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Seems good to me
Technical note first; Surprisingly high output, almost into the range of an active pickup, so just plug straight into your amp.
I come from electric bass and EUB playing to finally getting the real deal - a double bass. So having gotten a double bass I needed to get a pickup because double bass makers live in the 19th century and haven't yet realised they should have a built in pickup like every acoustic guitar that costs more than 50 pence.
I went for this pickup because it was moderately priced and looked easy to fit, as well as getting good reviews. I needed to do a tiny amount of sanding to open up the bridge but it only took a few minutes and then it fitted in just fine. The sound seems very authentic to my my ears, it picks up each string evenly and pretty much reflects the bass itself.
For live music, I'm willing to accept that a pickup costing twice as much might sound better in a side by side comparison but a) that never happens at a gig, and b) when the rest of the band is playing, any difference in tone will be swamped by the other instruments, and c) no one wants to hear your bass solo, so give it a rest.
IMHO you need to pay a certain amount for a pickup or it just fails to perform the basic functions. If you pay more then you get into a region where stuff works ok, and after that it becomes diminishing returns where nobody but you in your front room can hear what you paid for (I'm talking about for basses, it's different for guitars, fiddles etc). I reckon this pickup is at the point where you get a pretty good deal and spending a lot more won't make it that much better.
I come from electric bass and EUB playing to finally getting the real deal - a double bass. So having gotten a double bass I needed to get a pickup because double bass makers live in the 19th century and haven't yet realised they should have a built in pickup like every acoustic guitar that costs more than 50 pence.
I went for this pickup because it was moderately priced and looked easy to fit, as well as getting good reviews. I needed to do a tiny amount of sanding to open up the bridge but it only took a few minutes and then it fitted in just fine. The sound seems very authentic to my my ears, it picks up each string evenly and pretty much reflects the bass itself.
For live music, I'm willing to accept that a pickup costing twice as much might sound better in a side by side comparison but a) that never happens at a gig, and b) when the rest of the band is playing, any difference in tone will be swamped by the other instruments, and c) no one wants to hear your bass solo, so give it a rest.
IMHO you need to pay a certain amount for a pickup or it just fails to perform the basic functions. If you pay more then you get into a region where stuff works ok, and after that it becomes diminishing returns where nobody but you in your front room can hear what you paid for (I'm talking about for basses, it's different for guitars, fiddles etc). I reckon this pickup is at the point where you get a pretty good deal and spending a lot more won't make it that much better.
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c
Absolutely great piece of kit.
Take time (a few extra minutes sanding etc.) to make sure this pickup is fitted correctly - mostly youtube research - and the results are stunning. Both pizz and arco are amplified naturally and efficiently. I am mostly impressed that you can hear, distinctly, vibrato playing pizz.
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A
Punchy and tidy
I've bought this to amplify a Thomann 111E SN 3/4 Double Bass through a Gallien Krueger MB112-II and I'm happy with the results.
It looks pretty well made and it fitted into the bridge without any need for filing, also the jack clipped securely on to the strings.
It's quite sensitive to the higher frequencies and pickups any clicks and taps that might be included in your playing style, so I have to dial back the high range on the amp. it has a reasonably harsh tone so I expect it isn't suitable for recording by itself and would need to supplemented with a microphone.
But in a live context with a band this perfectly adequate, it has enough gain with spare headroom if you need to push it louder. If left unattended for a 1 minute or so it will begin it feedback but for all intense purposes it would say it doesn't feedback while playing.
Over all a good good enough to get you started with playing with live bands.
It looks pretty well made and it fitted into the bridge without any need for filing, also the jack clipped securely on to the strings.
It's quite sensitive to the higher frequencies and pickups any clicks and taps that might be included in your playing style, so I have to dial back the high range on the amp. it has a reasonably harsh tone so I expect it isn't suitable for recording by itself and would need to supplemented with a microphone.
But in a live context with a band this perfectly adequate, it has enough gain with spare headroom if you need to push it louder. If left unattended for a 1 minute or so it will begin it feedback but for all intense purposes it would say it doesn't feedback while playing.
