Bridge foot pickups and patent issues (split from Realist/treble foot thread)

yes, but this patent says "piezo". The APT-flex uses electret film instead of piezo. Electret film is a new finnish product, also used for BBand-pickups.
BTW, I'm not the maker or inventor of this pickup, I just sell them.

 

Hey Jonas, did you A/B the realist and the APT-flex?
How does it sound the APT?
thanks

NUNO

 

Jonas,
Does the APT-Flex have a warranty? Is it actually made in Finland?
How durable are they?

Ric Vice

 

This Russian pup looks just like the concept from pick up the world. I just pulled my PUTW out and instead of putting it under the foot I taped it to the table of the bass (it is made to go under the E foot an is a piezo film like this Russian pup)
It actually sounds pretty good.
If you want to try a film piezo, Pick up the world is in colorado and they make great little linebooster/impedance matching preamps and blenders.
the cables from the pup are pretty microphonic though...

 

The sensor material is made in Finland, but the pickup assembly is made in Russia. They are quite durable, much less damagable than piezo film sensors.

 

The electret film needs much pressure; just taping it to the body won't work. But unlike piezo film, it hasn't the disadvantage of microphonic cables.

 

Have you had the opportunity to do an A/B comparison between
electrect film and a peizo film transducers? I'm certainly not expecting you to name any specific product. I was just wondering, generally, how piezo film transducers compared tonally to electret film transducers in terms of frequency response and accurate reproduction. From what I can gather from your website and posts. Electret film transducers are thinner and more durable. Are there any other favorable characteristic's?


Ric

 

From another thread....

Thanks for the link. Bit of a dodgy patent, that one. All credit to Ned for putting his name on the idea first, but people were putting piezos under bridges long before he thought of it. I figured it out for myself before I ever saw a Realist because it's blatantly obvious that's where you'll get the best drive for a piezo.

The patent says "A musical instrument of the violin family which has a piezo-electric pickup installed under the foot of the bridge which is supported by the bass bar."

Interesting...
Would a solid-body instrument without a bass bar be exempt?

 

or if you wanna get really picky, the double bass is not a member of the violin family. It is a viol.

 

I wasn't able to find any German or European patent so far, so I believe that there's only this american patent by Steinberger. So beside all other questions (piezo or elektret, bass bar or not ...), the protection by patent covers only the USA, and not Europe.
BTW: when I searched the patent database, I was surprised what silly things are worth a patent. Even bass cases, or bass case shoulder straps ... unbelievable!

 

Yes, but it still falls under the category of an "obvious improvement" because the double bass is an obvious improvement over the violin.

 

LOL!!!

 

Haha I actually laughed out loud. Cleverest post I've seen in a long while.