Using two pickups

[JoeEvans]

I'm starting to play around with pickup options for a double bass. I'm going to experiment with using a contact mic and a Sennheiser e608 together, just because I've got them both already; I also have a pair of ART Tube pre-amps. But from there I'd like to send a single signal into a Trace Elliot amp, via a DI box if I'm also going through a PA.

So the question is, does anyone out there have a set-up like this, and if so, how do you merge the two signals? I wondered about using a mini mixer; or a stereo DI box which has the option to merge the signals. Is there any neat little object on the market to do this?

[Gareth Hughes]

Yep, I use an Apt-Flex pickup (like a David Gage Realist) for the main body of my sound, and a Schatten wing-slot pickup for the 'detail'. Both go into their own channel on an Acoustic Image Focus head, with the Schatten's channel having the high-pass filter set quite high. The Focus head has a very handy switch to turn off channel 2 so I can take the Schatten out when I need to use a bow. Both channels are marged out of the amp's DI.

[zero9]

The challenge will be to control the feedback from the e608 through the trace at high-ish volume. You could use something like a Morley A/B pedal to combine the signals. The other, more expensive option, is to use a two channel (bass) preamp.

If you're running through a PA, I'd suggest using the contact mic through the backline, with a DI to the PA, and run the e608 separate to the PA (not via the backline). The signal can then be mixed at the PA. In the past, I've found a mic mounted on the DB prone to feedback from the foldback monitors, which can involve a lot of trial and error to get right.

Edited April 26, 2015 by zero9

[JoeEvans]

Zero9 - that's an interesting idea. I could get a decent quality stereo DI box and send the two signals separately to the PA with instructions not to send the mic to monitors, as you suggest. Then the contact mic link output only to amp at loud gigs, and both to amp at quiet gigs, using something like the Morley pedal (which looks really useful, by the way). Thanks!

[randythoades]

I am trying to do similar with a magnetic pickup and also either a Schatten wing pickup or Fishman BP100. I run both into small 2 channel mixer so I can control the volume mix (generally 80% mag pickup and 20% piezo) then run a mono output into floor DI then into PA. Not ideal but does work - after a fashion anyway. A bit of a clunky solution and if I am feeling lazy I just run mag pickup straight into DI. No-one seems to notice the difference except me though...:-)

[JoeEvans]

I had a go with this on the weekend and it seems to be shaping up pretty well - the Sennheiser e608 sounds very warm and nice, and the cheapo contact pickup ([url="http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/bizzy-bee-contact-mic-539517"]Bizzy Bee[/url]) added some thump, clank and click. Both together through the Trace Elliot with mid pre-shape switched on and a bit of eq and it sounded pretty classy.
So the plan is now to buy a decent quality stereo DI box and a selector pedal and use Zero9's cunning plan of contact mic only for on-stage and both out front.
Although in fact, I got it pretty loud in my living room with both mic and contact mic and no feedback, despite standing right in front of the amp. I have noticed that the e608s are not prone to feedback - the pair of them and the pre-amps are my accordion kit and I have never had much feedback trouble with that, apart from when I tried using a wahwah pedal, which basically worked as a very effective device for finding the exact resonant frequency for maximum feedback...
Anyway, thanks for the input, and more stories of multi-pickup solutions would be very welcome!