Eden EC15 combo amp -- might be the best all-in-one bass combo at ANY price!

[Mark Schmieder]

I have an Eden EC15 combo amp on the way (the local store couldn't match the $100 price drop as theirs was bought at the old dealer price, and it's also somewhat crapped out for being abused by customers for quite a few months).

 

Having tried everything on the market (I think I can state this fairly confidently, except with the usual cop-out when it comes to boutique vendors who have no retail store presence whatsoever), I am convinced this is the most balanced and articulate combo amp on the market today.

 

The funny thing is, I'm not terribly fond of the other models in the series. Maybe the 2x10 is OK, but the 1x12 didn't cut it for me; got a bit flabby on the lows. I threw a fiver at the 1x15 and played every style imaginable, and it was up to the task.

 

I just can't go on using a guitar amp for my gigs just to satisfy the bandleader's rules about what we can and can't bring. So I spent the past 6-9 months heavily researching (and trying) every bass combo amp available, and kept hesitating on the ones that initially showed some promise (such as the Hartke KickBack and related models).

 

Eden is a brand I have always respected, but their separates never had a sound that was versatile enough for the demands of the types of gigs I do. If I most gigged originals in a heavy genre, Eden might be my first choice.

 

Interestingly though, this new combo amp series is NOT derived from their separates (or integrated amp heads, or cabinets) but seems to have a new design basis.

 

My main concern is construction quality, as Marshall now owns (or maybe just distributes) Eden, and Marshall quality has gone downhill so fast that Korg quite publicly dumped them over it (making statements about quality control!) and replaced them in their lineup with Blackstar.

 

At significantly under $400, however, it is hard to feel vulnerable in this purchasing decision.

 

Of course, my phenomenal Mesa Prodigy all-tube amp head will remain my recording amp (and it is absolutely blowing me away in recent sessions!). But this Eden amp might occasionally find studio work as well, as sometimes the solid state sound is what the doctor ordered (this includes jazz, where solid state is generally preferred over tubes traditionally).

 

Just to clarify, I do not consider the Walkabout to be a true combo amp as it's just the rack-based integrated amp head (which I owned in the bronco edition) paired with a somewhat lesser speaker cabinet than the Powerhouse series (which is why I bought it as separates). In general, I do not like combo amps for bass. I've owned a few too. This Eden model is the first one (other than the A.M.P. that I had in the late 80's through to early 1991) that seems both articulate and balanced.

[The Geoff]

Looks like everyone's accepted you word for it, Mark!

 

G.

[butcherNburn]

I just can't go on using a guitar amp for my gigs just to satisfy the bandleader's rules about what we can and can't bring.

 

The BL was dictating that you must use? Outside of sponsorship, or someone's desire for you to use, or not use, something completely hideous or cumbersome, I don't get it.

[jcadmus]

I've played both the 15 and the 2x10 -- great little amps. I prefer the 2x10 personally, but I like them both.

[Mark Schmieder]

Good to hear -- they didn't have the 2x10 so I had to go off of crappy on-line videos. I only got to compare to a couple of other single-speaker amps in the series, including the 1x12 and I think the 1x10 (maybe it was the 1x8; I forget).

 

My concern is that the Fender Excelsior -- though built for pedal steel and other "full range" instruments -- may not be built to handle a true bass guitar input (especially a fiver). It's actually a very good amp, but I just bought a Deluxe Reverb '65 reissue and it's sounding better on mando/etc. than the Excelsior so I may want to sell the Excelsior anyway, which helped feed into the decision to beta dedicated bass combo amp.

 

I will not speak publicly about bl decisions; bands are either democratic or they're not, and when they're not, a professional follows orders.

[Mark Schmieder]

Well, my bandleader was NOT happy tonight. He said the amp is too articulate, and that you can always tell what note is being played; whereas he feels the bass should be felt but not heard.

[jeremy c]

Tell him to supply the kind of amp he wants you to use.

