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Topic: Bass Through an FSK |
Tim Stanton
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2007 9:49 am |
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Hey everybody – I could use some thoughts on this …
I play out predominantly on electric upright bass, going through my Fender BSX100 (100 watts, 15” speaker). When I’ve gigged on steel I’ve gone through that same amp, but added in a Holy Grail reverb and it sounds pretty good.
I’ve decided to get a Fender Steel King, based largely on comments here and after trying it at Billy Cooper’s. So, not wanting to lug two beastly amps around, I wonder about playing bass through an FSK.
Since I do play an EUB I keep the settings pretty straight – I can get bottom and also hear that wonderful “thwtttt” that comes with an upright. I can’t imagine that bass frequencies would harm an FSK, but if I’m wrong – let me know. Mainly I want some views on how a bass would respond through an FSK.
Any educated, experience-based erudite opinions? Or any off-the-top-of-the-head two bit rants … I’ll take them all!
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www.slimstanton.com
www.brleague.com
www.facebook.com/AndyVaughanAndTheDriveline |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 1 Jul 2007 11:38 am
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If I'm not mistaken, the FSK has an open-back cabinet, like most guitar and steel combos. A bass can easily blow the speaker in an open-back cab. Without playing loud at all a bass player blew the heavey duty 15" Black Widow in my Nashville 400. You could play bass through any steel amp, if you connected it to a normal closed-back bass speaker cabinet. But since the speaker and cab are most of the weight in a bass combo, you wouldn't gain much in convenience.
It might be more practical to go the other direction - play both steel and bass through a bass amp and speaker. But, counter-intuitively, most bass speaker systems use either 10s or a woofer with a horn, and steel will sound harsh through that. But a good multi-band EQ device might be able to fix that. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 1 Jul 2007 12:11 pm
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You're far better off using a bass amp for steel than you are trying to us a steel amp for bass!
Get a new or used Peavey "TNT" or a "Data Bass" amp. Add a stomp-box verb, and you're set for anything that comes around.
The new 200-watt TNT's are pretty cool, and have the same graphic EQ that the old Data Bass had. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2007 6:41 am
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The big problem is the open back speaker. You can blow it right out of it's frame with a bass guitar.
The Steel King uses the identical power amp board of the Fender Bassman 200. The preamps are very similar as well. The Bassman 200 came first and it would appear the Steel King was just a re-vamped Bassman 200.
You could used a closed back 15" extension or any closed back bass speaker (10" or 12" as well). You would have to unplug the main speaker and use the external cabinet for bass. Just be sure you match your impedances correctly. |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2007 7:59 am
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I agree with Donny, why not use a bass amp for steel. I've been using a couple of Eden bass amps lately, a WT-400, and a small WTX-260, and they both sound great. The EQ is almost unlimited on these amps, and they have an XLR direct out as standard equipment. I'm currently using a 15" Eminence neo speaker in a lightweight, open back cabinet, but I haven't played bass in several years. I use either a Holy Grail reverb, and a Boss DD-5 for reverb and delay, or an RV-3 for both reverb and delay.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2007 8:06 am
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| It seems most steel players want enough bas in the amp to almost eliminate the need for a bass player in a group, LOL! A closed back speaker, I have been told, is 300-400 percent more efficient than an open back speaker. Seems like that would do the trick. Even a good keyboard amp with a horn seems like a good choice to me. |
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Terry Gann
From:
Overland Park, Kansas
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Posted 2 Jul 2007 9:51 am
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Also, the FSK speaker is hardwired in. There is no 1/4 inch jack for the speaker to disconnect. You'd have to modify that to use a closed back cabinet. Maybe someone here knows the math needed to close up the back of the FSK and have it correctly ported?
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TerryGannAOneManBand
psgs: Fessenden SD-10, Nashville LTD SD-10, lapsteels: Fouke Indy Rail, OAHU Tonemaster, Roy Scmeck. amps: Fender Steelking, Boogie Nomad, Marshall TSL, Bogner Alchemist, POD Pro, Boogie Studio Preamp. Pedals... lots and lots of pedals! |
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