bassace

[quote name='bassadder' timestamp='1334000637' post='1609507'] Very interesting Roger the bass player with Tord Gustavsen band uses an Underwood and sounds incredible probably because he is incredible as is Dave Holland I think I'm going to go down that root for now. I just need something that works and doesn't distract from just playing which is the most important thing for me. I read that the Fishman Dual Parametric DI is the best product Fishman ever made and now discontinued is a fantastic pre-amp you can get them second. [/quote] You probably don't need something too fancy. Priority is to buffer the very high impedance of the piezo to match the spec of the amp, which the outboards do.

[quote name='spencer.b' timestamp='1333907159' post='1608080'] I know what you mean about the headway and realist together, I tend to put mine thru a sansamp into the other channel of the QSC what else have you tried with the DPA for the phantom and eq [/quote] A DPA will go straight into a Clarus and a two channel model will let you put in a pickup as well. Although each channel has phantom power and a notch filter I found that I can use higher volumes with a Headway.

[quote name='spencer.b' timestamp='1333986597' post='1609212'] I didn't actually try a K10 before I bought but I did try it thru a big QSC FOH cab and various mackie and jbl powewered speakers and it did seem like you got what you paid for to some extent I bought mine from digital village and got the bloke to blast solo DB from my ipod thru various cabs , not a great test I know and I think I should of got a K12 but it's a bit of a compromise with weight isn't it. I just sold my beloved ampeg for a genz benz bergantino set up for that reason and that sounds pretty awful with the realist as you'd expect has anone tried an underwood/realist blend? do acoustic image amps sound good with a pick up without running into ext. pre? [/quote] Interesting that Thwaites have a 'house bass' for sale that is also hired by visiting jazzers. It has a Realist and Underwood fitted. Whether it is used as an either/or or blended I'm not sure. I had both initially on my Upton and whereas I favoured the Underwood I found myself in a small bar with a trio once and the Realist was the better of the two - but only that once. Never been a great fan. Re AI amp, it seems to prefer an outboard preamp with a piezo but you can get away without one - as most other amps.

[quote name='bassadder' timestamp='1333984589' post='1609172'] The K10's sounds to be a winner has anyone tried the K12. I did use a MarkBass 15 combo for a while but the amp is truly not suited to the double bass. Did you all try the K10 before you purchased it or did buy purely on reviews? My bass is harder to amplify using a mic than a 3/4 bass and the Realist works best on something 3/4 size bass IMHO. I did a CD recently with a fantastic ribbon mic great sound on it's own it would the perfect live sound but impossible to use in a modern jazz situation. Glad to hear you can get a decent sound with Underwood Roger it my not be ideal but at least it works not forgetting a certain Mr Holland is still using one, do you reckon a pre-amp is essential. [/quote] Laurence I reckon a preamp improves most piezos and IMO it does with an Underwood, although not essential. I use a Fishman Pro eq. Anything with a phase reverse is an added bonus not only for defeating feedback but somehow (not sure of the reason) in certain rooms a click can get you an improved bass sound. I didn't consider a K12 because of the weight problem but also I seem to be using 10" speakers a lot except in very loud situations when I add a 12" Wizzy. Some say the K8 is also very good but I was a bit nervous about getting one quite that small. Who knows, in time we may use 8" a lot more.

These recent posts re QSC have encouraged me to get mine out of the garage where it has been 'wintering'. I first rigged the DPA via a Headway and it sounded OK in my room at home. Reasonable volume level in a small room before any feedback. Then I connected to an Underwood via a Fishman Pro eq into the second channel of the speaker and that sounded very good too. There's no doubt that the K10 is a great bit of kit; even with just the Underwood it has a clarity in the middle and top where some decent bass amps could be a bit woolly. As we all know, taking stuff to a gig usually produces a different sound from the home experience so I'm taking the rig to Botany Bay Jazz Club, Enfield tomorrow (Tue) evening. Anyone care to come for a listen/chat? Admission is £9 and the audience is a bit, er, middle aged. But bar prices are OK. We have an interesting line-up - two saxes, rhythm guitar/voc, piano, bass.

