Double Bass Need more volume on stage

[longfinger]

Is your bass amp pointed to your ankles and knees? Could you raise it off the floor and closer to your head by putting it up on a bar stool?

 

[Givati]

Is your bass amp pointed to your ankles and knees? Could you raise it off the floor and closer to your head by putting it up on a bar stool?

Totally! Haha.
I spent a few months woodsheding in order to take the DB out for a test spin. Epic fail! Everything I could have done wrong I did. Amp literally less than a foot behind me pointing at me knees, realist pickup, distance to other band members was practically 0, no FOH feed at all, and I’m sure more. Super discouraging! So much so I brought the bass back (rental) after reading the “feedback” thread. Seemed to me to be a ton of variables and “fixes” I hadn’t ever realized. Looked to be a nightmare. To bad to seeing the genre of music we play.

 

[lurk]

Magnetic pick up. At high volume it sounds like an upright and since it's a simpler sound will cut through more. A preamp with a phase shift as well as a hpf will help a lot. Don't be afraid to sound a little ugly.

 

[Ric Vice]

Magnetic pick up. At high volume it sounds like an upright and since it's a simpler sound will cut through more. A preamp with a phase shift as well as a hpf will help a lot. Don't be afraid to sound a little ugly.

I've certianly done that, I had a Paul Tonnenges 4 Element Magnetic. My Clevenger EUB has a custom Bartolini, but frankly I'd rather use my Lakland Skyline Fretless, I'll be darned if I can tell the difference, except for the way the Lakland responds under my fingers. If there

isn't any sound from the body of the instrument, they sound pretty much the same. When you loose the sound chamber on a Double Bass, you've lost the true sound, comming of the instrument. Just my take however.

 

[Givati]

I've certianly done that, I had a Paul Tonnenges 4 Element Magnetic. My Clevenger EUB has a custom Bartolini, but frankly I'd rather use my Lakland Skyline Fretless, I'll be darned if I can tell the difference, except for the way the Lakland responds under my fingers. If there

isn't any sound from the body of the instrument, they sound pretty much the same. When you loose the sound chamber on a Double Bass, you've lost the true sound, comming of the instrument. Just my take however.

If I ever give it another go, which is highly likely, I’m going to look into magnetic pu. And many of the suggestions on this thread. I realize I whimpped out with the DB.

I made my fretless. Pulled the frets off a late 80’s Squire which I had put active EMG’s in. I use halfwound strings and get a wonderful tone. Really hard to beat! But still not as good as decent acoustic DB tone. Thus the discussion.
I play a skyline fretted bass too. I love it!

 

[Sam Reese]

First, every venue is different and I'm sure what I'm doing is different than the next person. That being said, I like loud with my upright. One way I get more loud (when I'm using my EA Doubler rig) is to turn the speaker cabinet backwards at an angle and ricochet off the back wall, or into a corner. It keeps the direct sound from resonating the bass body and thus causing feedback. You might be surprised how clear the sound actually is employing this little trick.