JoeOverend Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I'm just about to try and and hopefully buy a double bass for the first time but i need some pickups for it. Is there any advice anyone can give as to what pickups to buy and where to buy them from? Price isn't really an problem, i just want some decent pickups that will sound good! Any advice would be hugely appreciated! Thanks fellow bassers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 As a starting point, you can't really go wrong with a K&K Bassmax. If you don't like it you'll easily sell it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisan Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 [quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1339526496' post='1689983'] As a starting point, you can't really go wrong with a K&K Bassmax. If you don't like it you'll easily sell it on. [/quote] +1 love my bass max to bits,good strong output & sounds mega Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah thomas Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 My DB came with a K & K Bassmax and I haven't felt any need to change it. I have no points of comparison, never having used anything else, but given the trouble others report with pickups, I think I've been lucky to have started with this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) I had a nightmare with feedback from the Bassmax and a horrible over-middy sound too (no matter which side I mounted the thing). A combination of bass, strings and pickup guess. Ended up solving all my woes with a Full Circle. Edited June 13, 2012 by fatback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blartfactor10 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 For me the "J Tone" works! Twin paddle version.Its basically an underwood copy but sounds loud and covers all the frequency's £40 from E-Bay.......I recently bought a K Max but (To my ears) its just to muddy and compressed. Cost twice the price of the J Tone as well!! My bass is a plywood Bosey Hawkwes. Adjustable Bridge, With Innovation Honeys, if that helps? I have listened to a realist PUP on another bass (All solid wood) and that sounded really nice.....Would love to try one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The thing with pickups is that they vary depending on the bass, strings and playing style. I have a Realist, a Bassmax and a Tacoman at the moment. The Realist sounds great but is more prone to feedback (mainly due to it's placement under the bridge foot) than the others. Tha Bassmax has less definition than the Realist, but is much more feedback resistant and is a lot easier to swap from bass to bass. Personally I like the Bassmax a lot as I can get loud enough on stage and swapping the element from the bass to the treble side of the bridge gives me either a thumpy rockabilly tone or a singing jazz tone. The Tacoman pup was cheap and it sounds very similar to the Bassmax to my ears but the output is much lower, so I can't really use it live. These things are handmade though, so it may just be my unit that's a bit low. I suspect that the Full Circle is one of the best pickups out there at the moment, but the price of the pickup, plus the expense of fitting an adjustable bridge if you haven't already got one, makes it an expensive choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The Rev is dead right of course. Each bass is different and seems to have its favourite pickup - and of course each player and his particular style. A pickup that sounds great at home, eg a Realist, may not do it on stage where you have to cut through the mix of the other instruments. I'm in a minority in not particularly liking the Full Circle sound, also mine failed on its first gig; I also consider the wiring to be a bit flimsy. For an all-rounder pickup I strongly favour an Underwood which I've got on all my basses. It is reasonably feedback resistant and it gives a clear sound on stage. Its sound is not 100% double bass but neither are most other pickups but I've got well-used to the sound. Micing is best but you have to strap on all sorts of stuff to reduce the feedback. Great when you put it through the PA tho'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiipopes Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I like the flexibility and durability of a Fishman Full Circle. I have mine mounted "upside down" (see the website) that takes some edge off the articulation so there isn't that "quack" in the sound of a piezo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin spangles Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 +1 for the Full circle. I tried the Rev solo , the underwood and shadow. The Full circle worked best for me. No feedback issues and a quality sound even when fed to FOH. However your bass may favour a different set up. Try before you buy if you have that luxury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmybass04 Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Iv had lots of probs with the realist trying to get a reasonable giging volume without any feedback issues , it sounds ok at very low volumes but so would any pickup i guess. I done a gig last night and for the first half i had an sm57 mounted on to my bass and it sounded good through the p.a. and i had a feed through the monitors, but not a lot of definition. Second set i decided to use the precision pickup i had put on the end of the fingerboard during the week as an experiment. with a bit of EQing it was awesome , suddenly i could hear every note , i could compete with every solo , this band gets louder as the night goes on , and i got louder too yesssss. It just seemed to solve a lot of probs for me instantly ! For a plug in and play without any hassle at all type of gig, and especially if you need volume, the mag pickup worked for me. the quest goes on, lovin it...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockabillybob1 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 bass max all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassvid75 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 FWF systemes its for me the best pickup, and have had Schertler,Fishman,Realist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 I've got a Bassmax on my ply bass and a Realist on my carved bass, both are good pups, the Bassmax produces more of the sound of the string and the Realist produces more of the sound of the body, I suppose the position of the pickup is the cause. I would say the BM isn't so good for bowing because it can sound very scratchy, and it does have a strong mid hump that I have to dial out. The Realist on the other hand could do with more brightness if anything. I can imagine the Full Circle - given its fitted position half-way between the foot and the wing of the bridge - ought to sound ideal, but I don't have one (yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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