Double Bass Help!

[james.riotto@gm]

I gig on both upright and electric (rock, jazz, indie rock, hip-hop, folk) at a very wide range of venues (huge outdoor rock festivals, theaters, concert halls, jazz clubs, rock venues large and small, dive bars, etc.).

I would like to have a rig that allows me to get a nice fat rock and roll electric sound from my Rickenbacker 4001 in the same gig that I get a warm round upright tone that is loud without feeding back. I want minimal adjustments with eq, preamps, plugging in and out.

Currently, I use my AI contra and an Avatar 210 for both upright and electric. I like it for quieter jazz settings, but I'm playing more and more in big venues where I need to pump a lot of sound.

As far as pick ups go, I have used a Fishman BP100, Full Circle, Magnetic, and currently use the Realist, though it crapped out on me yesterday and now my low end sounds all farty. In short, I've never really found something that works for me, though the Full Circle was the closest I've come.

I'm open to suggestions of any kind (amps, cabs, preamps, effects, compressors, pickups) and in any combination. I've done a lot of research and had a hard time coming up with something that would work for me.

I will say that I've heard some great tones from the Eden WT800C. Any idea how this sounds with an upright?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[David Santos]

I would say that it depends a lot on how much you're willing to spend and carrying to the gigs. There are tons of options.

David Santos

 

[anonymous02282011]

Hey Jamie! remember me! hahahaha.

nice to "see" you.

Personally, I'd run a full circle on the upright through an acoustic image amp, and run an electric though your favorite preamp into the effects return.

2 basses, 2 boxes, one or two speaker cabs should do (get another avatar 210 if you like the one you got and stack em vertically), and there are enough filter options on the acoustic image to allow you to get fairly loud without feeding back, as well as a nice DI to send to the house.

ps -- ricks tooth is holding up nicely

peace

 

[hensonbass]

The GenzBenz 6.0 or 12.0 Shuttle amp heads would probably work well for both: separate channel eq's and tons of tone options from clean to dirty.

For cabs I use Phil Jones bass cabs, but there are many others out there that will work. I would see how the new GenzBenz cabs sound.

I'm in the same boat and I think I this will be my next amp purchase. I've used an Acoustic Image Focus amp for 5 years now and while great for upright it kind of lacked balls for the slab.

 

[anonymous02282011]

The GenzBenz 6.0 or 12.0 Shuttle amp heads would probably work well for both: separate channel eq's and tons of tone options from clean to dirty.

For cabs I use Phil Jones bass cabs, but there are many others out there that will work. I would see how the new GenzBenz cabs sound.

I'm in the same boat and I think I this will be my next amp purchase. I've used an Acoustic Image Focus amp for 5 years now and while great for upright it kind of lacked balls for the slab.

Right, the AI is a bit castrated with bass guitar, but run that bass guitar through a nice tube preamp in to the effects return (no 2nd channel needed!) and suddenly you've got elephantitis.

I did try the GenzBenz stuff on upright once and my initial inclination was that it was guitar oriented. This is why I'm pushing the AI; it's designed with acoustic instruments in mind, and while some find the preamp lackluster, it does have a nice frequency filter that allows you to get stupid loud.

I felt the same way about Eden that I did about Genz Benz, but to each his own. It would be worth an audition.

 

[Rvl]

Try out Euphonics Audio Iamp series
I have a Wizzy Iamp combo

I really like the fat bottom of my old GK 400RB or GK200mb with the Contour switch engaged
The EA has a similar EQ switch Countour x 2 and a Deep switch
Very well designed
In my opinion EA studied the best amps on the market and then made theirs better and succeeded

In my storage room , I have a whole stack of different heads and cabs. Every once in a while I pull them out and audition them
Still like the EA sound and versatility
Now if they could lose another 15lbs they would be closer to MY perfection
I havent tried out the Wizzy 10/Micro or Doubler combination yet
As soon as I see one I am going to give it a go

Thanks

Robert

 

[james.riotto@gm]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm gonna do some research on this stuff. It's funny, not being much of a gear head, to look into all these options and find myself wanting more and more gear already!

Alec, it is nice to "see" you and I'm glad Rick is rocking it. Hope you're doing well and tell everyone hello for me!

 

[anonymous02282011]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm gonna do some research on this stuff. It's funny, not being much of a gear head, to look into all these options and find myself wanting more and more gear already!

Alec, it is nice to "see" you and I'm glad Rick is rocking it. Hope you're doing well and tell everyone hello for me!

Will do bro. Let me know if you ever come back to masshole country. I promise I'll keep my hamfists off your bridge.

Yea, the options for amplification are ridiculous.