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Double Bass BSX Megathread

#421
I've been thinking about getting a BSX Allegro for awhile now. I've been playing a Carruthers Sub-1 with some minor modifications for years now and it does the trick OK but it's just so godawful ugly. People keep asking me "What is that?" I was worried about the BSX feeding back. I work regularly on a small stage with a trio in close proximity to a drummer and a two 2x10 speaker stack just inches behind me. I was hoping to get a better look for sure but also a good strong upright bass pizz fundamental that cuts through, holds the bottom and doesn't sound muddy like an Ampeg baby bass. I noticed Ed Friedland uses one of those with The Mavericks to hold his own with a larger and rather loud band however I feel that the nature of the upright bass sound gets lost having more of the Cuban sound. I was wondering if anybody had any experience with an Allegro in this environment. I've heard it in larger jazz groups and it sounds natural enough but that's not exactly what we do all the time.
https://ibb.co/SmNS5s8

SmNS5s8
 
#422
I love the look of your bass in that picture. Do you like how it sounds - fat, thick, woody?

My BSX Allegro has never fed-back, even on the loudest of festival stages. This 3-band Bartolini preamp is nice. The 9v battery lasts forever. It's my primary gig bass for jazz, singer-songwriter, big-band, and some of my bluegrass gigs. If I had a latin or salsa gig, I would def play the BSX. You can tame the sustain with a homemade foam mute between the strings at the bridge.
 
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#424
The are old Helicore Hybrids that came with it. I bought it used some time ago. The length between the silks of the D-string is 44.5" I'm not sure, but I think these might be half-size bass strings, even thought the BSX mensur is 41.5"?

I can only imagine how floppy perp solos must be!

I love how dark and tuba-like my BSX sounds, but the HH can get zingy on the D&G. There's no shortage of growl and sustain on the E-string. I am thinking about putting on Jargar or Kaplan -- something darker and thicker than the HH.
 
#425
stefaniw80401 said:
I love the look of your bass in that picture. Do you like how it sounds - fat, thick, woody?

My BSX Allegro has never fed-back, even on the loudest of festival stages. This 3-band Bartolini preamp is nice. The 9v battery lasts forever. It's my primary gig bass for jazz, singer-songwriter, big-band, and some of my bluegrass gigs. If I had a latin or salsa gig, I would def play the BSX. You can tame the sustain with a homemade foam mute between the strings at the bridge.
Click to expand...
The bass has that usual EUB midrange 'honk'. John Carruthers replaced the EMG 3-band pre with another with a sweep mid range stacked pot allowing me to locate the worst honk frequency and dial it out. I struggled with that bass for quite awhile suffering notes on the D and G strings just weak and dying on the fingerboard with no sustain. One night a drunk fell into it and broke the body. I took it to Lisa Glass at LA Bassworks for repair and explained my other problems. She ended up planing and properly reshaping the fingerboard and then adding a proper scrolled bass bridge instead of the solid shingle that Carruthers provided. The bass came to life after that.
 
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#426
The G string on my BSX gets lost in the mix sometimes. I don't think it's a "volume" problem. The preamp is nice with individual string trim pots. I keep turning up the G string, and it sounds way louder in my studio but still can get lost in the mix. My action is kinda low, i think raising the action would help.
 
#427
stefaniw80401 said:
The G string on my BSX gets lost in the mix sometimes. I don't think it's a "volume" problem. The preamp is nice with individual string trim pots. I keep turning up the G string, and it sounds way louder in my studio but still can get lost in the mix. My action is kinda low, i think raising the action would help.
Click to expand...
I notice the same with my G string whether Spiros, Obligatos, or Perpetual solos.
 
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#430
I use whatever rosin I have. My secret BSX weapon is to turn the treble knob all the way off. Here's the latest recording demo I did last night for a singer songwriter session coming up. Most artists choose my BSX over my DB. They like the fat sustainy pizz tone, and the arco tone is "new", and they dig my hooks and solos.
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#431
What strings have you found work better for arco on your BSX? I have tried a few flats and all are acceptable to me for pizz and a bit scratchy for arco on my 1990s solid body BsX. I know it is in part technique, but I am happy with my bowing sound on a regular double bass, but I feel like I have to resort to eq and compression to get something acceptable with the EU. But then I lose the richness of the highs. Need nice rich timbre in the highs, but most flats ive tried have been sounding brittle.
 
#435
I guess they are still in business ? However it Looks like the same website from many years ago. So there haven't been any advancements for awhile .
I have the 4st Allegro . Took it out from storage a few months ago and it was fine but tried it yesterday and no sound. The battery was week but seems like I should have gotten some sort of sound? Anyway tried a new battery and got this crazy high pitched squeal that terrified the dog. Rechargeable battery shouldn't matter should it?
 
#436
May have just been the pots needing some back and forth turning after being unused for a while. Mine is still holding up well, but I don’t play it often. I should run it through its paces this weekend :)

edit: BTW, Dino Fiumara still posts on Facebook.




Dino Fiumara

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jam%20session.jpg

sax.jpg
 
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#440
BSX vs MK???
So, a disaster happened and my MK is destoyed. Bass fell over (knocked by son) and the neck broke clean off at the heel. My options are to get a local luthier to fix it up, with the uncertainty of it holding against string tension, or get it shipped to Italy from the UK and get a whole new neck. To send and return I’ve been quoted €500 euros, plus the actual parts and labour. Thinking of a 2nd hand BSX as an alternative, but wondered if anyone has a comparative experience of the two?
 

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