Double Bass ehrlund contact pu-mike

[MrSidecar]

And to round it off, this leads to the assumption that we're dealing with a dynamic microphone here. Reasonable as well, since condensers are more sensitive and prone to bleed from outer sources.

Best
Sidecar

 

[drurb]

Condensor mics need a current (they are active and require phantom power or batteries).

Excellent descriptions but could also be an electret condenser (no power source required).

 

[jonas]

i think it's a piezo.

 

[MrSidecar]

i think it's a piezo.

I don't think so, as a piezo would not work so well when mounted like this:

I mean, those putty peas imply there's a gap between top and pickup, and a piezo wouldn't be very efficient with this gap,would it?
Plus, piezo is never stated on his site, as opposed to "microphone". But I might as well be wrong.

Best

Sidecar

 

[MrSidecar]

Excellent descriptions but could also be an electret condenser (no power source required).

True, didn't consider that. Didn't know either... Thanks!

Best
Sidecar

 

[labravajazz]

I am just going by the Sound on Sound review (UK) which states assertively that it is a piezo. As mentioned I found that the size of the air gap does seem to add to the acoustic quality of the sound. I don't know if a piezo would work with the gap and understand what you are thinking. I think the site mentions linear mike but perhaps the emphasis is on linear - well from what i have tried so far it does seem like a flat response certainly compared to any other pickups I know of.

I don't think so, as a piezo would not work so well when mounted like this:

I mean, those putty peas imply there's a gap between top and pickup, and a piezo wouldn't be very efficient with this gap,would it?
Plus, piezo is never stated on his site, as opposed to "microphone". But I might as well be wrong.

Best

Sidecar

 

[richhansen]

I just got my Erhlund EAP Pickup with the Ehrlund Preamp. All I can say is that this thing is really the pickup I've been searching for for years. Based on descriptions, I did have some high hopes for it, and now that I've been playing with it, it really has exceeded my hopes. I A/B'd it against my microphones (Audio Technica Condensers, Shure Beta 57 with H clamp) through headphones, and this really does sound just like a microphone - without the feedback. Nice and warm and woody. I performed with it this weekend as well, and it really delivers. I have been playing it through my Markbass CMD102P combo amp, and it is surprising how LOUD it can go without feeding back. I don't how they did it, but the design of this thing is really amazing. I've tried about every pickup out there (Full Circle, Rev Solo II, Vektor, Underwood, Bassmax, Realist, etc etc) and I say this new Ehrlund is the pickup to beat.

It takes a little experimenting to find the sweet spot (my sweet spot is on the treble side in the lower left area of the F hole), but once you find it and put it there, you leave it there and this thing sounds consistently great. As others have noted here, the cable is very microphonic and picks up a terrible amount of noise if you bump the cable in any way. My solution to this was to wrap the cable up with the preamp, and mount the preamp under the tailpiece/afterlength area, so the cable is not able to move at all, and the noise problem is solved. I just plug my cable into the output cable of the preamp into my amp(leaving the input cable in permanently) and there's no extraneous noise.

Some here have said this must be a piezo, but this doesn't sound like any piezo I've tried, as there's no quacky whiny piezo quality to it at all. It sounds like a microphone, without the bleed and without the feedback that comes with a mic.

Time for my H clamp, mics, and piezos to go the way of the classifieds!

 

[labravajazz]

Yes, I pretty much agree its mic like - I have used mine a few times now and it doesn't quite sound the same as a really good mic but WAY closer than any other pickup I have tried. The microphonic cable is the hassle though and once again one can only wonder why this is the case if this is in fact a piezo design?
I did notice that the bit of space created between the surface of the bass and the surface if pickup does affect the sound. The closer the gap the higher the gain but the less acoustic it seems to sound.
So its necessary to find the sweet spot PLUS the right amount of gap!
When you have figured that by trial and error it is a VERY good pickup/Mic

 

[James Gibson]

I just got my Erhlund EAP Pickup with the Ehrlund Preamp. All I can say is that this thing is really the pickup I've been searching for for years. Based on descriptions, I did have some high hopes for it, and now that I've been playing with it, it really has exceeded my hopes. I A/B'd it against my microphones (Audio Technica Condensers, Shure Beta 57 with H clamp) through headphones, and this really does sound just like a microphone - without the feedback. Nice and warm and woody. I performed with it this weekend as well, and it really delivers. I have been playing it through my Markbass CMD102P combo amp, and it is surprising how LOUD it can go without feeding back. I don't how they did it, but the design of this thing is really amazing. I've tried about every pickup out there (Full Circle, Rev Solo II, Vektor, Underwood, Bassmax, Realist, etc etc) and I say this new Ehrlund is the pickup to beat.

