• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Fishman Model B vs Fdeck HP

goodgig

goodgig

Inactive
Jul 8, 2006
148
9
Macclenny, Florida
#1
Recently, I've convinced the praise and worship learder at church to have me play DB instead of the slab. I'm using my old but great sounding GK 200MB, into the house PA. I have a realist pickup. I pulled out my Fishman Model B and that greatly boosts the low end. Without getting too technical, what advantage would I have in upgrading to a FDeck HP 3?
 
#2
The Fdeck unit has two main functions. It provides a high-quality buffer amplifier with an input impedance that loads a piezo pickup in a rather optimal fashion. I couldn't find the spec for the input impedance of the Fishman but, reading between the lines of its manual, I'm guessing it is adequately high so you're covered there.

The Fdeck provides a high-pass filter (HPF) that can be invaluable for taming the infrasonics (below the frequency limits of human hearing) that can rob power from your amp and, potentially drive your speaker cone crazy. The HPF has also been found by many to be an invaluable tool for taming "boominess" in rooms. The Fishman has no adjustable high-pass filter.

The Fishman has tone controls built in while the Fdeck has none at all. I actually prefer that because my "amplification philosophy" is to leave the tone-shaping to a dedicated circuit (the parametric circuit on my EA iamp200) and not to double up tone controls (e.g., on pre-amp and amp).

The Fdeck unit has a polarity-inversion switch that can be quite useful for avoiding feedback. The Fishman does not seem to have that feature.

So, overall, if it ain't broke, why fix it? That is, if you're doing fine and like your sound with your setup an have no issues with infrasonics or feedback, then I don't think you'll experience a great improvement with the Fdeck.

On the other hand, I do think that the Fdeck will allow you more flexibility and greater control of your sound across different venues. You have tone controls on your GK so, if you got an Fdeck unit, you would not be losing functionality but you would be gaining some. The features gained can be lifesavers in difficult rooms.

Hope that helps! :)
 
#3
goodgig said:
Recently, I've convinced the praise and worship learder at church to have me play DB instead of the slab. I'm using my old but great sounding GK 200MB, into the house PA. I have a realist pickup. I pulled out my Fishman Model B and that greatly boosts the low end. Without getting too technical, what advantage would I have in upgrading to a FDeck HP 3?
Click to expand...

Good Gig,
I have a Fishman Model B, and owned the two different models of the 200MB. The EQ section on the amplifier is one of the best I've ever heard or used. Using the Fishman Model B will work just fine, but the EQ controls on the Fishman are redundant IMHO, IME, especially with the Realist. I've owned and gigged with Realists, and they seem to work just fine at 1 Meg Ohm, which as I recollect is the input impedance of a GK 200MB. So you may not need anything at all.

That said, the HPF Series 3 has that variable high pass filter, that I believe, would greatly help get the most out of the 200MB's little infinite baffle 12" box. The Series 3 is very transparent, but does a great job. It also provides a "phase" switch that can be really helpful with feedback. In a word, you can't go wrong with FDecks HPF, while the Fishman Model B is simply an older approach. It was designed to load the Fishman BP-100 pickup at 10 Meg Ohm's, the HPF does the same.

Ric
 
#4
Ok, time to play devil's advocate.

My rig, such as it is, is a Rev Solo into a preamp/buffer into a Countryman into the PA.

Having had the B2 and the fDeck Series 2 at the same time to fill the preamp/buffer role, I kept the Fishman and passed the fDeck along to its new owner, who is apparently very happy with it.

I play dive bars, flatbed trucks and other high-class venues. Those gigs always seem to come with bad PAs that nobody knows how to use. The simplicity of the Fishman is an asset in those cases -- adjust volume and low end boost to taste -- whereas the fDeck was too subtle to fit my needs.

That's not to say the fDeck isn't a fine product. It sounded much more transparent and natural than the Fishman, and the open source design is hip. But in terms of brute force, it was no contest. If Francis' Series 4 has good EQ I'll buy one, but for now the stupid grey box rules the roost.
 
#5
Well, yes, crude tone controls are often better than no tone controls. If you have a good set of tone controls, however, there's little use for another set. In fact, it can be a detriment.

If Francis ever gets into adding tone controls, and I doubt he will any time in the near future, I sure hope he keeps his other products available.
 
#6
Well, as I said, I usually don't have another set of tone controls easily available. If one does and has that option, the B2 is redundant, you're absolutely right. But I've heard a well regarded local player sound fantastic running a carved Juzek with a BP-100 straight into a GK200, so I think the OP has a pretty good leg up with what they already have.
 
#7
Thanks for your thoughtful responses and discussion on my behalf. I'm going to give the B2 a try this Sunday. It seemed to be promising at rehearsal. The Hammond organ/Leslie was masking my sound without the preamp, but with it, I got a nice boost. When playing with the baby grand piano and drums, the MB200 does just fine on its own.
 
#8
goodgig said:
Thanks for your thoughtful responses and discussion on my behalf. I'm going to give the B2 a try this Sunday. It seemed to be promising at rehearsal. The Hammond organ/Leslie was masking my sound without the preamp, but with it, I got a nice boost. When playing with the baby grand piano and drums, the MB200 does just fine on its own.
Click to expand...

Good Gig,
I have to admit I'm a little confused here. The 200MB was a combo amp, while the MB200 is a little class D micro amp. Which is it that you have? Either way, the Realist into the Fishman Model B, will certain work, but the EQ was far warmer and musical on the 200MB. Just wondering? The Model B sets the input impedance at 10 Meg Ohms, as I recall. This was mandatory, to get a decent sound from the BP-100 Pickup. Well, at least it was on my bass, using Tomastik Spirocore Weich's, into either a Walter Woods MI-400-8 or the GK 200MB.

Ric
 
#9
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
...so I think the OP has a pretty good leg up with what they already have.
Click to expand...

Yup--
drurb said:
...So, overall, if it ain't broke, why fix it? That is, if you're doing fine and like your sound with your setup an have no issues with infrasonics or feedback, then I don't think you'll experience a great improvement with the Fdeck.
Click to expand...
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back