Erik Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Strange on my bass is that E is pretty strong. I have played with both piezos swapped and with only one attached (tried both sides that way). All to no avail. Of course with only the G side piezo attached the E sounded a bit weaker but the A still sounded dead. I also tried a new A string but that was just as dull. On TB forum it was suggested it might have something to do with the oval hole in the bridge I cut. But if so I would expect the D to be equally weak. Which it is not! So I guess I will start at making a new bridge without a hole to see if that helps. But I have to source some maple first... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I've also just ordered new piezo pickups just like the ones you have, JPJ. I'll write about my impressions once I've put them on! Has anyone found a sensible way of replacing the <bit where the strings are anchored>, so that normal 3/4 strings fit? I have fitted some Innovation, they sound excellent, but the silk goes down to well past the F on the E string... They look ugly, and the feel under the fingers is wrong. A longer anchor bit is needed. Someone wrote about carving a new <bit where the strings are anchored>, but I don't have the skill or means to build one myself. Has anyone found a suitable replacement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 (edited) I am curious to see how the piezos work on your bass! I have tried 4 different sets of 3/4 strings on my Staggs and all fitted, if only just (stock, spiro, pirazzi, presto). Maybe the Innovations are somewhat of an exception? In order to make the afterlength shorter on my Stagg I have thought of just taking the anchor block off and screw it on the bass just above the recess where it sits now. Maybe that could be a solution for you? Edited January 23, 2015 by Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staggering on Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 [quote name='Erik' timestamp='1421908766' post='2666406'] E 9 down to G 6 is about what I use on my Stagg (and on my acoustic bass too for that matter). That works fine for both arco (which I play most) and pizz. Most Staggs are setup pretty high to prevent buzzing (as the painted fingerboards are not the smoothest in the world and both the painted and the rosewood FBs have too little or no scoop at all) Cheers, Erik [/quote]Thanks for the advice.I measured mine and the heights are close to yours. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staggering on Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1421858352' post='2665894'] If you go too low it will play easier but a lot less DB like and lose some of the thump, make sure the nut slots are cut deep enough but not too deep. Mine is about 9mm on the E reducing evenly to the G at about 6mm I think. Of course different strings will have different tensions too so there is no definitive answer really [/quote]Good advice,thanks. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 The problem with moving the anchor block up is that you would need to remove a lump of body and also the angle from bridge to block might become quite sharp? A new block made to fit over the step and keep the angle the same would be best, a block of maple painted black would be perfect. I just countersunk the existing holes and left about 10mm of wood from the ball end to the face of the block, no cracks yet. I had to peel a bit of the top silk back then clear nail varnished them as I'd made a mess taking them on and off etc, no problems now though and lovely Spiros instead of the stagg ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staggering on Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I wonder if I have accidentally discovered a little thing about my Stagg.I have noticed a couple of times that the bridge seems to have a tendency to lean towards the end of the fingerboard after a lot of playing.It's easy to just push it back to upright but it may need a bit of tuning.The important thing is that when the bridge is back where it should be the position dots on the side of the fingerboard suddenly become accurate again!I wonder if some of the comments about the inaccurate placement of the dots might be due to the bridge and whether it is set up properly.I didn't notice this the first time or two when I adjusted the bridge but I have paid attention to it more recently.It makes sense when you see the top of the bridge move up to 1/4inch! I have only had the Stagg for a couple of months and I'm having a lot of fun with it-first gig in about 10 days when I will be using it more than my EB.That said,due to my work schedule I have probably put in well over 100 hours playing since I got it(I have no life) which may explain why the bridge has moved so much.Anybody else have issues like that with the bridge? Trying to play some hot bass in cold Canada(-27C this AM). Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Hi Bob, I had the tilting bridge problem a lot on my old Stagg. This had the single straight piezo cables under the middle of the bridge feet on which the bridge was "balancing". Because the string angle is not equal on both sides of the bridge the bridge had a tendency to tilt. Even when I did not use the bass at all it tilted under normal string tension! On the newer Staggs the piezos are looped and offer a much better support to the bridge. So far I have not had the problem again and I regularly check the bridge with a 90 degree angle I made from some scrap board. Even with the enlarged neckangle and custom (higher) bridge I have on my Stagg I find the position dots quite accurate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doninphi Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Got one on order! Red deluxe! Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doninphi Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Oh and hi. I'm Phil. I follow the Facebook group for EUBs and now joined bass chat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Welcome and enjoy, mine is just the standard in violin burst so I'll bet the deluxe rocks! Or should that be Jazzes? Lol Pics when it arrives please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doninphi Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 So it's arrived! I'll add a main pic in a Mo. But following advice from this very thread first job was a damper. Thanks stagg for some lovely grey packing foam in the box with the bass! [URL=http://s237.photobucket.com/user/doninphi/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1035.jpg.html][IMG]http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff262/doninphi/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1035.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Got trimming: [URL=http://s237.photobucket.com/user/doninphi/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1037.jpg.html][IMG]http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff262/doninphi/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1037.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Cut to a gentle v shape, then cut off an angled section [URL=http://s237.photobucket.com/user/doninphi/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1038.jpg.html][IMG]http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff262/doninphi/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1038.