Burns-bass Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 Hi all, I play jazz upright in a few bands and looking to go out gigging and so I need an amp/combo. I have an aguilar Tonehammer rig that’s absolutely not perfect for the job so looking to add to my giggable rigs. Options are either of the Phil Jones combos on here or stumping up a bit more for a second hand AER combo. (Or something else?) What do people think? (I know acoustic image amps are meant to be the monkeys fandango but I can’t afford new and I need something relatively quickly so can’t wait for one to come up...) Budget is about £500 - £1000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 I'm a Phil Jones fanboy, I have a Cub for practising at home, a Flightcase for rehearsals which I add a PJ300 to for gigs. All of them are really pure and preserve the sound of the instrument. My Rob Allen sounds amazing through it, very upright in tone (which it's supposed to). When gigging with my P and JJ p/up equipped basses, I use a Tech21 VTDI to add a little grit, but they are totally usable without that too. I have no complaints and given that they're nice and light and compact into the bargain, why would I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bassman Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 I'm thinking of selling my PJB Super Flightcase which is great for upright. 2 upwards facing speakers so you can hear yourself with no feedback issues due to small drivers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 You would be VERY surprised how much more suitable your present rig would be with an Fdeck HPF at the front end of your signal chain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted April 28, 2019 Author Share Posted April 28, 2019 Really? I’ve got a Fishman Pro. I saw the HPF but aren’t they impossible to get in the U.K.? Willing to try it for £60 or whatever it costs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anon Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 PM’d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 The Fishman Pro would be fine and dandy. Don't get me wrong, new kit is lovely, but you do not always need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted April 28, 2019 Author Share Posted April 28, 2019 Ok. The problem I have is that the Fishman and the Aguilar are good, but the cabs have 12s which sound flappy and lack response. They also colour the sound to some degree, and they’re big too, so not particularly portable! Ive heard good things about the preamps and someone has kindly offered me one so I’ll get that, but I still think the problem will remain with the Aguilar. So any other views? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blartfactor10 Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 Get a Greenboy F112, keep the Tonehammer and yes an Fdec. In front. Just my take on it 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 In which case borrow some different speakers and see how they work for you. Roll into a bass bash (Midlands one on Sat) and plug into different stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 Not sure you need an fdeck, since your Fishman has a high impedance input and a variable HPF. Is your Tonehammer the one with the effects loop? If so, plug the Fishman into the "return" which will bypass the Tonehammer's preamp (i.e. use the Tonehammer just as a power amp). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 If you can find an AER BassCube for a decent price as they are close to £3500 GBP new, go on, this is simply the best combo ever and even for electric bass. I had some Phil Jones, they are not in the same league at all and when doing the AB test, they sound dull, poor and "overwatted". Don't buy an AER Amp series as they are meant for electric bass. The Acoustic Image are really good too, but not as good as the AER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted April 30, 2019 Author Share Posted April 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Hellzero said: If you can find an AER BassCube for a decent price as they are close to £3500 GBP new, go on, this is simply the best combo ever and even for electric bass. I had some Phil Jones, they are not in the same league at all and when doing the AB test, they sound dull, poor and "overwatted". Don't buy an AER Amp series as they are meant for electric bass. The Acoustic Image are really good too, but not as good as the AER. Interesting. I was considering the AER Basic Performer. Is that voiced for double bass? I should say, the more research I've done, the closer I am to a Greenboy and using the Tonehammer as the power section. I've got the gear, and sticking is sometimes better than twisting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 I would certainly be auditioning other cabs with the Fishman/Aguliar combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 It sounds like you know it's still there... http://ww.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/AER_Amp_Basic_Performer.html ...you'll find nothing better at this price and I took care of it so it's in pristine nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 5 hours ago, Burns-bass said: Interesting. I was considering the AER Basic Performer. Is that voiced for double bass? I should say, the more research I've done, the closer I am to a Greenboy and using the Tonehammer as the power section. I've got the gear, and sticking is sometimes better than twisting! Yes, the Basic Performer is voiced for double bass and the one @Frank Blank mentioned (and owned) is a good deal indeed. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted April 30, 2019 Author Share Posted April 30, 2019 6 hours ago, Frank Blank said: It sounds like you know it's still there... http://ww.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/AER_Amp_Basic_Performer.html ...you'll find nothing better at this price and I took care of it so it's in pristine nick. I should have bought it earlier shouldn’t I?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 53 minutes ago, Hellzero said: Yes, the Basic Performer is voiced for double bass and the one @Frank Blank mentioned (and owned) is a good deal indeed. 😉 Yes, I owned it from new, never gigged, one Bass Bash and occasionally used in home rehearsals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 Just now, Burns-bass said: I should have bought it earlier shouldn’t I?!! Go get it, I’d be well chuffed if you ended up with it, it just wasn’t getting used to its full potential with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted April 30, 2019 Author Share Posted April 30, 2019 Yeah, I think it could be the perfect solution short term. I can keep the Aguilar rig for electric bass and bigger gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bassman Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 Is weight an issue for you? It would be too heavy for me at 50lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted April 30, 2019 Author Share Posted April 30, 2019 2 hours ago, Mr Bassman said: Is weight an issue for you? It would be too heavy for me at 50lbs Nah, I’d cope with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickA Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Very happy with my PJB flight case (£250 from these very pages). it's very transparent and has an input impedance high enough for a preamp to make no difference. Not that loud though at a "gentle" 150W. So I have the pb300 to go underneath it when playing cathedrals without a PA Tried an acoustic image (coda?) at a bass bash and it was also v good. The only Aer I could find to try was an amp 1. Very clean, build quality is just .. stunning; but a bit boring sounding somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr zed Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 I bought an AER Amp 2 for double bass duties and it sounds epic. I have a Radial Pz pre that I sometimes use but this is optional as it sounds great just going direct to the amp (1 mohm input). Sorry but I don't agree that it's not voiced for DB as it works very well with mine. Oh and it also works very well with my electric basses. A true one amp solution. I wouldn't hesitate in buying the AER basic performer that's up for sale in bass direct. I assume the 2 input stages offer a doubling solution for electric & DB? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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