Steve A Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 (edited) Hello, I thought it would be interesting to find out how you all amplify your acoustic double basses.. pickups? Mics? Amps and cabinets? I'll get the ball rolling by saying I'm using an 11 year old Michael Poller Romanian carved bass and I've just bought an SD systems LCM100 mic from Greg on here... I've only used it on one gig so far and it sounded lovely... running it through a Markbass Little Mark II and Bergantino HT112. I borrowed a bass for a gig a couple of weeks ago which was fitted with a David Gage Realist pickup... the bass sounded 'electric' on stage which I didn't like but having listened back to it on video it sounded surprisingly natural in the mix. I'd like to try a blend of mic and pickup as Greg suggested to me. The bass I am using right now has a Fishman pickup on it which sounds AWFUL! I hope to replace that as soon as possible. So, what do you do, what do you use, what have you got? I'd be interested to hear of peoples' experiences. Steve Edited February 22, 2009 by funkmunky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teej Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Well, I play upright for a living - in [url="http://www.redjackson.com"]Red Jackson[/url], a blues trio, mainly. I have a '69 B&H Excelsior with an Underwood pick up. I use a Fishman Pro EQ Platinum preamp and just go straight into our Yamaha Stagepas 500 pa system, via xlr cable. I get plenty of signal, fairly clean natural sound from the pa, but with an extra pinch of punch, which I like. No complaints whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcordez Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 The best live double bass sounds ive heard are Avishai Cohen (realist pickup, blended with EV RE20) and Jon Thorne has a beautiful tone. He uses the Schertler Dyn-B through the Schertler PUB. Im using an Acoustic Image Clarus, EA Wizzy 1x10 and the Realist pickup. To be honest, its a good simple setup that works well for me. I am curious about the scherlter stuff through. Does anybody have any experiences or thoughts on them? Im thinking of trying the STAT-B... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardi100 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I've got a cheapie Zeller (carved top) with a k&k bassmax into a Roland DB500 combo. Does the job but we play loud and I'm constantly fighting feedback. Was going to add a Fishman Pro PlatinumEQ but (sigh), the car needs work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrkelly Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Most of the time I use my 1925 Marino Tarantino bass with a Schertler Dyn b straight to the desk. Sounds brilliant though it took me a few weeks to find the best place for the pickup. Mine's about an inch below the bridge directly over the bass bar. When I need an amp I use an AI Clarus 2R into an Aguilar DB112 but I'll be changing that cab soon to something smaller (probably to an Epifani 110). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guyl Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 The best sound I ever got was a B-Band statement into a EA iAmp 600 with one or two EA 1x10 cabs. Very natural, feedback-free, plenty loud enough for most gigs, equally good for arco and pizz etc... After 4 or 5 years the B-band started to deteriorate - sounding "honky", with lots of buzz. Can't find anyone that can service it and got no response when I contacted B-Band. It was very expensive - not something to replace every few years! I now have a Wilson (bought from Jon Thorne actually). Its the one where you drill into the bridge. It also needs a dampener on the strings to kill feedback. Installing it (with the dampener) has affected the acoustic sound of my bass, but I always play amplified live so not too much of an issue! Same as funkmunky said - sounds electric to me, but seems to sit nicely in the overall mix. iAMP died on one too many gigs and is now replaced with a GK1001. Better for electric bass than upright, but it'll do until I can get some saving done. Tend to use a Markbass 4x10 for electric, so if it's in the car or its a louder doubling gig, that does for upright gigs too, although the EA cabs sound more "natural". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 (edited) I use an Upton Revolution II into an Acoustic Image Focus with either an Ampeg 12" or a BFM O10.5. I sometimes mix in an SM57 but this is only for low playing levels and recording as it tends to feedback through the amp. Edited February 23, 2009 by TPJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviedee Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I have a Czech made Boosey and Hawkes from the 60s I think and use a K&K bass max pick up with the the K&K pre and the fingerboard clicky at the moment. I have a PJB bass briefcase really as a monitor and a preamp into the house PA. I just ordered a SE-2200A from ebay, which hasn't arrived but thats more for recording hoping to blend it with another mic. I'd like to try a few other things the fishman pro plat and the LR Baggs come to mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairobill Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I use a Realist on my Bryant solobass into a Markbass head with a Berg 12 inch cab. The sound is full, very deep and woody, but I'm sure I can improve it by adding a mic. I am seriously considering getting a RE20 to mix it against. It's very interesting to know that's what Avishai Cohen uses.... Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve A Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Great stuff chaps. Anyone else got any info on their set-up and experiences of live double bass sound? Another gig last night using the SD systems LCM100... apparently it sounded nice, warm and acoustic in the room but I'm finding it hard to get enough volume on stage before feedback. I am sure a blend of mic and pickup would help... can't wait to try it! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
symcbass Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I've got an old German ply. I've got a Planet Wing on the bridge and a schaller Oyster under the fingerboard mixed into my D-tar Solstice, that into my old SVT3PRO then my Aguilar DB410. Also a Nortoncustoms Sam Shen ply, which I've got an underwood on, both basses loud and woody sounding through this setup. The D-tar is nice for my uprights. I used to use the Fishman Pro EQ Platinum, but prefer the D-tar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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