Double Bass Best “workhorse” preamp for EUB?

[Mr JJB]

Hi all.
The thread title says it all.
I have had good experiences with my Tech21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI when I play the bass guitar.
Is the “Para Driver” a good DB / EUB equivalent?
Any other recommendations?
I play EUB arco and pizzicato, across most genres of music.
(I prioritise having natural-sounding amplification, although I’m not averse to the occasional (deliberate!!) effects…)
Thank you all.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

A preamp that sounds good with bass guitar doesn’t need to sound good with EUB or DB. The sound expectations are too much different but also the pickup systems (magnetic vs. piezo) act much different to the first amplification stage (impedance).

The ones you mentioned are used by DB players, so they might work for you (at least one of them).

 

[Wasnex]

Budget?
Desired features?

A preamp can have lot's of features, or it can be what we call "straight wire with gain," I.E. it provides buffering and gain, but does not otherwise impact the signal.

I generally prefer more of a full range, Hi-Fi sound; even more so with upright.

Upright basses typically use some sort of piezo pickup. Piezos benefit from being connected to a relatively high impedance. 1meg is the minimum. 10meg is often claimed as the gold standard, but the optimum impedance varies with the design of the piezo. AFAIK the optimum load is uoften somewhere between 2 and 5meg.

Upright bass also tends to benefit from a powerful and flexible EQ that can be used to even out the frequency response and help with feedback suppression.

The Headway EDB-2 H.E (6.8meg input impedance) and the Grace Designs Felix 2 (switchable 10k, 1meg, 10meg input impedance) are very highly regarded and have quite a bit of processing power. These are acoustic specific preamps and have 2 channels.

Other options (single channel):

1. The Tech-21 Q-Strip has received some love here. I believe it was recently discontinued. Input impedance 4.7meg
2. The MXR-M81 has also received a bit of love. Input impedance is 2.2meg
3. Recently introduced Empress ParaEQ Bass. This is an EQ, rather than a preamp, but it probably does everything you need. Input impedance is switchable between 1meg and 10meg.

 

[james condino]

If you already own one, use it, regardless of the brand or model.

I own about six, have used about six others, and yet 95% of the time I get the most consistent and reliable results on the job with a 25 year old LR Baggs para acoustic DI. Nothing hipster or fancy, it just works. Added bonus that every sound guy in the nation recognizes and understands what it is.

Let your gigs pay for any additional equipment needs; only you and one person in the audience will notice.

 

[fdeck]

Does the EUB need a preamp? If it has a built-in preamp (i.e., if it needs a battery), then maybe not.

 

[Wasnex]

Does the EUB need a preamp? If it has a built-in preamp (i.e., if it needs a battery), then maybe not.

If it does need a preamp, an fdeck HPF pre might do the trick.

 

[brianrost]

I get the most consistent and reliable results on the job with a 25 year old LR Baggs para acoustic DI. Nothing hipster or fancy, it just works.

Another vote for this one. You can use it as a DI to FOH, run it into an amp or both. I don’t find the notch filter too helpful, but I like the sweepable mids. Runs on phantom power or a 9V and includes an FX loop.

The Fishman Platinum Pro EQ is popular, it has a switch to shift the EQ bands between bass or guitar.fiddle/mandolin, etc. Compressor, gain boost switch, mute switch, onboard tuner.

If it does need a preamp, an fdeck HPF pre might do the trick.

If you don’t need EQ, this is a great simple buffer preamp for piezo pickups. You have less need for the HPF with an EUB (less inclined to feedback).

 

[LSM07]

The Phil Jones PE-5 pre has an impedance selector, 5 band EQ, and mute switch on it. Does not color your tone, either. You might want to check that out.

 

[learning_towalk]

Fishman Platinum Pro…never done me wrong in stage or studio.

 

[jthisdell]

Does your EUB need a pre with a high impedance (high z) input? That is important, a pre needs to match the impedance output of you bass to the impedance input of your amp

 

[bherman]

I've have several that I with both my DB and EUB (Eminence with Realist Lifeline Pickup): fDeck when all I need is impedance and hpf; Genzler reQ, has good eq shaping controls as well as hpf and lpf; and a Redeye Twin when I am doubling - can set different gain levels, has a boost, and treble potentiometer for each channel. Alor of it depends on what you are looking to achieve. Most of the time, its either the fDeck if its upright only, the RedEye if doubling, and/or the Genzler if I feel that I need to tweak the eq specifically for the EUB separate from the amp eq (so, if doubling I dont have to touch the eq controls when changing between EUB and bass guitar).

 

[Sam Reese]

The LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI is indeed an all-metal, built for the road workhorse. It's got a squeaky clean sound.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

…

If you don’t need EQ, this is a great simple buffer preamp for piezo pickups. You have less need for the HPF with an EUB (less inclined to feedback).

