Double Bass Fishman Platinum Stage vs Fishman Platinum Pro EQ Preamp

[acordy]

Hi everyone,
I’m an upright bass player using a Realist pickup into an AER One combo.
I currently have a Fishman Platinum Stage, but I’m considering the Fishman Platinum Pro EQ Preamp and wondering how they compare specifically for upright bass.
Do any of you have real-world experience with Realist + Platinum Stage vs Platinum Pro EQ?
I’m mainly interested in:

• natural acoustic sound
• feedback control
• EQ usability in small acoustic ensembles

Any insights or comparisons would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[John Chambliss]

I used the Platinum Stage with a Realist Life Line for many years into a GK combo amp and FOH. I was always pleased with it. Never have used the Pro EQ Preamp. My favorite now is the Red Eye preamp..

 

[bass player 53]

I use an Underwood piezo on
a nice wood double bass,
into a variety of amps, mostly
GK MB150 and Polytone.
I don’t think a preamp is
really necessary with those amps.

I’ve had the 1st generation bass and now 2nd generation of the Pro EQ.

I don’t use the compressor,
but it works well.
I have a separate tuner, but
it works well too. I’ve checked
its accuracy against the Peterson Strobe.
I don’t use the low cut.
I don’t use the brilliance.
I don’t really use the notch.
I don’t find a critical difference
with the phase switch.

What I do find useful is the adjustable
boost as a foot switch.

If you use the bow, adjusting
the volume between arco and
pizz with the boost switch is
useful.

The platinum ProEQ is extremely
well made and has a very professional
feel to it. It has a lot of features;
You need to determine how many
you need- they all work extremely
well.
I bought mine used, probably saving
$100 a few years ago.

I’ve never tried the Stage.

 

[Ric Vice]

I have experience with a different box you might want to look at if someone has one you can try out. The Red Eye Twin has taken every amp I’ve used it into. It is not a conventional style preamp. It does not have the controls you’re familiar with just treble, volume and a boost foot switch. `

 

[acordy]

One more detail about my typical setup:

I usually play through a small combo amp rather than relying heavily on PA support.
Most of my gigs are in smaller venues, clubs, or acoustic settings, not large stages.

Because of that, I’m also interested in hearing about other preamp options that work well for upright bass in styles like gypsy jazz, swing, and bluegrass.
If you’ve had good (or bad) experiences with other preamps in these contexts, I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts.

 

[basss]

I have a Stage and a few other similar preamps. The only thing I really miss on the Stage is a fully adjustable hpf which the pro has. There is a switch which I usually set at 80hz but sometimes it's a bit thin depending on the room I'm in. I can usually dial in a great sound with it though. It's not quite as natural sounding as my Headway EDM-1 but it sits in a mix well. That being said I usually take the Headway unless I need a separate DI. You do get a lot of essential features for a great price with the Fishman pres though.

 

[bassically_eli]

I don’t think the Fire Eye products are a substitute for more full featured preamps like the Fishman options. I have the Bright Eye, which also has the impedance matching electronics like Red Eye, but i still need HPF and EQ.

Have you considered the Fishman AFX? I have been keeping one in my bag as a backup.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AFXPreEQ2--fishman-afx-pro-eq-mini-acoustic-preamp-and-eq

 

[acordy]

I don’t think the Fire Eye products are a substitute for more full featured preamps like the Fishman options. I have the Bright Eye, which also has the impedance matching electronics like Red Eye, but i still need HPF and EQ.

Have you considered the Fishman AFX? I have been keeping one in my bag as a backup.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AFXPreEQ2--fishman-afx-pro-eq-mini-acoustic-preamp-and-eq

Thanks, that makes sense.

That’s exactly my concern with simpler boxes like Fire-Eye — impedance alone isn’t enough for my situations.
HPF and some EQ are essential for me, especially in small clubs.

I wasn’t sure what people meant by Fishman AFX, but if it’s more of a backup / emergency solution, that clarifies it.
I’m mainly looking for a reliable main preamp rather than a backup unit.

 

[Ric Vice]

I don’t think the Fire Eye products are a substitute for more full featured preamps like the Fishman options. I have the Bright Eye, which also has the impedance matching electronics like Red Eye, but i still need HPF and EQ.

Have you considered the Fishman AFX? I have been keeping one in my bag as a backup.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AFXPreEQ2--fishman-afx-pro-eq-mini-acoustic-preamp-and-eq

Well,
They seem to be, at least I’m my specific case with the Ehrlund EAP pickup, Realist Life Line, Planet Wing, or KNB-DB1, into a GR Bass AT Cube Acoustic ( without the GR’s “Piezo Button” depressed) or a Traynor SB-106. I don’t own the Bright Eye. Which doesn’t have the controls available on the RedEye Twin that includes a Gain Control, Treble Control, with a Boost volume and Foot switch. With those controls on the RedEye Twin, the EQ sections on both those Amps and my specific basses I haven’t needed an HPF for years now so there’s something going on. The bass and low midrange controls on the GR and the Traynor in combination with the Red Eye Twin will solve any low frequency “bloom or boom”. So for whatever it’s worth the RedEye Twin ( I also have a RedEye (Single) processes the signal before it hits the preamp sections of my amps making it less likely. Just my take of course. Go figure the Headway EDB-2 H.E. and even my Grace Felix aren’t getting much action these days.

