james_guitar Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 Hi, I'm writing this hoping that someone here might have some good ideas or suggestions for me. Having just traded my Fender Combo for a Phil Jones 8b Cabinet (400 watts, 8 ohms), I'm looking for something very light and portable that will compliment the natural sound of the Double Bass and bring some power (I don't want to be running a 50 watt head through it). Most of my gigs are jazz and Latin, but we're not always background music, so the power and headroom are important. However, I'd also be open to low powered head suggestions that I could take out for smaller gigs (also to take on a bus with my DB and cab for jazz jam sessions/rehearsals). If anyone has any ideas/recommendations for me, then they would be hugely appreciated. Thanks, James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 If portability is a must, you could look at the Acoustic Image heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_guitar Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 [quote name='zero9' post='1070994' date='Dec 28 2010, 02:44 PM']If portability is a must, you could look at the Acoustic Image heads.[/quote] Great, I'll check them out. I'm also considering getting something that is small and not as powerful for now and then something louder a few months down the line. The Phil Jones (8x5) cab is 4ohms and I've also got a Fender 1x15 cab that is 8ohms, so if there's a way I can get them to run together then that might be interesting... Any more ideas? Thanks, James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Have you considered either the Markbass Little Mark, F1 or Mark acoustic? Both 500W at 4Ohm and very, very light. Other lightweight options are the Genz Benz shuttle or the Ibanez Promethean. The Acoustic Image amps are probably the best option for double bass as they're tonally transparent and will faithfully amplify your natural bass sound, but they aren't cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Happy New Year The PJB D200 would be an obvious fit, but it may be a bit underpowered for the bigger gigs. An alternative would be the Euphonic Audio Doubler; expensive, but very nice and specifically designed for upright. Cheers Gareth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 [quote name='walbassist' post='1074172' date='Jan 1 2011, 08:30 AM']Happy New Year The PJB D200 would be an obvious fit, but it may be a bit underpowered for the bigger gigs. An alternative would be the Euphonic Audio Doubler; expensive, but very nice and specifically designed for upright. Cheers Gareth[/quote] +1 on the Doubler. In fact, anything EA - maybe the micro? From posts here and on Talkbass, Some people prefer the EA tone to AI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJim Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I've got a TC Classic 450 which I've been using for bouble bass gigs and it suits perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin UK Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I'd recommend the D200 as a smaller head, just picked one up to save me lugging around my M500 for smaller jazz gigs. I run it with a 4B and it's easily loud enough to keep up with drummer and cope with most small/medium venues. Although it provides the same power to all impedances, the added cone area from extra cabs makes a noticeable difference (when i put it through my 6T and 9B it's loud enough for most gigs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_guitar Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 Thanks for the tips. I got to hear a Warwick head through it in a rehearsal the other day and it sounded great, but it was another bassist using an electric bass, so am still not sure what it will sound like with my upright. I'm very tempted to try the EA Doubler as it seems ideal for my needs. Does any one in the UK stock them? I bet the Markbass heads would be good, but I can't seem to get past how much their stuff looks like Lego. Also, they're generally a little heavier than I'd like. Has any one tried a TC RH450 with Double Bass? I got to try one and it didn't sound too great, but that was through an Ampeg cab that was one single horn (either 15" or 18" - it was the one Victor Wooten designed). I'm definately going to try through some PJ heads, even if the best ones are a little on the heavy side - just worried that the smaller one might not be powerful enough for some gigs. Does any one know of anywhere in the Bristol/North Somerset area that stocks them? Thanks, James P.S. can't seem to find any one in the U.K. that stocks AI heads (only second hand), but definately would be up for trying some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='james_guitar' post='1088864' date='Jan 14 2011, 03:54 AM']I'm very tempted to try the EA Doubler as it seems ideal for my needs. Does any one in the UK stock them?[/quote] Bass Direct has the EA Doubler at £599. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='james_guitar' post='1088864' date='Jan 14 2011, 03:54 AM']i'm definately going to try through some PJ heads, even if the best ones are a little on the heavy side - just worried that the smaller one might not be powerful enough for some gigs. Does any one know of anywhere in the Bristol/North Somerset area that stocks them?[/quote] If you can make it to Hampshire you are more then welcome to try out my PJB M-300 head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin UK Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='walbassist' post='1089375' date='Jan 14 2011, 02:23 PM']If you can make it to Hampshire you are more then welcome to try out my PJB M-300 head.[/quote] You can pop down to southampton and have a go on my M-500 and D-200 aswell if you want, that's pretty much the whole range. I'll let you know if i ever get down your way if you can't find any other options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_guitar Posted January 19, 2011 Author Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='walbassist' post='1089375' date='Jan 14 2011, 02:23 PM']If you can make it to Hampshire you are more then welcome to try out my PJB M-300 head.[/quote] Thanks for the offer guys (both Gareth and Robin) - If I'm up your way in the neat future then I'll send a private message! Gareth = I'm fairly torn between either a PJB or EA head. If the EA Doubler sounds as good as the PJ M300 head through my cab, I'd rather go for that as it's considerably lighter. I noticed in the Sale section of the forum that you almost sold your PJB rig to buy an EA rig... - Was this because of weight, or purely because of sound? If it was the sound, was it the EA head you prefered, or the EA cab? - Have you tried an EA head through your PJB cabs? If so, did it sound as good as your PJ head and which head did you try/consider? Thanks, James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='james_guitar' post='1094732' date='Jan 19 2011, 02:53 AM']Gareth = I'm fairly torn between either a PJB or EA head. If the EA Doubler sounds as good as the PJ M300 head through my cab, I'd rather go for that as it's considerably lighter. I noticed in the Sale section of the forum that you almost sold your PJB rig to buy an EA rig... - Was this because of weight, or purely because of sound? If it was the sound, was it the EA head you prefered, or the EA cab? - Have you tried an EA head through your PJB cabs? If so, did it sound as good as your PJ head and which head did you try/consider?[/quote] Hi James Truth is I think both are great setups. I watched a video of my band playing last Saturday, where I used my full PJB rig, and it sounded amazing; the room was filled with wonderfully warm yet articulate bass, but without any boom. Haven't tried EA into PJB. I like the EA micro heads because they are small and powerful, but the M300 is more versatile. I have a felling the Doubler or Micro with a PJB cab would be the ideal solution... Does that help? Gareth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Bear in mind that if you want to run both cabs together, you'll need something that will happily go down to[b] 2 ohms [/b](the combination of the two cabs is 2.7 ohms). A 4 ohm amp would get quite hot & bothered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumnote Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I have ordered an 8b which wont be here ubtill end Feb. Im hoping it will match with my Eden wt400 Traveller If you want to use the phil jones M300 with 2 cabs, the manual says it goes happily down to 3 ohms, but I says you should avoid running flat out at 2 ohms in the summer months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrenleepoole Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Promethean head as a good and powerful, but cheap alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 [quote name='bumnote' post='1094806' date='Jan 19 2011, 08:40 AM']you should avoid running flat out at 2 ohms in the summer months[/quote] When I asked Phil Jones he said that was referring to the hot and humid American summers and was unlikely to be an issue in the UK! I run my M-300 at 3 ohms for almost every gig and it has never missed a beat (touch wood) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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