alexpea Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Hi all, bit of thinking out loud really... I'm playing some really loud gigs at the moment with my double bass and though I'm usually quite good at taming feedback sometimes it just goes beyond control. The phase switch and EQ on my fishman preamp usually sort out any issues for me, but when playing on very loud stages I find I have to EQ the sound of the bass so much that it loses nearly all bottom end. And even then it still feeds back! Im using a carved german flatback bass, I'm aware that carved basses are likely to be more sensitive and therefore tend to feedback more than a ply. My pickup is a K&K bassmax. I think I read on here about a guy converting a schaller magnetic pickup so that he could remove it easily and avoided drilling into his fingerboard, anyone? I realise that I will have to play with steel core strings in order for the magnetic pickup to work and that it will sound Pbass'ish. It would be a good backup for really loud gigs where volume and rhythm are more important than tone. Thanks, Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I have an Aria EUB that has a magnetic pickup, which looks like a bit of a bodge (a neat bodge, but it does look like an add-on) in that it's a separate module that sits between the end of the fingerboard and the body. http://www.ariauk.com/aria-swb-lite-bis-upright-bass/ I'm sure if you could get hold of one it'd be possible to attach it to the back of the fingerboard on your doghouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVbass Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Hi Alex, have a look on here at Kent Armstrong pickups - they're miles better than the shaller and made to fit your fingerboard witha bit of velcro or some such Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 (edited) I've got a Kent Armstrong as a backup for the piezo. It fits with a couple of studs drilled up into and parallel with the fingerboard. It's black and shaped to the contour of the board, so visually you'd hardly notice it. I got my luthier to fit it as I didn't fancy the drilling bit. Good sound, not too p-bassish, and it's reassuring to know it's there. Edited February 25, 2013 by fatback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexpea Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Thanks for the info. Where did you get your Kent Armstrong pickups from? There's no prices on their website and no one picks up the phone. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 (edited) You need to email alex: [email protected] He gets you to trace the shape of the end profile of your fingerboard and they work to that. Ask for a humbucker (they may all be, but i'm not sure), and make sure you ask for it to be pre-wired, as some people want to wire it themselves. Cost was £90 a couple of years ago; don;t know the price now. Excellent pickup. Edited February 25, 2013 by fatback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexpea Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Thanks fatback, email sent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbass Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I recently replaced the Schaller on my DB with a Kent Armstrong. Aaron was a pleasure to deal with. £100 well spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexpea Posted March 4, 2013 Author Share Posted March 4, 2013 Spoke to Aaron, I've ordered myself a Kent Armstrong hopefully it will arrive so this week so I can gig it next weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 [quote name='alexpea' timestamp='1362430439' post='1999750'] Spoke to Aaron, I've ordered myself a Kent Armstrong hopefully it will arrive so this week so I can gig it next weekend. [/quote] Great. You'll like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexpea Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 Got my kent armstrong today. Velcro fitted it to the bass which works a treat however... I'm getting a lot of hum when plugged in to the amp. Have tried 2 cables with no difference. When I touch the outside of the phono jack the hum gets quieter. Do I need to earth the pickup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 [quote name='alexpea' timestamp='1362844740' post='2005248'] Got my kent armstrong today. Velcro fitted it to the bass which works a treat however... I'm getting a lot of hum when plugged in to the amp. Have tried 2 cables with no difference. When I touch the outside of the phono jack the hum gets quieter. Do I need to earth the pickup? [/quote] There absolutely shouldn't be a hum. I'd say mail Alex; he'll sort you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexpea Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 Ok, I have emailed so will see what he says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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