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-   -   DB Amps.. (http://www.smithbassforums.com//showthread.php?t=42)

Ken Smith 01-23-2007 10:27 PM

DB Amps..
 
Helloooooo.... Ok, I'll be the ice breaker here. Since coming out of retirement a few years ago I had to learn things all over again gear-wise. I have an old Sun head and a custom Cab that I used for awhile as well as my old Baby Blue SWR. Shortly after, I got an EBS 350 head and 210 cabinet. To use that, I had to turn the horn off and the treble all the way down. I did a live recording with a 60 piece concert band doing everything from Big Band Jazz/swing to Classical as well as the band/Sousa stuff.

Shortly after I got another EBS (I had a connection..) with less wattage and a 15" cab. I still turn the horn off but I am able to get the sound I need.

I have used this Shadow Pickup I got from Kolstein that is like an Underwood. It fits easily and is forgiving as well. On one Bass, I used picture frame foam tape to fill the gap and it sounded great. That was on my Batchelder Bass I used for a few years in every type of gig.

So, currently I use the EBS Drome 15 with a Shadow Pickup. I use various Basses and have to EQ each of them slightly different.

Next.....?

Marcus Johnson 01-24-2007 06:09 AM

EA iAMP 800 Combo. Versatile, Hi-Fi, loud as sin if need be. One the the few amps that can actually do justice to my AMT mic all by itself.

Jim Clark 01-24-2007 06:31 AM

AI Clarus 2R Series III. My main gig requires me to double on DB and EB, so after trying various combinations of gadgets, I finally broke down and got a 2-channel head. I previously had a Clarus I. I really like the AI heads for a variety of reasons, but I also find to to do the job quite well for EB as well. I've currently got a Wizzy 12 and a Carvin 2x10. The Wizzy has that midrange hump that people talk about and I'm not real wild about it, so I'm keeping a close eye on both the M-line Wizzy and the Wizzy 10, both of which are to be available some time in the next couple of months. With amplification being a necessity in my current gig, I have almost constant GAS for the next 'big thing'...

Dwight McCartney 01-24-2007 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson (Post 167)
EA iAMP 800 Combo. Versatile, Hi-Fi, loud as sin if need be. One the the few amps that can actually do justice to my AMT mic all by itself.

Do you use the EQ? I would be interested to see the EQ setting you usually start with.

Marcus Johnson 01-24-2007 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMcCartney (Post 173)
Do you use the EQ? I would be interested to see the EQ setting you usually start with.

Sure, I use it, sparingly. I start out flat in general, then I just start twiddling a bit until it sounds good, depending on the room, the band, and my mood. I also use the tone shaping switches occasionally for a quick fix on the fly.

Charles Arms 01-24-2007 01:59 PM

I have been using my Eden BG rig with my DB with great results. I have the Wt-500, and I run it with one of my two 210XLTs. It sounds great with my little revolution solo.

I use a little K&K inline to match impedence, or I'll use my Presonus Acousti-Q and run it into the effects return of the Eden.

It's not the most compact rig in the world, but it works.

BTW, it is a great BG rig as well!

Bob Rowlette 01-24-2007 03:02 PM

'97 Walter Woods Electracoustic model into Euphonic Audio cabs (Wizzy 112 or VL-208 or CxL-110). After trying many other pickups, I've settled on the Fishman Full Circle.

Johnny Layton 01-24-2007 03:58 PM

SWR Workingman 12" combo @ Realist pickup is what I use right now. It's an older style that I got on sale from a music store wanting to make room for the newer-paneled version coming out. Works O.K. for both my electric and acoustic bass.

The only thing I don't like is its weight and size. I got it for my EB and before I began learning DB, and back then I could just "backpack" the EB while I rolled the amp on the dolly. Not anymore LOL

Greg Clinkingbeard 01-24-2007 06:44 PM

RSII straight into a GK Micro. It works for me. Fishman Pro Platinum EQ that I may actually try one day with the GK.There are, no doubt, better setups, but If I don't get the gig, it won't be because of my amp.:D

Richard Prowse 01-25-2007 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Layton (Post 191)
SWR Workingman 12" combo

I use one of these and it really sounds great!
Still using an Underwood, does the trick!
Green guy agrees. :D

Michael Case 01-25-2007 12:48 PM

I've been using a polytone teeny brute with a Realist pick-up for the past 6 years. I just recently bought a GK backline 250 head (not the best, but surprisingly good) and SWR working pro 10 cab. This was mainly a BG rig, but I use it for louder DB gigs as well. This amp is pretty nice for the bread. I still use the Realist PU.

Phil Maneri 01-26-2007 10:15 AM

Fishman Full Circle
Acoustic Image Focus IIIR
Euphonic Audio VL208.

