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Double Bass Bass Max In The Bridge

R

Racsen

Dec 6, 2003
159
0
41
Turkey
www.myspace.com
#1
I have an upright bass , It is being built now.It is going to have acoustic body (but electric upright shape and size), sound post and bass bar.And I have this Bass Max pickup.

Normally bass max wedge into the wing , but my idea is put the bass max in the middle of the bridge instead of little heart symbol (I will put picture to explain this) , What do you think about this?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#2
Interesting. I don't know how much the bridge vibrates right there in the middle. There's a nice fancy heart-like shaped cutout on mine. I always thought that was functional in nature as well as cosmetic, but I could be wrong.

The K&K Link Removed pickups are piezos that you stick to the surface of the bridge on either side. Similar, but not the same I reckon.

On Link Removed web page, the AKG DB1 looks very similar to what you have proposed. It looks like it is no longer available though.

So does the Barcus-Berry Model 1360B.

The Invalid Link Removed is more like a mic than a pickup (from what I understand), and it goes in a hole in the foot of the bridge where the bridge meets the table. I can understand the advantages of that - I like "table" sound more than "bridge" sound, and this one goes right where they meet, like the Realist.

IME, the snugness of the fit is something that can dramatically affect how wing-mounted piezos perform. With a permanent style installation like you are proposing, there might be little room for adjustment to the "pressure" of the fit.

Also, servicing the p/u might be kind of a hassle too if it were permanently installed like that.

I dunno. Might sound awesome.
 
#3
Racsen said:
I have an upright bass , It is being built now.It is going to have acoustic body (but electric upright shape and size), sound post and bass bar.And I have this Bass Max pickup.

Normally bass max wedge into the wing , but my idea is put the bass max in the middle of the bridge instead of little heart symbol (I will put picture to explain this) , What do you think about this?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

Racsen,
Some of the first Barcus Berry Pickups were embeded into the bridge. As well as I can remember they had very low volume before they reached feedback and sounded really muffled. I think that using
a Bass Max in a way other then it's intended design will probably
yeild a less than desirable result, providing that it works at all. It will also most likely void any warranty that came with the unit and that's something that you might want to consider before proceeding with the instalation. It also seems to defeat the purpose of having a hybrid instrument since you aren't going to allow the pickup to sense the acoustics of a chambered instrument.

Ric
 
#4
I'm not thinking about the warranty because I'm from Turkey and shipping costs about 45$ ,sending and receiving the bass max will cost me a new bass max :)


By the way, My luthier will put a hole in the bridge for bass max.I'm not gonna do any changes on bass max it will just fit the hole like it fits into the wing.
If I don't like the sound I can easily put it into the wing :)

I think I will try this , I hope it will work because I read that bass max has volume problem with G string maybe this way I can fix this problem but we will see in 2 months :)
 
#5
Racsen said:
By the way, My luthier will put a hole in the bridge for bass max.I'm not gonna do any changes on bass max it will just fit the hole like it fits into the wing.
If I don't like the sound I can easily put it into the wing :)
Click to expand...
Okay, I was just trying to point out that how snug or loose the p/u fits in that hole is going to play a key role in how the p/u sounds IME. Sanding the wing or shimming the pickup with cardboard, business cards, or woodwind reeds are things people have done in the past to try and optimize the fit and tone of the pickup when the hole ain't right (there's a joke in there somewhere ...).
 
#7
Racsen said:
I have an upright bass , It is being built now.It is going to have acoustic body (but electric upright shape and size), sound post and bass bar.And I have this Bass Max pickup.
Normally bass max wedge into the wing , but my idea is put the bass max in the middle of the bridge instead of little heart symbol (I will put picture to explain this) , What do you think about this?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...
Balsereit, Willy
Link RemovedLink Removed [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Link Removed Geigenbauer Willy Balsereit, Weidengasse 43, D-50668 Köln, Link Removed 0049-(0)221-133539
Type: piezoceramic
Mode: passive
Preamp: optional
This pickup consists of a conical brass pin which is 4 cm long and as thick as a pencil. This pin is simply put into a conical hole drilled into the top end of the foot of the bridge. If you turn this brass pin in the bridge, you can adapt the sound to your instrument.

What you propose w/ the BassMaxx reminds me of this p/u above. Notice the placement is not at the heart of the bridge, but rather at the top end of the foot of the bridge. Just about opposite the 'E'side wing. This may be a better spot. Jonas Lohse who lists all these p/u's on his Double Bass website has said good things about this Balsereit p/u.

I have come to believe that the 'E' side bridge leg in general is the best area for a piezo element (think Fishman Full Circle, all wing slot p/u's, Realist).

Like Bolo has said, wherever you place the BassMaxx it is a piezo element that is designed to be under some (but not too much) pressure, so it should be wedged into a snug, but not too snug hole or slot.

Good luck, BG
 
#8
bribass said:
Like Bolo has said, wherever you place the BassMaxx it is a piezo element that is designed to be under some (but not too much) pressure, so it should be wedged into a snug, but not too snug hole or slot.
Good luck, BG
Click to expand...
I also agree with this.
I don't think the Bass Max would work with good results the way Racsen thought of.

Later edit: the Balsereit link gives a "404 file not found" error here.
 
#10
In my (limited) experience, the best place for a piezo is under the bridge foot. The argument against this is that it can damp the acoustic performance of a bass, but it seems your instrument is primarily electric so it's not an issue. In fact, on a small or solid body, a little extra flex probably makes for more acoustic dynamics.
I suggest you try one of the under-bridge options like the Realist, which has no installation issues.

On my solid-body EUB, I found a little cork or gasket under the pickup helped seat the bridge more evenly and gave more solid, consistent sound.
 
#11
Racsen said:
I have an upright bass , It is being built now.It is going to have acoustic body (but electric upright shape and size), sound post and bass bar.And I have this Bass Max pickup.

Normally bass max wedge into the wing , but my idea is put the bass max in the middle of the bridge instead of little heart symbol (I will put picture to explain this) , What do you think about this?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

I'd be surprised if the BassMax would work as well in that spot.
The BassMax is designed to respond to the wider range of microphonic vibrations coming from the cantelievered wing(s).
(The "heart" is suppossed to help direct the energy from the strings to the feet of the bridge).

The Bass Max might work as well in that spot if you somehow carved out a pattern that creates wider vibes, but that would probably create more problems (interfering with transfering energy to the feet) to the than it would solve.

Is it going to be a standard bridge, or more shallow? If you worried about lack of balance, how about 2 bassmax pups? One under each wing. People warn about phasing with 2, but that's easily correctable.
 

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