Double Bass The importance of a good amp for EUB

[dar512]

I play an Eminence upright. I recently purchased an EA Micro 300 and a wizzy m-line. I had previously been using a fairly cheap Behringer head and a hand-me-down PA cab.

The tone on the new setup is so much cleaner and more natural that I initially felt like I was playing naked. My sound was exposed. While it initially made me nervous, it has turned out to really help with my playing - because now I can hear what I'm playing much better.

Playing bass is a hobby for me rather than a vocation. So I was concerned about spending that kind of money on an amp & cab. But the improvement in sound has been so beneficial both in practice and in performance, that I'm feeling pretty good about it now.

 

[jgbass]

I have a wizzy speaker and a GK MB-150 head. I also head the GK MB-150 combo amp. Big + difference in quality with the wizzy speaker.

I think there are many things that affect the quality of sound of the EUB (in my case, the Palatino) besides the actual EUB. Besides a good little rig, I would include quality strings, any upgrades (I am thinking of a new custom non-adjustable bridge for my Palatino), and, really, top of the list -- good left and right hand upright technique.

 

[SAlcott]

I've had my Merchant Vertical Bass for 15+ years, and it has always sounded OK. I recently put a Full Circle pickup on it, and through my GK MB150, it's better than OK. However, with the WZ 110 and AI Clarus SLR, it made the leap from OK to great.

 

[dar512]

Yeah, that's the thing. EUBs are totally dependent on amplification for their sound.

 

[abaguer]

I play my eminence throug an AI focus 2 and whatever cab there is and the thing sounds really good. It can hold its own agaisnt two guitarists with their twins turned up, although it always sounds better low.

 

[damonsmith]

I noticed a huge difference for my Ergo when I got my GK 200mb fixed. I think the double bass specific amps handle piezos better.

 

[Lurium]

Does anyone know how an EBX Allegro would sound through an ampeg tube head (svt3 pro) and ampeg speaker (sv-15e)? How much of the "upright bass-sound" would be left (with enough tweaking), or will it all just be a growling rock-sound (which the ampeg is designed for)?

 

[hensonbass]

I played a blues festival with my Azola EUB and ran it through the backline house amp which was a SVT classic & 8x10.

Compared to my Acoustic Image amp w/ Phil Jones 8B cab the SVT was a much more blurry and clanky sound. I think the SVT3 will give you a similar result - just not as loud

I find the more transparent and clean the amp is the more upright tone you will maintain.

 

[etoncrow]

I was playing through a SWR Working-Pro 400 w/the Goliath Jr (2-12) and Son of Bertha (1-15) when I purchased an Azola Bug Bass II. The sound was muddy and "tainted". I could not get the combination to sound "right". After some research I purchased a Euphonic-Audio iAMP 500, the EA NL-210 and the EA CXL-112L. It sounded so good that after I sold the SWR rig I bought the Euphonic-Audio iAMP Micro 300 with the Wizzy 10. The difference in the EA vs. the SWR is amazing; and not just with the Azola EUB but with every bass I own. It just took the Azola to lead me there.

As Henson said, "...the more transparent and clean the amp is the more upright tone you will maintain". So many bass amps have a particular tone; thus the modelling pedal market (Sansamp, Zoom B2 and Bass Pod). Other bass amps strive to project just the sound of the instrument: like Euphonic-Audio, Acoustic Image, Phil Jones. Which is why these amps are used so much by the DB crowd. I figure if I pay over two grand for an instrument is it the instrument I want to hear or the amp. Of course it is both but which should have priority over the other?

 

[hensonbass]

I used the same speaker set up as you (EA 210 & 112) before I got my Phil Jones. The EA stuff is great too.

If anyone want a pair check the classifieds.

 

[swagar]

Does anyone know how an EBX Allegro would sound through an ampeg tube head (svt3 pro) and ampeg speaker (sv-15e)? How much of the "upright bass-sound" would be left (with enough tweaking), or will it all just be a growling rock-sound (which the ampeg is designed for)?

I believe that's exactly what Claypool does with an NS Design. Sounds amazing to me.

 

[matthewbrown]

Yeah, that's the thing. EUBs are totally dependent on amplification for their sound.

The best an EUB can sound is like a very well-amplified acoustic upright bass, right? So the space you save on instrument will have to be taken up by a decent rig. I can play my baby bass through a portabass 12" in a small room, but it won't cut it in a bigger one. It's about moving air as much as tone, because you can't get the tone without moving the air!