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Then trimmed some edges for a neat fit: [URL=http://s237.photobucket.com/user/doninphi/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1037.jpg.html][IMG]http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff262/doninphi/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1039.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s237.photobucket.com/user/doninphi/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1041.jpg.html][IMG]http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff262/doninphi/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1041.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doninphi Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Whole bass.[URL=http://s237.photobucket.com/user/doninphi/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1010.jpg.html][IMG]http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff262/doninphi/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG1010.jpg[/IMG][/URL] As for the deluxe I did it as on thorman the stock model was 320 and deluxe 355. I skimped a touch in the past before on my Warwick and I should have got the higher model with better pickups, regretted it ever since. So with only £35 in it, I wasn't going to make that mistake again. Rosewood fingerboard is lovely and worth it for that alone in my eyes. I've also removed the strap pin as it got in the way when playing higher up the scale. Gonna cut a bit of Matt black vinyl to cover the hole up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Looks nice ! Seeing the foam damper... are there more folks here that use this? I wonder why to be honest as I do not see the need on my Stagg (and not on my previous one too). Do you get excessive ringing of the afterlengths? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 [quote name='Erik' timestamp='1424434367' post='2696242'] Looks nice ! Seeing the foam damper... are there more folks here that use this? I wonder why to be honest as I do not see the need on my Stagg (and not on my previous one too). Do you get excessive ringing of the afterlengths? [/quote] Yep, mine a damped with an old jay cloth otherwise they ring loud and clear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doninphi Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Not even played mine through my amp yet, but see it as inevitable so why not. Free issue solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 The foam damper was my best upgrade, even better than the Spirocores I'd say! What are the strings like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staggering on Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I am using some foam now and I like the result. After a 2 month learning period I finally played my Stagg on a gig.This involved 4 sets of mostly jazz standards and I used the Stagg on at least 90% of the tunes!I got out my old Yamaha EB for a few numbers but the Stagg has become the "go to" bass for me.We recorded the gig and I was amazed at the fact that it sounded so good and that I was pretty much in tune most of the time.Of course there were lots of questions about "the stick" and there is a definite "wow"factor when you show up with one of these.People who had heard us at other gigs were impressed with the sound (and some of them were musicians).All in all a good night and a boost for my confidence.I find my playing style has changed since I got the Stagg and I'm trying things I never would have done on the EB.I'm glad I bought it and would like to thank people at Basschat who have helped out,what a useful site. Right now I'm watching Kate Davis doing "All About That Bass".That should raise the profile of basses a bit-if you haven't seen her,check it out. Bob in Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1421940559' post='2666879'] So having given up on the local dealer ever getting around to obtaining a replacement Piezo, I ordered two new Artec ones from CH Guitars (on the web, but local to me). They turned up last week and today I got time to fit them. They are a much better quality item than the original Stagg fitted ones as you can see from the picture below (Stagg on left, Artec on the right). [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JPJ/media/IMG_1301_zpsaubwpvzq.jpg.html"][/url] They are also a lot more powerful than the stock Stagg Piezo's but they sound much better too, more thump and less 'ping'. Whilst i had the control cavities open, I also carried out the shielding mods recommended by most Stagg owners. To be honest, this hasn't had much effect but mine wasn't particularly noisy to start off with. Now I just need to get a better setup that I'm happy with and it'll be back to Geoff's lessons for 2015 [/quote] I did the replacement as suggested here, but the results are not pleasing for me. The sound is a lot louder, but also middier and with an almost hollow quality to it. Critically, the bass sounds always on the verge of saturation. Even at low volume, the bass now gives a lot more unpleasant harmonics on the E, A and D strings. I wonder if the signal is too strong and the preamp can't cope very well... I'm going to try and change the shape of the coiling of the piezos in the bridge anchor pits, but any piece of advice will be welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Have you got the foam damper fitted on the after length? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1426157498' post='2714978'] Have you got the foam damper fitted on the after length? [/quote] No, I didn't have a problem before changing pickup, so I never used it. I will try tonight after work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I found the foam block to be the best upgrade out of the lot, just kept ringing on it's own without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I scrunched up a small towel I had lying around, and wedged it under the strings. It did do some good, especially in improving the clarity of some notes. The most improvement was had by lowering the input levels on the amp. The pre-amp was running too hot for the amp with the new pickups, and was saturating in an unusual way. All seems well now, and I've got a wipe-down towel always at hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 (edited) Moving back to the issue of a stand, if I can. I prefer playing my Stagg whilst it is held on its stand, rather than balanced on the end pin and using the body brace. I've tried both and this way suits me more. I do, however, find the Stagg stand rather cumbersome and ugly. My thought is to get a cymbal stand and then to attach this with some kind of bracket to the body of the bass in much the same way as the NS Design basses but can't think of an immediate 'off the peg' bracket. There is a solid bit on the body just above the electrics compartment that I think would suit as a mounting point as it is roughly where the balance point of the bass is. Anyone done this or have any ideas? Ta! Edited March 13, 2015 by Paul S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I've seen it done with a drum stool, just put the end pin in the tube! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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