Ok, the door has been open. I am considering an Ampeg PBC 228 (the portabass combo 2x8) I feel this would be a good amp for the upright, but I am wondering about the sound for BG. I currently have an Ampeg BA115, which has worked well for me for both before, so am I obscessing over gear, or should I consider this seriously? I have also considered the BA210 as well.
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Double Bass Doubling gigs
- Thread starter bopeuph
- Start date
1962,
Make sure that you try this amp out first. As I recall they had problems with the initial run of this amp. I was very interested in it, but I can't recall anyone reviewing it on Talk Bass.
Ric
www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=234013&highlight=Ampeg+Portabass+228
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Thanks for the link Ric. This is the sort of thing that I am always afraid of when making a blind purchase. I still have yet to see one in a store around here. Think I will stick with the BA115 as it has served me well.
I've been very surprised at how well my Markbass mini 121P
is doing as a doubling amp. It sounds good with either the
Underwood or Full Circle. Its louder than snot for electric
bass when you consider its size and weight.
is doing as a doubling amp. It sounds good with either the
Underwood or Full Circle. Its louder than snot for electric
bass when you consider its size and weight.
I use an Ampeg SVT III pro for both basses. The DB is first going through a preamp (roackabilly slap special from K&K).
Also with the DB i switch on the eq on the Ampeg to get a more scooped sound. Sometimes i'll also use the deep-switch. DB's and Ampeg always mix well IMO.
The hard-driving-thud sound is perfect for blues/jump/westcoast or rockabilly. It is not perfect for subtle jazz-thingies.
Also with the DB i switch on the eq on the Ampeg to get a more scooped sound. Sometimes i'll also use the deep-switch. DB's and Ampeg always mix well IMO.
The hard-driving-thud sound is perfect for blues/jump/westcoast or rockabilly. It is not perfect for subtle jazz-thingies.
i bought one and really wanted it to work given the feature set and price, they sent me a few to try as i surely thought something was wrong. no amp could sound that bad, but it did. i've heard folks here use the term "omni-directional", but what term would describe "no directional"? that's the best way to describe it, it was like the sound had no original source no matter where you put your ear. oh, and no headroom either. just plain bad. but ampeg were very nice folk and helpful...
FWIW, my approach to doubling is this: Start with the DB rig, which you usually want to be flat, uncolored. Then if necessary add a preamp in front of the EB for tone. It probably won't work the other way around, that is to say it's very hard to start with a sound that's voiced for EB and make it flat.
If I recall, the Polytone has an effects loop, so why not try running your EB into your preamp into the effects return? With the DB into the regular input, you can switch axes and effectively mute the one you're not using by panning the effects level all the way clockwise for EB and counter for DB.
The one thing you might be up against in this scenario is the Polytone speaker. Being a sealed box, it has certain characteristics that EQing may not be able to overcome. But being that this is for big band, that's the route I would try.
- Jul 3, 2007
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- Author of "Soul Fingers." I'm the Duck Dunn expert.
Those are some good ideas.
I'll have to try that, but I have to wait until I can get the piece out of layaway. Gotta save up.
Here's something I was wondering, but sounds like a pretty bad idea: the guy who sold me the piece suggested I cut a port hole in the box. To me, Polytone had a reason theymade it completely sealed. Has anyone tried this before? Is it a bad idea like I think it is?
Nick
I'll have to try that, but I have to wait until I can get the piece out of layaway. Gotta save up.
Here's something I was wondering, but sounds like a pretty bad idea: the guy who sold me the piece suggested I cut a port hole in the box. To me, Polytone had a reason theymade it completely sealed. Has anyone tried this before? Is it a bad idea like I think it is?
Nick
Nick,
I would seriously doubt that porting the Polytone would make it sound better. Speaker enclosures are designed for a particular preamp, power amp and speaker combination. Having said that, Leo Kotke was famous for doing a little "whittilng" on his Martin Twelve String.
The real problem is that a pream amp that's voiced for DB dosen't really work as well for EB. DB's seem to need "negative eq" that will reduce lo rumble and mid squeal while EB's benifit from bosting those very frequency ranges. What you should have is a two channel preamp with entirely different voicing's on each channel. It's not something that comes in at a low price point.
Ric
