BP-100 - completing the setup

ubertox · #1 08-07-2009, 11:22 PM

Today I acquired a Fishman BP-100, for amplifying my Englehart M1. I don't know anything about amplification yet, and from searching around the forum, it sounds like the bp-100 can "emphasize uneven frequencies" and "sound like a flock of geese". What are some desirable pre-amps/speakers to complete this setup? I'm looking for something jamming/gigging sized.

chop_1992 · #2 08-08-2009, 02:23 AM

Before everyone jumps in and tells you never to use a BP-100, I will say this:

I've used a BP-100 for years on my main bass. I often use it just straight into a little Gallien Krueger MB100 and it sounds great. I also use it directly into a Glockenklang Bass Art (expensive) rig, also great.

That being said, when I want the BP-100 to sound better, I use it with the Fishman Platinum Pro Pre-amp. The BP-100 seems to work best on just one bass that I have—not all pickups sound good on all basses, and that is a key fact that you will discover. When I play in a big hall, they might use the BP-100 in a monitor mix, but use a combination of the BP-100 and a microphone in the house.

Make sure the area where you mount the p/u is flat and clean. The p/u should be close to the front edge of the bridge, but touching wood on all sides. Make sure the clamps are not too tight and not too loose. You can get a little difference in tone if you place the p/u closer or further from the edge of the bridge.

Good luck!

robgrow · #3 08-08-2009, 10:57 AM

The BP-100 works best with a very high input impedance around 10 meg ohms. The Fishman Pro-EQ Platinum Bass preamp provides a 10 meg input as does the HPF-Pre from fdeck. Both preamps are excellent and have been reviewed here in the past.

Gearhead43 · #4 08-08-2009, 01:20 PM

If you like the tone of a braying donkey, the BP-100 is where it's at!

MR PC · #5 08-08-2009, 02:06 PM

I think chop_1992 said it very well. Work with the BP-100 a bit and decide for yourself if it suits your needs.

robobass · #6 08-08-2009, 05:41 PM

I just don't get the "braying donkey" bit. I used one for years on several basses and found it very neutral, dark, and no feedback troubles. Not ideal alone, but very good for blending with a mic. This was also the opinion of the other bassists I knew at the time. I really think that the braying donkey reports are the result of poor installation. The surface of the bridge where you mount the pickup needs to be flat flat flat!

Mark Perna · #7 08-08-2009, 08:34 PM

I've had 8 basses. The BP-100 works fantastically well on 3 of them. It blew every other pickup I tried away on those basses. A present, warm, fat sound that was very resistant to feedback. It absolutely needs a preamp and I tried a whole bunch including the Fishman but the best (and the one I still use with it) is Fdeck's little preamp. His pre-amp is great and such an essential part of my rig that I bought 2 spares since they are kind of a boutique item and if he ever stops making them and mine broke, I'd be seriously out of luck. The Fishman was the second best of the half dozen I tried. The Fdeck pre is substantially cheaper (at about $50), smaller and lighter and while it doesn't have all of the stuff the Fishman has, it SOUNDS great.

On the other 5 basses, the BP-100 sort of worked ok on 1 of them and it didn't work at all on the others. It sounded like a fingernails on a blackboard on the ones it didn't work with. REALLY bad. And nothing I did would make it sound good.

The basses it works great on are two old Juzeks (1928 and 1932) and a 2006 Kolstein LaFaro Busetto travel bass. It sort of worked ok on a Czechease but not great. I have a 2007 Kolstein Travel that it doesn't work at all on (go figure). I have a 1974 Juzek that it doesn't work on. I also had a couple of plywoods including an old Moretone that it didn't like either.

If you go to my Myspace page www.myspace.com/markperna and listen to the track "Voodoo Butter" you'll hear the BP-100 on the 1932 Juzek with Spiro Mittels. This is the rough mix which was the same as the headphone mix and didn't have any microphone on it. I haven't mixed this one yet but the bass will be mostly mic in the final mix. Still, it sounds pretty good for pickup directly into the board.

As far as mounting, on the Juzeks, I got great results mounting it on top of the bridge. On the Kolstein, I mounted it on the bottom of the bridge. In all cases, the quality of the sound is very dependent on the pressure of the clips. Too tight and they squashed the sound, too loose and you lose bottom end.

mark

robobass · #8 08-10-2009, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calivox

...If you go to my Myspace page www.myspace.com/markperna and listen to the track "Voodoo Butter" you'll hear the BP-100 on the 1932 Juzek with Spiro Mittels. ...

