gypsyjazzer Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I play an Eminence EUB fitted with Innovation 'Honeys' (Nice string) through a GK MB150 combo going through a Fishman Platinum Pro-EQ . Quite a good sound. Do you think a separate amp & speaker cab---say a 12" speaker--- would give me a better sound? Your experience with sperate amp & speaker cabs? I did read somewhere that two separates give a better sound than a combo. Is that so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I like those little GK combos personally. Separating the head and the cab doesn't necessarily translate to a better sound, no. More speakers might fatten things up though, maybe get the extension cab for your GK? I think you might be better off experimenting with strings. I like Honeys a lot but they have quite a modern pizz sound, they remind me a lot of Spirocores. For that big, warm, vintage sound you might be better off with something like Silver Slaps, although they sound terrible bowed so avoid if you use the bow. Also I've never played an EUB. Is it possible that you're hankering after the sound of an acoustic bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 +1 on the strings, they would be my first point of call...possibly the pickup? I think the GK combo is a great amp, but I guess you will also get a different tone from other amps. It's a tough one and if at all possible a bit of testing out some amps first would be well worth it. And I also agree that the extension cab might be useful. I used one for a long time and it did always sound better and they are very light.... It might just give you more of the same though and not the extra thickness you are looking for. Good luck, cheers Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyonbass Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Make sure you have a good right hand technique as well, Geoff ⬆︎covers this in one of his lessons iirc......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyd Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I'm not sure what pickup the Eminence has, but with my previous pickup (Bass Max) and my current one (Rev Solo) I find that I actually get a better sound without the Fishman Plat Pro in the chain - I find the EQ on the GK MB150 gives a more natural tone. But I always bring the Fishman to gigs just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 (edited) [quote name='andyonbass' timestamp='1391144011' post='2353750'] Make sure you have a good right hand technique as well, Geoff ⬆︎covers this in one of his lessons iirc......... [/quote] Yes. Reminds me of the old double bass chestnut - Q 'Why can't I get a sound like Ray Brown?' A 'Because you're not Ray Brown!' Edited January 31, 2014 by bassace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsyjazzer Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Thanks guys for your imput on my question. An extension cab could be the way--also a 'fatter' type of string. The pickup on the Eminence is a made by David Gage-works well. Regarding Ray Brown--nobody on [b]any[/b] instrument can sound like anybody else---every musician is a one-off. I read an article by a bass player who knew Ray Brown and this guy had several bass's and Ray Brown sounded like Ray Brown on all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheG Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) I used to play a Ned Steinberger CRT4. I was never 100% happy with the sound I produced although I was nearly there. To me my sound was really transformed by using an ART Tube Preamp which fattened the sound up nicely. I used to play it through a GK150 amp and at a later stage I bought a GK extension speaker which I absolutely loved. On the first gig I stacked them up one on top of each other and was disappointed with the sound. (I really don't know why) Then I tried separating them either side of me and the sound was amazing. The sound of the bass wasn't coming from any single point but all around which made it a different playing experience. Today I'm playing more double bass through an EA Doubler and Bergantino speaker. I love the fatness of the Realist but it doesn't give me the clarity so I blend it with the Fishman Full Circle (after a quick chat and a bit of advice from Geoff (Thanks Geoff)). I still use the ART Preamp which does tend to add a nice fat, warm organic sound. Ive tried one set without and one set with and much prefer it with. Edited February 3, 2014 by TheG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Those little ART preamps are a proper bargain aren't they. They'll warm anything up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatcoupe432 Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 the gk are great amps and i agree with thisnameistaken , i ve played eub for a year and tried to swap strings a few times, i ve sold my eub , bought an acoustic upright and problem was solved!the ns design was a great instrument but not ear the acoustic bass sound wise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 I played my Eminence through a GK MB150 combo for a little while, though with Kolstein strings, an AptFlex pickup (similar to the Gage) and a Fishman Dual Parametric DI as the other elements in the chain. I liked it but found I missed the presence/air a tweeter gives so had one rigged up to the extension output. As for body - I found the only way to fatten it up was with a proper extension speaker, in my case an Epifani UL112. Certainly helped a lot. You could try borrowing a separate speaker cab, hooking it up to the GK and then disabling the internal GK speaker. That way, you can judge if you like the sound of the GK preamp on it's own. Then try mixing the internal speaker with the external one. To be honest - amplifying double bass is a crap shoot. All the great gear in the world goes out the window if the singer has too much low's in the monitor or your keyboard player can't control the left hand, or cymbals eat up all the high frequencies in the room, or the room sounds like an empty swimming pool, or....or....or....... GOOD LUCK!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 [quote name='Gareth Hughes' timestamp='1391545611' post='2358484'] I played my Eminence through a GK MB150 combo for a little while, though with Kolstein strings, an AptFlex pickup (similar to the Gage) and a Fishman Dual Parametric DI as the other elements in the chain. I liked it but found I missed the presence/air a tweeter gives so had one rigged up to the extension output. As for body - I found the only way to fatten it up was with a proper extension speaker, in my case an Epifani UL112. Certainly helped a lot. You could try borrowing a separate speaker cab, hooking it up to the GK and then disabling the internal GK speaker. That way, you can judge if you like the sound of the GK preamp on it's own. Then try mixing the internal speaker with the external one. To be honest - amplifying double bass is a crap shoot. All the great gear in the world goes out the window if the singer has too much low's in the monitor or your keyboard player can't control the left hand, or cymbals eat up all the high frequencies in the room, or the room sounds like an empty swimming pool, or....or....or....... GOOD LUCK!!!!!!! [/quote] Ho ho. At a gig last week I suggested that the keyboard player move his seat a foot to the right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheG Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 How dare you Roger! I used to think it was best playing next to the keyboard, now I like it on the opposite side of the stage! Keeps things stereo and all that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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