Twincam Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 looking for a combo or even an amp and little cab that has good note definition and isn't boomy, just for home use and jamming so doesn't have to be too powerful. Been using a variety of combos and amps, cabs of late and seems at a certain home volume I like to practice at, they all seem to have this droning, boomy sound and a lack of note definition on some things I play this is mainly in the higher notes. At really low volumes or too much volume for the house it's not to bad. I can eq it out but by that point the bass is very thin. Wishing a kept my little vintage traynor valve combo now, although even then I had to run it open backed which is a bit of a no no but it worked. It could be the room as well but I don't have much choice, I've tried moving the amp and raising cabs etc , I have had this problem before in other rooms, houses. So I'm thinking of investing some decent money into a home rig that's better than what I've tried so far. bit frustrated with it actually. Quote
ezbass Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 Phil Jones Cub and there's one for sale on BC right now. Quote
Twincam Posted December 20, 2015 Author Posted December 20, 2015 [quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1450639610' post='2934535'] Phil Jones Cub and there's one for sale on BC right now. [/quote] Yes was looking at them a while ago. Also maybe one of the small speaker Mark bass combos maybe Quote
RandomBass Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 Recommend the Roland Bass Cubes. The 30w version has served me well for 5 years. Quote
grandad Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 After trying out half a dozen small combo's this year I've settled on a TC BG250 208. Worth a look. Quote
grandad Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 (edited) [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1450642555' post='2934569'] Recommend the Roland Bass Cubes. The 30w version has served me well for 5 years. [/quote] Yup, same here, but fancied a change. Mine's up for sale in the Marketplace. I might regret parting with it! If you decide on a PJB, you'll find the Briefcase voiced quite differently to the Cub. Edited December 20, 2015 by grandad Quote
Musashimonkey Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 The double four, would be my suggestion from PJB. Great amps. Lots of good suggestions here. I'm sure you won't go wrong. Quote
Twincam Posted December 20, 2015 Author Posted December 20, 2015 [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1450642555' post='2934569'] Recommend the Roland Bass Cubes. The 30w version has served me well for 5 years. [/quote] Had one and sold it on here. Not boomy but I didn't like its tones in general but a good little amp all the same but not for me. Quote
JTUK Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 No idea how you get a boomy sound at this level..and if you do, I'd start at the way you EQ, tbh. Quote
jazzyvee Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 I'd recommend a PJB Briefcase. I use one with 4 and 5 string basses and they are great for home use and practice with quiet bands. I have gigged with it when I was in a band with acoustic guitarists vocalists and drummer and also on my own guitar playing gigs with both electric and acoustic guitars with great results. Quote
grandad Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 [quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1450652597' post='2934678'] I'd recommend a PJB Briefcase. I use one with 4 and 5 string basses and they are great for home use and practice with quiet bands. I have gigged with it when I was in a band with acoustic guitarists vocalists and drummer and also on my own guitar playing gigs with both electric and acoustic guitars with great results. [/quote] The Briefcase is the most articulate amp I have ever used. It is however not loud and quite heavy but a comfortable shape. Quote
CamdenRob Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 I have a gk mb200 and EA whizzy 10. It's tiny with deep, clean, tight bass from bedroom to small gig volume Quote
Ghost_Bass Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 I would start by checking your bass/technique/strings/EQ before blaming it on the amp alone. With simple EQ you can take the boominess off any amp without it sounding too thin. - What strings are you using? How old are they? - What bass are you playing? How do you have the controls set? - How are you setting the EQ on your amp? Are you cutting the mids and boosting the bass? Quote
paul_5 Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 Is your amp close to a wall? That can cause boominess Quote
Urban Bassman Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 My practice amp is a Line 6 Low Down110. It's Got some nice, useable features and it's served me well as a practice amp for several years now. Worth considering I reckon. Quote