[quote name='bassadder' timestamp='1333730755' post='1605866'] Hi Roger The BassBalseriet pickup is the one coupled with the adjusters which has warped by bridge legs twice I agree it sounds great mines the phantom powered one with the pre-amp in the XLR RRP £ 450.00 but it's the second time it's happened it less than a year. So it's going to be up for sale on here. I thought an Underwood would be a good stop gap I have an Avalon U5 which makes everything sound better which will help with sound. It's a pity I didn't have it when I had a full circle but having done a couple of albums with the full circle bonk I had to get rid of it. Any help would be great. Cheers Laurence [/quote] Laurence The BB I saw didn't go anywhere near the adjusters. Bit puzzled. R

Laurence, I've just done you a long post but it has scrambled, probably because I included a rude word. Anyway, in short, I never did like the FS for its sound, flimsiness and resistance to breakage. I've just seen and heard a BassBalsereit pickup mounted on a Martin and I'm very impressed. You need a luthier to drill the correct tapered hole through the bridge (Martins can do it if you send them your bridge) and it takes less than a minute to stick the pickup in each time. Another advantage is that you don't need to compress the wing slots and choke the sound, however slight. Thomanns list the pickup at approx £190 and there are also some very expensive active versions that you don't really need. You can easily rotate the pickup by up to 90 degrees to brighten up the sound. I hope to try one soon but, as I said, I'm initially very impressed.

I constantly have dreams/nightmares about many of the misdemeanors posted here, especially regarding forgotten leads/instruments/equipment. Fortunately I haven't suffered any of them for a long time. Before I played bass I was a jazz trombonist. I had been cleaning the slide at home and somehow when I arrived for the gig I had only half a trombone in the case. You can't do much with half a trombone now, can you? I can also remember on four occasions when musicians have turned up at the wrong gig and once the drummer set up his kit with the wrong band until the 'right' drummer turned up.

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1333024596' post='1596308'] Yes, I use one for the very reasons you mention. The parametric eq on it works wonders for taming rooms and boominess. Ther're not the lightest thing but for the size/weight they really pack a punch and can get loud. I used to use an AI Focus with Aggie GS112(s) for DB but now use that rig for electric and the Mesa for DB. [/quote] I suppose you could rig it so the amp is removed from the speaker and split the overall weight. I used to say that the lightness of a speaker/combo was secondary to a good sound but I was a lot younger - and fitter - then.

When jwb came to see me a few weeks ago he brought down his MESA to try. Apart from the weight, it's a very impressive amp. It gave a very nice tight sound without any boominess in the lower frequencies. Definitely one to consider; anyone else tried it with DB? I did a freebie last week at the local church. They were having a music night and a family, mum, dad and three kids all trooped in with instruments. Mum took out a brand new double bass - you could smell the oil on it still. It was a Martin, three weeks old. George must be banging them out at a fair rate right now.

Yes, I somehow regret selling the Meinel especially as I've got to factor in £1600 'income' in my end-of-year accounts. It was nice to see TheG a week ago and talk basses with him. I've also had a visit from jwbassman who has gone on to buy a Martin and spencer.b who brought along his old german for a compare and contrast. There's a guy who knows his stuff. Getting back to the bass business, if there was the 'perfect bass' there wouldn't be the need for so much buying and selling. There are so many variables, particularly with regard to strings. Unless the bass you are going to see has your 'usual' strings fitted you will find it difficult to get a valid comparison. Factor in the room setting - always try a bass in a carpetless room if you can - and all the variables you will find on a gig, it is hardly surprising that one day the bass will be a swan and yet on another day it could well be a duck. The only advice I can offer is to go and see as many basses as you can and one day you might find 'that' bass. And, yes, basses certainly do vary within the same workshop that is what makes them all so interesting - and frustrating at the same time.

Congratulations, this must be the 'Soloist' on Paul's website? My Bryant is an amazing instrument with a great sound, very easy to play and much admired. The sustain on the E goes on for ever - well, almost!

I've seen it all now!

If only everything in life was as dependable as an OBBM lead.................

So how long have you been on just three strings? You seem to be missing a G.

I do quite a lot of work with sax players who double on soprano. In one of the bands (a 'reading' one) we sometimes get a sop duet - one straight one curly. You've got to have very good players to stop the whole thing descending into farce, the intonation has to be spot on and the harmonies chosen wisely. I was initially put off the sop by hearing recordings of Sidney Bechet - far too much vibrato. Then when I went too see John Coltrane in London he whipped out a sop and played My Favorite Things. Revelation! and I have liked the instrument ever since, as long as the vibrato is kept well under control. There, I've managed to get through the post without mentioning Kenny Gee. ...........Oh bu**er, I just have.

'Bit like owning a banjo really. A gentleman is someone who owns a banjo but never plays it. Same with double bass slap.

And some of them have been hanging about for a long time, months and months.

Yes, they are expensive compared to others. Tony is a very pleasant and patient sort of guy, though. I went to see him, spent most of the day, he made me lunch and I took a bass home on appro. Didn't keep it and have felt a bit guilty ever since but business is business, I suppose, and it could have been an expensive lunch.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1331056491' post='1566992'] I have no experience of either but i am told Thwaites are helpful and Contrbasse overpriced. [/quote] Exactly!

I had a Steinberger and while it was a nicely made and set up bass I didn't like playing on a stand at all. It was all too rigid and the transition from double bass was not a great success. I've played 'free standing' EUBs and found them quite ok in comparison.