Double Bass PJB DOUBLE FOUR vs Sextet. David and Goliath

[rickwolff]

I played a gig with a fabulous sextet last night. Piano, Bass, Drums, Tenor (and flute), Trumpet (and Fluegel), and Vocalist. WOW. What a great band.

DOUBLE FOUR (BG-75)
Professional Miniature ?? Practice ?? Bass Amp (I added the question marks)

The 'Gear Junkie' needed a new toy to play with so I broke down and bought a double 4.

I might not have brought it to the gig last night if I had remembered it was going to be a sextet (WITH DRUMS). But I did bring it (with my Fdeck tucked into the handle.

I was probably playing it at 90% capacity but it was clear and clean. On the second set I turned up the HPF from 35hz to maybe 90-100hz and it made things cut through a bit more.

It wasn't a 'Bass Forward' sound that you might have with a larger rig. Actually, it sounded more 'Old School' like when bassists played without amplifiers (but I could still be heard). It sounded very natural and organic (MBOL, anyone??)

I set the amp up on the drummer's bass drum case right behind me (the drummer angled it slightly toward himself). I was using my KNA DB-1 pickup and it really did have a great tone.

My only problem now is whether to carry a 10-pound shoulder bag with the Double Four or a 20-pound Shoulder bag with the MAS 16 and BAM 200. Either way, it's a one-trip load-in and load-out even with my folding Ikea bass stool. (And, if it's more than a short walk I put the end-pin wheel on the bass.

Ooops. That's not the Double Four - it's my four-slice toaster. But it's about the same size and weight.

 

[BobKay]

I used mine last night as a stage monitor with a line to the board. Just a really versatile little combo. I too have bigger amps available - Acoustic Image Coda with the Clarus Series 4, and a Ten2 extension speaker. Not used much any more.

 

[rickwolff]

I'm going to bring both the Double Four and the MAS 16+BAM200 to a duo gig along with an A/B pedal and have a shootout. I don't expect I'll keep both.

 

[Earl]

I like the Double Four and use it a lot, but I like the tone a bit better on the Traynor SB106 which is only a few pounds more and fits in the Upshot backpack. The bass radiator on the back of the 4 can be a little to much in certain rooms for me. The Traynor is clearer/cleaner with my bass.

 

[rickwolff]

I like the Double Four and use it a lot, but I like the tone a bit better on the Traynor SB106 which is only a few pounds more and fits in the Upshot backpack. The bass radiator on the back of the 4 can be a little to much in certain rooms for me. The Traynor is clearer/cleaner with my bass.

I know Ric Vice really likes his Traynor SB106. It would be interesting to add that to the shootout but I'm thinking I already have too many small amps. (I also have an AI extension speaker that I can drive with the BAM200.

I'll be really interested to see how the D4 and 61 compare tonight.

 

[rickwolff]

Oops, not '61' but '16'.

Got me thinking about an amp with 6 1" speakers, though. LOL

 

[rickwolff]

Well, it turned out not to be much of a 'shoot-out'. I only played through the 16 for a couple minutes and spent the rest of the night playing through the D4. The room was about 50 x 60 feet and ALL hard surfaces. We were right up against a wall which made a perfect reflector, and if it hadn't been for the 50 or 60 people talking loudly I could have played sans-amp. As it was we could hardly hear ourselves but had a good time anyway and, though we were essentially wallpaper, the client and guests expressed their appreciation for our music.

I had the D4 on the floor and up against the wall. As I noticed and commented on earlier, I get a real 'old-school' vibe when using the D4. I think that may have something to do with the passive radiator in the D4. The pianist last night said he could feel the bass in the floor!! (From 2 4" speakers??? - Again, I think it may be some radiator magic). I turned the HPF higher and cut some bass and added mid and high to accommodate the room.

I think my tastes may be migrating to liking a slightly different sound - less bright and 'in your face' and a bit more subtle.

Here is a nice example of that 'more subtle' bass sound - and some Very Fine playing. Are these all guts, perhaps?

 

[bassically_eli]

I only played through the 16 for a couple minutes and spent the rest of the night playing through the D4.

What didn't you like about the 16? I have no experience with the D4, but that sounds like a perfect situation for (a mic through) the 16 to me.

