Advice please - Pickup choice

[Happy Jack]

I have a weird acoustic bass guitar (a custom-built 5-string Safran Iris) to which I want to attach a non-invasive piezo pickup, ideally with a small preamp.

 

I've found this:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Nanoflex-Active-Pickup-Control/dp/B000MSQBHQ/ref=asc_df_B000MSQBHQ/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310812505354&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10819983389944498702&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045969&hvtargid=pla-552840324703&psc=1&mcid=1a9dd4bc467d36fa922f24c0c6b8fc6a&th=1&psc=1

 

Has anyone used one of these? Or know anything about them?

 

[Paddy Morris]

I tried one for a bit.  It was very like an Underwood.  Had the same sort of muffled quality the Underwood and DG Copperhead have.  Some very respectable players go for that, but it wasn't for me.

 

I have a big mariachi guitarrón, and eventually I put an Ischell C3 on it.  Sounds mint.  Don't know if that would work for you?

[Paddy Morris]

BTW I just googled the Safran Iris.  What an amazing looking instrument.  Post some sound files once you've got your pickup sorted.

[Happy Jack]

On 28/11/2023 at 22:58, Paddy Morris said:

BTW I just googled the Safran Iris.  What an amazing looking instrument.  Post some sound files once you've got your pickup sorted.

Thanks Paddy, will do.

[Happy Jack]

So that pickup arrived. @Silvia Bluejay and I tried to install it today.

 

£132 of cheap'n'nasty plastic, the battery holding socket being particularly poor design. The CR2032 lives in a recess so you can't just slide it in/out, the battery clip has to be lifted.

 

Then it snaps.

 

A piece of proper spring steel would have cost maybe a penny. A bog standard battery cover (as used on every clip-on tuner) might have cost 5p. But no, they chose to compromise a £132 unit to save 5p.

[Burns-bass]

That sounds like a manufacturing defect. I’d return for a full refund.

[Happy Jack]

Already done ... goes back to the supplier (full refund, not a replacement) tomorrow as soon as the Post Office opens.

 

[Paddy Morris]

Do you think maybe it's a knock-off, and not a genuine Shadow?

[Beer of the Bass]

37 minutes ago, Paddy Morris said:

Do you think maybe it's a knock-off, and not a genuine Shadow?

 

A friend had the nylon string guitar pickup in this range, I recall the preamp box seeming pretty flimsy on that too.

I suppose different bridge foot pickup might work, with a suitable external preamp. There's the Realist, or depending on the size of the bridge foot the K&K Definity could be an option.

[pete.young]

I had a Shadow banjo system for a while and the controller for that was flimsy too. I have had several instruments fitted with various types of KK Sound pickups, and all of them have worked flawlessly wirhout exception.

 

The K&K Definity is apparently discontinued which is a shame because it looks interesting - I guess it didn't perform very well.

 

I'd be inclined to try a K&K Big Twin , either with the sensors attached to the bridge, the same way that they do for the Double Big Twin double bass set up, or with the two sensors under the bridge foot.