Double Bass An Ehrlund blog, sort of

[drurb]

Yea, I realize the 90% holds for your club rule, but casting off all other pickups? I am way to fickle for that!

Not a complete cast-off. They can remain for 10% of the time.

I claim number 3. This will be the only TB club I have ever joined. Technically, I still own a K&K bass max, but I have not used it in like, 5 years. I use the Ehrlund on 100% of my gigs and rehearsal, and only have the K&K as backup in case of total failure. I also have a little radioshack condenser mike that I have experimented with (works better than you might think) and I also keep that as a backup, as it sounds better than the K&K but is feedback prone of course and a little boomy.

I still carry my Rev Solo. Gotta have a backup.

 

[Ric Vice]

Not a complete cast-off. They can remain for 10% of the time.



I still carry my Rev Solo. Gotta have a backup.

As for me, I have a second EAP and a second Ehrlund Pre.
Although I own other pickups, they are gathering dust, so it's time to pass them along. I have a DPA 4099B to send FOH.

Ric

 

[PB+J]

I'll be number four. I have no other pickup on my bass and don't use anything else on gigs. I keep an Sm-57 in the car for emergencies though. Do I count?

 

[lrhbass]

As for blending two pickups (or a pickup and a mic), I have had much better experiences when using sources with very different sound. A mic and a thumpy pickup, or two "mic like" signals have never gotten as good of result as mixing a mic with something much more compressed like a Wilson or Underwood. In a muddy room where the warmth of the Ehrlund or a mic is lost or even counter productive it is great to be able to dial in a more "direct" sound. It saved my rear on a gig just last night in fact. Truth is, the great sound you think you are getting when you are playing alone isn't always the one that will translate best when the tenor players veins start bulging and the drummer is enjoying his new 20" K that sounds "just like Tony"
I love the ease of just showing up and playing, or when needed, amping as simply as possible. The Ehrlund has made that easier for me and works wonderfully most of the time, but you won't find me taking any vow of pickup monogamy. So far the Ehrlund by itself has worked great 90% of the time that I needed it, but that has left me 2-3 gigs a month where it just wasn't that happening. Having an extra cable and pickup in my bag, and the ability to easily mix it in when needed, is a no brainer for me.

I am in your group

 

[fdeck]

That's quite possible. The goal for me is to get the vibration to the pickup in as direct a manner as possible. One of these days, you might just jump off the sidelines.

 

[drurb]

I'll be number four. I have no other pickup on my bass and don't use anything else on gigs. I keep an Sm-57 in the car for emergencies though. Do I count?

Yes! Welcomed to the EPC.

Note: I changed the wording in the original announcement to "essentially cast off other pickups."

 

[Adagio]

I could see that working in some situations. I might try it again on a gig, though that's getting to some extra setup hassle that won't be happening on a casual.

Are you using the Headway?

Yes, i'm using the EDB1. The thing I like with this setup si that the FC mostly disappears when playing arco because the Ehrlund is so much louder when the top is vibrating at higher amplitude. And that's good because the Ehrlund sounds so good arco and the FC... well, we all know how a FC sounds under a bow! And when playing pizz the FC is just loud enough so I'm cutting through the mix, which I find difficult to obtain with the Ehrlund all by itself. Of course all of this is a matter of setup, instruments, music styles and preferences, but I find it hard to let my FC on the sideline cause it really makes a difference to me.

Sorry Ehrlund Purist Club, I guess I can't join for the moment!

 

[MrSidecar]

The Ehrlund Purist Club (EPC), is composed of members who have essentially cast off all other pickups and have decided to use the EAP as their sole pickup on at least 90% of their gigs. If you've cut the cord (pun intended) to other pickups in this fashion, just assign yourself a number.

Member #1: drurb

Hey drurb, no offense at all, but that would make me member #0, as I was definetely earlier with that... Or wait, since I was earlier than "the club", maybe my portrait should hang framed in gold in your club headquarters, with a li'l caption saying "I've said so!"

I'll stop here.
But the Ehrlund is the only system I use. It's as perfect as it gets.

Best
Sidecar

 

[Vunz]

Yes! Welcomed to the EPC.

Note: I changed the wording in the original announcement to "essentially cast off other pickups."

In! So, am I #6?

 

[Roger Davis]

I'm of the polygamous persuasion. (alliterative, too). Much as I like the EAP - I've got two - I'm blending an Underwood on my Bryant and a Bassmax on my Kolstein travel. For such a little bass the Kolstein and EAP is just too thumpy at higher volumes so a piezo gives just a bit of compressed sound that helps. The Clarus two channel is ideal for taking the two feeds. Quick and easy to set up on a gig.

 

[drurb]

Hey drurb, no offense at all, but that would make me member #0, as I was definetely earlier with that... Or wait, since I was earlier than "the club", maybe my portrait should hang framed in gold in your club headquarters, with a li'l caption saying "I've said so!"

I'll stop here.
But the Ehrlund is the only system I use. It's as perfect as it gets.

Best
Sidecar

I think it's fitting that you are lucky number 7 in the club. Paragraph VI, subsection 2 of the EPC charter holds that:

"...membership numbers will be assigned as consecutive positive integers beginning with the number one (1) and will be assigned by the joining member without the need for approval."