 

[basss]

I have a Red Eye but wouldn't want to use it some other EQ in the chain. I agree it improves the sound going into some amps and an hpf is not necessary. If I'm plugging directly into a PA I like to have more control over the sound than the Red eye gives, although if that can be done at the board I might opt to use it. With the Full Circle I need to cut mids but can get a very pleasing natural sound with the right settings.

 

[bassically_eli]

Well,
They seem to be, at least I’m my specific case with the Ehrlund EAP pickup, Realist Life Line, Planet Wing, or KNB-DB1, into a GR Bass AT Cube Acoustic ( without the GR’s “Piezo Button” depressed) or a Traynor SB-106. I don’t own the Bright Eye. Which doesn’t have the controls available on the RedEye Twin that includes a Gain Control, Treble Control, with a Boost volume and Foot switch. With those controls on the RedEye Twin, the EQ sections on both those Amps and my specific basses I haven’t needed an HPF for years now so there’s something going on. The bass and low midrange controls on the GR and the Traynor in combination with the Red Eye Twin will solve any low frequency “bloom or boom”. So for whatever it’s worth the RedEye Twin ( I also have a RedEye (Single) processes the signal before it hits the preamp sections of my amps making it less likely. Just my take of course. Go figure the Headway EDB-2 H.E. and even my Grace Felix aren’t getting much action these days.View attachment 7423090View attachment 7423091

The Fire Eye products definitely tighten up the low end, and that’s probably enough for most bass amps. I’ll bet both your amps have built in HPFs, although i have no idea what the cutoff frequency or slope would be. My issue was with the Phil Jones Double Four. I used it almost exclusively for Gypsy jazz gigs for two years with great success with a Headway as a preamp. I tried using the Bright Eye once and got buried. The speakers were farting out without an external HPF.

To be fair, the D4 is almost certainly the exception among bass combo amps and amp heads. I think the vast majority have some sort HPF that is more effective than whatever the D4 has (or doesn’t have).

My concern is more to do with going into a power amp, FX return, or perhaps a powered speaker. I need more than gain, treble, and boost for that. The Bright Eye does have plenty of gain, a boost knob and footswitch, and a switchable treble roll of. It’s a great product for what it is.

 

[bassically_eli]

If you have the budget, i can’t recommend the ToneDexter II enough. It’s an incredible box that i really don’t think can be beat. Everything else i have ever used makes a piezo pickup sound like a piezo pickup. The ToneDexter gets very close to making piezos sound like mics.

If that’s out of the budget, Headway preamps are great. I’m getting ready to sell my EDB2-HE. If you don’t need the mic input, i would imagine that the EDM1-HE is great. I really like the HE feature for my Lifelines. The EDM would definitely be my choice for a belt clip style preamp.

After that, the Fishman AFX i shared earlier has all the features of the Platinum Stage except the DI I believe, and maybe one or two extra.

 

[Ric Vice]

I got to hear a bassist last night here in St.Louis at Blue Strawberry using the Pro Platinum EQ into,a Fender Rumble 1x12. It sounded very good. Maybe not Ehrlund EAP, RedEye Twin, GR AT Acoustic good but certainly better than directly into the Fender Rumble alone the minute he plugged it in to,the amp there was a distinct difference.

 

[Bajo Profundo]

Hello Acordy

My experience with the Fishman Plat. Pro EQ (FPPEQ) alone has been positive on my Taylor Mini-Bass (TMB). Not an Upright Bass but still an acoustic Bass with a Piezo P'UP.

• The FPPEQ retains my Bass' natural acoustic sound. I didn't care for the way the SansAmp Bass Driver DI V.2 (and other preamps) made my TMB sound like an Electric Bass until I installed it downstream of the FPPEQ.
• It's EQ seems tailored to the Acoustic Bass. It even has a selector switch - Guitar / Bass.
• I use it in my Home Studio and can't speak to it's feedback control but I've heard that it was a good stage pedal from an associate who plays out.
• I prefer it's compressor to the Ampeg Opto Comp or, the Boss Cube Bass amp's onboard compressor for retaining the TMB's tone and it's one-knob simple operation.
• I like the accuracy and brightness of the silent tuner.
• Having a boost switch with a preset value is appealing to me though I've not yet used it.

I hope you find this of interest.
Cheers
- B.P.

 

[Paul New]

I like the Platinum Pro Eq very much, but haven’t tried the Stage so can’t compare. I use every feature on the Platinum except the compressor.

I do wish they built a two channel version, for doubling. I can not use a box without fully adjustable HPF. No pedal boards!