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Double Bass Perfect amp for ehrlund?

basdanne

basdanne

Nov 4, 2009
74
3
Oslo, Norway
#1
Hi all bassplaying friends!

Just got my ehrlund with the including preamp. I am really happy with both the customer support and the mic. It doesn´t sound good at all with my AI CODA series III. But with my ebs classic 450 head and a cab it sounds much better. Do You have any suggestions for a combo amp or a smaller head that could work well with the ehrlund?

Best regards/
Daniel
 
#2
I think there it depends a lot on the Ehrlund location and installation, but here's my experience with some combinations:
  • Tried first with Ehrlund pre-amp a Peavey Max 450, not too bad but a lot of feedback.
  • Then I tried it with a smaller Peavey Minx (110), it was worst.
  • Then I bought a Fishman Platinium pre and tried w/wo the Ehrlund pre just using the power amp of my Max 450. It was better but the tone/volume/feedback ratio was still an issue.
  • At last I bought a Headway EDB-1 and I use it through my power amp only (and a 410 cab). It works like a charm and I'm done searching! Awesome tone control and surgical feedback repression. I also blend it with a FC so I still use the Ehrlund pre before going in the EDB1 (which has a singled EQ for both signals). But then again, I can get a very bad sound if my Ehrlund is not placed at the optimal spot. Have you tried different spots when using your Coda?

I'm sure other guys here will come up with more DB friendly combo amps solutions, but since you already have two great amps, I just thought you might be interested in knowing the alternatives I found to buying a new amp.

Happy Testing! :)
 
#3
Thanks for Your reply! I have tried the ehrlund all over the instrument. And it sounds good in pa and in my ebs. I am thinking of buying a small head. Maybe aguilar tone hammer or markacoustic. Have You tried any of those? Interesting point You made about the headway. Maybe i should try one out.
 
#4
basdanne said:
Thanks for Your reply! I have tried the ehrlund all over the instrument. And it sounds good in pa and in my ebs. I am thinking of buying a small head. Maybe aguilar tone hammer or markacoustic. Have You tried any of those? Interesting point You made about the headway. Maybe i should try one out.
Click to expand...

Bass Dane,
I'm a little surprised that the AI Coda won't do it, but you have to trust you're ears. I have a Walter Woods MI-400-8, and it sounds exquisite with the Ehrlund Pickup and Pre Amp. I have two suggestions. I'd certainly consider the Aguilar Tone Hammer, but try it out first. You might be able to find a Walter Woods MI-100-8 used for a reasonable price, but frankly if the Tone Hammer works it's a newer amp with more power. The Tone Hammer probably cost less as well and you'll have a new amp with a warranty. Euphonic Audio also makes the Doubler, which I would imagine would work well. I don't know how hard they are to acquire in Norway. I noticed in your profile that you are a professional who doubles so it's advantage is that it has two independent channels.

Ric
 
#5
I found that the Ehrlund worked well through my Coda SIII when I was using the Ehrlund pre-amp. Not so much when I was going direct.

It worked much better through my EA rig either way, but in jus the right room, with just the right volume and the pre-amp no problems with the Coda.

(Actually, that's pretty true for the Coda in general)
 
#6
I am using an erhlund with the erhlund preamp and a tonehammer 500 and it works great! The punch and presence of this amp match up really well with the transparency of the erhlund. The variable midrange is the salvation of this rig as I was getting a little midrange honk that took me a while to dial out, still not there yet. To he fair, I have only had the tonehammer for a few days, and will have my first gig on the weekend. The guys in my jazz band loved it at our rehearsal though. A big improvement over the tc rh450 that I was using, as far as hearing the bass with better presence. I'll report back after the gig on Saturday.
 
#7
Hej Danne,

Ehrlund with original Preamp and Phil Jones Flightcase is my combination. The PJB amp is really neutral and fools you because it does not seem to be loud. For me, playing in my not quiet band, it was always loud enough, it always sounds top notch natural and is easy to adjust to room situations.

If you need more volume, try a Super Flightcase or their powered extension.

Best
Sidecar
 
#8
Thank You all for the replies! I have considered the EA amps. Unfortianally, it is not availlable in Sweden and Norway. I have seen a retailler here in Norway that sells phil jones flightcase. I saw on phils site that they allso make heads. Maybe that is the way to go. I really would like to try a tonehammer and a phil jones head.

Sidecar: Have You tried any of phil jones's heads?

Engedi: How was your gig with the tonehammer?

Best/
Daniel
 
#9
I always had this upper midrange bump with my Ehrlund through the AI Coda 2r. The 3 band EQ on this thing is a merely for small corrections to the room instead of a deep intervention into the sound. Therefore I was not able to get that bump down.
I might consider a preamp with a high input sensitivity and maybe a parametric EQ.
 
