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Double Bass Bass Guitar Sound

bdengler

bdengler

Jan 23, 2000
248
1
New Albany, Ohio
#1
I'm wondering if there are any pickups that could help generate more of a "bass guitar" sound on an upright. Let me explain. Arthritis has forced me to a smaller instrument. I'm playing a half-size upright, currently, with Fishman pickups at church. The pickup runs through an amp (which acts as a floor monitor) and then into the PA system. The PA system is very good; our sound system has 5 speaker cabinents with two twelves in each cabinet. The upright sounds bit muddy, so I'm trying to get a cleaner sound out of the instrument. Any suggestions would be appreciated. BTW, please don't suggest using a bass guitar. My arthritis is in the wrist, and, frankly, the upright is easier on the wrist than a bass guitar! Thanks, Brian
 
#3
bdengler said:
I'm wondering if there are any pickups that could help generate more of a "bass guitar" sound on an upright. Let me explain. Arthritis has forced me to a smaller instrument. I'm playing a half-size upright, currently, with Fishman pickups at church. The pickup runs through an amp (which acts as a floor monitor) and then into the PA system. The PA system is very good; our sound system has 5 speaker cabinents with two twelves in each cabinet. The upright sounds bit muddy, so I'm trying to get a cleaner sound out of the instrument. Any suggestions would be appreciated. BTW, please don't suggest using a bass guitar. My arthritis is in the wrist, and, frankly, the upright is easier on the wrist than a bass guitar! Thanks, Brian
Click to expand...

I have always played a 5/8" French Bass and they are easier to play
than the bass guitar, because our left hands move on a vertical plane with the with the wrist in a more natural position. The Pierre Josephs String Charger is a very electronic sounding pickup, but does put out a descrete signal.If that one's to expensive for you're budget, and you don't mind a chrome pick up screwed into the end of you're fingerboard then the Schertler pickup works nicely and they aren't very expensive.
I wonder it using a microphone in conjuction with you're Fishman might give you more what you are looking for? To my ears it's a nice sound than a magnetic pickup. I don't really equate magnetic pickups and the cleaner sound that you are looking for. They're more discrete, but they also have bass response that isn't natural to you're instrument.
If you are using the older Fishman BP-100 than you might want to consider the Full Circle. IMHO It's a much better pickup than the BP because it dosen't mute the bridge.
BP-100 is.

Ric
 
#4
bdengler said:
My arthritis is in the wrist, and, frankly, the upright is easier on the wrist than a bass guitar! Thanks, Brian
Click to expand...

Have you ever seen the electric bassist from Blood, Sweat and Tears? He has his strap on the lower horn of his electric, allowing the neck to balance in a more "upright" position.
 
#5
Ric Vice said:
I have always played a 5/8" French Bass and they are easier to play
than the bass guitar, because our left hands move on a vertical plane with the with the wrist in a more natural position. The Pierre Josephs String Charger is a very electronic sounding pickup, but does put out a descrete signal.If that one's to expensive for you're budget, and you don't mind a chrome pick up screwed into the end of you're fingerboard then the Schertler pickup works nicely and they aren't very expensive.
I wonder it using a microphone in conjuction with you're Fishman might give you more what you are looking for? To my ears it's a nice sound than a magnetic pickup. I don't really equate magnetic pickups and the cleaner sound that you are looking for. They're more discrete, but they also have bass response that isn't natural to you're instrument.
If you are using the older Fishman BP-100 than you might want to consider the Full Circle. IMHO It's a much better pickup than the BP because it dosen't mute the bridge.
BP-100 is.

Ric
Click to expand...

Ric, great ideas. I got a nice, carved 1/2 (I think it's really a 5/8's) and the vertical position actually puts less stress on the arthritic wrist. The point is I can keep the wrist relatively straight. Bending it kills it. The bass is rather funny because it has a very fat body. I like your idea of a Full Circle. Actually, I think I own a set. I just need to find the darn thing. I had them on a bass several years ago and they were quite good.

