GSS 06B400 mini bass combo also suitable for double bass

[Hellzero]

Ok, after a few days here are my impressions, tried at home for the moment in a 40 square meters room.

Let's start with what it's been designed for in first place, double bass :

With my short scale (34" or 1/8) Berne Harpobasse (Savarez Corelli 350 C Medium 1/8 Tungsten) and a Schertler Basik Reso (harp table on this strange instrument) coupled to a Schertler Stat Pre, the sound is powerful (mid volume and flat EQ), very respectful of the way you play and the Schertler system which has a tendency to boom the bass. By adjusting the mix between acoustic and amplified sound, you can counterpart the lack of very low end of this instrument and get a kind of Ron Carter sound.

With a very good quality massive woods Chinese 3/4 double bass (D'Addario HH610-3/4M Helicore Bass 3/4) equiped with a David Gage Realist piezo pickup and no preamp, you clearly hear the pickup weakness and its tendency to be harsh, way far better with the Schertler Stat Pre, again with that boominess, so very transparent, and that Ron Carter sound.

With my Leduc Contr-U-Basse 6 L-009 (D'Addario NSFW610 Electric Contemporary 6 strings set), beware not to go any higher than mid volume or you'll destroy the PHL Audio 6,5 inches single speaker especially when hitting the low B, and again very transparent and respectful of the EMG magnetic pickups in the end of the fretboard or the RMC piezos in the bridge. Powerfull EUB here, which can sound like a double bass when cutting the mids and lowering the bass a bit. 

With my Leduc MP 628 SF 6 strings fretless (Fodera nickel strings), I'm in heaven at 3/4th of the volume, which is the maximum, and flat EQ, but I would say that the volume won't be enough for a gig without having a PA.

With my fretted basses, again that transparency is there (no slap as I hate this, but tapping is great fun) so I'm very happy. 

Now this combo has only 100 Watts RMS power and a 6,5 inches speaker, so the laws of physics are applicable. At low to moderate volume, it's really transparent giving you what the instrument you plugged in is really capable of without cheating. If you want more power,  just add another speaker to the other channel and you'll get 200 Watts RMS which will be more than enough according to what I've heard so far with half the power and speakers.

Compared to my AER BassCube v1, it's quite similar sonically, but the 400 Watts RMS of the AER makes the difference in terms of headroom and low B power of my EUB or other basses. The AER is also more versatile especially on the first channel which can accomodate all kinds of signals including low level piezos as there is a dedicated input for that. 

I've ordered the battery pack for the GSS, so it will be the perfect small amp for practising, rehearsing and small pub gigs.

I'll come back later when rehearsed with guitar and vocals and even later after a small pub gig.

This is this combo : http://www.guitarsoundsystems.com/gss-06b400-mini-bass-amp-c2x15043753

[Linus27]

Interested in one of these to use with my Kala Rumble UBass.

[Hellzero]

Got the battery pack yesterday and, as I thought (because of the instant access to electric power), the sound is really better with faster transients, faster attack and longer decay, way far better low end and absolutely no mains noise. This battery pack is a big investment money wise as it's more than half the price of the combo, but it's really worth it. I'm totally delighted by this pocket combo and can't wait for a real live test.

[Pea Turgh]

Can you put a pic up next to a bass to show scale? I can’t work out how big/small it is from those pics!

[Hellzero]

Here are some pictures with my Leduc MP 628 SF, which has a "normal" body size :

Funny yellowish light we have over here. 

[Pea Turgh]

Wow that’s tiny!!!

[Hellzero]

Indeed, tiny but powerful and impressive with the battery pack. I think I'll buy the complement speaker for portability and power...