Double Bass What's it worth?

[foose4string]

I am the fiddle player of our quartet. Over the past 15 years so I have been lugging around my Trace Elliot Acoustic TA100 Concert amp to gigs. However, the older I get, the less gear I feel like hauling. Lately, I have been keen on running direct through my Baggs DI. Much easier setup running direct, but in the last few years I have entertained the thought of using a smaller, lightweight combo amp to get my backline going again with minimal effort.

My bass player recently switched his gear. He was previously using an AI Contra Series III and switched to a GB Streamliner and an EA 210. I went with him to Bob G's shop to pick out the rig(for some reason he values my opinion). It was then that the idea of buying his AI combo occurred to me. I have heard of other electric fiddle/violin players using them so I asked if he be willing to sell his. He is. I used it for rehearsal this weekend and was very impressed. I'm not sure if the Contra is the ideal AI combo for violin but it certainly impressed me enough to seriously consider buying it. Is it primarily a bass amp? Just curious, it doesn't really sway my opinion of the amp one way or the other.

Neither one of us has really come up with a concrete price for the thing. I obviously want to get a good deal on the amp....being well used and all(but still in very good condition), be he seems very willing to give me a good price. Any ideas on what this amp is worth?

 

[Ric Vice]

I am the fiddle player of our quartet. Over the past 15 years so I have been lugging around my Trace Elliot Acoustic TA100 Concert amp to gigs. However, the older I get, the less gear I feel like hauling. Lately, I have been keen on running direct through my Baggs DI. Much easier setup running direct, but in the last few years I have entertained the thought of using a smaller, lightweight combo amp to get my backline going again with minimal effort.

I had a little experience using a Trace Elliot TAB 100, as I special ordered one, and found that it had problems with low end distortion and returned it. I think Acoustic Image amps are "light years" ahead of the old Trace Acoustics.

My bass player recently switched his gear. He was previously using an AI Contra Series III and switched to a GB Streamliner and an EA 210. I went with him to Bob G's shop to pick out the rig(for some reason he values my opinion). It was then that the idea of buying his AI combo occurred to me.

All in all, not a bad idea, but Acoustic Image does build the Chorus amplifier that has digital effects, and a different voicing for guitar, violin etc.

I have heard of other electric fiddle/violin players using them so I asked if he be willing to sell his. He is. I used it for rehearsal this weekend and was very impressed. I'm not sure if the Contra is the ideal AI combo for violin but it certainly impressed me enough to seriously consider buying it. Is it primarily a bass amp? Just curious, it doesn't really sway my opinion of the amp one way or the other.

Yes, in a word it is designed specifically for bass, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be perfectly fine for fiddle. It's just missing all the bells and whistles, you might fine useful on violin.

Neither one of us has really come up with a concrete price for the thing. I obviously want to get a good deal on the amp....being well used and all(but still in very good condition), be he seems very willing to give me a good price. Any ideas on what this amp is worth?

The Series III Contra's had the advantage of having a Neodymium driver that's a little lighter weight than the newer series 4 units. Acoustic Image had to re configure it's amps because of the skyrocketing price of rare earths in the past year.

Ric

 

[foose4string]

I had a little experience using a Trace Elliot TAB 100, as I special ordered one, and found that it had problems with low end distortion and returned it. I think Acoustic Image amps are "light years" ahead of the old Trace Acoustics.

I don't know if I'd say the AI "light years" ahead. For my purposes the Trace served me well. Perhaps a different story for a bass player. I haven't come across too many acoustic amps I've liked better than my Trace, but the AI sure is compelling due to the smaller size and weight. The sound of the Contra may very well be better to my ears(still haven't gigged with it)....but I don't know about light years thing. It's a different sound for sure.

All in all, not a bad idea, but Acoustic Image does build the Chorus amplifier that has digital effects, and a different voicing for guitar, violin etc.

The Contra has an effects loop and I mostly use a multi pedal for effects. On board effects aren't a huge priority for me. It was nice having them on the Trace when I didn't feel like running pedals, but I don't think there will be too many occasions where I'll miss it. I've gotten used to hooking up the multi unit through the loop on the Baggs DI anyway.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

For my purposes the Trace served me well. Perhaps a different story for a bass player.

I've done a lot of touring in the UK, and TE amps were provided for backline there 90% of the time. I have to say they were some of the worst sounding amps I've ever used.