Double Bass Bridge/Pickup Combo

[jakejazzbass]

Hi all,

After doing some recent reading I’ve noticed there to be some discussion regarding bridges and how they relate to pickups on EUBs.

Specifically I’ve seen talk in the past of how the size of a bridge will usually impact the sound of a pickup. For instance at this time I’ve been experimenting with a KK Bass Max on a Baby Bass wood bridge which has led to mixed results with the sound being very uneven in my opinion.

I thought that now that we’re well out of the Azola era and EUB technology and design having come some way since some of these discussions were had, that it would be interesting to see what people have found so far. Looking forward to what discussion we can have here, and what some people might recommend!

 

[Francois Blais]

Interesting!
I've had an Ampeg Baby Bass about 30 years ago, and then an Azola BugBass for a few years.
The BB came with its metal bridge and magnetic pickups under the bridge plate.
I didn't want this tone so replaced the thin rings on which the bridge feet rest by solid steel, and replaced the bridge with a custom wooden one, similar to those Ray Ramirez is making.
Actually it's about the same as a regular DB bridge, only made to a smaller scale.
The Azola also came with a bridge following this concept.
My experimentations led me to conclude that using a piezo wing pickup with this bridge design provides an uneven tone from string to string.
I found out it's better to use a regular bridge and cut its legs to get the proper height.
Like this:

 

[jakejazzbass]

Interesting!
I've had an Ampeg Baby Bass about 30 years ago, and then an Azola BugBass for a few years.
The BB came with its metal bridge and magnetic pickups under the bridge plate.
I didn't want this tone so replaced the thin rings on which the bridge feet rest by solid steel, and replaced the bridge with a custom wooden one, similar to those Ray Ramirez is making.
Actually it's about the same as a regular DB bridge, only made to a smaller scale.
The Azola also came with a bridge following this concept.
My experimentations led me to conclude that using a piezo wing pickup with this bridge design provides an uneven tone from string to string.
I found out it's better to use a regular bridge and cut its legs to get the proper height.
Like this:

View attachment 5411772

Wow, this is interesting as well! Did you have any problems regarding the width of the bridge in relation to the width of the fingerboard? I’d be interested to try this on my ampeg, but I’m worried the fingerboard is too thin!

Also, what do you think is the science behind this? Does the bigger bridge maybe help even out the sound as opposed to something like the Ray Ramirez bridge that might hyper focus it back to the low end like the regular baby bass bridge?

 

[Francois Blais]

Wow, this is interesting as well! Did you have any problems regarding the width of the bridge in relation to the width of the fingerboard? I’d be interested to try this on my ampeg, but I’m worried the fingerboard is too thin!

No problem.
In fact, I totally reshaped the bridge crown and made the grooves according to the fingerboard width.

Also, what do you think is the science behind this? Does the bigger bridge maybe help even out the sound as opposed to something like the Ray Ramirez bridge that might hyper focus it back to the low end like the regular baby bass bridge?

Yes, I suppose that having more wood between the strings and pickup evens out the tone.
But I have no scientific proof.

 

[jakejazzbass]

No problem.
In fact, I totally reshaped the bridge crown and made the grooves according to the fingerboard width.

Yes, I suppose that having more wood between the strings and pickup evens out the tone.
But I have no scientific proof.

This is something I’ll definitely have to try. I’m assuming that when you did this you just went ahead and used a regular 3/4 sized bridge?

 

[Francois Blais]

That's right.
That was an old bridge I kept from a bass which I had change the bridge.
Nothing to loose trying.