groove machine Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 hi, can anyone recommend a decent pickup for my double bass? the bass is a cheapo!! so i dont think i need to worry to much about bringing out every suttle nuance of the wood!!!! im new to the world of upright so id like something thats forgiving to my dodgy playing technique not asking for much am i ?? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) [quote name='groove machine' post='190224' date='May 2 2008, 06:29 AM']hi, can anyone recommend a decent pickup for my double bass? the bass is a cheapo!! so i dont think i need to worry to much about bringing out every suttle nuance of the wood!!!! im new to the world of upright so id like something thats forgiving to my dodgy playing technique not asking for much am i ?? cheers[/quote] Two p/ups that are usually highly recommended are the Underwood (I recently sold one on the Forum) and the David Gage Realist. On eBay you will find lots of other cheaper makes but I don't know whether these are any good. Over to someone else .... Edited May 2, 2008 by Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 This could start a whole new discussion among the (few?) upright players on this site. You will find several differing opinions so here are mine. David Gage realist is OK at relatively low volumes but at higher ones it seems to get a bit boomy. It is not particularly fedback resistant. It is quite easy to install - slacken the strings, lift the bridge and slip it under the E foot. I've used an Underwood for many years and it is a good all-rounder. It has a good bottom and mids but is a bit weak on the highs; it can reproduce a honky sort of sound on the mids and highs. There are two pickups that slip between the bridge wings. On most bridges it is a matter of shimming to fit snugly but not too tight. On some others a bit more radical shaping is required to accept the pup. There is also a school of thought that does not recommend filling up the wing slots but letting them vibrate freely. Fishman BP-100 clips onto the bridge and is probably the easist to fit but the sound is not too everyone's taste. It can be a bit too bright and pick up fingerboard noises. However, for a first timer on a bass such as yours I'd probably recommend it. On this and the Underwood the sound would be improved by a preamp, such as a Fishman Pro-EQ, because the impedances are very high and need a bit of buffering. Plus there is the useful eq facility so you can adjust your sound to the room. There are others available but too much choice can sometimes confuse. Hope this helps you a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 What Bassace said pretty much covers it at the level you're wanting. Nothing to add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Yep, that covered it - but I'd go for the Gage/Realist over the Fishman. The Gage sounds much better without impedance matching (preamp) before the amp, and I've found it easier to fit than the Fishman. The Fishman really needs a preamp (really really) to sound ok, and also sounds better if its superglued onto the bridge. I've got both on my EUB, and I use both, but the Realist is much better without eq to compensate. I actually use the Fishman more for its "finger noise"...but that's just me... BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Yes, but you're talking EUB. Is this a fair comparison for groove machine who is asking about his double bass? It is possible that on an upright with the bigger body feedback might be an issue although I agree he won't need a preamp. If gm would like to pm me with his address and phone no I will be happy to send him my Realist to try. If he likes it he can buy it for a modest sum (£50) or send it back. No worries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Yes - I've got a Realist on my acoustic too - no feedback problems, or at least no more than any other pickup I've used. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 a while ago i saw (i think in bass guitar magazing) some guy who played double bass in a punk band and he had a cool double bass that was black and white checked. if i remember rightly he was using a wizard thumper (it was definatly some precision pup anyway) on a stick, with the wiring going into a sound hole and a jack at one of the sides. i cant remember exactly how he did it... i might have to look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guyl Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 [quote name='lwtait' post='192021' date='May 5 2008, 08:16 AM']if i remember rightly he was using a wizard thumper (it was definatly some precision pup anyway) on a stick.[/quote] +1 for having a magnetic pickup. of course they sound awful - (well at least nothing like your upright), but they're a get out of jail free card when the volume gets too loud and feedback is a problem. I recommend keeping one permanently attached to the end of the fingerboard as well as your "decent" pickup (realist etc). Buy a simple 2-channel blender for your gig bag. On the odd occasion that your fave pickup starts feeding back, blend in a little magnetic for volume and feedback free clarity. Good thread BTW - amplifying DB is a minefield (and a compromise!) Be good to hear what everyone uses. I have a B-Band Statement. Pricy and brilliant when it works well. Had a few problems as its getting older and positioning critical (don't knock that bridge!) Magnetic is a cheapy from Bob Gollihur website. Was thinking of a Fishman Full Circle next. Any comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 [quote name='guyl' post='192498' date='May 5 2008, 09:20 PM']Was thinking of a Fishman Full Circle next. Any comments?[/quote] Yes, I got one two weeks ago. It fitted quite easily because my bridge already had adjusters on it. (If the bridge doesn't have adjusters you'll need a luthier). So I did it in less that half-an-hour, threads down which is the recommended config. This means that the 'hot' face of the pup faces up towards strings rather than down towards the bass. Sounded promising then stopped! I got a free replacement after five days - distributors and PMT at Oxford were very helpful - but my confidence was a bit shaken. I posted on Talkbass and found a few others who had encountered reliablilty problems but of course several who hadn't. So, detune the strings, take the bridge off again and refit the new Full Circle. This time good. I have so far only gigged it twice and both times in marquees so the sound has been a bit 'dry'. But it's very promising - the clarity is fantatstic and it is the closest to a DB sound that I have had; so I'm convinced it's the way to go. I'm playing in a small cinema at the Keswick Jazz Festival on Thursday through an AI Clarus into a 12" Wizzy for backline then through the house. I am using a simple Fishman Pro-eq preamp out of habit but I think you can safely run a Full Circle without one. When I'm completely happy I'll take the Underwood off so that the bridge can have more freedom to vibrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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