied acoustics at a couple universities as well as worked as a sound engineer for a few years. I had access to high end equipment and know what the fundamental sounds like on bass frequencies created by sine wave and run through a Meyer sub system.)
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Well, audible in the sense that you can hear it in a band situation, as I said. I'm saying that for the purposes of the OP, trying to produce the fundamental(or even the first harmonic) at those very low frequencies is impractical, and unnecessary.
 
#63
I did a lot of research on this. I've not found a way that this could be done cheaply and well. I decided that trying to get lower than A# is more or less a party trick anyway. If you're playing in a Djent band you just play the upper octave which will usually be the same octave as your low tuning guitarists. No listener is ever going to know the difference.

The only person I've heard do F# well is this guy and I hate to think what his budget was to get this kind of tone.
 
#64
if the OP'er is still looking for a rig, the gk Goldline 500 is a 500 watt amp that shows up on ebay and gc used for about 199 regularly. as for cabs, i recently remeber seeing several 4x10s listed on my local CL in charlotte nc for 200 or less.

another option that no one has mentioned would be a multi combo setup. guitar players do it all the time with different brands and style of amps to get their tone. i remember seeing several 1x15 100 or 150 watt as well as a few 2x10 in the 3-500 watt range combos listed on cl for less than 200 each recently, brands like ampeg, fender, crate, peavey, hartke. if you had several 1x15 or 2x10 combos it would be simple to chain multiples together for a massive rig. preferably of same or similar make but not absolutely required.

the advantage of used is of course that you can usually flip it rather quickly for about what you paid or if you get a great deal possibly even make a little coin. if you buy something you love look for another one. if you end up with a dud just re list it and get your money back.
 
#66
IPYF said:
The only person I've heard do F# well is this guy and I hate to think what his budget was to get this kind of tone.
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Not a huge budget at all.

The bass is a Dingwall combustion model(not expensive at all).

He uses the Darkglass Microtubes B7K distortion pedal and the Axe-Fx’s Ampeg SVT amp model from the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II guitar amp and effects processor, splitting the signals into two clean and dirty. There are no cabs on stage.
 
#67
back-to-the-future.png
 
#68
JAUQO III-X said:
Not a huge budget at all.

The bass is a Dingwall combustion model(not expensive at all).

He uses the Darkglass Microtubes B7K distortion pedal and the Axe-Fx’s Ampeg SVT amp model from the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II guitar amp and effects processor, splitting the signals into two clean and dirty. There are no cabs on stage.
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So the estimated price tag in total would be, what?
I ask because I think you and I may have a different idea of a huge budget.
 
#72
carl h. said:
Then what is the purpose of this thread?

I thought it was to inexpensively produce the fundamental?

Removal of the frequencies in question will ensure the fundamental is NOT produced, no matter what amplification, loudspeaker or source is used.
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The original post did not mention the fundamental. It asks for advice on how to amplify a low F# string. One of the best ways is to filter out the fundamental and rely on amplifying the second harmonic. Doing that well will be challenge enough on a low budget.
 
#74
JAUQO III-X said:
Not a huge budget at all.

The bass is a Dingwall combustion model(not expensive at all).

He uses the Darkglass Microtubes B7K distortion pedal and the Axe-Fx’s Ampeg SVT amp model from the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II guitar amp and effects processor, splitting the signals into two clean and dirty. There are no cabs on stage.
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JAUQO III-X said:
Dingwall Combustion about $1200.

The pedal give or take about $350 - $390.

Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II betwen $2500 - $3200.
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Ok so lets take the bass out of the equation, since the OP has one. That leave $3600 spent on "amplification". Not exactly going to find that kind of change between the couch cushions or get it by returning bottles. :hmm:
 
#76
With the budget part in mind I'd also advise to get some kind of a hpf and as loud a cab (or cabs) you can get on your budget. Another solution might be to find the best deal on decent speakers you can get and put them in a large closed cab. A closed cab won't fart out as quickly as a ported cab with low frequencies and the more gradual declining efficiency for lower frequencies might give a more natural or balanced representation of the low notes, tricking your brain in hearing the fundamental even better. A closed cab will also be easier to design and build. It will use a lot of amp-power and cab-powerhandling though. I'm not sure if that could be done the right way on your budget.

One or more loud 4*10's and a hpf wil probably be the best short term and budget solution.
 
#77
I think having sealed cabs with large cones in them is your best bet. Always seem like there's better reproduction of low end on larger speakers. But the cab design will be important, you want the low end to be as focused as possible. Custom building something yourself or with the help of friends will be the best option for you. Get the parts and put the thing together.
 
#79
And sealed cab is going to roll off way early. HPF and ported cab is going to give the same speaker safety, and another octave in the bottom.

Valve amps are going to be over budget, but they have a high pass built in, which is a bunch of why they seem loads louder watt for watt.
 
#80
two fingers said:
A low B is somewhere around 31Hz. The human ear can't even hear that low.
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Wanna bet?

Dude- I believe you are well intentioned, but generally speaking, if you haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, it's probably a good idea to qualify your statement with something like "I've been told..." or "Some people believe..."

There are two kinds of people: those with access to a sine wave generator, and those without. Nobody who's been within a mile of a sine wave generator would say something so easy to disprove.

For that matter, nobody who ever sat at a red light next to a car with a bodacious sound system playing hip-hop would ever say that either.

Where do these silly myths come from?

I'm aware that there are certain players who, as a matter of taste, prefer that the full range of their instrument not be reproduced, although they seem to have a hard time explaining why. That's all well and good.

But if you can't tell the difference between an open "B" string and the the B note an octave higher, you should probably get rid of your bass, your amp, and get yerself a Les Paul.

Back to the subject at hand, though, if the OP is hoping to reproduce the F# below "B," that's a frequency of 23 Hz, and will require a pretty large cab. Can 23 Hz be heard? Yes it can. I have a Sunfire subwoofer which will reproduce a fundamental of 18 Hz, and that's a little more questionable, but for a rig you have to haul around, 23 Hz is a tall order.

I don't think I really understand the OP's question, to tell you the truth. Is that really what he's after? If so, it CAN be done, but there is a question of diminishing returns involved.

Andy
 

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