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Double Bass amt mic guys help me

arseniotall

arseniotall

Dec 24, 2005
207
21
dc
www.cornerstoremusic.com
#1
Hey im back to my old ways of using mics. i broke down and got the amt mic with the super preamp. I have one basic question. What exactly do you guys plug into. I know alot of you say that you run it to a house pa, but what about gigs without a house system. Do you carry your own Pa, or monitor, or plug in a bass amp, keyboard amp...help me out.
Thnx in advance
 
#3
Chris Fitzgerald said:
I plug my xlr out from the AMT into an AI Focus II, where the signal gets mixed with a pickup. The direct mixed signal (which I control the blend and EQ of) gets sent to the house.
Click to expand...

..but if you send a mixed, eq'ed signal to the house, how do you know what it sounds like out front? Wouldn't it be better just to send an unmixed signal to the sound guy and let him do it?
 
#4
ANDROGYNOUS MESSIAH said:
..but if you send a mixed, eq'ed signal to the house, how do you know what it sounds like out front? Wouldn't it be better just to send an unmixed signal to the sound guy and let him do it?
Click to expand...

Depends on the sound guy, I guess. But I consider my rig (AI Focus into an EA VL208) to basically be a mono PA system optimized for bass, and since I've spent more hours than I care to admit tweaking the sound and mix of it to my liking, I'd rather give the sound guy a signal that represents my idea of a good bass tone than let some guy who I barely know decide what my bass should sound like. YMMV, of course. :)
 
#5
arseniotall, I connect the XLR output from my regular AMT preamp (not the Super) into an XLR input on a D-TAR Solstice 2 channel mixer / preamp. I use the Solstice to blend the AMT's signal with a pickup.

Then I send the blended signal from the Solstice into my bass amp, a Euphonic Audio Wizzy combo (iAMP-200 C).

If there's PA support, I do have the option with the Solstice of sending (1) just the mic, (2) just the pickup, (3) both channels separately, or (4) both channels combined to the house. But many times the soundman will just take the blended signal from the XLR output on my amp.
 
#6
Hi AMT users,
I've used my AMT for a few months now, and I am really frustrated about one detail: the mic won't stay in place. I carefully position it in front of the F-hole, only to find it shifted at least one or two inches away from it a couple of tunes later. That does affect the sound for the house, obviously. Any similar experiences, anyone?

Also, has anyone gotten the custom tailpiece mod? Can the mic still be taken off the bass easily, or the mod is meant to allow you to leave it in place on the bass? Also, how much do they charge for the mod?

Thanks in advance!

Marco
 
#8
jazzbass72, sometimes my AMT will droop like you described if I don't tighten down the clamp securely enough.

Also, is the gooseneck on yours not fairly rigid? It should be flexible of course, but it should also stay in place once you bend or shape it the way you want it.

You may also find that putting a bit of a bend or a curve in the gooseneck gives it a more taut feel than when it's perfectly straight.
 
#9
Marco,

I had Nnick mount mine on the tailpiece so that it never leaves the bass, and had the input modded out so that it mounts between the strings like a regular pickup jack (I also have a custom STANDBETTER tailpiece mounting system that I'm too challenged to install that is waiting in the wings). My solution to the "drooping problem" has been to use some shockmount elastic between the bridge feet to hold the capsule in place, but that probably won't work for you if you don't want yours pointing at the table between the feet. Before I did that, I did something similar to what IZOD describes with the bend in the gooseneck, which helped a lot. HTH.
 
#11
bolo said:
... I do have the option with the Solstice of sending (1) just the mic, (2) just the pickup, (3) both channels separately, or (4) both channels combined to the house. But many times the soundman will just take the blended signal from the XLR output on my amp.
Click to expand...

Wow - I didn't realize the Solstice would do that - I am in a similar position and am considering the Solstice, but I was wondering how I would still be able to send a clean mic-feed to the PA while giving myself a mixed feed for my own monitor.

Hmmm...I may have solved my problem...for a price...
 
#12
Marco, you might be trying to put too much of a bend in the gooseneck? Maybe try mounting it on the other corner (i.e., lower instead of upper).

