Transducer Placement

[lonote]

First, let me say that I know I am going to need a different pickup and I know it'll be sooner than later. I am trying to amplify my 1/4 size Kay with a K & K stick-on transducer and I am having limited success. I realize that this set-up isn't going to win any "best sound" contests but, for now, it's what I have to work with. I have tried putting the transducer under a bridge foot and flat mounting it on the bridge and the best I can get is something that sounds uncomfortably like Duane Eddy's 1950's "twangy" guitar tone...thin and gutless. Does anybody have any ideas on how I can fatten the sound a bit just with different transducer placement? Thanks.

[Francois Blais]

Maybe your problem is impedance mismatch at the amp.
Do you use a preamp to buffer the impedance for the pickup or do you plus directly into the amp?
Pickup loading gives a very thin, brittle sound, which may be your problem.
As a general rule, a 1 Megohm or higher input impedance is recommended for proper piezo pickup buffering.

[lonote]

I mounted the transducer in the bass side wing slot and my guitar player made me a connector with the phase reversed (as JonB suggested in another thread). The difference was beyond belief! It now sounds fat and rich; I would never have believed it if I hadn't heard it myself. I got sufficient volume with a Fender Bassman 50/1 X 15" JBL rig with the volume knob on "5" in a small 100 person club with no feedback problems. Thanks to all of you for your help with my newbie questions. So far, my "great double bass experiment" has been a lot of fun and a real learning experience. I may have pushed the envelope a bit by bringing it to a gig and playing it for a whole set after only a month's experience on the instrument, but "total immersion education" has worked for me before! Again, thanks for all your help.