Double Bass My Live Rig for 2021…

[neddyrow]

I play mostly in an old tyme fiddle band but we have originals and even get a little spacey. So after years of talkbass, I’ve come to this as my best set up so far.
I play an Upton Standard with a Bassmax pick up. This is my rig:
Acoustic Image Ten2 Head
MAS 28
Sarno Black Box
Broughton Messenger V2
Digitech Bass Wah
Boss Tuner - non pedal version

 

[bherman]

Nice setup - really curious about how you use the Wah pedal. I play URB in a NewGrass string band with a modest pedalboard - tuner, Q Strip preamp, chorus pedal(for the occasional spacey jam) and a compressor. I tried an octave pedal but it really didnt pair well with urb - what kind of sounds do you get from the wah pedal?

 

[neddyrow]

I get like an envelope filter sound if I really tap lightly on the strings further up the fingerboard. I get an octave synth sound on open strings. I’ve tried many pedals - Aguilar, Mxr envelope filter, C4 and Boss synths, josh wah… you name it. I don’t think the perfect pedal for DB exists… yet

 

[16fuss]

Looks super fine!!

 

[Jeff Kissell]

Curious why the Broughton and the Acoustic Image? Are you using the AI EQ?

 

[neddyrow]

I definitely don’t need both. I like just using the black box into the AI for most shows.

The Broughton helps push the pedal and if I use the second channel for something else, fiddle mic in channel 2 in this pic, I can use the DI out from the messenger. Nice to have the options.

it was tough to dial everything in. I pretty much set the eq on the AI flat and used the Messenger for eq. The battle of the HPFs was most challenging but now it sounds great - in the amp and into FOH.

 

[kerrycares]

NAD GR Bass AT 800

 

[neddyrow]

I switched it up...again

I found a better effects pedal that has been very successful in live gigs and sold the messenger. I replaced it with my Orchid mute DI that I love the simplicity of. I'll posts pics later today.

 

[neddyrow]

Here’s the new setup…

I sold the messenger as it was too complicated and I wanted to simplify. I swapped out the synth pedal for the fwonk envelope filter pedal. It’s the only pedal that I can get to work with DB - and if you’ve read my other post, I’ve tried almost everything. The one really works and I highly recommend it if you are in a bluegrass/fiddle band that likes to “freak out the squares” as we say.

I still have an hpf and mute DI for when I go FOH or have to use a back line amp that is not as nice as my AI head.

overall, I am very happy with my tone and the utility of this board (which I built myself from 7-ply scraps from a cabinet build and quartersawn cherry leftover from a table I built).

Hopefully I have ended my GAS - famous last words. But I really can’t imagine anything better for my needs.