Electronic Amplification of the Cello

Regarding your page, I've found a couple things are true for good cello
electrification.

First, your choice of mic or transducer does depend greatly on how loud you
want to play. Louder is transducer. I've been trying to experiment with
electric pickups, but everyone who has tried it tells me to give up. I use
a barcus Berry pickup, after using the fishman, and the B-B is superior.
The Zeta bridge has some nice properties, but I prefer the B-B, strangly
enough, since it's cheaper.

I use a Jordan Music cello, and I like it a lot. It does feedback a little
too soon, and I have to be careful with that. Some days I just use the
acoustic with the pickup.

The biggest thing was to use tube amplification. I use a ADA MP-2 tube
pre-amp with a midi footboard for volume control, EQ, and distortion.
Having control over the amp makes a big difference in road situations. If
you got straight from your pickup pre-amp into the board, you're likely to
get lousy sound. Having my own EQ makes a big difference, too.

For non-pa situations I use a Mesa-Boogie guitar amp. I use the little
"studio .22", although I kind of which I had the .50. I think the Boogie
has the best sound, although a few of the old fender tube amps come close.
In informal and crowded situations, I can even sit on the top of the boogie
and play that way. Very handy.

Anyway. That's my two cents.


brian@bulkowski.org

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