- May 6, 2003
- 5,272
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- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
Well it had to be said. Doesn't work in my world that's for sure.Good luck with that.
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Double Bass Best Amp for Jazz (Upright)
- Thread starter Warwick209
- Start date
I personally love,..LOVE,.my orig model SWR Redhead with my upright. I play my electrix basses thru an orig Ashdown EVO 500,..and that thing crushes jack bruce SG tone. My SWR redhead duplicates my upright in my opinion,..sounds just the way you'd wish it too
I don't know. Once I'm plugged in it's for volume anyways so I use a realist lifeline and a GKMB150E...I suppose the best would be a condenser mic and a powered PA 12" monitor or a Clarus combo?
I think an upright with a pickup and an amp will always sound different from the acoustic sound of the instrument, so I find myself working to find a sound that works with the group I’m playing with, getting enough low end to be full, but having enough mids to give the notes some definition. With that in mind, I’ve been getting sounds I like from a Markbass CMD-121P combo, and I like that it’s just one piece. FWIW I’m currently using a Full Circle, though I used the same amp with a Lifeline successfully too. I don’t generally use a preamp with it unless I’m doubling on electric.
This has the potential to be the "best bass for metal" of the DB side. I'm here for it.
Sometimes I'm amazed at how these threads get revived after being inactive for years. I get that search function is pretty effective.
- Steve
- Steve
I’ve used many different amps over the years including various models of AI, Phil Jones, GK, Ampeg and Epifani. Currently my main gigging amp for upright jazz gigs is a Trace Elliot Elf head with the 2x8 Elf cabinet. I also have the 1x10 Elf cab which can be used separately or together with the 2x8. The Elf is great for most of the quiet restaurant/bar jazz gigs, but it’s only 200 watts so for a louder gig or outdoors I usually bring my Epifani AL combo which is 609 watts with a 12” speaker and tweeter. For electric bass I usually use the Epifani combo or if there’s no FOH or I need to go bigger that’s when I use a GK head and 2x12 and/or 1x15 cabs
I forgot to mention, I use a Realist Lifeline pickup, which is a solid piece of metal rather than foil and sits between adjusters instead of under the foot of the bridge. In my opinion it is much better sounding and more consistent tone compared to the regular foil Realist pickup, especially for loud volumes or situations where you need to project and cut through a mix. I also have the Realist docking station, which gives me a volume knob right on my bass as well. It was a bit of an investment and I also had to have my luthier install it, but I love the setup. It is really versatile and sounds great in a wide variety of settings. I should also mention I have a Fishman full circle on another bass and love that pickup too.
Here’s the links to the Realist Lifeline and Docking Station
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Here’s the links to the Realist Lifeline and Docking Station
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Link Removed
Where did Warwick go, no replies yet. I wonder if a Phil Jones Double Four would work. I know it has 2 small 4" speakers, but I think it would do very well for stand up jazz in a club. But I also have a Carvin MB15 200w 15" neo for big and/or outdoors that's pretty compact and light for that size, if you can find a used one.
Very true, but we keep moving closer to
toward a more nuanced DB sound with
several new “magic boxes” that improve
the timbre coming off a piezo pickup. The Headway EDB-2 H.E. uses a harmonic enhancer, while the Red-Eye varies the impedance load at different frequencies. The Sarno Black Box uses a tube impedance buffer. All these boxes improve the tone quality of a piezo pickup.
I don’t disagree, and I have a Grace Felix 2, an Fdeck, and an Avalon u5, all of which work well to improve the sound of the piezo pickup. But I find that I leave them all at home for most gigs, preferring to simplify my setup as long as I can get a sound that works well enough to let me forget about the gear and concentrate on my playing, which can use all the attention it can get!
Convenience is definitely a factor in what I schlep out to a gig. 
That's precisely why I use powered cabinets and the Grace Felix, so that there aren't two preamps involved.
Simplicity is definitely a factor. I'm hoping that someday in the not to distant future, someone will have the foresight to incorporate some of the new piezo processing circuits
into a bass head. We can only hope.
That's precisely why I use powered cabinets and the Grace Felix, so that there aren't two preamps involved. Simplicity is definitely a factor. I'm hoping that someday in the not to distant future, someone will have the foresight to incorporate some of the new piezo processing circuits
into a bass head. We can only hope.
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
There is no BEST. Saturday night I took my old GK MB150S to a trio gig and I loved my tone. Packing up, the pianist and drummer both complimented me on the warm tone. Good bass, lifeline pickup and a concept of how I want to sound. The only amp I have played through and don’t like is the 12” MarkBass combo. Go figure.
I have about six different pickups and at least as many different amps and cabinets. Guess what? They all pretty much still sound like me playing the bass louder. No matter how much money I throw at the issue, it still sounds like me....
The best amp for jazz is the one that's already at the club and belongs to their backline setup. Unfortunately there are only 2 places where I live with amps/cabs provided.
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
An amp is an amp is an amp is…………. It’s the last link in the signal chain so I just want one that doesn’t alter my sound too much.
I’ve tried everything and I’m back to my AMT mic along with a Realist directly to FOH. I have a tiny bit in a wedge pointing to the side of me and I spread it across the downstage monitors depending on the vibe. I’m playing large halls and have the luxury of a monitor mixer and FOH engineer but it’s basically mic/pickup mix to the PA. We generally try to use the mic exclusively and add pickup if we need it. This is the closest I can get to the actual sound of my bass for arco and pizz. I use a mic or pickup in small places depending on what’s working. If it’s a throw and go outdoor festival I’ll plug into an Aguilar with 2x12 as a monitor for myself just in case I need it. Still mic goes FOH. It never sounds exactly the same as when I unplug it at the end of the night but A LOT of the nuance, wood and feel is maintained, far more than any amp situation.
What ever happened to Uncle Toad? Is he still around? He was a manic poster around here for years...
A legend! Great player, thinker, all around heart of gold.