Mark,
That's some intense groove, and the bass sound is superb. Subtle, but the energy just makes me giddy. This recording definitely ends the debate about the BP-100's ability. Now I want to hear the finished track!

hdiddy · #9 09-30-2009, 10:51 PM

OH man.... I'm utterly shocked.

Just bought a new mic... EV Cardinal. So on a whim I started to A/B pickups vs. the mic as I wasn't exactly pleased with how it gets weird as the amp is turned up. Cardinal vs Planet Wing vs BP-100?!? I was a Planet Wing user, sounded good on the old Chrissy Hybrid. I had no hopes for the BP... I felt like it was a lame purchase from a year ago. It's totally vintage as well - instructions, box are old. Sounded like ass on the Christopher, and I just let it collect dust on a shelf til tonight.

So.. the mic? It was ok. Kinda boxy/tubby. Turn it up and it starts to fart no matter where I mic'ed the carved cleveland when turned up. Low volumes, it was ok, but so was everything else. Meh.

Planet wing was ok. Still somewhat mic like, but sounded squashed. I played a gig this weekend and had a hard time hearing myself in a crappy room. Didn't cut through so it made it even more difficult on the intonation. It used to work well but it still is a wing pickup and will choke up the bridge.

And the BP... I had it in my mind that there was no way it could be better than the other two. Cummon, everybody hates it... Plugged it in... clear, everything is there, even more mic like than the PW. No tubbyness, and it cut! ***? How can this be better than the other two? Bass even thunders a little better than the PW. Felt like I didn't need the Stark E I ordered from All Hail Bob. I'm still in disbelief.

No way! How? Wha?!?

I even compared it to the acoustic sound, two different preamps (Fishman Pro Plat bass eq still the best). Still beats the PW. BP's output wasn't that high but I just cranked the pre gain all the way up.

No complaints (other than maybe sending mic back for refund), but still shocked.

RHayton · #10 10-01-2009, 10:08 PM

Over the past three years I have tried the Revolution solo, the K&K Bassmax, the K&K double big twin, the K&K Big Twin, and a homemade realist-type pickup under the foot--I kept coming back to the BP100 because it gave the best overall tone, carried the most volume, least tendency to feed back, and required the least equalizing (I also use the Platinum Pro Pre Amp.)

mje · #11 10-02-2009, 10:38 AM

If you want the BP-100 to sound good, throw away the clips and GLUE it to your bridge. Fishman's instruction sheet says to use hot melt glue, but a friend who worked at Fishman in the early days says to superglue. You can still pop it if you like as the glue is brittle.

hdiddy · #12 10-02-2009, 01:41 PM

Interesting idea. What about just gluing it to other places on the bridge? I might get some tiny grip-vises to test this. What I don't like about BP-100 is that I can't use a rubber practice mute so easily with it on.

Mark Perna · #13 10-02-2009, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mje

If you want the BP-100 to sound good, throw away the clips and GLUE it to your bridge. Fishman's instruction sheet says to use hot melt glue, but a friend who worked at Fishman in the early days says to superglue. You can still pop it if you like as the glue is brittle.

I've thought about doing this a number of times over the years but always chickened out afraid that I wouldn't be able to get it off again. I've had the jack go bad on a number of the BP-100s. I find I have to replace it every 5 years or so as the weight of the cable causes the plug to deform the inside of the jack. After a long time, I start to lose bottom end as the connection between the plug and the jack deteriorates. I put a new one on and everything is right as rain again.

It would be nice to get the weight of the clips (which aren't light) off of the bridge. I think it would improve the acoustic bass sound without all of that weight hanging off the end of the bridge.

mark

Gearhead43 · #14 10-03-2009, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RHayton

Over the past three years I have tried the Revolution solo, the K&K Bassmax, the K&K double big twin, the K&K Big Twin, and a homemade realist-type pickup under the foot--I kept coming back to the BP100 because it gave the best overall tone, carried the most volume, least tendency to feed back, and required the least equalizing .....

Wow, are you from an alternate bizzarro dimension?

abaguer · #15 10-05-2009, 12:36 AM

I recently acquired a beat up EUB that had a BP100 under the bridge feet. Since it's a flat, not hollow body the pickups fit under the feet. The sound is very much like a baby bass and run through a Sans Amp it sounds really, very good. Actually huge. Had a BP 100 for years on my main upright and never really liked the sound much. Prefer the Realist by a long shot. But I love it on this EUB under the feet.