It takes a little experimenting to find the sweet spot (my sweet spot is on the treble side in the lower left area of the F hole), but once you find it and put it there, you leave it there and this thing sounds consistently great. As others have noted here, the cable is very microphonic and picks up a terrible amount of noise if you bump the cable in any way. My solution to this was to wrap the cable up with the preamp, and mount the preamp under the tailpiece/afterlength area, so the cable is not able to move at all, and the noise problem is solved. I just plug my cable into the output cable of the preamp into my amp(leaving the input cable in permanently) and there's no extraneous noise.

Some here have said this must be a piezo, but this doesn't sound like any piezo I've tried, as there's no quacky whiny piezo quality to it at all. It sounds like a microphone, without the bleed and without the feedback that comes with a mic.

Time for my H clamp, mics, and piezos to go the way of the classifieds!

Rich, you mention performing with it through a Markbass. What was the volume like on that gig, and what size band?

Yes, I pretty much agree its mic like - I have used mine a few times now and it doesn't quite sound the same as a really good mic but WAY closer than any other pickup I have tried. The microphonic cable is the hassle though and once again one can only wonder why this is the case if this is in fact a piezo design?
I did notice that the bit of space created between the surface of the bass and the surface if pickup does affect the sound. The closer the gap the higher the gain but the less acoustic it seems to sound.
So its necessary to find the sweet spot PLUS the right amount of gap!
When you have figured that by trial and error it is a VERY good pickup/Mic

I'm intrigued... I'll have to try this thing out.

To anyone who's bought this pup: Am I correct in believe the pup comes in a package deal with the preamp?

 

[richhansen]

James, that particular gig wasn't extremely loud, but my jazz quartet has a drummer who sometimes goes VERY loud, and the Ehrlund has pumped out plent of volume through my amp to keep up with everything I've done so far. In fact, I was surprised to find that it has better signal-to-feedback ratio than my Rev Solo II I was previously using.

The pickup with the Ehrlund preamp costs $383, which is with the the current Euro to dollar conversion. A very good deal in my opinion.

 

[James Gibson]

James, that particular gig wasn't extremely loud, but my jazz quartet has a drummer who sometimes goes VERY loud, and the Ehrlund has pumped out plent of volume through my amp to keep up with everything I've done so far. In fact, I was surprised to find that it has better signal-to-feedback ratio than my Rev Solo II I was previously using.

The pickup with the Ehrlund preamp costs $383, which is with the the current Euro to dollar conversion. A very good deal in my opinion.

Rich, thanks for the feedback(about your lack of feedback?). I'm really looking forward to ordering one of these and trying it out.

 

[William Hoffman]

...are you sure this is a "piezo"? göran calls it a "linear mic". anybody know what's the difference there?

I'm very sure it's NOT a piezo. Difference in short and unscientific: Piezos are crystals that transform vibration/pressure into current (and current into vibration, vice versa). In a mic, a membrane picks up the vibration of the air, and this is transformed into current either by magnetic induction (dynamic mic) or in condensor mics by condensor effect (the foil being one part of a condenser). Condensor mics need a current (they are active and require phantom power or batteries).

i think it's a piezo.

I don't think so, as a piezo would not work so well when mounted like this:

I mean, those putty peas imply there's a gap between top and pickup, and a piezo wouldn't be very efficient with this gap,would it?
Plus, piezo is never stated on his site, as opposed to "microphone". But I might as well be wrong

well, there has been a question about whether the ehrlund mic is a piezo or not.

and now Göran has spoken (to me, like Moses on the Mount) and i pass along his words:

"Hello again Bill,
Of course I am concerned about my patent(it cost me a lot every year) but I am also glad that you “double bassist players” are so curios about my products!

I can tell you that it is not made by crystal film.
The pickup take up both vibrations and sound thru the air.

Piezo has bad reputation among musicians and they sounds terrible and that was one of my challenges to develop something that works better.

