Double Bass Do I need a pickup?

[dan1952]

When I grew up we had to carry the rickshaws, because we didn't have wheels. And we did just fine!

It's just a good thing that the ramp had already been invented!

 

[Ric Vice]

For me at least, it's all about context. If I'm playing Ellington, Basie, Woody Herman, or god forbid Miller, et.al. then I at least make an attempt to go ampless, with the conceit of a decent mic and monitors. That said

if the hall is bad, or we're playing Tashiko Ashioki charts, then I, then the amplifer and pickup are coming out.

 

[sean_on_bass]

And honestly you don't need the amp to be your whole sound. Just a little extra oomph behind you so the guys with hearing aids can still make it out.

 

[damonsmith]

And honestly you don't need the amp to be your whole sound. Just a little extra oomph behind you so the guys with hearing aids can still make it out.

That depends on the pick up for sure, though. Many pick ups mute the bass and therefore the amp does need to be primary. The Full Circle does not, and that does seem to be a great pick up provided it matches your existing bridge threads. The old realist is not bad, the Underwood and BP 100 really mute the acoustic sound, however. I'd go with either of them as a "nuclear option" over a magnetic pick up - they both give a strong, clear signal.
One of the reasons I've stuck with the BB clamp is that it is so lightweight I can't tell a difference. A well set up bass can project well. Also, the material played for a big band is easier to project than more subtle material needed in small groups. The bass can project a lot more that most of think it can.

 

[Povl Carstensen]

That depends on the pick up for sure, though. Many pick ups mute the bass and therefore the amp does need to be primary. The Full Circle does not, and that does seem to be a great pick up provided it matches your existing bridge threads. The old realist is not bad, the Underwood and BP 100 really mute the acoustic sound, however. I'd go with either of them as a "nuclear option" over a magnetic pick up - they both give a strong, clear signal.
One of the reasons I've stuck with the BB clamp is that it is so lightweight I can't tell a difference. A well set up bass can project well. Also, the material played for a big band is easier to project than more subtle material needed in small groups. The bass can project a lot more that most of think it can.

I use a small Countryman mic held in place by a small clip on the gut E-string afterlength. It is very light, and even better, I can just snap it of for situations where I don't need it. I do not like the idea of dead weight specially on any moving part of the bass. But one day or another I guess I will cave in, and try the wood Realist I have in the drawer..

 

[Josh Kneisel]

I dig my Gage Lifeline...

 

[Ric Vice]

That depends on the pick up for sure, though. Many pick ups mute the bass and therefore the amp does need to be primary. The Full Circle does not, and that does seem to be a great pick up provided it matches your existing bridge threads. The old realist is not bad, the Underwood and BP 100 really mute the acoustic sound, however. I'd go with either of them as a "nuclear option" over a magnetic pick up - they both give a strong, clear signal.
One of the reasons I've stuck with the BB clamp is that it is so lightweight I can't tell a difference. A well set up bass can project well. Also, the material played for a big band is easier to project than more subtle material needed in small groups. The bass can project a lot more that most of think it can.

In my particular case, the Mirecourt 5/8's instrument I own, isn't really suited for unamplified big band performance. It needs some kind of backline, unless it's a small group. Larger basses are a different story. I have access to a 3/4 Knilling Flatback that

will work fine for period big band i.e. Ellington, Basie, Herman, Thad Jones, and Gerry Mulligan. Slap a decent microphone on it into the house and I'm good to go. I never had sucess with Kenton or Tashiko Ashioki without an amp. Just my take, but for me

it's really dependent on the composer and how he/or she writes for a 16 piece ensemble. Woody Herman and Stan Kenton were contemporaries, but where Herman's writers have a opening for the bass, Kenton's Double Blastissimo stuff is really hard to navigate

sans amp. Magnetics were something that has seen it's time come and, at least for me

pass.

Ric

 

[Phil Rowan]

Yes, I heard him too, and the combination of high strings, big old American Standard, and his mastery of that setup worked, at least at the Vanguard.

I was fortunate to hear Dennis play many times in a variety of settings, and his mastery of his big acoustic sound worked in all of them.

 

[lurk]

He also used a pickup and amp on occasion. I think with him the music overroad any dogma. Often when guys play"acoustically" they are actually using a very expensive amplification system - a good mic thu the house PA. John Clayton's a good example. Not to take anything away from Dennis, mind you, one of the best and most original players of his generation. I'm just pointing out that the no amplification thing has certain elements of urban legend.

 

[Ric Vice]

I was fortunate to hear Dennis play many times in a variety of settings, and his mastery of his big acoustic sound worked in all of them.

Dennis was wonderful, I saw him with Art Blakey and later with Joe Lavano, John Scofield, and Bill Steward. He could play anything. He was a remarkable bassist.

 

[matt holt]

I'm just going to throw in a quick shout out for the K&k Bass Max. It doesn't get a lot of love on TB, but it's relatively inexpensive and simple to install; and while I wouldn't argue that it sounds as good as some of the pickups listed here, I'm always impressed with how good it does sound, given the price and simplicity. It's always what I recommend when my students are looking to buy their first pickup.

Here is long description of it Invalid Link Removed