Double Bass need help with bad sound

[swamprocker]

I can NOT for the life of me, get a good low end sound out of my amp.

I use an Ampeg SVT-350 head with an SVT 8x10 cab. I can not get a good low sound. it always sounds WAY too tinny.

not sure if it's my junk underwood pick up ( planning to upgrade it as soon as i get some extra $$$) or if i'm not getting the EQ settings down.

any advise?

 

[skychief]

lotsa missing data, but my guess is the pup. i dumped my underwood years ago due to the thin, lackluster tone from the thing. Got a Polytone hybrid (piezo/mic) pup. Thick 'n saucy bottom.

 

[Dave Irwin]

I never had luck with the Underwood either but it use to be THE pickup to have. Try to get a hold of a pre-amp and adding that to your setup. A lot of times, a pre-amp is needed between a piezio pickup and an amplifier. If the pre-amp doesn't help, I'd try a K&K Bassmax pickup. Good price, and I'd say they compliment most basses.

Good Luck,
Dave

 

[TimmyP]

You need a buffer or preamp with a high input impedance (1M at least, 10M might be better?)

While the SVT cabinet is a classic for electric bass, it's not even close to being a natural sounding cabinet (like 99% of bass cabinets) - especially below 200Hz - several peaks, and drops like a rock below about 65Hz.

 

[Roger Davis]

Don't rubbish the Underwood; I get lots of bottom on my four, yes four, Underwood-equipped basses. As your posters suggest, try a preamp to buffer the impedance. Most of my problem is to get the bottom off.

 

[Marty Forrer]

Your Ampeg has an input impedance of around 1k ohm. The Underwood (nothing wrong with an Underwood) has an output of around 1meg ohm. This mismatch causes the tinny sound. A buffer preamp with an output impedance of 1 to 10meg ohms will solve your problem. There are many there.... Fishman, Sadowsky, Fdeck, K&K, LRBaggs, bucket loads of them. You'll get one from Gollihur Music, or Upton Bass, or Lemur Music or in the case of the Fdeck, right here on TB.

 

[swamprocker]

thanks for all the feedback. never thought about input impedance with the pickup output.
I will definitely give a pre-amp a try. def. less expensive than chucking the underwood for a whole new pickup.

thanks all.

 

[TimmyP]

Well, according to the schematic, the amp is 1Meg, so I don't know if the problem is your amp not matching the schematic, the length of cable between the pickup and amp messing up the load impedance that the pickup sees, the pickup being poorly installed, or the bass and pickup not being a good match.