Underwood pickup question

[AndyBass]

I recently bought an Underwood to try instead of my K&K rockabilly (the Bassmax/clicky combo). It sounds, well, okay, I've got a pretty unrefined ear so to me the difference isn't that great but the main thing is I get quite a lot of scratchy "fingers moving over strings" noise from the Underwood. Is that a common problem for anyone else?

Currently I'm using it through the preamp from the K&K system. I've EQd the heck out of it through my amp (Genz Benz STL3.0) but even with all the trebles cut I'm still getting it.

I know that everyone tends to use Underwoods coupled with a Plat Pro - would this refine some of the noise better than the K&K? I confess I've not messed with the gain/treble/bass in the K&K preamp as its so damn fiddly, but it sounded okay on those settings with the Bassmax

Probably doesn't help that I have to shove some card into the bridge slot to get a decent fit (more under one end than the other as its an odd wedge shape ratrher than the flat Bassmax). But that should just affect the signal I think?

[Beer of the Bass]

I think most of the K&K preamps are 1Mohm input impedance (my old K&K Power Pack is). This works fine with K&K's own pickups, but some pickups like to see a higher impedance than that, so work better with something like the Plat Pro which has 10Mohm input impedance.

[Rabbie]

The eq you need to scoop to get rid of finger noise and quacks is not the high, it is the mid. Try to forget the preamp, plug in straight int the genz shuttle, keep low and high around 12 o'clock, mid down to 7-8 o'clock and the mid frequency dial turned to taste somewhere between 1-4 o'clock. That should give you a bassy sound. You can the add mids to taste if you want to cut through more. After that, adjust low and high to taste. Scooping mids will also help feedback.

[keeponehandloose]

if your saying the puckup is wedge shaped theres something wrong with it. both paddles should have top and bottom parallel so it will make full even contact, like the bass max.
if its wedge shaped its been damaged in some way and that could be the problem

[AndyBass]

Hmm...got it off EBay a couple of months back, it's maybe 0.8mm thinner at one end, about 4.8/9mm at one end and 4mm at the other of both piezos. Does that sound wrong? Do I need to kick off?

[AndyBass]

Sorry, and thanks for the help everyone obviously!

[Rabbie]

Try the eq first. I used to have an underwood and a shuttle 3 and with the settings above I had a great sound (within reason)

[AndyBass]

Will do Rabbie, thanks. Hopefully I can find 5 minutes between work and when my daughter's asleep to actually turn the amp on and play with settings (hence the reason I've had the pickup 2 months and only just started using it)