Please do send a nice photo of yourself. We will have it framed and hang it in the headquarters as an exemplar of our motivation.

Welcome to the EPC.

 

[SeayBass]

hi all,
I use the ehrlund mic(?) with great success. I am wondering if anyone knows precisely where the mic/pickup is on the triangle. That is- where is the device most sensitive. I dont' think it's smack in the middle but more at the very tip of the triangle (away from the wire).

Anybody know?
thanks

 

[drurb]

hi all,
I use the ehrlund mic(?) with great success. I am wondering if anyone knows precisely where the mic/pickup is on the triangle. That is- where is the device most sensitive. I dont' think it's smack in the middle but more at the very tip of the triangle (away from the wire).

Anybody know?
thanks

I'm betting that it occupies the majority of the triangle. Even if it doesn't, the very small distances involved would seem not to be substantial in terms of the transmission of vibration. If you mount it with very small amounts of putty at the tips, you should be just fine.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

If the Ehrlund is built like described in the patent, it is a triangular membrane supported at the three tips. Maybe there is a mass in the middle of the membrane, so the mass tries to stay where it is and the support of the membrane vibrates.

Connecting the case with the bass top at the corners of the triangle, where I assume the membrane is supported, is the shortest way from the bass top to the membrane, avoiding any losses by transmission of sound waves through the case. Also the greatest possible distance of the supports in the corners might get a higher volume of higher vibrational modes of the top than other contact points.

 

[drurb]

If the Ehrlund is built like described in the patent, it is a triangular membrane supported at the three tips. Maybe there is a mass in the middle of the membrane, so the mass tries to stay where it is and the support of the membrane vibrates.

Connecting the case with the bass top at the corners of the triangle, where I assume the membrane is supported, is the shortest way from the bass top to the membrane, avoiding any losses by transmission of sound waves through the case. Also the greatest possible distance of the supports in the corners might get a higher volume of higher vibrational modes of the top than other contact points.

Given how small the pickup is, I doubt small changes in how it's attached will substantially emphasize different modes which are much larger.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

I doubt that too, but I only wanted to explain that the sound most probably woudn't get better by using other contact points than the corner points if the triangle.

But in the end, we only do educated guesses and reality might be much different from our expectations.

 

[SeayBass]

hmm
I ask because I hear notable differences when moving the Ehrlund only a milimeter. Even just turning it on an axis point in its center makes a difference to my ears- sometimes a very big difference. It is especially noticeable when moved around a particularly strong signal point on the bass.

I have found that going over the bass with a tuning fork is a good way to get starting points for placement. It gives me a general idea of where I will get a stronger signal, and I go from there. But I have yet to determine which precise part of the triangle to aim. This is a fun way to blow an afternoon!

 

[drurb]

hmm
I ask because I hear notable differences when moving the Ehrlund only a milimeter. Even just turning it on an axis point in its center makes a difference to my ears- sometimes a very big difference. It is especially noticeable when moved around a particularly strong signal point on the bass.

I have found that going over the bass with a tuning fork is a good way to get starting points for placement. It gives me a general idea of where I will get a stronger signal, and I go from there. But I have yet to determine which precise part of the triangle to aim. This is a fun way to blow an afternoon!

That seems odd. My experience was that of more understandable and intuitive changes as I moved the pickup. Perhaps some of the variance you're experiencing results from variations in the way it is mounted each time you move it.

I doubt that too, but I only wanted to explain that the sound most probably woudn't get better by using other contact points than the corner points if the triangle.

But in the end, we only do educated guesses and reality might be much different from our expectations.

Indeed. I suspect that the best transmission would be achieved by gluing the entire surface to the top with a thin layer of cement. Of course, I'm not suggesting that anyone actually do that.

 

[Robin Ruscio]

Yes, i'm using the EDB1. The thing I like with this setup si that the FC mostly disappears when playing arco because the Ehrlund is so much louder when the top is vibrating at higher amplitude. And that's good because the Ehrlund sounds so good arco and the FC... well, we all know how a FC sounds under a bow! And when playing pizz the FC is just loud enough so I'm cutting through the mix, which I find difficult to obtain with the Ehrlund all by itself. Of course all of this is a matter of setup, instruments, music styles and preferences, but I find it hard to let my FC on the sideline cause it really makes a difference to me.

Sorry Ehrlund Purist Club, I guess I can't join for the moment!

That seems logical to me. I used the EAP alone on two more gigs and am fighting for some definition still. Though I really had having to set up the edb1 for a quick casual gig.

 

[Rastus_01]

I found a spot on my relatively cheap solid top with old crusty EP strings easily enough. Sounds like my bass with old crusty strings but arco really blew me away. Very big, clear sound WOW!

My question is what are you guys doing with the pre amp, I have it clipped onto the quiver at the moment while I am messing with position of the pickup. I do like the idea of mounting it behind the tailpiece and leaving it there. Not sure if weight will affect anything though. Any thoughts?

To me putting this pickup and pre on my bass was like hearing my bass from the front for the first time. I am very impressed.

Cheers,
Geoff