Does anyone have experience with either of the JHS Colour Box or Crayon for use on upright as a preamp?
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Double Bass JHS Colour Box or Crayon as a preamp for upright?
- Thread starter John Le Guyader
- Start date
It’d probably be fine but there are much better choices when it comes to double bass. A 1073 is not exactly top choice to plug a double bass into. Sure you could do it but you’ll begin to overdrive well before getting useable volume. It’s designed to saturate. Also, I’m not sure if the impedance but at least 1Mohm is necessary for most bass pickups. If you’re talking micing, might be a flavor but you’d be better off with something else imo
Thx - that’s exactly the kind of info I was looking for
Sushi Box- Slampegg Bee Pre (or Elementary or Underground Accelerator) with a 12AU7 tube. The Slampegg has a 5.6Mohm input impedance. That tube variant will give you the most gain before breakup.
Any of the Tech21 Sansamp bass pedals.
Any of the Tech21 Sansamp bass pedals.
I have. It worked fine. I ran a buffer before it.
If you're doubling, the Radial Bassbone is the preamp to get: Bassbone V2 - Radial Engineering
If you're doubling, the Radial Bassbone is the preamp to get: Bassbone V2 - Radial Engineering
So, I was really just curious about the Colour Box as a preamp for upright. I’m not in the market for a preamp. I already have a redeye and headway.
That’s really too bad. I find it insanely intuitive. Really just one of the best built and cleanest mic preamp/DIs in the industry (Grace M101) put into a stomp box form. EQ, boost, notch filter, and HP. That’s it really. Too much if you don’t use a mic though for sure. I hear good things about the Stanley Clarke preamp
One thing to know about the Skampegg Bee is that, like the Ampeg B-15 it’s modeled after, it has a Baxandall/James rather than a standard FVM tonestack. So its EQ settings respond a bit differently than the tone controls found on many other amps. If you’re interested in the technical details there’s more info here.
While I will admit that when I first purchased my Grace Felix, the multiple front, rear, and side control surfaces were challenging. (especially the “chicklet” signal routing buttons) It did not take all that long (three months) to figure out how to approach using it.. Getting it off the floor and on top of my powered speakers or a stand helped a lot. You could see the controls more easily. I thought about the Grace Alix but it’s missing stuff that I really like on the Felix. The Headway EDB-2 H.E. Is a decent alternative and although it’s footprint is smaller the controls are a little easier to understand.
SansAmp Para Driver DI V2 seems like it would be good for upright due to its parametric mid knob. The V2 has also a “Rumble Filter” button which is designed to cut boomy frequencies found in acoustic instruments such as upright basses or large-bodied acoustic guitars.
Another bonus with the Para Driver is that it’s great on other instruments so owning one is a no brainer… it’s a very good multi-instrument preamp. People also use it as outboard mixing gear for adding saturation and EQ to drums, etc. truly a swiss army knife.
If you want a strictly clean preamp, the Tech 21 Q/Strip would also do well. I’ve heard of uprights players using them.
I’m sure there other good options for upright too from other companies. I do like the EQ controls on the Tech 21 preamps though. Definitely a fanboy.
Especially because they are less expensive than some of the other boutiquey or high end options.
Another bonus with the Para Driver is that it’s great on other instruments so owning one is a no brainer… it’s a very good multi-instrument preamp. People also use it as outboard mixing gear for adding saturation and EQ to drums, etc. truly a swiss army knife.
If you want a strictly clean preamp, the Tech 21 Q/Strip would also do well. I’ve heard of uprights players using them.
I’m sure there other good options for upright too from other companies. I do like the EQ controls on the Tech 21 preamps though. Definitely a fanboy.
Especially because they are less expensive than some of the other boutiquey or high end options.
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Do you mean for a pickup or microphone?
I have a Colour Box, and I would never choose it over my Grace Design Alix for upright bass. The JHS has very little headroom, In my experience. Good for an overdriven P Bass direct tone, though.
Big fan of the Q/Strip as well. The Grace Design Alix replaced it here, but I'm definitely not selling the Q/Strip.
I have the Felix which is essentially a two channel Alix with an xlr mic input. There is nothing that comes close to it. I’ve had a Tonedexter, sold, a Fishman, sold, an acoustic box, and a Stanley Clarke, sold. The Grace Designs stuff is just head and shoulders above any of it. The ability to dial in what you can dial in on the Grace stuff is ridiculous. I use their preamps for recording as well and I can say their customer service, durability, and usability is unlike anything I’ve ever come across. You won’t be sad if you pick it up. The used prices basically staying within just new price should say a lot in addition to not seeing them on the used market too much. I’m in love with my Felix2
I had one and was disappointed. Although it "reads well" and is a great little pre if you have to have its flexibilities all in one piece, I'd do something else.
You know, I'd give you an honest and thorough appraisal of my use, but I'm tired of getting flamed by people who know less. I've played bass for 50 years,
own a nice lot of basses, amps, etc, and have a good deal of experience with high end audio. My opinion was most recently denigrated by a new player
with Sire and Harley Benton gear and I just don't feel like being second guessed again.
IF you can, try it out first, YMMV.
You know, I'd give you an honest and thorough appraisal of my use, but I'm tired of getting flamed by people who know less. I've played bass for 50 years,
own a nice lot of basses, amps, etc, and have a good deal of experience with high end audio. My opinion was most recently denigrated by a new player
with Sire and Harley Benton gear and I just don't feel like being second guessed again.
IF you can, try it out first, YMMV.
I appreciate both those viewpoints. I’ve used Grace in the studio as well and it’s always remarkable.
I wonder … for nearly 800$ … will it be that much better than my other gizmos? It checks a lot of boxes on paper.
I wonder … for nearly 800$ … will it be that much better than my other gizmos? It checks a lot of boxes on paper.