 

[John Chambliss]

He endorses Eudoxas

 

[rickwolff]

What didn't you like about the 16? I have no experience with the D4, but that sounds like a perfect situation for (a mic through) the 16 to me.

It's not that I 'dislike' anything about the 16 - it's a fabulous little speaker. It's just that I was trying to find out if and where the D4 would suffice. If the D4 will do what I need it will be rather pleasant just having 9 pounds in a shoulder bag.

 

[rickwolff]

He endorses Eudoxas

So for a mere $800, I can sound 'just like him'. Haha

Actually, I'm really quite happy with my current strings.

my apologies for sharing this again, but this is just the sound of my unamplified bass picked up by my Zoom recorder. (I did have an amp, but it was on the other side of me and I'm sure what you're hearing is at least 90% acoustic bass.

 

[Francois Blais]

Wonderful ballad and playing!

 

[conte2music]

Very nice, Rick! Lots to enjoy about that take...even the "mic drop" was tastefully timed : - )

 

[KohanMike]

Even though many people consider the PJD4 a practice amp, I use it with a battery and my bass ukes for all of our indoor gigs and rehearsals with from 12 to 40 ukulele players, the leader singing and playing with a Fishman amp. There are times when I'm asked to turn down my PJD4.

 

[rickwolff]

I was all set to sell the Double 4

at a gig yesterday I A/B'd the Double 4 and the 16. Yeah, not really a fair fight, is it?
The reason was, that playing through my KNA piezo the Double 4 couldn't match the PHAT low end of the 16. It hit the notes fine but just didn't have the same 'gravitas'.

Before I posted it I decided to try one more thing: I hooked up my Zoom A3 Preamp to give me phantom power and then ran my Xlson mic through the Pre to the Double 4.

Guess what? Totally natural sound all the way to the bottom of the range (and the Xlson captures the big low-end of my 7/8 beautifully). I cranked it up pretty loud but still only had the D4 volume at about 1 oA:clock - everything else pretty much dimed.

It seemed like I was getting about twice the volume out of the amp than I was from the bass. Not rock and roll material but probably more than sufficient for smaller acoustic gigs - AND with the pure tone of a microphone.

A nine-pound amp in a shoulder bag is probably the perfect gift to myself for my upcoming 72nd birthday.

 

[lurk]

Even though many people consider the PJD4 a practice amp, I use it with a battery and my bass ukes for all of our indoor gigs and rehearsals with from 12 to 40 ukulele players, the leader singing and playing with a Fishman amp. There are times when I'm asked to turn down my PJD4.

How do you run a Double 4 with a battery? Please answer as if you're talking to a total idiot! Thanks in advance.

 

[CryingBass]

I was all set to sell the Double 4

at a gig yesterday I A/B'd the Double 4 and the 16. Yeah, not really a fair fight, is it?
The reason was, that playing through my KNA piezo the Double 4 couldn't match the PHAT low end of the 16. It hit the notes fine but just didn't have the same 'gravitas'.

Before I posted it I decided to try one more thing: I hooked up my Zoom A3 Preamp to give me phantom power and then ran my Xlson mic through the Pre to the Double 4.

Guess what? Totally natural sound all the way to the bottom of the range (and the Xlson captures the big low-end of my 7/8 beautifully). I cranked it up pretty loud but still only had the D4 volume at about 1 oA:clock - everything else pretty much dimed.

It seemed like I was getting about twice the volume out of the amp than I was from the bass. Not rock and roll material but probably more than sufficient for smaller acoustic gigs - AND with the pure tone of a microphone.

A nine-pound amp in a shoulder bag is probably the perfect gift to myself for my upcoming 72nd birthday.

I have good advice and no solution: Stop getting older!

 

[John Chambliss]

Battery info around 6:30

 

[KohanMike]

How do you run a Double 4 with a battery? Please answer as if you're talking to a total idiot! Thanks in advance.

The Double Four brick/ac adapter uses the same plug that's used with a laptop battery. The laptop battery needs to go up to 19-20v. I bought the Lenmar battery in 2014 that Phil Jones recommended, but it went away a few years ago. I tried one that had a built in protection circuit that would shut down the battery when I would play a loud bass note. Recently I saw people are using the POWERADD Pilot Pro2 23000mAh Power Bank.

 

[Adam Booker]

Yep! Been using one for years now. It’s even better if you goose the gain structure with a preamp.