ctcruiser, you asked about EQ settings on the Contra.
FWIW, heres what I recall.
Started off with all the EQ knobs flat (12:00). This was using a K&K Bass Master Pro, and later on a K&K Bass Max w/ Golden Trinity mic.
But sometimes, especially at higher volumes, the low notes would rumble out of control somewhat. So my next thing was cutting the bass knob back, anywhere from 11:00 to 9:00, depending on the venue, what instruments I was playing alongside, etc. In general, the louder the overall volume, the more bass I would cut.
Sometimes even this wasnt quite enough though, so I started boosting the Brite knob to 1:30 or 2:00 as well in some rooms. This especially helped the G string sing out a little more, and not sound quite so blurry.
I should also point out that (a) I had the K&K pickups running into the K&K stereo preamps that you can clip to your belt or your music stand, and (b) I plugged the output of this preamp into the bottom input jack on the Contra, and used the low impedance switch setting. To my ears, the high impedance switch setting had more gain, but it just made a more electric sound vs. acoustic.
Then, starting over a year or so ago, I switched pickups to the Revolution SOLO. With the Rev SOLO, my favorite EQ setting now is everything flat except for the the Mid control, which I boost to about 1:00 or 1:30. And I plug into the high impedance input now, since Im running a piezo pickup without a preamp.
Another way to tweak the sound is to change the relative settings of the Volume and Master Volume controls. For example, you might set one at 12:00 and the other at 3:00, and then try 3:00 and 12:00 instead. You may find that you can get the same overall volume, but the tone can change in a subtle or even dramatic way. I think youre basically varying how much of the work is being handled by the preamp versus the main power amp when you do this.
For example, with the Rev SOLO pickup, I did similar experiments, and to my ears, it sounds by far the best with the Volume cranked all the way up, and then I just use the Master Volume to control the overall output level.
All this being said, Im sure you know that any given type of pickup will sound different from one double bass to the next. And there are other important variables, like your technique, your ears, and what ideal sound you have in your head.
Ive seen a bass player who I really admire with really radical EQ settings on his Contra. And with his bass and his technique, he gets a nice sound, albeit somewhat more aggressive than what I lean toward.
Probably more than you wanted to know (sorry).
But I hope you have fun experimenting along these lines with your new rig!
