Hi,
When playing big band and other louder gigs, the amp definitely can become the more prevalent source of sound. My preference is to put a microphone (I use Shure Beta 56A) in the bass bridge and use that in the house PA whenever possible. If the piano is miked, then I like to be as well. Then the amp becomes more of a monitor onstage. Also, the tone of the mike in the house is much more natural. I like to play at volumes where I can hear the bass from the bass, but I don's always find myself in situations where the overall band volume is reasonable. Thanks for the kind words regarding the Basie recording with Diane Schuur. That is a great sounding recording. FYI, that was a combination of mike and pickup. These days, I use only a mike in the studio whenever possible.
