Best bridge for a piezo pickup?

crompton · #1 05-01-2006, 11:45 AM

I was getting a great sound with my Fishman BP-100 pickups mounted on my old Bausch bridge. However, now I've replaced the bridge with a new one, the sound is horrible - thin and tinny. It sounds fine acoustically but the amplified sound is awful. Any ideas why?

I checked that the BP-100 was properly installed, and I'm using a Platinum Pro preamp - everything else is set up just the same as it was before. The only clue I have is that the new bridge is quite a bit thicker than the old one - perhaps not passing on its sound to the pickup as effectivelyl? If that's what it is, I'm surprised that it makes such a HUGE difference, and maybe there's an ideal kind of bridge to use for these pickups?

glivanos · #2 05-01-2006, 11:55 AM

I would check the pick-ups with your old bridge again just to make sure it is not the pick-ups, assuming you still have your old bridge.

Otherwise, it may be the fact that you new maple bridge may be softer due to lack of any aging. Your pick-ups may have been benefiting from "aged wood" on your old bridge.

There have been some threads on this site regarding using older bridges vs. newer ones and how if affects the sound.

Whit Townsend · #3 05-01-2006, 12:35 PM

I'd bet its an issue of the fit, actual contact of pu to bridge, thicker bridge, different fit/contact varibles involving the metal clamps, pu, and bridge surface.
I'd have someone play your bass while you move pu placements around on bridge holding them securely in place w/fingers, till you find the best spot, then superglue them in place and get rid of those metal clamps as soon as you find the sweet spots.

Tbeers · #4 05-01-2006, 05:54 PM

Some players who use the BP-100 sand the surface of the bridge a little bit, so that the piezo elements make 100% contact with the wood. You could do that, and then superglue the elements in the right place. It should get a pretty good sound.

arnoldschnitzer · #5 05-01-2006, 05:58 PM

TBeers has it right. The BP-100 requires flat spots for proper sound transmission. Your bridge surface is likely arched. Are you serious that you actually like the sound of that pickup?

Andy Allen · #6 05-01-2006, 06:54 PM

There's a recent thread in the Amps & pickups forum discussing the Fishman and how much installation affects the sound of peizos. Click here.

I have found that installation (tight and even pressure across the whole piezo) makes all the difference to the sound, whatever the brand of pickup.

Andy

vejesse · #7 05-01-2006, 08:21 PM

Friends don't let friends use the BP-100. Check out the Fishman Full Circle.

Tbeers · #8 05-01-2006, 09:42 PM

I've heard the BP-100 on probably 30 different basses, and it sounded good on 2 of them. Both were professional players, and I don't know what they were doing for a setup but it produced a really warm tone.

Still, more than 90% of the time it sounded bad.

Lucerne · #9 05-02-2006, 03:53 AM

[quote=crompton]I was getting a great sound with my Fishman BP-100 pickups mounted on my old Bausch bridge. However, now I've replaced the bridge with a new one, the sound is horrible - thin and tinny. It sounds fine acoustically but the amplified sound is awful. Any ideas why?

I was using a similar set-up quite a while ago and also had managed to originally have a very good sound with the bausch and bp100. After having a new bridge installed i honestly couldn't get a decent sound from the pickups. I think that those bausch bridges are much thinner and allow the top to vibrate more. I also think they are much softer and any sound passing throught them is consequently darker the pickup deals with this more truly. If you want to stick with those pickups you may need to think about moving them down the bridge (away from the top) hence gluing them.

I was since able to try out a set of underwood pick ups and aligned with the new bridge they have been really brilliant. if you can, you may want to think about trying pickups that will slot into the wings of your new bridge this time. If your bass sounds good acoustically then thats the best start and you want to try to reflect that with other pickups. The bp100 may not do it anymore. The bridge / pickup combination is really important!

snowdan · #10 05-02-2006, 06:41 AM

a) sand the bridge flat
b) glue the piezos on. the thin layer of glue later also makes for warmer sound, imho.

my fishman indeed sounds good now!

not the fishman is crap, the clamping concept is. actually, the problem is hardly anyone believes the manual, which clearly demands for flat sanding. later everyone complains. used to be the same with me...

but now it's just fine.

crompton · #11 06-20-2006, 09:08 AM

Hey, thanks everyone for your help. I didn't get the notifications by email so I only just checked back now. Meanwhile, I've got a Full circle installed and it sounds really good, more natural; however, too much color and boominess on some notes. I've only just started to fine-tune it though.