Double Bass Grace Designs Felix

[Don Kasper]

but I hate cord mess

If your physical set-up is consistent from gig-to-gig, you can clean up the cable mess by bundling cables together (based upon function and destination) using these:
(Buy the "reversible/non-permanent" type, just in case you need to modify your setup, or replace a bad cable.)
You can even have someone remove the excess lengths (of the cables) to make a very clean bundle, if the cables are of varying lengths.

 

[Jim Dombrowski]

You can accomplish the same bundling with Velcro straps, and not need a tool to open them.

 

[Don Kasper]

and not need a tool to open them.

The only "tool" needed is a fingernail, BTW.
Thanks.

 

[Jeff Kissell]

...but I hate cord mess (vunz your picture above with all those expensive Vovox cords waiting to trip you up makes me nervous ) What I want is a mic/guitar cord combined (I know Bob G makes one) AND a guitar/power cord snake (maybe just taped together) to minimize the mess...

What about something like this?

 

[lrhbass]

That is a good idea, thanks Jeff

 

[RobinC]

Alright,
I have a problem, my Felix works fine except when I try to do the following. I need to double at a couple of concerts, do I'll be using Channel 1 for DB and Channel 2 for EB, sending individual DI signals out to the board for Channel 1 and 2 and I'd like also send a the signal back to my
amp as well, but I can't figure out that the correct set of buttons to engage on the inputs and outputs. Any assistance would be helpful. Thanks

Ric

Did you ever figure this out? I double a lot and was looking into the Felix as a way to handle both upright and electric on loud stages. Looking at the manual, it seems like this should be possible...

 

[Vunz]

Select "mix" as amp source and set the Mix pot at 12 o'clock (50/50). That should work.

Cheers,
Vincent

 

[RobinC]

Cool, Thanks!

I was up way past my bedtime reading through this entire thread last night and I have to say the more I learn about the Felix the more it seems like exactly what I've been looking for. If it weren't so expensive I'd probably have already ordered one! I really like the idea of keeping things simple on stage but still having that awesome flexibility to send independent pup and mic signals to the house while being able to pick and choose what goes to the amp/monitors (though I don't have a mic yet, and that is a whole other can o' worms).

The biggest challenge with my current setup is taming the low rumbly "whoooooom!" feedback that I get when I add in too much low or mids without pretty drastic HPF and notch settings. I can get some volume at the sacrifice of tone, but often not enough for the loud stages my band plays. In past projects with lower volumes, the K&K Double Bassmax I have on the bridge always did pretty well, but recently I've been thinking about other pups and wondering if there is something else out there that can give me more volume to work with. This thread has me rethinking my whole rig!

In a perfect world, for URB I think I would blend a strong pup signal with a good mic into the Felix, send both DIs to the house, and take the pup signal from the amp out into a power amp + cab or maybe just into a powered speaker (another can o' worms!). For EB, use a good preamp box with a DI to house and join the amp out with the URB amp out for use with a cab on stage. OR I suppose you could just use the Felix to A/B both instruments, but it seems a waste not to use a mic with that box...

decisions, decisions....

 

[flatback]

I have the Felix many mics and many pickups. Right now I am blown away by what kind of sound can be had with the Felix a good Piezo (FC, Underwood, APtflex, etc) in ch 2 and a mic in ch 1.
BUT I just got an Ischell contact mic (although it isnt really a contact mic because only the putty touches the surface of the bass) and having the Ishcell in place of the mic has a ton of advantages: crazy amount of gain without feedback or bleed. Big woody sound, (not a lot of air but air can be overrated in a live setting). THe Ischell has a great attack sound and responds really well to the Felix eq. It gives a whole lot of what is good about a mic (including the individual character of the bass) without the drawbacks: no bleed, no feedback, no awkward placement. Playing with this system live has been the most pleasure and best sound (although in ideal conditions a really good mic is a really good mic) I have ever had.
For what you want to do I think this set up would be ideal.

 

[RobinC]

Are you still using a piezo in ch. 1 with the Ishchell in ch. 2?

 

[flatback]

the opposite: Ischell with phantom power in Channel 1, Piezo in Channel 2. CHannel 2 has a 20Mohm impedance (center toggle) which sounds best with a lot of piezos including mine. Ch 1 used for its mic preamp essentially gwets you a Grace 101 Mic pre for that channel. The Ischell sounds pretty good thru an amp but thru that mic channel it sounds great.

 

[RobinC]

D'oh! Thats what I meant.

Ok cool, good to know. Do you think the Ishchell or a similar system would be enough on its own (again, with the context being loud live sound) so that another instrument could be run through channel 2?

Sounds like I need to try and track down a Felix in the Seattle area to demo.

 

[flatback]

Depends on the instrument. On my small bodied bass it needs the bottom from the piezo. If you mean by another instrument doubling with another bass in line 2, yeah. If you mean running a keyboard or guitar or violin in there, Personally I wouldn't (and I don't ever let them when they ask unless it is a musical necessity) it is just a cacophonic nightmare.

 

[flatback]

Also I don't think there is a similar system to the Ischell. The closest is the Stat B (which I own and which properly set up sounds excellent thru the Felix) but the Ischell sounds better then the Stat B and better then most other mics and definitely better then a piezo by itself. I really like it thru the Felix and I really like the blend knob on the Felix- just the blend knob alone is a great tool.

 

[flatback]

My friend Steve just made this old Dynaco Mono Bloc into a stellar Felix back end. He put in 6550 tubes and cleaned up the sound so it is dead quiet and I cant wait to take it out and play it on some gigs. Contrabassetto>Ischell>Felix>Dynaco Tube PowerAmp>MAS46 ...Dang that sounds good

 

[Monte]

Hmm....man this might be ideal with my Stat B + step down phantom power in one channel and Heil PR40 in the second. Currently using a small Mackie mixer with the QSC K10 but sounds like this would be a lot easier to dial in the sound.

 

[Ric Vice]

Hmm....man this might be ideal with my Stat B + step down phantom power in one channel and Heil PR40 in the second. Currently using a small Mackie mixer with the QSC K10 but sounds like this would be a lot easier to dial in the sound.

Monte,
I'm using a the Grace Designs Felix
with a QSC K8. It realy cleans up the QSC's sound and makes it sound pretty great. With a better speaker and power amp it's amazing.

Ric

 

[Don Kasper]

My friend Steve just made this old Dynaco Mono Bloc into a stellar Felix back end. He put in 6550 tubes and cleaned up the sound so it is dead quiet and I cant wait to take it out and play it on some gigs. Contrabassetto>Ischell>Felix>Dynaco Tube PowerAmp>MAS46 ...Dang that sounds good

Re: the photo - Isn't this what the kids call "SteamPunk"?
Keep us posted?
Given your past few months of "+ gear" posts, you should consider buying a Lottery ticket!
Thanks.

 

[Ric Vice]

Re: the photo - Isn't this what the kids call "SteamPunk"?
Keep us posted?
Given your past few months of "+ gear" posts, you should consider buying a Lottery ticket!
Thanks.

Tubes can get pretty steamy

 

[Vunz]

Hmm....man this might be ideal with my Stat B + step down phantom power in one channel and Heil PR40 in the second. Currently using a small Mackie mixer with the QSC K10 but sounds like this would be a lot easier to dial in the sound.

You don't even need the step down phantom power adapter, as the Grace is able to deliver 12V directly to the stat B (that is how I use it). In that way you can use the Heil in channel 1 (the mic channel).

Cheers,
Vincent