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Double Bass HELP !!!I'm Looking For My First Upright Amp

funkyfretless

funkyfretless

Jan 15, 2006
1,048
92
Atlanta, Ga
www.evanhodges.com
#1
hey,
im just starting out on upright. been playin around 3 months and i looooove it! my college is making me play it constantly in all my jazz classes, and big band and combo. anyway im a well respected electric player, but my upright chops are not the best as of yet.... :) damn simandel!! :) anway ive been using my electirc rig to get by, but its really heavy and i want to get a small amp to use for upright and electric when i dont wanna carry my big rig. im running through a db 750 now... :)
anyway ive got 2 gs112's to my disposal and a gs410. i ordered a hawkes hybrid upright with the soloist pu. anyway i wanna know your guys opinion on what head to get...keep in mind i dont want a combo(ive already got some 112's) and it needs to be a goood electric amp and not to sterrile. ive read some good reviews on mark bass little mark II, but is it good with upright?? thanks guys and feel free to post some other head options... ea, acoustic image....etc.

have a good and safe holiday season,

evan
 
#2
funkyfretless said:
hey,
im just starting out on upright. been playin around 3 months and i looooove it! my college is making me play it constantly in all my jazz classes, and big band and combo. anyway im a well respected electric player, but my upright chops are not the best as of yet.... :) damn simandel!! :) anway ive been using my electirc rig to get by, but its really heavy and i want to get a small amp to use for upright and electric when i dont wanna carry my big rig. im running through a db 750 now... :)
anyway ive got 2 gs112's to my disposal and a gs410. i ordered a hawkes hybrid upright with the soloist pu. anyway i wanna know your guys opinion on what head to get...keep in mind i dont want a combo(ive already got some 112's) and it needs to be a goood electric amp and not to sterrile. ive read some good reviews on mark bass little mark II, but is it good with upright?? thanks guys and feel free to post some other head options... ea, acoustic image....etc.

have a good and safe holiday season,

evan
Click to expand...

The AI Focus series III are great w/ the Ag GS112 for upright and BG. Hi power, really versatile & light weight. Euphonic Audio is unvailing their micro head w/ 300 watts. I'm sure that will be great.

BG
 
#3
funkyfretless said:
hey,
im just starting out on upright. been playin around 3 months and i looooove it! my college is making me play it constantly in all my jazz classes, and big band and combo. anyway im a well respected electric player, but my upright chops are not the best as of yet.... :) damn simandel!! :) anway ive been using my electirc rig to get by, but its really heavy and i want to get a small amp to use for upright and electric when i dont wanna carry my big rig. im running through a db 750 now... :)
anyway ive got 2 gs112's to my disposal and a gs410. i ordered a hawkes hybrid upright with the soloist pu. anyway i wanna know your guys opinion on what head to get...keep in mind i dont want a combo(ive already got some 112's) and it needs to be a goood electric amp and not to sterrile. ive read some good reviews on mark bass little mark II, but is it good with upright?? thanks guys and feel free to post some other head options... ea, acoustic image....etc.

have a good and safe holiday season,

evan
Click to expand...

Perhaps spend some quality time reading the multiple amp discussions that have preceded your epiphany.
 
#4
funkyfretless said:
hey,
im just starting out on upright. been playin around 3 months and i looooove it! my college is making me play it constantly in all my jazz classes, and big band and combo. anyway im a well respected electric player, but my upright chops are not the best as of yet.... :) damn simandel!! :) anway ive been using my electirc rig to get by, but its really heavy and i want to get a small amp to use for upright and electric when i dont wanna carry my big rig. im running through a db 750 now... :)
anyway ive got 2 gs112's to my disposal and a gs410. i ordered a hawkes hybrid upright with the soloist pu. anyway i wanna know your guys opinion on what head to get...keep in mind i dont want a combo(ive already got some 112's) and it needs to be a goood electric amp and not to sterrile. ive read some good reviews on mark bass little mark II, but is it good with upright?? thanks guys and feel free to post some other head options... ea, acoustic image....etc.

have a good and safe holiday season,

evan
Click to expand...

Evan,
Understand that the more time you invest in playing you're new Hawkes Hybrid the better you will sound through any amp. Amps vary a lot in price so from lowest to highest it goes like this. GK MBS or MBE are the best value for the money, then comes the Acoustic Image Clarus, or the Euphonic Audio iAMP 200. Since Markbass amplifiers are not readily available in St. Louis I can't really comment, but there are others on Talkbass who love them. We are all waiting to see the new EA micro amplifier because on paper it looks very nice for the price and has great features for upright. Personally, I'd wait until after they are released in January before I bought anything. IMHO

Ric
 
#6
For lots of info on the Markbass gear, you might could check this thread out if you haven't seen it yet.

Also this.

I own an AI Series I head and an EA iAMP 200 head, although both are built in to their respective combo amps. Both heads work great for DB IMO. And I like the iAMP w/ my Lakland Bob Glaub and my fretless PRS too, although I like it even better for the slabs w/ a SansAmp BDDI in front of it.

However, when you say "not too sterile," maybe you could clarify please. The AI and EA gear are IMO fairly uncolored and accurate. Some people perceive that as a sterile tone, but I prefer descriptors like "accurate" or "precise."

That may be why with my EBs I prefer the "color" and thickness I can add with the SansAmp.
 
#7
you said that you don´t want to carry too much of an amp aroung for your double bass. but why don´t you want a combo? I am using a head and cabs that I recently purchased, but every time I go to a gig I wonder why I didn´t get a combo (I live on the 3rd floor without an elevator).
If it´s because you already have the cabs (if I understand right) you could still sell them......

That said, I chose the head and cabs I have because of the great sound :)
 
#8
It's tough to beat an Acoustic Image for features and power/pound. Something that hasn't been mentioned is the Ampeg Portabass 800. I bought that head thinking bass guitar but it is working out great for double bass as well. One big advantage to the AI is the sweepable notch filter. It is the survival tool for minimizing feedback;- the bane of amplified double basses.
 
#9
funkyfretless said:
hey,
im just starting out on upright. been playin around 3 months and i looooove it! my college is making me play it constantly in all my jazz classes, and big band and combo. anyway im a well respected electric player, but my upright chops are not the best as of yet.... :) damn simandel!! :)
Click to expand...

Okay, it's off topic but I hope you have a good teacher for DB. As you've no doubt discovered, the DB is not a fretless BG turned 90 degrees. Many of us who have been playing DB for decades can easily spot (and hear) a "converted" BG player on upright. A good teacher will prevent the formation of bad habits, help you prevent injury, and, most importantly, show you the unique aspects of playing what is a unique instrument. Just my $0.02.
 
#11
Steve Carr said:
I have been playing thru a ContraBass AI and it's just not enough. I own an Ampeg Portabass 800 (used with EB) and I am considering the purchace of a Bergantino EX112 for upright. Thanks for the input on that.
Steve
Click to expand...
Steve,

If you just want information about the Portabass head and Bergie cab combination for upright, you might want to start a separate thread.

I think some people judge whether or not to view threads based just on the titles. So there may be a lot of people out there who use that gear but they just haven't looked at this particular thread.

From my end, I have seen lots of posts on the DB forum for the Berg cab, some very favorable, some just a little less so. People seem to love it for EB, no question. I think too (like so much for DB) a lot depends on your bass, your gigging needs and your tastes.

From what I have read, there is less info available on TB re: using the Portbass head with upright. But I betcha it's out there. You just might have to use the search engine a bit, and perhaps start a new thread in this forum with "Portabass" in the title too if you like.
 

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