#10
MrSidecar said:
Hej Danne,

Ehrlund with original Preamp and Phil Jones Flightcase is my combination. The PJB amp is really neutral and fools you because it does not seem to be loud. For me, playing in my not quiet band, it was always loud enough, it always sounds top notch natural and is easy to adjust to room situations.

If you need more volume, try a Super Flightcase or their powered extension.

Best
Sidecar
Click to expand...

Sidecar,
Treyzer just couldn't get the Ehlund to work with his PJB Super Flight case. He wasn't able to get enough useable volume out of that system with his bass.

Ric
 
#11
Ric Vice said:
Sidecar,
Treyzer just couldn't get the Ehlund to work with his PJB Super Flight case. He wasn't able to get enough useable volume out of that system with his bass.

Ric
Click to expand...

Hey Rick,

weird indeed. First question coming to mind- with or without preamp? Makes a huge difference.

i heard others that said they had volume issues with the ehrlund that seemed to be pickup-immanent or go away when applying pressure- maybe i'm lucky. For me it works perfect, as in 100% happy.

Best
sidecar
 
#12
I just saw that pj has a poweramp to use with the bassbuddy. Interesting.. It is to bad that pj amps are really hard to require here. Ric: I checked out walter woods, but they dont sell them here in scandinavia. Do You have any experience with the tonehammer?
 
#13
@basdanne:
Since you live in scandinavia, have you thought of checking the CAD AUDIO DK DB510?
Link Removed
It is built in Denmark on Langeland. I will go there for holidays in autumn (but without my acoustic bass).
Would you like/be able to attend BASS2012 in Copenhagen in August? You might be able to check some amps out there.

I don't have an Ehrlund pickup, just some ideas that came to my mind.
 
#14
@ Doublemidi: Interesting amp You suggested. But I am pretty sure that I am looking for a head. I have a pretty tight schedule in august, but maybe I'll be able to go. But I really need my new amp long before that. What are the exact days?

Best/
Daniel
 
#15
MrSidecar said:
Hey Rick,

weird indeed. First question coming to mind- with or without preamp? Makes a huge difference.

i heard others that said they had volume issues with the ehrlund that seemed to be pickup-immanent or go away when applying pressure- maybe i'm lucky. For me it works perfect, as in 100% happy.

Best
sidecar
Click to expand...

Mr. Sidecar,
Treyser, had the pre amp and I believe he got a replacement for the pick up, but to no avail. He uses a Phil Jones Super Flightcase. I love the pickup and pre amp, but I have an entirely different amp and cabinet. The Walter Woods MI-400-8 is a 400 watt amp at 8 ohms with a class A pre amp and an class A/B analog power amp.

Ric
 
#18
basdanne said:
Hi again!

Sidecar: What do You think about the Phil Jones Bassbuddy with the new power amp B-200?

http://www.philjonespuresound.com/products/?id=137

Enough power?

Anyone tried aguilar heads or mark acoustic?
Click to expand...

Bass Danne,

There are some posts about the Phil Jones Superflight Case from Treyser, that indicate the Ehrlund EAP and the Superflight Case just wasn't a good match. He couldn't get enough useable volume with that combination. So, you would really have to demo and gig with that combination to make sure it works.

I believe that the Mark Acoustic head and combo has been discontinued, at least thats what's indicated on the Markbass website. Perhaps that's an error, I don't know. I'd definitely try out the Euphonic Audio Doubler, as it seems that would be a great match. As to the Tonehammer, I know there are several TB Double Bassists that like that little amp for DB, but I'm not aware that any of them have an Ehrlund pickup.

The gain structure on the Ehrlund is more like a microphone, so it doesn't hurt to have some additional headroom, because it's volume seems to come up more gradually than the Full Circle or Realist. There isn't that initial kick, that comes from a Piezo IME.
 
#19
Thank You Ric!
You are right about the Ehrlund. I really feel that I should have some additional headroom. I have been searching for the EA doubler. But they are really hard to find here.
Mark Acoustic is gone. Maybe it wasn't their thing to make amps for acoustic instruments. But, on the other hand, I haven´t tried any of their amps with db.

Best/
Daniel
 
#20
basdanne said:
Thank You Ric!
You are right about the Ehrlund. I really feel that I should have some additional headroom. I have been searching for the EA doubler. But they are really hard to find here.
Mark Acoustic is gone. Maybe it wasn't their thing to make amps for acoustic instruments. But, on the other hand, I haven´t tried any of their amps with db.

Best/
Daniel
Click to expand...

Daniel,
Even though I live in the country of origin for the Doubler, no one carries them in St. Louis either. If I ever decided to get one, I'd have to take the 6 hour drive to Cincinnati, Ohio just to demo it. Even in the U.S. the major vendors for Euphonic Audio are internet suppliers. St. Louis is a black hole when it comes to Euphonic Audio, Markbass, Aguillar, even Ampeg PF 350's and 500 are scarce at Guitar Center. Acoustic Image has a few stores here


Ric
 

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