Rob MacKillop Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I play jazz, think Kind Of Blue, Miles Smiles, etc, and presently play a cheap but very good Vintage Bubinga fretless, which sounds great acoustically with La Bella tapewounds. I have up to five hundred pounds to spend on an amp - I learned long ago to spend more on the amp than the instrument. Your suggestions, please. Small/portable would be appreciated. I will be playing small bar gigs in a trio setting. I have a PJ Bass Buddy to add to the mix. Currently I have a Line 6 LD15, which colours the sound way too much for my liking. Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 If you want uncoloured maybe stick with Phil Jones? Take a look at this for example [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=132078&hl=Phil+Jones"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...p;hl=Phil+Jones[/url] I doubt a DB-specific amp would help you (I have an Acoustic Image Coda combo but thats chock full of features that would be of no benefit to an electric bass, eg feedback control; plus its FS at £700!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob MacKillop Posted May 13, 2011 Author Share Posted May 13, 2011 Thanks - that's a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I'd suggest a Markbass amp and an Aguilar 112 cab. You can get a second cab if you feel you need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 [quote name='Rob MacKillop' post='1230079' date='May 13 2011, 04:02 PM']I play jazz, think Kind Of Blue, Miles Smiles, etc, and presently play a cheap but very good Vintage Bubinga fretless, which sounds great acoustically with La Bella tapewounds. I have up to five hundred pounds to spend on an amp - I learned long ago to spend more on the amp than the instrument. Your suggestions, please. Small/portable would be appreciated. I will be playing small bar gigs in a trio setting. I have a PJ Bass Buddy to add to the mix. Currently I have a Line 6 LD15, which colours the sound way too much for my liking. Cheers, Rob[/quote] I think Clarky's being very discrete (unless he's sold it), but I'm pretty sure he's got a Mesa Walkabout 12 for sale as well? Whilst it's not the lightest amp out there, the bang for your buck is huge, and it can do pretty much anything from ultra clean to pure grit. Phil Jones gear has a wonderful clean tone, but it really does lack power, unless that is you're either playing very small gigs or buying at the powerful, and therefore very expensive, end of the PJB range. IMO the best control you have over tone is having a high quality & versatile amp that you will never have to drive unless you want to, so having a slightly bigger box and slightly more watts than you need is a good bet. I agree re the cost ratio of amp to bass BTW. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Have a look here re PJB [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=127884&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=127884&hl=[/url] C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 As long as the amp gives a good transparent sound then you have to change things on the bass. Strings, playing style, mutes? An amp can't really make you sound like an upright, EQ and the above will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob MacKillop Posted May 13, 2011 Author Share Posted May 13, 2011 Sure. It's a combination of many factors. Thanks to all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Try the foam under the strings trick, just to mute the sustain a bit. That can help those strings sound more upright and less fretless. Other than that, any good clean sounding amp will get you closer. I'd also suggest a GK Microbass combo (the older 1x12") they can sound very good on small gigs...despite having no real bottom or top end to the sound! Another option is get some secondhand EMG pickups into your bass - very clean and clear and helps to get the most out of your strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob MacKillop Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 Thanks. I might go for the EBS Classic Session 60 combo, and use the extra cash for the EMG pickups...and foam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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