Over all a good good enough to get you started with playing with live bands.
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A
East to fit, reliable and sounds great
I recently purchased an upright bass and was looking for a pickup to use when playing live. After a bit of research, I went for this model. Wasn't sure whether I'd need a pre-amp or not, so bought this - I could always add a pre-amp if it needed it.
Pickup arrived quickly and I fitted it into the bridge in about 15 minutes. A bit of trimming / sanding of the bridge wing was required, but nothing major. The output jack clips onto the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece.
The pickup has a fairly high output so I can just plug straight into the amp. I've not had the need for a pre-amp, but I found it works best with a bit of compression. The sound is great - it took a bit of experimenting with my amp settings but managed to get a sound I like.
Played it live a number of times and it's been loud enough to hear with the rest of the band playing.
Pickup arrived quickly and I fitted it into the bridge in about 15 minutes. A bit of trimming / sanding of the bridge wing was required, but nothing major. The output jack clips onto the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece.
The pickup has a fairly high output so I can just plug straight into the amp. I've not had the need for a pre-amp, but I found it works best with a bit of compression. The sound is great - it took a bit of experimenting with my amp settings but managed to get a sound I like.
Played it live a number of times and it's been loud enough to hear with the rest of the band playing.
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Ø
Great for rockabilly
Bought this and paired it with a Harley Benton bass preamp and Gut-A-Like bass strings. No problems with feedback at loud gigs.
Pro:
Easy to install
Con:
A bit expensive for a piezo-pickup for some people?
Pro:
Easy to install
Con:
A bit expensive for a piezo-pickup for some people?
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JG
Bass pick-up review
An excellent budget pick-up: comparable with (but more sturdy than) the Realist. I use both, but travel with a K&K Bass Max, especially when performing abroad on unfamiliar basses. This is a perfect "first" pick-up for any bassist, and an ideal back-up pick-up for any professional.
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JC
Not working !
The one i received was not working properly, very disappointed, it was too late for me to sent it back.
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r
simple to install, a little boomy
My first Double bass pickup, picked on the strength of the sound sample on here, and the affordable price. Installation is very simple, even on my bridge which has pointy wings and a big gap. The strength of the signal is high enough to be used directly into an amp, but the sound on my bass tends to get a little boomy at higher volumes. Most amps can dial that back, so not much of a problem, especially if you are using a hi-fi or acoustic amp.
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w
Excellent piezo pickup
I wasn't too optimistic about this pickup, as piezo pickups often sound very tinny and hollow. However, paired with a good preamp, I have been delighted at the quality of tones I am getting. It has a very well balanced, articulate tone, with even output across all the strings, and while it has some detail from finger noise it's not harsh at all.
Fitting it was easy, as I just had to file open the gap in the bridge a touch more. I as a little worried about damaging the crystal, as I was unsure how tight it should be, but I took my time and waited until the gap was wide enough to just make sure it was held, and that seemed to do the trick.
Simple and effective, what's not to like?
Fitting it was easy, as I just had to file open the gap in the bridge a touch more. I as a little worried about damaging the crystal, as I was unsure how tight it should be, but I took my time and waited until the gap was wide enough to just make sure it was held, and that seemed to do the trick.
Simple and effective, what's not to like?
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A
good choice
i had this pickup on my bass for about 18 months until i upgraded to the Rockabilly Plus system.
it is a very well made pickup & simple to install,it took me just a few minutes to file out the bridge wing a little then push fit the pickup in place.
it delivers a very pleasing warm double bass sound & even does a good job of picking up percussive slap sounds too,make sure it is a snug fit however or you may get feedback problems.
it has a high out put too so you don't need a necessarily need preamp to get a good sound with this pickup.
it is a very well made pickup & simple to install,it took me just a few minutes to file out the bridge wing a little then push fit the pickup in place.
it delivers a very pleasing warm double bass sound & even does a good job of picking up percussive slap sounds too,make sure it is a snug fit however or you may get feedback problems.
it has a high out put too so you don't need a necessarily need preamp to get a good sound with this pickup.
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