Help Needed -Cello Amplifier?

AngelXTmusic · 01-20-2011, 08:38 AM

I have an acoustic cello I love...does classical music great. I play in a darkwave band. The cello is fine on recordings, need something louder to do live stuff. Can't afford an electric cello right now. What is an alternative?

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 01-20-2011, 10:44 AM

I'm sure you could buy a pickup, and hook it up to a guitar or keyboard amplifier. I hear keyboard amplifiers are really good at catching high tones so maybe that's a way to go.

SATCHMO · 01-20-2011, 12:08 PM

An I deal set up would be a decently powered Bass amp with 4 10"s and a tweeter or a horn built into the center of the cabinet.

Fishman makes an excellent Cello pickup, the C-100. At it's a bit spendy, but the cello has such an extremely dynamic tonal range and sympathetic resonances that capturing all the expressive details and nuances of its timbre really merits an investment of a great pickup.

An an investment in a quality large diaphragm kick drum or rack tom mic to mic the cabinet of your amp is also merited. I'm sure there are sound engineers that will want to run an XLR cable out of the bass amp directly into the mixing console. I'll save you and them the trouble and tell you it will sound like ****. The best of both worlds: A free standing condenser mic aimed directly at the instrument itself in one channel and a large diaphragm mic on the bass cabinet in another channel. Mix, chill, and serve.

AngelXTmusic · 01-21-2011, 11:55 AM

Thanks!

01-20-2011, 08:38 AM	#1 (permalink)
AngelXTmusic Groupie Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 19	Help Needed -Cello Amplifier? I have an acoustic cello I love...does classical music great. I play in a darkwave band. The cello is fine on recordings, need something louder to do live stuff. Can't afford an electric cello right now. What is an alternative?

01-20-2011, 12:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
SATCHMO Al Dente Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,708	An I deal set up would be a decently powered Bass amp with 4 10"s and a tweeter or a horn built into the center of the cabinet. Fishman makes an excellent Cello pickup, the C-100. At it's a bit spendy, but the cello has such an extremely dynamic tonal range and sympathetic resonances that capturing all the expressive details and nuances of its timbre really merits an investment of a great pickup. An an investment in a quality large diaphragm kick drum or rack tom mic to mic the cabinet of your amp is also merited. I'm sure there are sound engineers that will want to run an XLR cable out of the bass amp directly into the mixing console. I'll save you and them the trouble and tell you it will sound like ****. The best of both worlds: A free standing condenser mic aimed directly at the instrument itself in one channel and a large diaphragm mic on the bass cabinet in another channel. Mix, chill, and serve.

01-21-2011, 11:55 AM	#4 (permalink)
AngelXTmusic Groupie Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 19	Thanks!