Sometimes I'll use the Walter Woods Ultra. Sometimes I blend with a Sennheiser 409 mic.

Had the EA iAmp 800. Traded it for the AI. Didn't look back.

No EQ in 90% of the rooms I play.

Bob Branstetter 01-26-2007 01:03 PM

I'm using a Series III Acoustic Image Coda two channel combo amp which weighs under 20 ponds. I love it! I use an AMT SB25 mic with a custom tailpiece mount going in the channel 1 and a Fishman Full Circle pickup going into channel 2. Anyone who has not tried the Series III combo amps doesn't know what they are missing, especially if they tried and didn't like the earlier series AI combos. On those rare jobs where the Coda is not loud enough, I bring along an Acme B1 extension speaker. When I play with a 16 piece big band and I never have any trouble either being heard by the band or hearing myself - 500 watts with the extension speaker. For the guy who plays mostly casuals and club dates and who likes to keep it simple (i.e. "plug and play"), IMO it's a near perfect solution.

Brian Glassman 01-30-2007 12:35 AM

Currently;

older Realist p/u sometimes w/ an Audix ADX 20i mic thru an Acoustic Image Focus 2R III OR '80's Walter Woods two channel Green light thu a Wizzy-M line 12 (or two W-M's for BG).
Great!

I also use an Aguilar GS 112, Flite cab w/ an EV Proline 15, Yorkville BM50 combo, a Polytone Sonic Circuit 15 combo (the newer Mini-brute IV), an old '82 Polytone Mini-brute IV combo 15, an LR Baggs Paracoustic DI

Phil Maneri 01-30-2007 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Glassman (Post 346)
'80's Walter Woods two channel Green light

I don't remember you mentioning that. Have you ever compared that to the Focus in postings?

Brian Glassman 01-31-2007 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Maneri (Post 347)
I don't remember you mentioning that. Have you ever compared that to the Focus in postings?

Phil,

I think that I've only compared the EQ sections in postings.
The EQ on the Focus is more subtle. When you turn knobs on the WW, stuff happens in a more drastic way. But I like that. And the mids sound different as you have noted.

To tell ya the truth, the Focus is so light and convenient that the ol' WW has been sitting in it's bag since getting the Focus last year :rolleyes:.

I plan on trying it w/ the Wizzy-M soon and posting a comparison.

Bri

Phil Maneri 02-01-2007 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Glassman (Post 357)
Phil,

I think that I've only compared the EQ sections in postings.
The EQ on the Focus is more subtle. When you turn knobs on the WW, stuff happens in a more drastic way. But I like that. And the mids sound different as you have noted.

To tell ya the truth, the Focus is so light and convenient that the ol' WW has been sitting in it's bag since getting the Focus last year :rolleyes:.

I plan on trying it w/ the Wizzy-M soon and posting a comparison.

Bri

My experience exactly. I keep meaning to take my Woods out and do a set to set shootout but haven't yet.

Marcus Johnson 02-05-2007 11:38 AM

I tried something the other night, on a duo gig..... my AMT mic, skipped the Raven Labs blender, and just went straight into my Series 1 Contra. Sounded incredible, pizz and arco. I've been busting out the Contra (aka "The Shopvac") more and more lately.

Phil Maneri 02-05-2007 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson (Post 510)
I tried something the other night, on a duo gig..... my AMT mic, skipped the Raven Labs blender, and just went straight into my Series 1 Contra. Sounded incredible, pizz and arco. I've been busting out the Contra (aka "The Shopvac") more and more lately.

I put my Raven blender in a box last summer. I like the front end of the AI a lot better.

I don't know anything about the Contra but I do like the flat sound of the AI preamp/blending thing quite a bit. The EQ isn't very good but I rarely need it.

Bob Branstetter 02-07-2007 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson (Post 510)
I tried something the other night, on a duo gig..... my AMT mic, skipped the Raven Labs blender, and just went straight into my Series 1 Contra. Sounded incredible, pizz and arco. I've been busting out the Contra (aka "The Shopvac") more and more lately.

I used a Series I AI Contra before I got my Series III Coda. I think the down firing AI speaker is more mic friendly than the traditional front firing speaker. Of course with the Contra you only have one channel and need to carry a blender/mixer to mix a pickup with the mic. I found this a bit of limitation for louder gigs since I was sometimes forced to use a pickup alone. (I didn't want to carry around another box and cords). The Series III Coda gives me everything I need in one small box. I mix my tailpiece mounted AMT mic with a Full Circle pickup and I have been very pleased with the sound quality I can obtain by mixing the two since I can adjust the relative volume of mic and pickup to suit the gig without having to carry around anything extra. Best of all (especially for us older guys), it only weighs 20lbs.


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