Best amp type for a solid body with piezo?

Wayne Carver · Post by **Wayne Carver** » 14 May 2003 4:55 am

I was wondering if an acoustic voiced amp, verses a bass amp, would sound better for a solid body bass with a piezo pickup. I noticed a lot of electric guitars now have these type pickups in order to get a more acoustic sound.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 May 2003 7:37 am

Let's see...you want to play bass guitar, but you don't want it to sound like a bass guitar?

If you're playing bass, I'd use a bass amp. An amp voiced for acoustic guitar would likely fall flat on it's face when confronted with the low "E" on a bass guitar, especially at high volume levels.

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 14 May 2003 8:12 am

Several of the bass fiddle players around here (including my wife) have piezo pickups of various types, and are using Acoustic-Image Coda or Contra amplifiers. These amps are small and hi-tech and pricey. I must tell you, I was very skeptical until we were able to try one out on a couple of gigs. After that, I bellied up to the bar, sold two other bass amps, and bought her one. Amazing realistic sound!!!!!

Wayne Carver · Post by **Wayne Carver** » 14 May 2003 8:51 am

Mine is a tenor bass strung,ADGC so it doesn't have a low E. It is fretless with nylon strings so I was looking for a standup or acoustic sound verses an electric bass sound. At least a bass combo amp might be more versatile. Probably cheaper and easier to find a used one too.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 May 2003 5:12 pm

Well, I'm not sure you're going to get an acoustic-bass sound from a solid body without some kind of effects unit. But, as a start, you could try one of the bass amps that have a built-in graphic equalizer (to give you maximum tone contour). The old Peavey "Data-Bass" amp comes to mind.