*sorted* I have a grand a want a fully carved double bass.

[Guest subaudio]

That's a very kind offer thank you, I have a Shadow Sh 950 on my Zeller, would you know how these differ from the underwood ? I was thinking either of those or a realist

[bassace]

[quote name='subaudio' post='527768' date='Jun 29 2009, 02:49 PM']That's a very kind offer thank you, I have a Shadow Sh 950 on my Zeller, would you know how these differ from the underwood ? I was thinking either of those or a realist[/quote]

I've no experience of the Shadow but I understand that it is very similar to the Underwood. A lot of people like the Realist; I found that it had a good strong sound but would choke when the volume was cranked up. Different basses suit different pickups - there is no generalisation. Did your new bass have a pickup fitted?

[Guest subaudio]

[quote name='bassace' post='527831' date='Jun 29 2009, 03:46 PM']I've no experience of the Shadow but I understand that it is very similar to the Underwood. A lot of people like the Realist; I found that it had a good strong sound but would choke when the volume was cranked up. Different basses suit different pickups - there is no generalisation. Did your new bass have a pickup fitted?[/quote]

My new bass didnt, shame as it would give me a clue as to what worked with it, I like what I hear about the realist but my volumes do get a bit high sometimes, and I was wondering if they pick up all four strings at the same volume as the pickup only goes under the bass foot of the bridge, sorry, this is turning into a "what pickup thread" now.

Edited June 29, 2009 by subaudio

[bassace]

I've just sold a Realist to JakesBass. Perhaps he could pass on his experience. Otherwise, as you say, it may come down to a 'what pickup' thread.

[ardi100]

I've got an Underwood I could be persuaded to let go!

[jakenewmanbass]

Hey Marti, no probs on it turning into a 'what pick up' thread... It's your thread after all. I did indeed buy Bassaces Realist, I like it very much although you might need to be able to roll substantial amounts of bass off, but that could be my Alembic pre, which Alex Claber tells me has a natural smile eq as the basic setting.
I have an Accusound for sale which I have used on and off swapping for an Underwood. The Accusound is very natural sounding, for me (and more importantly my bass) the Realist has a low mid thump that I like.
I will be using that set up (Realist/Fishman/Alembic pre/Power/Schroeder) for Jazz and function gigs, and for my regular gig, which is a 20s musical comedy I use Underwood/Fishman/P.A The second set up is a more honky sound, very punchy and can get very loud as we play to big audiences sometimes, and they want an almost sousaphone quality to the sound, I play lots of 2 feels in that and the Underwood seems to fare very well for that.
I have to say about the Underwood though that without the extra layer of EQ and signal boost it is a bit weedy and very 'string' orientated in the sound so the trick is about completely manufacturing the amplified sound so that when the volume goes up, you're happy with the sound, there is nothing quite so dampening to your ideas train as a really bad tone coming back at you.
Keep us posted as to your thinking on this as I'm sure between us we will have been through what ever situation you're entering.
Jake

[Guest subaudio]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='528378' date='Jun 30 2009, 09:55 AM']Hey Marti, no probs on it turning into a 'what pick up' thread... It's your thread after all. I did indeed buy Bassaces Realist, I like it very much although you might need to be able to roll substantial amounts of bass off, but that could be my Alembic pre, which Alex Claber tells me has a natural smile eq as the basic setting.
I have an Accusound for sale which I have used on and off swapping for an Underwood. The Accusound is very natural sounding, for me (and more importantly my bass) the Realist has a low mid thump that I like.
I will be using that set up (Realist/Fishman/Alembic pre/Power/Schroeder) for Jazz and function gigs, and for my regular gig, which is a 20s musical comedy I use Underwood/Fishman/P.A The second set up is a more honky sound, very punchy and can get very loud as we play to big audiences sometimes, and they want an almost sousaphone quality to the sound, I play lots of 2 feels in that and the Underwood seems to fare very well for that.
I have to say about the Underwood though that without the extra layer of EQ and signal boost it is a bit weedy and very 'string' orientated in the sound so the trick is about completely manufacturing the amplified sound so that when the volume goes up, you're happy with the sound, there is nothing quite so dampening to your ideas train as a really bad tone coming back at you.
Keep us posted as to your thinking on this as I'm sure between us we will have been through what ever situation you're entering.
Jake[/quote]

Hi Jake

A very helpfull post thank you, I think I am am heading more towards a Realist, possibly as much to try something different to my Shadow as anything else, but I was wondering if the Realists picks up all four strings equally as the pickup is only under one foot, as for EQ I use an LR Baggs pre and will be using a Genz Benz 10T combo for small gigs and my GK 700 head for bigger gigs.

My current band is playing original's in the style of standard ballads and some stompy jigs thrown in, ultimatley I would like as wide a range of sounds as possible so I can keep my options open but a good Jazz sound is my starting point.

Marti

[jakenewmanbass]

Yes mate they pick up very evenly across the strings, the reason, I would guess, is that what is being picked up is less the string sound, and more the sound emanating from the tables via the sound post, so inherently more woody and fuller bodied than string vibration interception which is what the Shadow and Underwood by their placement nature are.
Jake

[Guest subaudio]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='528515' date='Jun 30 2009, 12:08 PM']Yes mate they pick up very evenly across the strings, the reason, I would guess, is that what is being picked up is less the string sound, and more the sound emanating from the tables via the sound post, so inherently more woody and fuller bodied than string vibration interception which is what the Shadow and Underwood by their placement nature are.
Jake[/quote]

Ah great, thanks for that, just what I wanted to hear

Marti