[Mark Schmieder]

Haha, his favorite is the Roland KC500. :-)

 

If you also read the Keyboard Forum, you know what people tend to think of the Roland KC-series amps. :-)

[Michele C.]

I think I would show up with an Ampeg 8x10 and say "feel this, now".

[Mark Schmieder]

I've been asked not to bring the P-Bass to any more gigs, because its tone is too focused.

 

Just as I was about to sell the Dingwall, it has been requested to reappear (after it was rejected earlier).

 

I'll see how it sounds on the Eden (I've only tried it on the Mesa). Could be a hard trick to pull, it being so pianistic.

 

OTOH they have new strings available now, so I wanted to order a set and compare chrome/nickel vs. steel (or whatever the two choices are).

[jeremy c]

If you turn the tone knob all the way down on the Precision, the tone won't be focused any more.

[Mark Schmieder]

That's what I do. :-) Works great for reggae. Not so good for certain jazz tunes. Can be OK for some stuff, not others. With flatwounds, turning down the tone knob all the way is a lot different than with roundwounds, where it is an absolute necessity. With flats, I leave it about 1/3 up, then off for reggae and certain songs.

 

I think he preferred it when I played on the neck vs. at the pickups, which is the bigger difference overall. I got into that horrible habit during my years of playing 24-fret basses, and it took me a month or two of playing 20-fret Fenders before I realized the error of my ways.

 

The Eden amp is safer to use than the Fender Excelsior, since it is designed for bass, but it's not as warm, being solid state. OTOH, that sometimes works to its advantage, for certain material. I wouldn't say the "P" is the best match for it though, so I'm going to experiment with the "J" later this week. The two gigs I brought the "J" to had me cussed out all gig long.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

your band leader sounds like a richard. even being well paid wouldn't be enough for me to want that gig. but everyone has their thing, so more power to you.

[jcadmus]

your band leader sounds like a richard.

It's like you read my mind.

 

I was actually thinking obsessive-complusive, anal-retentive dictator. (I added the "-tator" to keep it family friendly).

[Mark Schmieder]

I think it's important for musicians to be humble and open to what they can learn from others.

 

I am looking at this as yet another learning opportunity for how I can become a better player.

[Steve Force]

your band leader sounds like a richard. even being well paid wouldn't be enough for me to want that gig. but everyone has their thing, so more power to you.

 

Calling him a "Richard" is so very polite. I would have told that asshat to pound sand up his ass and walked. Life it too short for BS.

[Paul K]

Well, my bandleader was NOT happy tonight. He said the amp is too articulate, and that you can always tell what note is being played; whereas he feels the bass should be felt but not heard.

 

I would have a very difficult time keeping my passive-aggressive tendencies from having a field day with this. You are a better man than me.

[EddiePlaysBass]

I was actually thinking obsessive-complusive, anal-retentive richardtator. (I added the "-tator" to keep it family friendly).

 

There, I fixed it for ya :grin:

[jeremy c]

I played with a crazy bandleader like that. He specified what kind of bass, what my amp settings should be, and even what strings to play the silly bass parts he wanted.

 

Everyone in the band was given lots of instructions.

 

There was a lot of turnover of musicians.

 

He asked me, "why am I having trouble finding musicians? doesn't anybody want to work?"

 

The answer of course was, "nobody wants to work with you."

 

I did not say that out loud. After not very long, I told him I would only work with him if given short notice on a gig. I didn't want to fill up my schedule and have to pass on something else. Anything else.

[Mark Schmieder]

Well, as I have said many times, I do not believe in airing dirty laundry in public, or discussing things that are private and which can easily show up through web searches. My posts in this forum are at the top of the list if you do a Google search on my name.

 

Also, I would consider it arrogant and unprofessional to come off "superior" like that, questioning a bandleader and also presuming that there isn't something for me to learn from the situation. After all, we DID play Yoshi's in Oakland last week. We've had some pretty high profile gigs here and there.