The HPF is there to remove the low end that is often too loud when bridge mounted pickups are used. (And to remove sub-frequencies that load the amp but don’t relate to the acoustic signal. Gives more power to neccessary frequencies, so you can go louder.)

For feedback control you want a notch filter. Maybe you mixed that up.

 

[brianrost]

For feedback control you want a notch filter. Maybe you mixed that up.

Nah, I use my fdeck for feedback control with my DBs with my WW amp. When I had Zeta and Azola EUBs, they didn’t need the HPF because of the solid bodies.

Notches never worked for me and I tried a bunch, plus parametrics and when I got an AI Coda with an HPF, it did the trick so I got my fdeck to use with my WW.

It’s still a nice buffer preamp even if you never use the HPF.

 

[trevcda]

I'm still a big fan of the FIshman Platinum Pro BASS DI (not to be confused with the current Platinum model) and keep several around in various systems and a couple of the guitar version in my PA DI box. I am never trying to get grit or distortion when using them, so they are very clean. The volume control turns down both the 1/4" and the XLR output, so you can tune in silently, which is the primary reason I haven't gone with the newer version. That said, I'm currently lusting after a Grace Design Felix 2, thank to TalkBass, as I'm often working with two instruments with different output levels. Get the Fishman, it's cheaper!

 

[Michael F Clef]

After researching the many many preamps available, I basically flipped a coin and purchased the Sansamp paradriver. It makes all my basses sound better. I use it for my double bass with piezo, my NS NXT, and my Yamaha SLB300. It's quiet and clean. Rarely I dial in a touch of dirt with the drive but it's been a long time. I pretty much keep it clean. The Phil Jones is very clean as well and an excellent preamp for my DB and EUBs; used that for a while but loaned (gave) it to my nephew ha.

 

[Mr JJB]

Budget?
Desired features?

A preamp can have lot's of features, or it can be what we call "straight wire with gain," I.E. it provides buffering and gain, but does not otherwise impact the signal.

I generally prefer more of a full range, Hi-Fi sound; even more so with upright.

Upright basses typically use some sort of piezo pickup. Piezos benefit from being connected to a relatively high impedance. 1meg is the minimum. 10meg is often claimed as the gold standard, but the optimum impedance varies with the design of the piezo. AFAIK the optimum load is uoften somewhere between 2 and 5meg.

Upright bass also tends to benefit from a powerful and flexible EQ that can be used to even out the frequency response and help with feedback suppression.

The Headway EDB-2 H.E (6.8meg input impedance) and the Grace Designs Felix 2 (switchable 10k, 1meg, 10meg input impedance) are very highly regarded and have quite a bit of processing power. These are acoustic specific preamps and have 2 channels.

Other options (single channel):

1. The Tech-21 Q-Strip has received some love here. I believe it was recently discontinued. Input impedance 4.7meg
2. The MXR-M81 has also received a bit of love. Input impedance is 2.2meg
3. Recently introduced Empress ParaEQ Bass. This is an EQ, rather than a preamp, but it probably does everything you need. Input impedance is switchable between 1meg and 10meg.

Budget: £600 tops, happy to spend much less.
Features: I don’t care much, I just want it to sound like a double bass in most environments and playing with most other instruments. I use it in classical, jazz, and even blues and rock contexts, arco and pizzicato across the board.

I have both an MK Bass jazz fly 5 strings and an old Yamaha SLB100 4 strings.

Thanks for the recos and general advice.

 

[Mr JJB]

Does the EUB need a preamp? If it has a built-in preamp (i.e., if it needs a battery), then maybe not.

Nope, my main one (MK Bass jazz fly 5 strings) is passive. Hence the need for a preamp.
(Although I also have an old Yamaha SLB100 but I don’t use it as often.)

 

[Mr JJB]

Thank you all for your replies, it’s given me a lot to think about.
I’ll use my Tech21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI for my next live gigs (I haven’t done any live gigs with my current EUBs (I gigged with an active Palatino VE500 before covid), especially my main one, a passive MK Bass Jazz Fly 5-string which has only been played in studios) for the time being, and may then try the recommendations here depending on my experiences from my gigs.

 

[Lo-E]

If you already own one, use it, regardless of the brand or model.

I own about six, have used about six others, and yet 95% of the time I get the most consistent and reliable results on the job with a 25 year old LR Baggs para acoustic DI. Nothing hipster or fancy, it just works. Added bonus that every sound guy in the nation recognizes and understands what it is.

Let your gigs pay for any additional equipment needs; only you and one person in the audience will notice.

The Para Acoustic DI is what I’ve used for over 20 years as well. I keep thinking it would be cool to replace it with something new but the truth is I only rarely gig on upright and the PADI works just fine so I just can’t see fixing something that isn’t broken.