JamieBenzies Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 (edited) This guy has a well rated shop on ebay selling lots of transducer pickups. As I need a good double bass one but don't want to spend £100 I was naturally allured to his home-made £50 models that in all honesty look pretty solid, and besides that from my experience the retired guys who try to make a little money from their hobby are normally pretty good. He also claims that some of the pick ups have a high enough output to not worry about using a preamp, if this is the case I am going to be a very happy man and however much a bass fishman pro costs richer. So, has anyone tried them? I've emailed him and I think I'll probably buy a pick up very soon. If I go ahead with the buy I'll keep everyone posted, other people's opinions would be useful too though. Here's a link to the shop: [url="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/jtoneelectronique"]http://stores.ebay.co.uk/jtoneelectronique[/url] Edited October 22, 2010 by benzies123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieBenzies Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 I just took the £47 plunge and bought the pickup that he recommended for my tastes, Should arrive early next week so if anyone's interested I'll post a quick review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I would like to register my interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endorka Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Me too :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I think Toby Chennell uses these as standard on the basses he makes, which seems like a pretty good recommendation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Very interested in your opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieBenzies Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 I got it today, which is great considering I ordered it on Friday afternoon. I haven't had a chance to play it with a band and extensively check the thing out so I will post a more informative review after I have done these things (which should be in a couple of days). All I can say now is: Bloody hell, the man wasn't joking when he said it was loud / from my glimpse the tone's pretty good too. I'll keep ye posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbass1 Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 I'm intrigued, How did it work out for you??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieBenzies Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 [quote name='thunderbass1' post='1064297' date='Dec 20 2010, 09:33 AM']I'm intrigued, How did it work out for you???[/quote] Sorry I forgot to get back to this thread! I haven't had any gigs on where I have played upright and I have barely used the pickup - as I think I have already mentioned it is definitely a significant improvement on the awful Piezo I had before but I can't really say much else yet. I'll post when I get a good chance to play with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ficelles Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 [quote name='JamieBenzies' post='1064603' date='Dec 20 2010, 02:40 PM']Sorry I forgot to get back to this thread! I haven't had any gigs on where I have played upright and I have barely used the pickup - as I think I have already mentioned it is definitely a significant improvement on the awful Piezo I had before but I can't really say much else yet. I'll post when I get a good chance to play with it.[/quote] I have just installed my second product from J-Tone... first I tried the twin-paddle pickup which didn't willingly fit my bridge and I sold on. Noticed a high-output, deep-bass single paddle version on Ebay with a 4mm rubber coated pickup which I bought and which turned up today (very fast delivery). It fits my bridge well and is undoubtedly higher output (although nothing like the piezo on my WAV) and has deep bass. It is unfortunately incredibly good at picking up interference from energy saving bulbs, the central heating boiler, next-door's fish tank, you name it. Obvious things; try different leads, pre-amps, earth lifts etc, still no good. Tried it through the Raven Labs pre into the hi-fi (which runs off a UPS), still no good. It picks up most everything and there is a huge 50Hz hum. Put it near a lamp, and it will react to your hand closing round the energy-saving bulb. A shame, as otherwise this was very promising! I am going to continue to play with it and see how it behaves with other amps/leads/pre-amps etc. Maybe I will try wrapping the whole assembly in tin foil... ficelles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ficelles Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 (edited) Update... Alan at J-Tone sent another Deep Bass pickup to try which was far better at noise rejection and certainly had plenty of output and bottom end, however I also opted to try a set of his double-paddle "Reds" which have worked on my DB excellently (after making a pair of wood shims to fit them to the bridge) so I am sticking with them. Hopefully that's my DB sorted as I now have high-output piezo, plus condenser mic on the Exploraudio H-Clamp, all mixable down to one channel through the Raven Labs PMB-1. A big accolade for Alan at J-Tone btw, he is extremely helpful and co-operative and I hope his pickups do well. I wouldn't hesitate to buy again. ficelles Ps I have discovered that retrieving a wooden shim after it has dropped into a DB through an f-hole can provide literally hours of entertainment! Edited May 26, 2011 by ficelles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonks Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 (edited) i tried the 'reds' - a complete waste of money. Toppy, crackley, low output (I realise this is an old thread, but still relevant) Edited September 11, 2016 by Shonks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 The black, single element model which resembles a K&K Bass Max is pretty good. Having picked one up as a bit of a stopgap, I'm still using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 I had the single one, gave up on piezo and now rock a mag pickup only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimryan Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I've been using one of these for a while now (Single element one) and think it's great. Run it straight through to my amp no problems and it sounds pretty damn good (on my bass). Also had it going directly into a PA at an open mic a while back and it sounded fine. Great little pickup for the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisan Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I have one on the G side of my bridge & I'm very impressed with it,used it at last weekends gig & it sounded awesome straight into my rig,no preamp required. For £26 they are a steal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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