Upgrade piezo (bridge) PUP for Aria SWB?

[Beedster]

Given how great the bass sounds unplugged and how much of this is lost amplified, I'm guessing the stock PUP and preamp are pretty mediocre. I'm talking to John East re a preamp, but has anyone got any PUP suggestions?

Thanks

Chris

[Mateybass]

[quote name='Beedster' post='910751' date='Jul 30 2010, 10:06 PM']Given how great the bass sounds unplugged and how much of this is lost amplified, I'm guessing the stock PUP and preamp are pretty mediocre. I'm talking to John East re a preamp, but has anyone got any PUP suggestions?

Thanks

Chris[/quote]

Which model Aria do you have?

[Beedster]

[quote name='Mateybass' post='910898' date='Jul 31 2010, 03:30 AM']Which model Aria do you have?[/quote]

The SWB with single (piezo) pickup

C

[BassBod]

Hi Chris,

And welcome to the dark side...its got you, if you're looking at pickup options. No hope now. Good news is there weren't many EUBs around in 1964, bad news is there were a lot of old lovely double basses...some even older.

Can you post a photo of the bridge on your Aria? That will help give an idea of what would fit etc.

[Mykesbass]

Chris, I'm no expert, but my SWR (with the extra pick-up) sounds fine to me played through my Yamaha BB 500 head and a 10" cab. The electronics are all Fishman - pretty good reputation - OK, not up there with Schertler, but still pretty top end in the acoustic guitar world.

As I say, not an expert, but do your amps (I see they're both Mesas) need some hefty driving? A lot of DB/EUB players go for smaller amps - one of the little GK's I recall are very popular. Is it worth trying it out through something smaller first?

Cheers,
Mike

[jcater]

I stopped using the standard pick up on my Aria. Added an old Fishman attached to the bridge & i'm really happy with it.

If you want to hear it try these on YouTube

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1l3xzovcf8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1l3xzovcf8[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL9r8aeaVpk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL9r8aeaVpk[/url]

jeff

[jcater]

PS - Don't watch the dancers - listen to the bass, that's why this is here!

[Beedster]

Hi Jeff

That's really interesting, thanks. I'm on a crap connection so can't listen now, but will do ASAP. I didn't occur to me that a Fishman would be a good option on a pretty un-DB EUB bridge. Do you have any pics you could post of how it's mounted?

Cheers

Chris

[jcater]

Chris

The pick up is like the Fishman BP100 but an older version. The 2 contact parts come with a clip that fits over the top of the bridge & holds them in place, had a bit of difficulty holding the jack socket in place but managed in the end. Will take some pictures & post them.

I found that the existing pick ups on the aria sounded a little too much like an ordinary electric bass. I remebered that i had the fishman lying around so thought i would give it a go. Plus point - no more batteries! I'm very happy with this but would really value any thoughts anyone on the site had on the tone.

On the video it's being played through EBS gear.

PS One of thedancers comes from Canterbury - which i believe is down your way,

jeff

[Beedster]

[quote name='jcater' post='925770' date='Aug 15 2010, 07:18 PM']Chris

The pick up is like the Fishman BP100 but an older version. The 2 contact parts come with a clip that fits over the top of the bridge & holds them in place, had a bit of difficulty holding the jack socket in place but managed in the end. Will take some pictures & post them.

I found that the existing pick ups on the aria sounded a little too much like an ordinary electric bass. I remebered that i had the fishman lying around so thought i would give it a go. Plus point - no more batteries! I'm very happy with this but would really value any thoughts anyone on the site had on the tone.

On the video it's being played through EBS gear.

PS One of thedancers comes from Canterbury - which i believe is down your way,

jeff[/quote]

Thanks Jeff

Canterbury dancer eh...!

Your experience matches mine perfectly. I play the Aria unplugged and it's so promising, it sounds like a very quiet DB. Plugged in it's an early 70's Precision fretless with La Bella flat, albeit harder to play! OK, a great sound, but I can get that sound from my Precision, I want a DBish sound from my EUB. There are tones unplugged that simply don't come through the stock PUP.

Where in Kent are you based Jeff, it would be interesting to compare?

Cheers

chris

[jcater]

Chris

I'm in Tunbridge Wells but come down to Canterbury every now and again for the belly dance band rehearsals. I think we may be playing in Canterbury Sunday 26th Sept, just waiting for confirmation.

On the EUB i also bought a Stagg as a back up - that sounds even more like a precission. The Aria has a great feel & i think i have probably got the best sound that I can get, nowhere near perfect but very popular with the other guys & girls in the band. Sometimes i wonder if they just like the look of it!

We should try to meet up at some point.

Web site for Raqsonic : [url="http://www.raqsonic.com/"]http://www.raqsonic.com/[/url]

and a 3rd video : [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdA3Ib_tsds"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdA3Ib_tsds[/url]

jeff

[Owen]

I do not know much about your EUB, but in my LONG journey in trying to get decent tone out of piezo pickups there are a couple of things I have learnt.

1. The pickup has to have a decent amount of pressure on it.
2. It needs a good pre-amp. If a piezo is not being buffered properly it will be scratchy and horrible and horrible. Did I mention horrible?

I suspect (but am ready to be corrected) that one piezo pickup is the same as any other. I don't think that they differ like alnico, steel etc etc etc. I am almost certain that it the present pick up is mounted properly and it is seeing a pretty hefty impedance from a new preamp then you will be happy.