The pickup has several “ingredients” and it has taken me very long time to find out the right composition.
It seems simple but I guaranty that it is not [a piezo].

You may put this info on the talk bass forum but please correct the text since my English is not so good."

 

[MrSidecar]

and now Göran has spoken (to me, like Moses on the Mount) and i pass along his words:

[..]

Piezo has bad reputation among musicians and they sounds terrible and that was one of my challenges to develop something that works better.

The pickup has several “ingredients” and it has taken me very long time to find out the right composition.
It seems simple but I guaranty that it is not [a piezo].

Hi Bill,

thanks for getting this straight. I'm still very intrigued by the Ehrlund, although me and my dyn-b are getting to know each other quite well, and we actually get along surprisingly well... MOre on that in a PM, since it doesn't belong here.

Best

Sidecar

 

[James Gibson]

This question is for anyone who has experience with the Ehrlund. Do you believe this pickup could get loud enough to perform in a big band without feedback?

thanks!

 

[richhansen]

In my experience, the Ehrlund can go very loud - even louder than any piezo I've tried. It sounds WAY better than any piezo out there. In fact, it sounds like a nice dynamic microphone. As long as you're not using an SVT cranked to 10 and standing with your bass in front of the cabinet, you can get very loud with it. I use a Markbass combo amp with my Ehrlund, and I have zero problems with feedback. I can definitely get it way louder than I need to with my jazz quartet.

I can't say enough good things about the Ehrlund, and would recommend anyone who is looking for "my bass tone but louder" to try it.

 

[bassadder]

Hi Rich

I've just got my pickup and pre-amp. How have you attached the pre-amp to the tail piece.

Cheers

Laurence

 

[geoffbassist]

Hey laurence, how's it working out, have u used it on a gig, better than the full circle?
Hope lifes good, cheers Geoff

 

[bassadder]

Hi Geoff

Doing some live recording with Claude tonight and Sunday with guitarist Jay Myerson. I have 3 Octet gigs next week so I should know by then.

I have to say I've become more and more fustrated with the Full Circle to the point that I've stop using it altogether and have actually put a new Realist on bass which much sounds deeper and more rounded and less artificial on my bass anyway.

But if Goran's pickup is what I hope I'll ditch the Realist as well.

Cheers

Laurence

 

[jrlynch]

an old soundman's trick: tie a loose knot in the cable near the mic. it absorbs vibrations trying to travel down the cable. works like a charm.

very curious about this mic/pickup thang ...

jeff.

I just got my Erhlund EAP Pickup with the Ehrlund Preamp. All I can say is that this thing is really the pickup I've been searching for for years. Based on descriptions, I did have some high hopes for it, and now that I've been playing with it, it really has exceeded my hopes. I A/B'd it against my microphones (Audio Technica Condensers, Shure Beta 57 with H clamp) through headphones, and this really does sound just like a microphone - without the feedback. Nice and warm and woody. I performed with it this weekend as well, and it really delivers. I have been playing it through my Markbass CMD102P combo amp, and it is surprising how LOUD it can go without feeding back. I don't how they did it, but the design of this thing is really amazing. I've tried about every pickup out there (Full Circle, Rev Solo II, Vektor, Underwood, Bassmax, Realist, etc etc) and I say this new Ehrlund is the pickup to beat.

It takes a little experimenting to find the sweet spot (my sweet spot is on the treble side in the lower left area of the F hole), but once you find it and put it there, you leave it there and this thing sounds consistently great. As others have noted here, the cable is very microphonic and picks up a terrible amount of noise if you bump the cable in any way. My solution to this was to wrap the cable up with the preamp, and mount the preamp under the tailpiece/afterlength area, so the cable is not able to move at all, and the noise problem is solved. I just plug my cable into the output cable of the preamp into my amp(leaving the input cable in permanently) and there's no extraneous noise.

Some here have said this must be a piezo, but this doesn't sound like any piezo I've tried, as there's no quacky whiny piezo quality to it at all. It sounds like a microphone, without the bleed and without the feedback that comes with a mic.

Time for my H clamp, mics, and piezos to go the way of the classifieds!

 

[bassadder]

After trying the pickup/mic and liking the sound but the not the noise from the cable, I've done some mods (with Goran's approval) to the Ehrlund so the cable won't be a hassle and it can be used more easily.

Cheers

Laurence