Thanks for the advice.

Brian
 
#6
bdengler said:
I'm wondering if there are any pickups that could help generate more of a "bass guitar" sound on an upright. Let me explain. Arthritis has forced me to a smaller instrument. I'm playing a half-size upright, currently, with Fishman pickups at church. The pickup runs through an amp (which acts as a floor monitor) and then into the PA system. The PA system is very good; our sound system has 5 speaker cabinents with two twelves in each cabinet. The upright sounds bit muddy, so I'm trying to get a cleaner sound out of the instrument. Any suggestions would be appreciated. BTW, please don't suggest using a bass guitar. My arthritis is in the wrist, and, frankly, the upright is easier on the wrist than a bass guitar! Thanks, Brian
Click to expand...

You seem to be equating the desire for a less-muddy, cleaner sound with a sound that is more bass-guitar-like. My recommendations for cleaning up the sound of your "upright" would be different than my recommendations for making it sound more akin to a bass guitar. Which are you trying to achieve?
 
#8
DRURB said:
You seem to be equating the desire for a less-muddy, cleaner sound with a sound that is more bass-guitar-like. My recommendations for cleaning up the sound of your "upright" would be different than my recommendations for making it sound more akin to a bass guitar. Which are you trying to achieve?
Click to expand...

DRURB, you are correct. I'm trying to get a less-muddy, cleaner sound. I'm not trying to get a "bass guitar" sound. Thanks for articulating this for me. Any suggestions?

Brian
 
#10
bdengler said:
DRURB, you are correct. I'm trying to get a less-muddy, cleaner sound. I'm not trying to get a "bass guitar" sound. Thanks for articulating this for me. Any suggestions?

Brian
Click to expand...

Well the most "artciculate" is probably a Wilson, but the problem is
that you have to drill holes in your bridge and it's really expensive!
If you ever find that Full Circle I would think it would go a long way
to cleaning up the sound. Incidentally, the other problem with the Magnetics is that in some situations they produce 60 cycle hum and
it's really hard to eliminate. Besides sounding really un-bass like.

Ric
 
#11
bdengler said:
DRURB, you are correct. I'm trying to get a less-muddy, cleaner sound. I'm not trying to get a "bass guitar" sound. Thanks for articulating this for me. Any suggestions?

Brian
Click to expand...

Ah, this is makes it clear. There are many reasons that your sound may be muddy. It is difficult to determine whether the problem lies with the pickup or the rest of the amplification chain. Assuming the latter, I would suggest that you look toward judiciously applying equalization. "Muddy" often indicates a lack of desired high-frequency response and/or too much relative energy in the lower mid-range. As far as pickups go, while I have not used the Fishman, I do use and am very pleased with the Rev. Solo. The last thing it is is muddy. In fact, orienting it one way or the other yields more or less "fingerboard" sound.

The bottom line is that I'm not sure that it is a change in pickup that you need. In fact, a properly used tone-shaping circuit can go a long way in redressing the poor design of some pickups.
 
#12
Johnny L said:
Have you ever seen the electric bassist from Blood, Sweat and Tears? He has his strap on the lower horn of his electric, allowing the neck to balance in a more "upright" position.
Click to expand...
That's Jim Fielder. The neck of his BG is pointing up in the air at a 60 degree or greater angle.

Fielder also uses Simandl-like left-hand fingering on slab (no ring finger). The transcription of "You've Made Me So Very Happy" in the June, 2006 edition of Bass Player is killer. Syncopation city.

There is a heavyweight jazzer in Raleigh named Don Gladstone who does much the same thing when he plays EBG. With Don's technique, the neck is pointing almost straight up at the ceiling. He sits down when he does this. Looks kinda funny until you hear the guy play. Then you just shut up and listen up if you know what's good for you. Monstrous chops, great lyricism.

Sorry bdengler. Maybe that rant ain't gonna help you all that much.

Returning control to Ray Parker, ToR-Tu-Ra and DRURB. I liked where they were going.
 

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