Rabbie

As extension cabs go, my favourite have been the crazy 8s from Tricky audio (greenboy). Minimal footprint and massive sound gain, very db friendly. also, if you still find them Genz Benz shuttle 10s were good. Markbass as well. if you need lots of volume you can’t go wrongness again with Tricky audio f110 and even f112 if you really want to shoogle bowels. if you need to be louder still, you’d probably need support from the venue’s PA and in ears, and if that is not an option, I’d probably stick a magnetic pickup on and kid on I’m a bass guitarist...

Hey guys, I’ve had the chance to play about with the Acoustic Box 2, literally just launched by the Vintage Revolution guys: it is absolutely fantastic!! it has everything I’ve ever needed to get a great sound from my mic and all the parametric controls to tame feedback and naturalise sound. Gigging tests start later this month, as I’ve only just received it in the post. here’s the lowdown https://www.vintage-revolution.com/acousticbox2

In the years when I needed lots of volume, I found that the amp head was (relatively speaking) less important than an efficient cabinet configuration. to put it in context, a shuttle 6.2 gives all the headroom you will ever need in a pub, but maybe look at cabs like Tricky audio or barefaced etc...I think I had 2 12s Greenboy at one point and a fearless 15 at another point and the sound coming out of these things would knock you off your feet. I’m sure that at one point I did use a Shuttle then moved on to something else can’t remember really. The key thing is not to look at the wattage as the only indicator of loudness. Ultimately though, at those volumes, a double bass, with that kind of piezo, does not sound like a double bass, and I ultimately couldn’t stand it and went for small ensemble with tiny stage volumes: much happier. Hope you find the ideal sound for you!

Sy, it’s the new model. Yes it was Max I had a nice chat with, lovely guy. Like me, an Italian abroad, they are based in the Netherlands. I’ll keep you posted via PM once I’ve got it and gigged it a little. as for the AER, I’m sure it is great but what I need most is a preamp. I don’t take an amp to a lot of gigs, but a preamp yes to every gig.

Had a nice chat with the vintage revolution guys and I think I’m sorted. I’ll post my thoughts if anyone is remotely interested...

Hey Sy, that looks ace thanks. Nigel, yes the A3 looks a bit too fiddly for double bass fingers on a dark stage maybe, but thanks.

Thanks Bassace. Acoustic Image things can be a little steep and in the past I have been unimpressed with their speakers, which I found a bit weak even at relatively low stage volumes. Maybe I do need to look into it again though because they’d suit my current setup well. Thank you!

Mmm, forgot about that...Good point Mr Bassman. How much are they?

I am loving my Remic mic; I think it reproduces the bass immensely better thank any pickup, whilst being easy-peasy to fit and in theory providing good feedback resistance (I haven’t pushed it beyond a duo yet). Still, there is a gap in the market for a preamp that fits its needs. I think I’m under-using it now because I haven’t found a preamp solution that is easy to use at gigs, so when I play with a band and a house amp, I just plug my Krivo pickup in my old Headway. The Remic calls for an xlr input: no double bass preamp normally has that. Yes, the Headway DB2 does, but... the Remic needs a true 48v Phantom power and the Headway only offers 12v, not enough. the Grace Felix is amazing, but it costs more than 1k! one could use a mic preamp, or mini mixer, but loose all the double bass specific parametrics and the feedback control knobs/phase reverse etc... I’ve heard the Zoom A3 might work, but it’s marketed for acoustic guitar so I don’t know anyone who has tried it. ok, I can add in a phantom power box to the Headway (that’s what I’m doing now), but I would prefer having a single box. any suggestion?

Looks like an acoustic guitar thing. I see it has a notch filter but it lacks all the parametrica you need to tame a piezo on stage and make it sound half decent. Never say never, it may be great, but I’d be sticking to my usual preamp options.

From Bassico in Germany (fantastic shop), the Presto Nylonwound E is only €35, which is a good shout. If you can save an extra bit of euros and spend €79, the Evah Slap E is a great string. I’m a Spiro guy now, but I had 2-3 years of gut binge and I had settled on the Evah Slap E as the best price/quality E string (subjective opinion as per usual). I struggle to think of any string as fat as the ones you tried which also have much (if any) definition. good luck with the search.

At the start It’s really tricky because of the neck & shoulder tension generated by fighting the great beast...strive for a correct-ish posture pays off in the long run. DAILY practice, even after years and years is a must, not only to approximate intonation but also to ease the above tension and become pally with the big yin...(contentiously, I find it a kinda monogamous affair; when I switched instrument a bit more and spent a shortish period on guitar, the double bass took the grump and made me a bit sore on returning to it....) And then healthy living, which will allow you to play for longer on account of being still alive. But that of course is even trickier... I guess there are more detailed accounts out there that wax lyrical on the subject, but this has worked for me so far, fingers and toes crossed... all the very best!

I took up one of these Remic endorsement deals and I tried it out. The 5400 truly is excellent but it does serve more as a studio mic than a live mic to cover all gigs, so I am going to try the 5400LB (“Live bass” version). It has great reviews, so I’m gonna give it a go. Remic needs 48v phantom on stage so you need an extra phantom box. The Headway does not have 48v phantom (only a lower v, can’t remember exactly). Meanwhile, Schertler dyn-b (old model) does a good job, but I have never even taken it along to band-type of gigs, reverting to whatever pickup and being invariably upset at the sound...I found the DPA and similar options too fiddly and prone to feedback. Maybe it was me unable to get the best out of that setup, I gave up pretty quickly to be fair. I have never really liked blending for some weird psychological reason the more wires and knobs I see and the less I enjoy the gig. I shall report back once I get and gig the 5400LB.

Thanks guys, and Pete the mod golf trolley seems an awesome diy Idea thank you

I’ve lived in Scotland for 20 years; when should I expect the rainy season to end?

I’m curious: anyone using one of these? Worth it? https://www.caswells-strings.co.uk/product/the-bass-buggie/

Real. it’s the body, the sound, the feel....the sweat, the pain, the expense, the awkwardness, the difficulty....but oh the sheer joy!

+ 1 for the Westbury range: does what you want and withstand gigging. I have had several higher end ones and I was often disappointed by some of them being a wee bit fragile and others just not having the handles in the right places. Incidentally, careful with the wheeled ones, you may be better with a bass wheel to get more clearance off uneven roads and pavements (although if you have nice sturdy handles the best option is alway to carry it IMO)