Grangur Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1450698334' post='2934902'] I would start by checking your bass/technique/strings/EQ before blaming it on the amp alone. With simple EQ you can take the boominess off any amp without it sounding too thin. - What strings are you using? How old are they? - What bass are you playing? How do you have the controls set? - How are you setting the EQ on your amp? Are you cutting the mids and boosting the bass? [/quote] I was thinking something along the same lines. It could be worth having some other BCers round with their gear and try out other borrowed combinations - basses/strings/setups/amps etc. I pulled an unused bass out of it's case at the weekend and it was seriously boomy. I lowered the pups and problem solved. Maybe the problem is cheaper to fix then you're expecting? Quote
Twincam Posted December 21, 2015 Author Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) [quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1450699090' post='2934909'] Is your amp close to a wall? That can cause boominess [/quote] Nope middle of the room push at present. And I've had the problem in other rooms. [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1450698334' post='2934902'] I would start by checking your bass/technique/strings/EQ before blaming it on the amp alone. With simple EQ you can take the boominess off any amp without it sounding too thin. - What strings are you using? How old are they? - What bass are you playing? How do you have the controls set? - How are you setting the EQ on your amp? Are you cutting the mids and boosting the bass? [/quote] New rounds or old flats, new flats or medium age tapes Multiple basses, multiple setting on the bass depending on what I'm playing. Just a thought I'm playing shorts scales at the min I'm sure they amplify the issue maybe? Due to there string tension etc ? Run amps fairly flat at the min, generally small tweaks for different things but when playing higher notes or two notes in quick succession, again higher notes I get this boomy sound I can't eq out without sounding thin. Thinking maybe something with a tweeter would help and something known to be very articulate in how it reproduces sound. Edited December 21, 2015 by Twincam Quote
stevie Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1450699884' post='2934923'] Nope middle of the room push at present. And I've had the problem in other rooms. [/quote] I think Paul is on the right track here. Forget about trying different gear - just try your amp in different parts of the room. You'll notice that certain parts of the room emphasise certain boomy frequencies. Where you stand also makes a difference. Find somewhere that doesn't emphasise a boomy frequency, although that's often easier said than done in a small room. The middle of the room, incidentally, will kill all the bottom end, just as a corner will boost it. Edited December 21, 2015 by stevie Quote
stevie Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 Interesting how the solution to any problem on here seems to be to buy more gear..... Quote
CamdenRob Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 [quote name='stevie' timestamp='1450701182' post='2934939'] Interesting how the solution to any problem on here seems to be to buy more gear..... [/quote] Isn't that the solution to every bass related problem? Quote
stevie Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 Says the man with a Glockenklang Blue Soul and two Wals!! Quote
CamdenRob Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) [quote name='stevie' timestamp='1450702949' post='2934960'] Says the man with a Glockenklang Blue Soul and two Wals!! [/quote] Yes and funnily enough i still have the same shortcomings I had beforehand... Edited December 21, 2015 by CamdenRob Quote
SubsonicSimpleton Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 Does the boominess occur only on specific notes? A parametric EQ would let you target the offending frequency(ies) quite accurately, but the issue might be due to room modes, a resonance in the speaker cab, an item in the room vibrating in sympathy etc. Quote
Twincam Posted December 21, 2015 Author Posted December 21, 2015 Here is a good example. If I'm fretting the f# 9th fret on the a string. And also playing the open e string, One after the other with both fingers, with the f# always fretted, letting both strings ring out no muting, It gets pretty boomy. Does that make sense? Lol. That's part of something I play. And I never used to have boom/droning problems but since I first started playing it, my amp and bass I use has changed many times. Quote
SubsonicSimpleton Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 I was really wondering if you had played through every note on each string of the bass to identify if the problem lies with individual notes being more boomy than others at the volume level that you find problematic. Given that each note is available in multiple places on the neck, do any problem notes exhibit the same behavior when you play them on a different string(e.g. does F# 4th fret on the D string behave the same as F# 9th fret A string)? Quote
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