 

The only thing I can say, is that I should have been keeping a Black Book (but I've been too busy to organize my private life for three years), because I swear we've had at least 100 drummers pass through the doors over the past few years. Not one of them has quit. And only a few of them are ones that I would not eagerly look forward to playing with. Figure out the rest. :-)

[EddiePlaysBass]

Mark, I understand your POV re: dirty laundry. It's one reason why I use a pseudonym here

 

And obviously none of us work with your BL, and none of us have any say as to what type of BL you should or should not work with.

 

But at the same time:

 

Also, I would consider it arrogant and unprofessional to come off "superior" like that, questioning a bandleader and also presuming that there isn't something for me to learn from the situation.

 

This works both ways, since the BL seems to be acting "superior" too. In my last band, I told the BL t(who is also a bass player) that I am open to suggestions when it comes to how and what I play. But that band did not make me any money (my bad) so I would never have let him dictate what material to use or even what settings (though I did leave that to the soundman, who always seemed to want less bass and more guitar - his son being the BL/guitarist).

 

In the end: if it works for you, that's all that counts.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

i played in a really good band once where the songwriter had very specific requests for certain parts of the song (e.g. "i'm hearing a really light, playful sort of thing going on here."). i did my best to oblige him. there is room for executive vision in a band. but i would not work well in this arrangement.

[Tom Capasso]

I know a bassist who plays in a "big band" style organization. He bought a small combo (Genz Benz shuttle 6) so he didn't bring his ampeg rig that was more visible. He's learned fretless to soften his tone. His volume is low because the BL wants to "feel not hear" him. As best as my friend can figure out, the BL wants him to keep time for the band but not really be heard outside of that. The material they play has very intricate - and busy - bass parts. The rest of the band keeps asking him to turn up, but he stays low.

 

He loves the music, likes the other musicians (25+ of them) and challenges himself with reading the charts (lots of sight reading). He knows it isn't perfect, but he stays. He has some other bands (including a classic rock band) where he can "open it up" more. He does feel flustered/confused by the BL at times, but it is a choice.

 

I haven't had anything like this happen. When I've been asked to play something, I've done my best to comply. That's been easy because it has been so rare.

 

Mark - best of luck. My advice is to switch to upright...

 

Tom

[Mark Schmieder]

Tom, you hit it spot on.

 

Last night's not-band-related rehearsal reminded me why I stick it out. Someone who is such a hustler (I'm not) is good for networking. :-) It had been awhile since we had had a jazz session (vs. the rare gig rehearsal, or the gigs themselves, which don't have a very high ratio of pure jazz).

 

I bonded immediately, and deeply, with the guitarist (new to me, and just getting back into jazz). I would never have met him on my own, because I work all the time or am too busy doing favours for people to "put myself out there" so to speak (e.g. ads).

 

My 3+ year old car hit the 10K mark just as I pulled the car up to my house after rehearsal. It kind of reinforced the magic (the new drummer was quite good too, and the return of my favourite sax player helped immensely), from earlier in the evening, and gave me optimism about the coming calendar year.

 

One of my biggest goals of the past two years has been to finally get to daily, or at least frequent, upright practice. Work got crazy the last few years (crazier than usual, that is), and I'm never home early enough (pre-curfew).

 

I made sure the upright would fit in the Hyundai Accent when I bought it to replace my Mazda Protege Sedan (1991) after it started failing CA Smog Tests (sedans don't have access for large items even if the interiors are large enough once they're inside). It isn't allowed at gigs anyway though due to its size (read: stage space) and also how it draws attention away from a BL using a cheap 61-key Korg Arranger Workstation (tiny; a real piano would not be dwarfed).

 

Back on-topic, I won't be holding onto the Eden if it doesn't get used at gigs. We'll see how the next gig goes. It's not like my Mesa setup is that large or heavy, but it's two items instead of one, and therefore seen as a loading time and performance reliability risk, as well as an attention-grabber.