BTW, I've found the best balance between tone and volume is between the foot of the bridge and the F hole, about an inch below the bridge. Closer or further from the front of the bass depending on the sound of the room, PA, etc. Usually one to two inches away from the bass.
 
#13
arseniotall said:
so i am assuming the mic straight into the bass amp isnt a good option.... I dont have mine yet. Just got one off of ebay. Maybe i could carry a PA around with me. Any ideas on a small one with enough balls to handle an upright?
Click to expand...
arseniotall, I can't offer any advice on small PA systems unfortunately. But you can run the 1/4" output from your AMT super preamp into a bass amp.

That being said, I think the bass amps that are more "PA like" will produce a more accurate sound from your mic, so I think you're in the right vein w/ the small PA idea.
 
#15
I just sold my AMT mic with the super preamp and the tailpiece mount to solid jackson here on TB but I think I still remember enough about to post:

Marco, I think if you put enough of a bend in the gooseneck it should stay put. However I also think you might want to reconsider the f hole as the location for the mic. Speak to Marty Paglione at AMT about it. Despite the promo photos of the AMT showing the capsule in front of the f hole, it's not really the best place for it.

Arsenio, generally the output from the AMT preamp itself is not hot enough to go straight into an amp without going through another preamp stage such as a Solstice or an onboard preamp such as that in the AI heads. Also, it sounds best going into a flat response system (e.g. PA-like). You can use either the 1/4" output which is affected by the volume control on the super preamp or the XLR output (not the red one which is ground lifted). Also, there is a trimpot inside which affects the output level too.
 
#17
Well maybe you could take the GK head and the 10" for a spin first. I'd try the Bag End too. From what I can see the 700 has mucho EQ & tone control options. I dunno.

What kind of situations will you be using the AMT mic in?

I guess it might help too if we knew what AI gear you tried, and why you didn't like it. Was it the combo amp? Was it with the AMT going in or something else maybe?
 
#18
ok i'll do that tonite. My gigs vary from too damn loud to im too loud without an amp. So the full spectrum. When im omnthe road tho im playing in huge concert halls and clubs, so i can run it through the system.

I didnt like the AI combo amp. Just didnt have enuff power to compete with these loud ass drummers. And when i turned it up it farted. I tried it with a realist.
 
#19
arseniotall said:
ok i'll do that tonite. My gigs vary from too damn loud to im too loud without an amp. So the full spectrum. When im omnthe road tho im playing in huge concert halls and clubs, so i can run it through the system.

I didnt like the AI combo amp. Just didnt have enuff power to compete with these loud ass drummers. And when i turned it up it farted. I tried it with a realist.
Click to expand...
All right, now check this out too if you like. It is a writeup of a GK Backline head. I don't know how similar it is to your GK. Really nice work by fdeck. He demonstrates how to flatten the EQ w/ that amp:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Very cool, hm?

P.S. I keep reminding myself we're talking about the AMT here too. fdeck's material was based on using a pickup. Although a flat EQ is a flat EQ, eh? I dunno.
 
#20
STRING TIE said:
P.S. I keep reminding myself we're talking about the AMT here too. fdeck's material was based on using a pickup. Although a flat EQ is a flat EQ, eh? I dunno.
Click to expand...

Sort of. The thing to remember about the AMT is that it has a pretty serious EQ curve going on coming out of the preamp - Marty explained it to me on the phone once, but I forget the specifics. The long and short of it is, the EQ curve built into the preamp is optimized for bass, which is one of the things that I love about the AMT: it rejects the worst "cymbal frequencies" much better than any other mic I've tried because of the preset rolloff curves.

Another thing to remember is that a lot depends on placement. I like mine between the bridge feet, but then I use it as a supplement to a pickup rather than as a replacement (at lower volumes, the pickup supplements the mic). If I placed it in other places, I'd have to adjust the EQ according to what was "messy" in that location. I'm looking forward to trying mine with the HP filter on the new Focus III whenever I've saved enough pennies to get one.
 

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