5 String Jazz with 7 channels out

fatboy250 · #1 02-26-2009, 02:29 PM

Has anyone pursued this type of project before?

I am working with a local cable and connections supply store to make this myself. What I have is a 5 string piezo bridge with individual saddle pickups and 2 standard mags for 7 total signals. I am running out of the body with Cat5e cable. Each will run to a dedicated channel on my 8 channel DI.

Just curious to know if anyone else has tried this type of setup before.

bassteban · #2 02-26-2009, 02:43 PM

I have not tried this, & please don't take this as criticism, but what are you trying to accomplish? Just curious.

NicJimBass · #3 02-26-2009, 02:45 PM

I belive Brian Bromberg did something similar, although not as extreme. He had Bartolini quadrophonic pickups, so each string had it's own pickup. He'd send out 4 signals and pan different strings to different sides. I just read an old BP about it the other day.

fatboy250 · #4 02-26-2009, 02:47 PM

This is what I've been working towards for some time now.

Live performance with laptop

BigOldHarry · #5 02-26-2009, 02:48 PM

Hmmmm -

Again, not to be critical... but while this sounds like an interesting intellectual/technical exercise, I'll bet if you spend the same amount of time wood-shedding that you might developing this multi-channel pickup gizmo, you'll hear more of a difference in the notes coming out of your bass. BUT, if you gotta git your gizmo on, then do it and let everyone know how it works out!

behemecoytl · #6 02-26-2009, 02:56 PM

fascinating.

I recall reading something here about Bootsy Collins's effects where he runs the the highs, mids and lows through different effects. is that the idea?

fatboy250 · #7 02-26-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

Hmmmm -

Again, not to be critical... but while this sounds like an interesting intellectual/technical exercise, I'll bet if you spend the same amount of time wood-shedding that you might developing this multi-channel pickup gizmo, you'll hear more of a difference in the notes coming out of your bass. BUT, if you gotta git your gizmo on, then do it and let everyone know how it works out!

Thanks for the input...Yeah I'm getting too old for the intellectual/technical exercise pursuits anymore. I'm "simply" going after a more versatile bass for both studio and live performance. Just wanted to know if I had any guys here with prior experience that I could draw from.

Thanks,
Jason

fatboy250 · #8 02-26-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by behemecoytl

fascinating.

I recall reading something here about Bootsy Collins's effects where he runs the the highs, mids and lows through different effects. is that the idea?

Similar, but with all the options afforded by recording software like Logic 8 it can be much more. I just see an oppourtunity to exploit the potential of stuff I already have and will be using in the future. I have had to acquire a few additional things, but I'm pretty confident I'm heading in the right direction. I'd just like to get some "older and wiser" input along the way.

Jason

fatboy250 · #9 02-26-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicJimBass

I belive Brian Bromberg did something similar, although not as extreme. He had Bartolini quadrophonic pickups, so each string had it's own pickup. He'd send out 4 signals and pan different strings to different sides. I just read an old BP about it the other day.

I'm familiar with the Bartolini pickup. This is certainly part of the equation with what I'm trying to do. Do you have a link to this article?

funkymonk77 · #10 02-26-2009, 03:09 PM

it sounds like a great project, but at the end of the day your still playing live, and sound quality is going to be hit or miss no matter if your richard bona or a guitar center 14 year old.

Not to discourage you, but the small difference in tone/sound compared to the amount of work put in is extremely unbalanced.

oh and a guitar player has done this, he put five jacks in a strat to work surround sound through a home theater system

fatboy250 · #11 02-26-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkymonk77

it sounds like a great project, but at the end of the day your still playing live, and sound quality is going to be hit or miss no matter if your richard bona or a guitar center 14 year old.

Not to discourage you, but the small difference in tone/sound compared to the amount of work put in is extremely unbalanced.

oh and a guitar player has done this, he put five jacks in a strat to work surround sound through a home theater system

Hey thanks..Just curious if you have an article or link to see if they mentioned any hurdles they faced. So far, I haven't found it to be too overly complex or difficult that I was like "this just ain't worth it". In fact, I wired up the piezo yesterday in about 30min. I'm still waiting on my supply guy to make the "squid cable" that will run these signals into the 8 channel DI which will then run into an 8 channel tube preamp then into my laptop by 800 firewire.

Jason

funkymonk77 · #12 02-26-2009, 03:22 PM

i think what the guitar player did was a bit more simple, he just ran the same signal 5 different directions from on sourse, no piezo involved...it sounds like you have it all worked out, its just putting in the work.Id imagine if you wired this to a surround sound system and sat in the middle of the room and played you would never play through a conventional amp ever again.

But thats the risk you take, i can only imagine how awesome that would sound, and how much more in debt i would be pursueing that sound

funkymonk77 · #13 02-26-2009, 03:25 PM

fatboy250 · #14 02-26-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkymonk77

But thats the risk you take, i can only imagine how awesome that would sound, and how much more in debt i would be pursueing that sound

ha, ha, lmao I feel ya!....yeah that's the risk we all take isn't it. Just like the first time you pick a good sounding well crafted bass...in fact there's a lot of those first time type events....for me another was riding a faster motorcycle...you know those freakin' companies keep on making them faster each year..when will it ever end.. Oh well, it's just money, right?

Jason

megadan · #15 02-26-2009, 03:30 PM

Yeah that strat is hideous.

I am very glad you are using cat5 cable. Why do bassist think of that and not guitarists? Sheesh.

funkymonk77 · #16 02-26-2009, 03:36 PM

well...you know ive been a guitarist for 15 years, bassist for about 6.

Tell you what, bass help me understand guitar playing, but not guitar players.

At the same time, maybe he just wasnt that good at wiring

fatboy250 · #17 02-26-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkymonk77

Neat! Funny though, I've already got a 2 jack bass. 1 jack for the precision pickups and one for the pair of jazz pickups. Both with parallel and series switching....sorta passive Stu Hamm in a p-body...Better looking though, I think. It's not bad, but I have to believe this newest project will be better.

Jason

funkymonk77 · #18 02-26-2009, 03:42 PM

Stu Hamm...i want to find out where he shops and forebomb it...

proof
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LSwiMapeFs

pilotjones · #19 02-26-2009, 05:03 PM

Are you able to find cat5 cable that would be suitable for use in live performance? Durability, and especially flexibility without internal damage would be primary concerns.

eleonn · #20 02-26-2009, 06:15 PM

Maybe the shield type of Cat5 cable.