Double Bass Combo Amp for Upright

[gna]

All right, I'm thinking it might be time to upgrade my gear. I see some very nice light combo amps available. I ain't getting any younger, and hauling around my upright and a 50-some pound amp is a pain. Even my small amp is 35 pounds. My research shows the GR Bass AT 110 and Traynor SB110 mentioned as possibilities. Golihur also carries the Trace Elliot ELF 110 as a more budget-friendly option. I am not playing in loud groups or big rooms, and oftentimes there's a PA where I gig.

Anyone play upright through the Trace Elliot ELF 110 or Traynor SB110, and do you recommend? Or should I save my pennies for the GR Bass AT 110, or even the Golihur Genzler Acoustic Array Pro?

 

[Earl]

I play mostly jazz gigs and have both the Traynor SB112 and the smaller SB106. The SB106 is usually all I need (or my Phil Jones Double Four which you need to use a preamp with). For louder gigs the SB112 works well. I also have a Fender Rumble 800 (still only around 28 pounds) for the really loud blues gigs. I think Traynor is great for the price.

 

[loukash]

I've said it before and I just must say it again:
EV Everse 8 for me is it.
It just literally blows me away every time. So small that it seems physically impossible to sound that good.
At least for my carved bass with Gewa/KNA DB-1 pickup.
Just earlier this week in our new rehearsal room, I was attempting to match the sound of the Everse on my old SWR Workingman's 12. I just can't get it right. I'm still experimenting with the setup there, but likely I will use the SWR just as a subwoofer or so.
But live, with small r&b, blues or even jazz combos where the drums are not amplified, the Everse 8 is all I need.
And yeah, it runs on battery for hours and hours.

 

[paulunger]

Find a used Acoutic Image combo amp.

 

[Ric Vice]

I own and gig with a GR Bass AT Cube Acoustic and for smaller gigs a Traynor SB 106. Couldn’t be happier with either depending on the size of the gig.

 

[bherman]

I like the sound of the GR combos and they are very light, but I had one and had a hell of a time dealing with an issue when it came up. They're an Italian company with no North American service centers, so troubleshooting was an issue, let alone getting service had I needed more help.

 

[Billy Mohler]

Fender Rumble 100 is my favorite combo amp and I've had everything from GK, Walter Woods, paired with handmade custom cabinets and somehow the Rumble wins.

 

[SJan3]

You might look at the MarkBass MicroMark 801. Gets great reviews!

 

[logdrum]

All the cool kids on TB are getting the GR powered cab paired with some high end preamp or the current TB DB PreAmp de jour

( I am not one of them, I still have to get the default TB amp Mesa Subway )

I have an old 07 pry Acoustic Image Series III Coda Combo and a Series 4+ Clarus Head and a Double Shot and the right bracket to make it a combo. Fits on a 12" Tom Drum gig bag. Had the combo forever and the Clarus and DoubleShot I got on TB for less than 850 bad that's a bargain. People are still selling these things for unrealistic prices since no one is willing to fix them. I do use the old combo a lot but always know it will croak some day. These things are tough. if you do not push them too hard. Test them first and crank the master at least to 2 o'clock and look for issues. Also be aware the speaker sensitivity on these are low and even if the amp says it is 300 watt, it probably has the SPL of a 130 watt amp. The reason for the low sensitivity is to provide a good low end response for the very small cubic volume of the "cabinet". Just be aware of these and lower your expectations. They can power an external cab though and they can all support 2 ohms,

If the Acoustic Image amps are gone, I would probably get a Genzler.

 

[AgostoMortal]

your options will widen if you go with a Cab and a head. a small single cab can be lighter and more efficient. Off course you have to carry the head either way, but on a bag-pack it won't kill your arm, wrist or hands if you have to walk a lot to the stage.

 

[Bisounourse]

You might look at the MarkBass MicroMark 801. Gets great reviews!

+1: I saw a DB player use it on a gig and his sound was massive.

(However: I tried one and didn't like it at all, YMMV)

 

[tinyd]

your options will widen if you go with a Cab and a head. a small single cab can be lighter and more efficient. Off course you have to carry the head either way, but on a bag-pack it won't kill your arm, wrist or hands if you have to walk a lot to the stage.

Yep, I have a Warwick Gnome head which is tiny (in terms of carrying from the car etc, the weight and size is negligible). And then you can pair it with a lightweight cab (I used a Phil Jones C2) of your choice.

I used to have an old GK MB150 which was good in many ways, but I found its weight (12KG/26lbs) a bit hard....

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Any of the Acoustic Image stuff is orphaned now. If it was well cared-for, you'll get good service from it. They were such a great product... I still have and still gig my Clarus II with either a BagEnd S10-D or an Avatar 2×10. I recently sold a first-run Acoustic Image Contra. It still worked perfectly. Probably close to 30 years old.

Anything Gollihur Music sells is road-tested and approved for upright bass. Mark doesn't bother with junk.

Something I wanted to try but has dropped off the radar, Aguilar came out with a TH210 combo. Sweetwater has them- https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...mer-210-300-watt-2-by-10-inch-combo-amplifier

And here was a thread on them a while back- Double Bass - Aguilar amp/ cab for upright and electric? Which one?

 

[boombloom]

See if you can find an old GK 200mb. I bought mine in the late 80s and will never part with it. Magic with my upright or Steinberger CR4. They show up from time to time.

 

[tinyd]

+1: I saw a DB player use it on a gig and his sound was massive.

(However: I tried one and didn't like it at all, YMMV)

I'm a complete sucker for small gear and I think I might have to get one of these.....(especially as I could just use my C2 as an extension if I need more volume)

 

[gna]

Thanks for all the feedback. I may make a trip to Guitar Center to try the MarkBass. I prefer a combo over a head/cab, but I suppose I could check out options.
The TH210 looks cool, but it's a bit heavy for me.

Someone I know sent me a link to a TC Electronic BG250 that's available used locally. I confess to never having heard of them, but worth checking out? I'm about to search the forum for info.
ETA: The TC Electronic BG250 is a 210, so 44 pounds. It looks cool, but I'm trying to slim down...

 

[arielmarc]

For a long time I have been using an Acoustic Image Clarus SL with either an Upshot or a Double Shot depending on the gig; always sounds great, easy to use and carry, and reliable ...
I am dreading the moment it will give up ...

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Of course acoustic image combos.

An alternative would be Markbass 602. Not heavy, small, sounds big for its size.

 

[TK1820]

I have been very happy with my GK MB112 (I also have the extension cab MBP112). Since I added an MXR Thump preamp it's a killer sound.

 

[Wasnex]

You may need to choose a compromise. At some point, going smaller/lighter may limit performance below you needs.

In the US, for light and quality I would look at Genzler.

A bass version of the Genzler Acoustic Array is available exclusively through Gollihur. AFAIK the main difference is a different woofer is used in the bass version. There may be other differences as well. The bass version handles lows better at high SPL, but some say it's not as sweet in the mids. AFAIK the bass version of the cab is basically equivalent to a BA10-2.


The Magellan 350 can be attached to a BA10-2 and weigh 23lbs. The MG350 makes 175W with one BA10-2 or 350W with two or three. FYI each BA10-2 weighs 19lbs, and you could build a modular rig that allows you to tailor volume requirements to changing needs. This gives you a light option for quiet gigs and you can choose to carry more cabs if higher volume is required.

Calculated SPL:

• One BA10-2 at 175W = 119.4dB
• Two BA10-2 at 350W= 125.4dB
• Three BA10-2 at 350W = 128.4dB