Acoustic Bass Guitar - Bridge/Pickup/Electronics

[FretFree]

I've been in contact with a luthier of acoustic guitars who is willing to make me an acoustic bass... at cost of materials.

I'm planning on taking him up on this offer.

I'm looking for information on:

1) Pickups - Is my only real choice a piezo bridge? Bridge + Mic combo (I've seen a few of these for guitars)?

2) Bridge - Is the only practical bridge for an acoustic bass a fixed piezo bridge? Is there anything possible as far as using a standard bridge on an acoustic? How about a wooden adjustable bridge (I've seen a few of these floating around TB on electric bases (particularly fretless)?

3) Preamp/Electronics - Fishman and LR Baggs my only options as far as onboard tone control goes? Should I go with a dedicated external box?

I'm certainly not banking on this instrument having enough volume... hence my interest in these components. I'd really like to have a nicely amplifiable, acoustic tone. As long as it is loud enough to practice unplugged, I'm not overly concerned regarding the volume.

Looking forward to opinions, thoughts, feedback (ha!)!

[chadds]

You can add an internal mic though the feedback difficulties start to show up.
The Highlander is a continuos film very accurate piezo.
It requires a knowledgeable installer.

I put two LR Baggs disk piezos for upright in a ABG. It's excellent. I bypassed internal pre and controls. Great difference!

What ever you use the input of your amp must be able to provide the right buffering or it won't sound excellent. Or it will sound okay til you start to gig.

Eqing can't overcome signal mismatches. If you have to do drastic eqing something else is amiss.

Try some using external preamps. Matching them to your amp can then be a matter of gain staging. Don't go too cheap as it will sound like it.

Choose an amp that has as one of it's designs parameters to accept Uprights or ABGs.

Call Bob Gollihur and discuss this at length before you buy anything.