Double Bass advice on what to keep

[Mr Ralph]

Hey everyone this is my first post. I have been playing BG and Guitar for years. I have recently switched to DB. I am loving it. I have a 1941 kay which was professionally set up.
I am not a professional gigging musician. I play at two churches and some small coffee houses. The church is with a pianist, guitar and vocalists. The coffee house are just a guitar player and sometimes a keyboard.
Here is the dilemma. Currently I own and am using the following.

sansamp para driver into a Crown D150A amp or sometimes a DC300A both as a mono Block. I have a Yorkville XC-115 cabinet. I don't mind this at church because I can leave it set up.
For the coffee house and the other small church I just go into the PA.
I have a dual element piezo and a AT U857Q mounted to my tailpiece. It is the same mic used in the ATM350.
I have ordered a preamp from Francis Deck.
I have a guy that wants to trade me an GK MB115 for my XC-115 plus $150. I am thinking of doing it. Or do you guys think I would be better off selling it all and get something like an acoustic image or euphonic ect. I am not earning any money at this but I still want to sound good. The other problem I an having is blending the mic with the pickup.
The other option would be to keep the XC-115 and get one of the new lightweight heads to go with it. Or keep the Crowns and get a Preamp. Maybe Mr. Decks preamp will be enough right into the crown or Pardriver? Thoughts?
And of course learning and developing the proper skills to get the most sound out of it naturally.
Thanks

 

[Feral Feline]

Welcome to TB Mr Ralph!

Audition the GK cab and A/B it with the Yorky, decide which sounds better to you – and if you like the GK better, whether the cab+$ is equitable.
Have you tried the pickup alone without the mic and vice versa? You might be able to forego one or the other depending on what sound pleases you most.

If you like pickup+mic, I'd (re)search TB to find out what other pickup+mic users are doing to blend their two signals. You don't mention how you're currently blending the signals, which could be useful to responders. I'd suggest some kind of dual-channel pre-amp that can handle the pickup and mic, allowing you to use your current gear (if you so wish, only you can decide whether to sell off gear for want of other gear).

I don't know about the FdeckHPF straight into the Crown, but into the Paradriver certainly won't be a problem. I borrowed a bandmate's Paradriver for a theatre gig once with good results going straight to the board (Underwood pup).

Check out Headway for blending; Acoustic Image's Flex preamp would be a good option, for blending pup+mic, to drive your Crown. There are plenty of other options, hopefully some other TBers will pitch in with more 2¢.

You've spent $ on getting a professional setup for your bass, don't be stingy on your own setup – lessons are well worth the investment and may likely help prevent injury.

Cheers,
FF

PS: I just use my Underwood, have "blended" a mic a few times live and recording, but don't own a mic.
PPS: As per TB tradition, no pic then no '41 Kay! We love looking at bass pron, please post a pic of your DB!

 

[Mr Ralph]

Okay I will see if I am technically versed enough to get the pic loaded on here. Will do it tomorrow as I am just going out.
As far as the GK MB115 goes I have seen reports of them not being as reliable or hardy as the traditional Gk stuff. I am actually waiting for the Fdeck preamp to make a decision on the mic.

Thanks

 

[Mr Ralph]

As requested here is pic of my newly acquired 1941 Kay O-100. I have Evah Mittels on it Switched from Helicore Hybrids. I am also including a pic of how I did my mic in case anyone is interested. The original question in this was that I have someone who wants trade a Gk MB115 for my Yorkville XC-115 plus $150. I was just curious if you thought I would be better off keeping the Yorkville cabinet and using one of my existing crown amps and getting a proper preamp or get rid of it all and get something designed for DB. I still play BG and the weight is not an issue as I can leave my church set up there. I was thinking of that and then have a small traveling rig for the other church and coffee houses. Any recommendations for that. I have read all the threads and quite honestly it is a little overwhelming. I wish to thank all of you who contribute your experience to this site. It is a tremendous asset to someone who is learning.

 

[Feral Feline]

Beautiful bass!

You've got some other nice instruments hanging 'round to keep the Kay company, too.

I'd be inclined to keep what you have and add to it, that way you have what you know works for your slab and sort out something that will work for your DB. Many doublers here have found that a one-rig-for-all-situations is difficult to attain, there's always a compromise to be made for BG or for DB. I don't double, btw, I'm just regurgitating what I've read.

Will you be doubling at any of these gigs, or are you solely playing either DB or slab at each gig?

 

[Mr Ralph]

Hi,
Thanks, yes the Kay has some buddies that I have collected over the years. Too many. When I play it is usually one or the other not both.

 

[BHBassman]

Congrats on your dilemma!
I also have an early '40s Kay with Evahs & an Underwood PU. (Needs work but sounds great)
I own a variety of amps & have played through many different amp/EQ/preamp(with & without preamp) combinations.
Very important to play through amps to learn the variety of tones your UB will take on.
Take the time to do that!! (Go to a music store....)
Try not to worry about $, if possible.....
Then, make the decision on amps.
Good problem! Have fun.