Magnetic pickups

jjq · #1 04-09-2005, 04:58 AM

Can anyone suggest a supplier of magnetic pickups suitable for elelectric (or acoustic for that matter) upright basses?

Tia,

JJ

ToneRanger · #2 04-09-2005, 08:39 AM

I heard a great rockabilly URB using a Fender P-Bass pickup mounted off the end of the fingerboard. The advantage of the Precision pickup is that, being in two parts you can angle it to adjust string balance.
The Moses/Lace pickup looks good - has anyone used it?

http://www.mosesgraphite.com/cgi-bin...s?qBnDApui;;19

**Francois Blais** · #3 04-09-2005, 09:47 AM

The best units are probably the Biesele and the Pierre Joseph String Charger.

JTGale · #4 04-09-2005, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToneRanger

I heard a great rockabilly URB using a Fender P-Bass pickup mounted off the end of the fingerboard. The advantage of the Precision pickup is that, being in two parts you can angle it to adjust string balance.
The Moses/Lace pickup looks good - has anyone used it?

http://www.mosesgraphite.com/cgi-bin...s?qBnDApui;;19

I remember looking into the Moses thing after stumbling across something like it on Bob Gollihur's site (I think?). This was probably 2 years ago, or so, and at the time, all I could get from anybody I asked about it was that it was a no-go for manufacturing. But, that link looks real/official/current to me. Are they now making it?

ToneRanger · #5 04-09-2005, 06:49 PM

I checked with Moses - they're no longer making it.
Wish they'd update the website.

larry · #6 04-09-2005, 07:58 PM

I've owned a Pierre Josephs String Charger. I'm not in to magnetic pick ups*, but it had a good sound and was reliable. I personally would not fuss with p-bass pick ups, etc. Just go with a proven product like the String Charger. You'll save time and money in the long run.

*Reason- They don't sound natural, like an upright bass. They sound like a fretless electric.

Why are you looking for a magnetic? Feedback issues?

mikjans · #7 04-10-2005, 02:18 AM

You could also try find a Schaller, especially if you´re looking for something to use in connection with a piezo and a mixer. Schallers sound OK and you should be able to get one at around USD 100-150. They´re easily mounted at the end of the fingerboard and I think you can find one at some German mail order music store.

Mikael

**Francois Blais** · #8 04-10-2005, 09:25 AM

I bought a Schaller about 15 years ago. (and sold it soon after)
The drawbacks were: poor mounting hardware design (the assembly at the end of the FB was not rigid), and the coil system was not hum-bucking. It was very sensitive to electrical noise.
If the design is still the same, I wouldn't recommend it at all.
Better spend a little more money and get top quality.
(my $0.02!)

jjq · #9 04-10-2005, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larry

I've owned a Pierre Josephs String Charger. I'm not in to magnetic pick ups*, but it had a good sound and was reliable. I personally would not fuss with p-bass pick ups, etc. Just go with a proven product like the String Charger. You'll save time and money in the long run.

*Reason- They don't sound natural, like an upright bass. They sound like a fretless electric.

Why are you looking for a magnetic? Feedback issues?

For most of the time (i.e. playing with my main band) I want to use my EUB through the same rig as my bass guitars and piezo sounds pretty dire through an Ashdown ABM stack. To be honest a 100% authentic upright tone isn't really crucial in the context of a dance band, otherwise I'd be going through my full-range combo...

JJ

jjq · #10 04-10-2005, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francois

The best units are probably the Biesele and the Pierre Joseph String Charger.

The Biesele looks ideal, I like the fact that you can balance the strings, and use the pickup it without the pre-amp unit. Hopefully they'll ship to the UK!

JJ

JeffKissell · #11 04-10-2005, 02:27 PM

The String Charger also is adjustable (the pickup element is somewhat flexible) and it doesn't need a preamp. It does have that "P-bass" sound to some degree however. It seems more durable than the Biesele, and the mounting options seem more versatle.
-jk

BassGreaser · #12 04-10-2005, 04:28 PM

I have a String Charger for sale. PM me for pricing

Danho · #13 04-13-2005, 03:53 PM

I tried the "P-Bass" approach with a pair of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders for a REALLY loud band.
They rocked. I sounded like a monster-it was fun for a while, but nothing like an upright.
I eventually gave up on them after all the mounting and dismounting issues-since they were an eyesore for my regular gigs.
The MOSES lace has worked very nice. It seemed that if the band was so loud that magnetic pickups were needed, the upright's charm were lost anyway, so I went with the easier pickup.

JeffKissell · #14 04-14-2005, 02:30 AM

I also had a P-bass pickup on an URB a while back. The novelty of playing loud rock gigs with a double bass wears off in a hurry!
-jk

jjq · #15 04-22-2005, 05:52 AM

In the end I went for the Schaller (thanks for the offer of the String Charger but I decided to go cheap to start with

). So the most obvious problem is that the pickup wouldn't actually fit on the bass - there are tabs on either side, one holding the jack socket and the other the volume control. The tab with the volume control is too deep for the gap between fingerboard and body. The solution was to remove the volume control entirely and cut the offending piece of metal off, drastic but it worked! Apart from that the mounting to the end of the fingerboard seems relatively stable although you wouldn't want to knock it around too much.

With the pickup fitted I tried it through my Ashdown EVO II & cabs with my usual settings, and actually it doesn't sound at all bad. Much better than the piezo pickup with this amp. Ok it's really not much like an upright tonally speaking, but it's a nice mellow sound that gets the idea across and works well through an EBG amp. It looks ok as well, not too much like an add-on, and output level is much the same as any passive bass.

The end result is quite usable for minimal outlay (100 Euros).

JJ

Dan in NJ · #16 05-08-2005, 06:32 PM

I've used the Biesele for 3 or so years, very happy with it. I blend it with an Underwood on a bass I have set up for loud gigs. One little hint I can offer is once you get it set up just right for you (the positioning of the p/up on yr fingerboard and the trim pots need to be tweaked for string balance) --put some clear nail polish on the set screws.
Without it, it will rattle loose eventually and fall.

Blaine · #17 05-08-2005, 06:54 PM

I actually have the Moses. the first model had a lot of hum and later I was able to trade for the second design which was more of a humbucker i think. It had more of a natural sound than Quarter Pounder P pickups or the Kent Armstrong. It's a shame they weren't able to keep producing them. But having said that I don't play in as loud situations these days. If anyone wants to buy mine, write.

milhanas · #18 05-10-2005, 04:00 AM

hello Blaine
I am interested it says me for how much ?,it would be sending for Portugal (Lisbon)

thank you

**Francois Blais** · #19 05-10-2005, 06:17 AM

Milhanas, please move this to private messaging with Blaine.
Or move it to the For sale forum.
Thanks for your cooperation.
(and BTW, you still didn't answer the reply I wrote in the "Pickups for UEB" thread I made for you...)

tastychoice · #20 11-07-2012, 11:18 AM

I know this is an old question but I had the same issue with the doubling eub and Bg. Rather than buying a mag pickup, I went for a radial bassbone preamp. Total control, it's amazing. My only complaint is wishing I could use both instruments at the same time, I wish it was an aby rather than just ab input. Pretty small potatoes.