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Double Bass Clevinger Concerto info

#21
I would try this one first:

compare single piezo directly to jack to outboard pre (if you have one currently) with all pickups in parallel to jack to outboard pre and test the single string for the single pickup only.

If the single pickup sounds better, then I recommend building a 4-string impedance buffer (FDeck quick'n'dirty-style, basically four resistors and a JFET-transistor per string plus two capacitors) and connect the output resistors to the volume pot and the the volume pot to the jack. You need also some space for a 9 volts block battery.
If you still have room, you might put the filter part of an HPFpre in too and use the tone pot (may need replacement) for the filter frequency.

If there is no substantial difference in sound, connect the pickups in parallel directly to the jack or use a switch to be able to enable/disable the volume and tone electronics. Then you can still use an outboard preamp if you want.
 
#22
DoubleMIDI said:
I would try this one first:

compare single piezo directly to jack to outboard pre (if you have one currently) with all pickups in parallel to jack to outboard pre and test the single string for the single pickup only.

If the single pickup sounds better, then I recommend building a 4-string impedance buffer (FDeck quick'n'dirty-style, basically four resistors and a JFET-transistor per string plus two capacitors) and connect the output resistors to the volume pot and the the volume pot to the jack. You need also some space for a 9 volts block battery.
If you still have room, you might put the filter part of an HPFpre in too and use the tone pot (may need replacement) for the filter frequency.

If there is no substantial difference in sound, connect the pickups in parallel directly to the jack or use a switch to be able to enable/disable the volume and tone electronics. Then you can still use an outboard preamp if you want.
Click to expand...
I've got the LR Baggs belt clip pre on the way.
To tell the truth, it would have to be a monumental change as the cavity looks too small for any of that.
Many in the various threads and forums have commented that the out board preamp, with the piezos wired directly to the jack prior, really did the trick. If it doesn't, I will explore the other options because, physically, this bass plays and sounds great.
 
#23
I know, I built my preamp in that cavity and hardly found enough room for a two string preamp, but the main problem was putting the battery inside too.
I might have been able to put four impedance buffers in there, but then with some maybe obsolete parts removed. (I have a trimming pot for balance and a few more capacitors that you don't need neccessarily for four pickups.)
But I agree it was hard to fit and I really don't like to open that cavity. I build in one of the newer rechargable 9 volt batteries, that self-discharge over a year only about 20%, so I hope I don't need to open that cavity very often.

You might want to make a new cavity close to tho old one below for a 9 volts battery holder, drill a hole between the cavities to put the cables through. THen you should have enough room for a four string impedance converter, maybe even with a high pass filter.
I thought about that myself, but since I could get the impedance buffer and the battery in, I thought there is no need for me to "ruin" the instrument.
 
#24
PhatBasstard said:
I've got the LR Baggs belt clip pre on the way. If it doesn't, I will explore the other options because, physically, this bass plays and sounds great.
Click to expand...

PB,
My Clevenger Keyhole has excellent workmanship on the neck and body. Martin's instruments were known for that. The only other bass that was available when I first purchased mine was Ken Burt's Oregon Bass, that instrument cost @$6,000.00. I got a line on Robert Lee,the luthier who did the body and neck work on mine. Hopefully, he has some idea what the pickups were and who made them. Mr. P.C. postulated that they might be military piezo's of some sort.


Ric
 
#25
Ric Vice said:
PB,
My Clevenger Keyhole has excellent workmanship on the neck and body. Martin's instruments were known for that. The only other bass that was available when I first purchased mine was Ken Burt's Oregon Bass, that instrument cost @$6,000.00. I got a line on Robert Lee,the luthier who did the body and neck work on mine. Hopefully, he has some idea what the pickups were and who made them. Mr. P.C. postulated that they might be military piezo's of some sort.


Ric
Click to expand...

Any light he could shed would be great as the website is pretty much devoid of any technical info. :hmm:
 
#26
Wow Ric, I've heard there were less than 10 of the Oregon Bass produced! David Friesen made good use of his, he'd actually bring both the Oregon Bass and his beautiful acoustic (Mirecourt I believe) to his gigs. Both sounded fantastic in the musical roles he used them for.
On the pickups, military surplus was a source, as well as science lab suppliers, industrial clearance houses, aerospace material manufacturers ect.. Before the internet, the way for some luthiers and craftspeople to find sources for exotic parts and materials was to spend time at the Public Library doing research in journals. Man, how that has that changed!
 
#27
PhatBasstard said:
Any light he could shed would be great as the website is pretty much devoid of any technical info. :hmm:
Click to expand...

Yes, the website descriptions of the pu systems are a bit confusing, but from what I can tell ,The Holosonic system was a body mounted pickup that was blendable with the bridge system. I know of at least one Bennett model that has a pickup mounted in the neck pocket. When you dial in 100% of that pu, it has considerably less gain and sounds sort of "reverby".
 
#28
MR PC said:
Yes, the website descriptions of the pu systems are a bit confusing, but from what I can tell ,The Holosonic system was a body mounted pickup that was blendable with the bridge system. I know of at least one Bennett model that has a pickup mounted in the neck pocket. When you dial in 100% of that pu, it has considerably less gain and sounds sort of "reverby".
Click to expand...

That's what I figured was going on here too.
But there are 4 gray wires coming off the bridge into the body.
And 4 gray wires coming into the control cavity that, when each is stripped, split into a red "hot" wire and braid "ground".
And as I said before, all the hots terminate together to one lug of the bottom pot and all the grounds terminate together to the cavity shielding.
There are no other wires coming from any other location.
But it does sound like what you are describing. :confused:
 
#30
PhatBasstard said:
I haven't found an onboard pre I want to go with, so here's what I'm thinking:

It's currently a 3 knob layout.
Eliminate one knob for an A/B switch.
A: Piezos routed to a typical two knob, vol/tone configuration with some better pots (values).
Won't be the greatest, but this is to be only used in a pinch.
B: Piezos routed directly to the jack.
Used with an outboard pre or amp that has a piezo ready input.

Any thoughts?

Also, of the belt clip style outboard pre's available (Baggs, K&K, etc.), who likes what? Why?

Thanks
Click to expand...

UPDATE:
Well, I did exactly what I spoke of above along with the LR Baggs outboard preamp.
It's working and sounds worlds better than before.
Haven't gigged it yet (really need practice...OY!), but it sounds great through my practice rig.

For the enquiring minds....:D
 
#31
Waking up a zombie thread here. I have a Concerto. Great EUB ! It's got the RMC system only. No Hollosonic. 3 knobs, passive . Volume, bass cut, treble cut. These cut knobs do effect the volume, it's a lot louder with everything maxed out. I used to have an Azola with the active system that was described earlier. I sometimes think of trying that preamp with my Clevinger. But likely not to bother. The existing system seems to work well enough and sounds alright to me.
 

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