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Double Bass From Scratch Rockabilly Setup for Jazz Guy

JJBluegrasser

JJBluegrasser

Wannabe Snazzy Dresser
Apr 17, 2003
434
4
48
USA, Raleigh, NC
#1
This may be overdone, but I thought it might be fun. I normally play a 50 year old German plywood strung with Spiro Meds and sporting a Fishman Full circle pickup. I haven't changed this configuration in years - like 10 years. I'm very happy with it for most of my playing.

I am thinking of buying an additional bass setup specifically for Rockabilly slap. I can slap my current bass and do regularly, but the setup and the Spiro Meds are not ideal, of course. I am looking at a Sam Shen SB80 as the foundation and I'm trying to decide on string choice and pickup configuration. Remember that I am most comfortable with steel strings and a very centered and defined tone. I'd like to be able to slap more but maintain that as much as possible. What ever I do, the bass will be professionally setup by Bob Beerman at the Bass Violin Shop in Greensboro, NC - I trust him implicitly.

So, if you were starting with $1700 for the bass itself and had up to $800 to spend for everything else, what would you do? Hopefully, this will be fun.
 
#3
I've been happy with a Stunal 5/35 strung with Innovation GoldenSlaps (Super Silvers if you'd like a bit more tension), K&K Rockabilly set up and an older GK 200mb combo.

It's not crazy loud but sits well with basic RAB trio. Pretty affordable as well. I think a Shen SB80 would be even better!
 
#4
Just a follow up, and in defense of the lil' GK combo. I've found it sounds better than my Ampeg B100R (although the Ampeg looks way cooler and is an excellent EB amp) Also better than my Ampeg PF500 through two Bag End 15s.

I'll be interested in hearing what ends up working for you.
 
#6
Thanks so much for the comments so far guys! I've been poking around on the internet and I think I might get the K&K fingerboard transducer and pair it with a Full Circle, since I'm already very happy with the Full Circle. I have an AI Contra so I can use the two channels to blend the sources - two cables, I know, but I bet I can clean that up.

Still thinking about the strings. Right now, I might try the TI Superflexible Solos - those seems very similar to the Flexocor Solos. I'm just very stuck in my ways and staying in the TI family of products will at least make me *think* I'm not veering too far from my beloved Spiros. Although, of course, part of me just wants to put some straight up guts on there and roll with it.

Does anyone have any specific experience with the Shen SB88? I'm starting to doubt myself there, because I don't want to buy a low end instrument and regret it. It is rockabilly and Shen's aren't really 'low-end' per se...
 
#7
I haven't played a bad Shen. I have, however, owned a K&K Rockabilly setup and would recommend that you avoid it. Maybe a similar product from Fonokraft? I just got one of Brandon's single-element pickups and it's well-made...everyone I know who has one likes them.

A mono-to-stereo Y-cable would be a little less spaghetti hanging all over your bass.
 
#9
KF Sh - Thanks for the heads up on the Fonokraft. That one looks better to me.

Fretless - Any idea what folks are saying about the Full Circle in Rockabilly? I thought about putting a Magnetic pickup on there and just going full bore. The problem with the FC might be when you go to crazy volume levels. It's very feedback resistant, but if it's a piezo, it will feed back eventually. Hell, even a magnetic pickup will eventually.
 
#10
The clicky wire on the K&Ks are usually microphonic, which is a pain. You can partially secure it to the back of the fingerboard using painter's tape, but the section between the fingerboard and the jack will still be noisy. And then there's the preamp, which is garbage IMO and IME.

I dumped the Full Circle as soon as I took it out of the box and saw how thin and delicate the wire is.

The Rev Solo is a pretty good all-in-one pickup. It transmits enough highs so that the fingerboard clicks can be heard (maybe not prominently enough for psychobilly...those guys are crazy). The only thing I didn't like about it was that it was shy on the low end, even with help from a preamp.
 
#12
I thought I would follow up with what I've settled on for now.

I did get a new Sam Shen SB88, and I like it so much, I'm shocked.

I put an Underwood on it and added a Fonocraft Clicky fingerboard pickup. I'm running those into an LR Baggs Mixpro.

For amps/effects, first I tried just my Acoustic Image. Worked okay, but not enough umpff for me and by itself, it couldn't keep up with the drummer. Next, I went straight into my Bassman 135 (with Mesa 4x10) from the Mixpro. Low end was great - nice and punchy. No high end and no click.

Two nights ago, I used my AI with my Mesa Walkabout 1x12 as an extension cabinet. I'm running from Mixpro into a Maxon Compressor and into the AI. I'm very, very happy. This rig gets enough sound right into my ear that I can hear, and since the Walkabout and AI handle treble very well, I'm getting plenty of click but not sacrificing low end.

It's a weird rig, I guess, but it's working for me. Thanks for all the advice guys!
 
#13
Oh, I forgot to list the string choice. I ended up with TI Superflexible Solos on the A,D, and G strings and a TI Spirocore Weich on the E. The SF E was just too flabby. I find this setup very easy to slap and I'm still retaining a lot of fundamental note definition. Going well so far...
 

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